davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
NONAGENARIAN
AIDS RED CROSS
MRS. JOSEPH JOHNSON. AGED 81
kNITs FOR SoLDlERs-HELP-
ED DURING CIVIL WAR TOO.

Mrs. Joseph johnson. 95 years Of age.
does her bit for the soldiers by knit
ting for the Red Cross. In spite OF her
advanced age she is very much inter-
ested in the war and is anxious to do
sall she can to help. So far she has Knit
six entire sweaters. four muf1lers and
two pairs Of wristlets. 1.-The only rea-
son / am not knitting .now," said Mrs.
Johnson yesterday, lis because can
get no more yarn from the Red Cross.
AS soon as I can. will begin again."
HELPED IN CIVIL WAR TIMES
This interesting old lady, whose mind
is as bright and active as that Of
woman fifty years her Junior, said, Il
did so much to help the boys at the
time of the civil war, that couldn't
bear it if were not able to help now.
During the civil war, she and the 9TH
err women used to make shirts, cut
bandages and scrape lint for the SOL
diers. Things were so different then"
she told Courier representative.
There was no Red Cross. We all had
to take care Of our own soldiers and do
all we could to help the others. At one
time, 1t was so hard for the boys to get
the right kind Of food that was asked
to bake bread for an entire regiment. It
took three or four bakings day but
we all expected to work then
AN OLD SETTLER OF IOWA.
Mrs. Johnson is an old settler OF
Iowa She was born in Greensburg, Pa.
in 1923, and in 1851 moved to Eddyville
Iowa was pretty wild when we moved
here" Mrs. Johnson said, smiling.
There were no public roads, and We
had to make our own way over the
prairie and through the hazel brush.
We had just made our home in Eddy
Vile, when the spring Of the high
water came and washed it all away
In 1853 Mrs. Johnson moved to Knox
Vile, and for the last fourteen years
she has made her home in Ottumwa,
with her daughter Mrs. j. c. Finesey,
6O2 North Wapello street.
DOES NOT NEED GLASSES.
Although Mrs. Johnson will be .95 on
February %, one would take her for
woman at least twenty years younger.
She does all her knitting without the
aid of glasses: she talks brightly and
Interestingly, and her memory is excel
lent. Every afternoon she watches
eagerly for the arrival of the paper and
reads it carefully to keep up on the
progress of the war.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
AGED WOMEN ARE
CALLED BY DEATH

Keokuk. Jan. 11.-Mrs. Rebecca
Lafeber, 81 years old, died at the Lee
county home near Summitville. Her
death was due to stroke Of paralysis
which she suffered last Friday. She
was born in Harrisburg, West Vir-
ginia, in 1921. She was admitted to
the home from Graham hospital at
Keokuk in April, 1917. Mrs. Lafeber
was a former resident of Harrington
and Croton, and she has relatives at
Oskaloosa who will take charge of the
body.
Mrs. Susan Carson, IS years old
died at the county home from in
frmities Of old age. She was born in
Ohio in 1888 and was admitted in
July, 1910, from Fl. Madison. She has
a daughter there, Mrs. Chris Wagner,
who will take care of the body.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
PAST YEAR COOLEST
PERIOD SINCE 1910

Des Moines, Jan.,11-With one ex-
ception 1917" was the coolest year
since 1910.
The average temperature was Al
degrees. The record breaker was 1893
when the average was 46.7.
cording to the annual weather sum-
mary issued by the local bureau.
December had fourteen days of zero
or below zero temperatures. The
greatest number of zero days in that
month, prior to 1917, was ten in 1880
1884 and 1909.
The warmest day of the year was
July 30th when the murcury climbed
to 101 degrees. The coolest day was
February 2, when minimum of %
below zero was recorded.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
HALF MILLION
IOWA STUDENTS
STATE HAS TO PAY AN AVERAGE
OF $3.50 FOR EACH CHILD
ATTENDING SCHOOL

Des Moines, Jan. 11.-Iowa paid out
last year for the education of its boys
and girls on average of $3.50 for each
pupil, according to report completed
by Frank Joseph, assistant state SUI
Iperintendent Of public instruction.
! The total cost of the school system
for the school year ending June 30,
1917, was $27,016,177. The number Of
students enrolled in public schools
was 507, 652.
The cost of the educational system
is apportioned among 5000 corpora
lions. There were 22,343 teachers.
According to the report, the average
salary for teachers in the state was
$63.66 a month. The average salary
Of male teachers was 5000; female
teachers $59.42. This was an ad-
vance of about 81 over the preceding
year.
The Iowa school system required
1927 school buildings, the value be-
ing estimated at $43,320,562. During
last year there were 243 new buildings
erected at the expense of nearly
100000. Joseph reports that these
buildings are, for the most part, mod
ern and equipped for the latest meth
DDS of teaching.
OF the school buildings in use last
year in Iowa, Joseph reports 10,147 OF
them are equipped with flags. Joseph
has suggested that all districts in the
state display their patriotism by insist
ing that the flag be flown from every
school house in accordance with the
law.
OF the total enrolment of 507,65c
during the year 1917, the average at
tendance is given as 1929, the aver
age nOn-attendance being 81 per cent.
or the loss of one days time in the
week.
It is estimated by the assistant state
superintendent that the loss to the
state through non-attendance is S.
673,197.
"Such tremendous losses are unbe
until we study the aggregate
in place of thinking of the individual
pupil only" said Assistant Superin-
tendent Joseph.
Schools have been in session for ITS
days, or 8.9 months of the year. JOS
eph points out that the school system
Is gradually coming to the point where
all of the schools will continue for
nine months. He said that the school
system should not be judged by the
amount of money expended. The sue
cess of the system, he said, depends |
upon the work of the individual
schools.
The average cost of pupils in. the
state institution at Anamosa was
s264.22 The average cost for each in
mate at Fort Madison was $302.5S:
$272.s5: Eldora, $4,000.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
JOHNSON COUNTY MAY
BUY FAIR GROUNDS

Iowa City, Jan, 11-At a meeting
of the board of directors Of the John
son County Fair association 1t was
voted to give the voters Of the county
another chance to vote upon the prop
osition of the county's purchasing the
grounds.
The fair has not been success
financially and the Indebtedness Of
the association in nearly $4,000,
which sum is considered to be about
the value of the buildings Of the as
ISOLATION.
The grounds consist Of thirty-two
acres in the edge of Iowa City and
the price at which it was proposed
to sell last fall to the county was $14,-
500.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
SCHOOL
is NOT POPULAR

Bonaparte, Jan. 11.-Bonaparte has
been experimenting with the plan Of
having school on Saturday, for th9
purpose, it is said, Of conserving fusll
as well as enabling the use Of older
boys on the farms earlier in the year,
than would be advisable were not the
extra day employed to get over the
prescribed amount Of work. The plan
is not meeting with unanimous favor.
much agitation being aroused among
parents and pupils 1t is thought Sat
urday school win soon be discon.
tinued
Five days Of study" claims one Ut
the opponents Of the system, "is long
enough for any pupil, and an extra day
will not make one much wiser
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
DEALERS MUST
MARK THE PACKAGE

Jefferson City, Mo-, Jan. lin the
interest of honest commercial mixed
feeds, Jewell Mayes, the executive Of
ficer of the new live stock feed inspec-
ton law, has issued warning to
every feed dealer Of Missouri against
selling or offering for sale any stock
or poultry feed that has not been regis
tered as commercial mixed feed.
Watch the feed tag" Is as important
to the dealer as to the consumer, and
in fact, more so, because the dealer is
subject to prosecution. Retailers and
wholesalers should demand proof of
registration from millers and mixers.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
LEVINE CONSIDERS WAR.

London, Jan. 11.-Nikolai Lenine,
the bolsheviki premier, although he
has possibly gone on holiday to Fin
land, also possibly bay go to Stock
holm to confer with German and
Austrian socialists. says the Petrograd
correspondent of the Daily News. In
a speech before his departure from
Petrograd Premier Lenine said:
81 fear we shall have to stop the
rehabilitation and prepare for war. II
Germany and her allies do not accept
our conditions Of peace, we will de-
clare a revolutionary war on them"
UKRAINE NOT lPRo-ALLY.
The correspondent emphasizes the
importance of an agreement between
the bolsheviki and Ukrainian negotia-
tors as the position Of the rada has
lessened Trotzky's chances Of obtain
ing satisfactory peace. He says that
if the Germans could buy off the
Ukraine the significance within Ger.
many of Trotzky's stand would be cut
in half. The correspondent adds that
nothing is more foolish than to sup
pose that because the Ukraine oppose
the bolsheviki, it therefore favors the
allies and the prose cution of the war.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
EDITOR ASSIGNS BIG
TASK TO INVENTORS

London, Jan. 11.-Referring to the
report that it is intended to drop mil
lion copies of President Wilson's ad-
dress in Germany from airplanes, the
Daily Chronicle, while thinking the
idea excellent and declaring that il
every German could read the address
it might lead to national strike
against the war, recalls Germany's re-
cent announcement that pilots caught
dropping propaganda will be shot as
spies. Accordingly, the paper appeals
to inventors to produce machine
which Of itself will drop the propa-
ganda.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
BASE
is IDEAL CITY
PERlShING'S NEW HEADQUAR-
TIERS LOCATED IN GEN.
TRIAL FRANCE.

City in Central France, Jan. TO-
(Delayed) -Although the influx OF
, hundreds of staff officers belonging to
the lines of communications branch OF
the American army has not yet begun
and although their transfer from
Paris here is supposed to be deep
secret, this beautiful little city in CEN
trail France already is aware that it
soon will be host to the newest allies.
American flags are already waving
from many buildings and the citizens
are in state Of suppressed excite
ment, preparing what promises to be
a most enthusiastic welcome to the
new corners.
QUARTERS ARE READY.
The preparations for the advent Of
the Americans, numbering several
hundred officers and twice as many
assistants-clerks, civilians and mill
tary workers-are almost completed
so that when the men begin to arrive,
in day or two, each one will find
comfortable quarters arranged for him
either in some one of the half dozen
good hotels here or in private houses
that have been rented by the advance
scouts.
They will find themselves quarter
ed "for the duration of the war" in
one of Frances healthiest and most
beautiful cities where cleanliness, fresh
vegetables in season and dairy prod
ucts are plentiful, where the water
supply offers none Of the drawbacks
that must be contended with close be-
hind the front, and from which they
can operate fully as advantageously
and centrally as from Paris.
FOR MEMS COMFORT.
The new headquarters, from the
outset, will be operated with view to
the greatest possible comfort of the
men and the least possible distur-
Dances of local conditions. Thus, one
of the first, moves will be to install a
SALES commissary" at which food
stuffs brought from America will be
sold at less than local market prices,
if possible, so that the presence of the
will not have the effect of
forcing up prices to the distress of the
inhabitants.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
BANK OFFICIALS
REFLECT OFFICERS

Chillicothe, Jan. 1.-THE annual
meeting of the stockholders and d.
rectors of the Chillicothe Savings
bank was held January 9. The fol-
lowing officers were reelected: Presi-
dent, DR.. e. T. Edgerly. vice presi-
dent, w. H. Bennett; directors, c. S.
Harper. Emmett Work, d. w. Baker,
G. M. Clark. Whilfred Johnston, DR..
D. T. Rambo. G. E. jenkins was re-
elected cashier with a substantial
raise in salary.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
New York MayOr
Would Boost Oil
Kings Tax Bills

NEW YORK, Jan. 11.-An In
IN crease in the personal prop
erty tax of John .. Rockefel-
Ter, who now pays on an assess
ment Of $4,000, 900, is suggested by
Mayor HyIan in letter to the
president Of the tax board, made
public today.
The mayor stated that real
estate is bearing an undue share
Of the burden Of taxation in the
city and he also suggested that
the city might follow the govern
ment scheme Of taking excessive
wealth that comes from excessive
incomes"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
MoNTHEZUMA BONDS SOLD.

MOnteZuma, Jan, II@Tne DOaru OF
SUPERVISORS held a meeting to sell
bonds to pay the outstanding warrants
for bridge work done during the sea-
son. Four of five concerns were rep
resented. The board took bids on rate
and terms. The first bid was for the
$4,000 at 51a per cent and bonus of
some 5000. Then some one cut the
proposed figure a little until it was
down to par on S per cent basis.
They kept on bidding however until
the successful firm secured the issue
by paying . premimum of $500.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
FOR SEPARATE PEACE.

Amsterdam, Jan. 11.-Count Czern-
in, the Austro-Hungarian foreign min
lister, at full sitting Of the peace con-
ference at Brest-Litovsk on Thursday,
said that as Russia's allies had not
replied to the invitation to participate
in the negotiations it was now a ques-
ton of separate peace between
Russia and the central powers.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
TAXABLE WEALTH
IS SEVEN BILLION

Jefferson City, Mo-, Jan. 11.-Seven-
teen counties reporting the new assess
ment have a total taxable wealth Of
$505, 665, 900 as compared with $1,527.-
800 valuation for tax purposes in 1916.
At this rate of increase the total tax
able wealth returned by Missouri for
last year should be nearly $70,00O,-
100000.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
KIRKSVILLE MAN
IS AN INTERPRETER

Kirksville, Mo-. Jan. 11.-Arthur
Fay son of DR.. F. c. Fay. presiding
elder of the Methodist church Of
Kirksville. has been chosen as an in
terpreter with Pershing's forces in
France, He will be attached to Perish.
ings headquarters as an interpreter
for French
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
MEET AGAIN TOMORROW.

Petrograd, Jan. 10.-(Delayed)-M.
Trotzky requested adjournment of the
peace conference in. order that the
Russian reply to the Austro-German
declarations might be prepared. The
next sitting was fixed for II o'clock
Friday morning. 1t was agreed that
the Russian and Ukrainian replies
would be read at the same time.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
GRlNNELL WILL
IMPROVE DRILL
MORE COMPLETE EQUIPMENT
AND A PERMANENT INsTRUc-
TON WILL BE GIVEN.

equipment for carrying on military
, drill including guns, and permanent
F, military instructor have been prom
,, Used by DR.. J. p. Sprague, head Of the
/ department of physical education at
Grinnell college.
Wooden guns were ordered for the
Grinnell companies some time age
but the shipment was seized by the
government for its own uses. An
ether order was placed Immediately
and the guns are already on their way.
1t is expected that they will arrive
within week.
The question of uniforms is now
under discussion. DR.. Sprague has
expressed himself as being in favor OF
them at least for all cadet officers.
They would add greatly to the drill
both in its appearance and serious
ness" is his opinion.
Senator w. S. Kenyon has recon-
mended the exemption Of Lieutenant
w. M. P. Mitchell, who formerly had
charge of the drill and who is now in
Des Moines awaiting the decision OF
the exemption board. If his exemption
is not granted President Main is in
touch with several men who can fill
the position.
A non-commissioned officers school
will be started week from Tuesday
and will be held once week for the
rest of the school year.
In commenting on the Importance
of the drill DR.. Sprague said: 81 am
very anxious to see something of real
value develop from the present drill.
The men do not realize how valuable
this drill will be when they are called
upon to serve their country"
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
RED CROSS HEN
LAYS VALUABLE EGG

Wooden, Jan. 11.-While waiting to
be sold at the Red Cross a0ction here
recently, common, ordinary hen laid
an egg. The auctioneer placed the egg
on sale and It brought $64 from enthu-
siastic bidders.
The total amount realized for the
Red Cross from this auction was $500.
A dinner later in the evening brought
about $110.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
BOISE NOT A CANDIDATE.

Waterloo, Jan, 11-Judge w. D.
Boise of this city will not be candi-
date for governor before the demo
cratic primaries in June. He made
this statement when asked concerning
reports in the press of the state that
he might make the race. He said he
would rather continue on the bench
than accept any political job.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
ENGLAND FOLLOWS SUR.

London, Jan. 1.-THE morning
newspapers welcome heartily the deci-
sion of the house of lords on woman
suffrage which gives the vote to about
100000 women and ends the long
wrangle which has troubled tho coun.
try for years. It Is true that the third
reading Of the bill is yet to be taken
and motion to submit the question:
to referendum is to be disposed oil
but it is not believed that this has any
prospects Of success even II pressed,
to vote.
Miss Christabel Pankhurst said
The vote will be used for the ma
tional good: first, for promoting social
reforms; second, for stimulating ma.
tional defense, and third, for disciplin-
ing democracy"
Miss Pankhurst added that the won.
en- Of Great Britain now had only one
idea, namely, to assure victory for the
allies.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
women WIN
HOUSE Vote
ON SUFFRAGE.
Majority of Two-thirds ISL
Obtained When Congress-
men Leave Hospital Beds
To Cast Ballots For the
Amendment. 4
WOMEN OF ENGLAND
SHARE IN VICTORY,

Washington, D. c., Jan. 11.-Woman
suffrage was step nearer realization
today as the result of the victory In
the house last night when resolution
was adopted authorizing submission to
the states of the Susan B. Anthony
amendment for national enffanchise-
ment of women.
The vote was 274 to 1876, exactly the
required two-thirds majority. Repub-
lican Leader Mann and Representa-.
tive Sims, both Of whom came to the
house from sick beds, brought the
votes which settled me- issu,s
So close was the contest that re-
capitulation was asked and the an
nouncement of the final vote was
greeted with wild applause and cheer
ing from the women who thronged the
galleries.
GOES TO SENATE.
The resolution was sent. to the sen.
ate today and suffrage champions ct
once began their campaign in the up
per house Recent polls Of the senate
indicate that the necessary two-thirds
could not be mustered there and
vote may not be forced until advocates
find they have the strength with
which to put it through. ~
All the Iowa members of the house
except Representative Hull of the sec
ond district voted for the resolution.
G. o. P. GIVES VICTORY.
The republicans we're chiefly respon-
sible for the vote that carried the res:
proposing to submit to the
states the suffrage amendment. There
were 165 republicans voting for 1t and
only 80 against. Despite President
Wilson's announced conversion to
national suffrage Wednesday night
and his advice to members to vote for
the resolution, his fellow democrats
In the house were about evenly divid-.
ed, 104 voting for and 102 against the
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
FOR THE NEW sLAv ARMY.

London, Jan. 11.-Confirming prev
ious reports that the bolsheviki are
preparing to re-establish the fighting
power of the army against a
possible final break in the negotia-
tons with the central powers, the Pet
rograd correspondent of the Daily
News says they are not attempting to
reanimate the old worn out army but
to create a new and much smaller
one. Concerning this new army For
eign Minister ,Trotzky is reported to
have said:
ut will wage not war but revolu-
ton. It's front trenches will be barri-
cades against oppressors.'
RAILROADS ARE WEAK.
The bolsheviki doubt whether the
German soldiers will advance, but if
they do and take more territory they
Will be no nearer an end of the war.
The correspondent says that the great
difficulties of the bolsheviki in these
are transport and supply,
of which the former is the less hope
full question
Ensign Krylenko, the bolshevik COM
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
Czernin's Christmas Offer Is
Held Null and Void By
Kuehlmann; Separate
Pact With Russia Is Tell-
tons Aim.
LEVINE SAYS WAR MAY
BE BOLSHEVIKI REPLY

Amsterdam, Jan. 1.-THE central
powers have withdrawn their peace
terms made public at the Brest-
Litovsk conference on December 25,
it was announced by DR.. Won Kuehl-
mann, the German foreign secretary
in his speech at the Brest-Litovsk con-
ference with the Russians yesterday.
Owing to the non-acceptance by all
the enemy powers of those terms, DR..
Won Kuehlmann stated, that docu-
ment had become null and void"
hlNTED AT CONCESSION.
The central powers peace terms of
December rs were voiced by Count
Czernin, the Austrian foreign min
lister. They expressed willingness to
conclude "a general peace without
forcible annexatioas and indemnities"
and announced that 1t was not the in.
tention Of the central powers to de-
prive of political independence those
nations which had lost it during the
war, but stipulated that the question
of the political independence of ma.
tionalities not now possessing it could
not be solved internationally but must
be left to each government and its
peoples.
NEGOTIATIONS HALTED.
This qualified recognition of the
right of self-determination was made
use of in the concrete terms for
treaty later proposed to Russia by the
central powers in which it was claim.
ed that this right had already been ex-
ercised in Poland, Courland and
Lithuania.
The refusal of the central powers
to consent to the withdrawal of their
troops from these regions led to the
interruption of the negotia-
tons and the counter proposal by the
Russians that further discussions Of
peace be transferred to Stockholm.
which question apparently was still
pending when the full sitting of the
peace conference was called to order
yesterday.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-15
FRANCE RECOGNIZES UKRAINE.

Petrograd, Jan. 10.-(Delayed)-
The French government has appointed
Tabouile the representative
Of France to the Ukraine republic. This
Is considered in Petrograd as recogni-
ton by France of the independence OF
the Ukraine.