davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
NEW TYPE OF RIVER BOAT

that the new boat has a marveaosis ma neuvering ability by reason of her four rudders. When she was leaving Mem phis she turned around in less than third of the water space required by old- time towboats. One of her pilots said she could be held so true to her moor ings that he could thread needle with her. : It is said that the Natchez, with a normal horse power of 1900, can shove 1N, 900 tons of freight, loaded in five or rent the Mississippi might develop. With so heavy a tow she can easily make from three to five miles an hour up- stream, something that many of the larg- est towboats have never been able to ac- complish. :
 MT. Curtis says the Natchez is going to mark the advent of a new force and a new factor in inland navigation, and that she is the first of her type to show skeptical pilots and engineers that they have been wrong in their judgment or the ability of this sort of boat to handle a tow up or downstream with ease, cer- tainty and speed. There will be five other boats of this typo. the Memphis. the St. Louis, the vicbsburg, the Cairo and the Baton Rouge. The yicksburg is 75 per cent completed and she will be ready to start south withii. sJ days.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14

From the Arkansas Gazette.
 TN the days before and following the II Civil war there were some famous = steamboats on the lower Mississippi that bore the name of Natchez, includ- ing the one that had the memorable race with the Robert E. Lee. Now there is new Natchez on the Mississippi. and as these lines are written she is nlak- ing her first trip down the great river. She is not so fast as were the other boats of this name. But neither any for mer Natchez nor any other boat on the Mississippi has ever had the power that the new vessel has. The Natchez of l9N is equipped with twin screws, running in tunnels, and she is the first or the fleet of new steel towboats that is to be operated on the Mississippi by the federal barge line. She was built at Charles ton, w. Va, and is more powerful than the Sprague, which was considered the wonder of the day when she made her trial trip several years ago and handled the largest tow of coal that was ever taken down the Mississippi.
 The Natchez is 200 feet long, has 4o- foot beam and draws seven feet. Cabin accommodations are provided only for the officers and crew. We are told by J. H. Curtis, the veteran river chron- icler of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. who saw the Natchez when she passed his town on the way to New Orleans,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE
pefInltion of i. aYounr Man,


 T was very much impressed with Dr. W. R. Hendrix's definition of a young man last Sunday morning after his ser- mon at Highlands Methodist church, on The Fuller Life one of the best ser- mons, by the way, that our new pastor has preached" said J. L. Drennen.
 Tn extending an invitation to the members of the church to join in some new work which is being planned by the young men of the church, pr. Hen drix said: By young men mean any man under 90 who can do any old thing in new way, or do new thing we'll This was certainly very encouraging to any or all who imagine years count, and that one is growing old. This is primarily the day of youth--of young men and young women. and the qualifi- cation made by Dr. Hendrix puts nearly everybody in the youthful class-does not eliminate anybody from church work because of the years registered against him when it comes to age. Dr. Hendrix, by the way, has made a strong impression upon the Highlands Meth odist congregation, and there has been a large addition to the membership since his arrival here"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14

WS7 WASHINGTON, D. C., December
 WNW 12.-(Special) )-I'm n e the
 V V American west of pioneer days "going dry" It is a difficult feat And yet the latest regions to adopt proi1i- bition are the three prairie provinces or Saskatchewan and AL are to be commended in some ways to such states as Kansas, the Dakotas or Montana in the late eighties. The National Geological society describes these most recent recruits to the pro hibition forces in bulletin issued from it's Washington, D. C., headquarters.
 The prairie provinces of canada-Man-N itoba. Saskatchewan and Alberta-are not without their bids to fame. For ex- ample:
 .-The last of the wild buffalo herds of America, survivors of the millions of animals which roamed the plains and woodlands of the continent, now range through northwestern Alberta
 .orbis province alone is estimated to contain 15 per cent of the worlds known coal supply.
 ."The myriad of wild ducks geese, and other migratory fowl that ny rrorthward each spring are for the most part bound for the northern parts of the three prairie provinces. where they build their nests and rear their young
 And much of tho weather of the United States Is manufactured in All berta- This Is not an idle fancy. The United States weather bureau recognizes that . largo number of what arc tech nicaly known as 'distnrbances' origi- nate nenr tho little town of Medicine Hat, a few miles over the Canadian line north of Montana, sweep down along the roots of the Rockies and spread out to the eastward carrying in their trains
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
WINNING THE CANADIAN WEST

cold waves, windstorns, rain. snow and blizzards-
 .AThe three provinces are naturally considered at once, for among them they cover all of Canada which is in process of being settled, west of the older Great Lakes province. of Ontario and east of the Rocky mountains This Is Canada's west, where restless pioneer spirits from all lands are carving out an empire as kindred spirits generation or so ago wrought the wilderness of the Mis- souri valley and the great American desert into the rich states of today.
 .The Canadian pioneers have advan- tages over those who won the American west in that they have better railroad methods and equipment, telephones and wireless. But they have relentless new enemy III the bitter cold of the northern regions of the provinces. For though the southern portions are separated from the United States by only an imaginary line and are similar to the northern reaches of Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana, of which they are geographical ly a part. to tho north the three prov inces sweep to within 800 miles of the Arctic circle.
 'The predominant part of tho popula- ton and development of the thres prov inces is in their southern halves In this region Winnipeg. capital of Mani- toba, with it's population close to 2o0.oo0. is Canadas Chbrago of a generation or so ago; while Edmonton. capital of Alberta. is the 6t Paul of a similar period. The northern portion of the prov. inces is . region crossed by many rivers and dotted with nunberieas lakes, a re- .nuskegs.' or swampy flats. There the traprer still reisns supreme and life is primitive
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
REJOICE QUIETLY.

"A man should strive to bear with tho faults of his neighbors," said Mir. Clip ping.
 Perhaps so," said Mir. Gadspur. but when those faults take the form of ever playing phonographs, one-hnger exer- cises on the piano. family fights, dogs, children and chickens, l. don't suppose it is any great sin to heaye a sigh of relief when such neighbors move away?"
 "No-just so your sigh isn't loud enough to be heard around the block
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
Soap Box" Orators
 to Combat Bolshevisn

TT is announced at Racine, Wis.,,
 that the Constitutional Defense League of Wisconsin will conduct a correspondence school course through out America to fight radicalism. A school has also been opened in Ra- cine to train "soap box" orators who will employ the same tactics social ists and other radicals now use to "educate the masses" The funda- mentals of economies will be taught, as well as the policies of the socialists, the Industrial Workers of the World and bolshevists.
 The plan is by no means impractical. Propaganda has been found more powerful than armies. It can only be combated by counter propaganda. If radicals continue to do all the talking-and some of them are per suasive spea,.ers-they will make con- yerts. The industrial reaction which has set in will provide them with just the opportunity they seek to preach war against capital and the overthrow gof government.
 The "soap box" orator has an audi ence that cannot be reached in any other way. Much of the progress made by bolshevism and kindred movements in the United States has been due to this method of campaign ing. The other side of the questions discussed is never presented.
 If the Constitutional Defense League of Wisconsin carries out it's plan the wild-eyed advocate of anarchy will have his harangue answered in the same place and from the same "soap box," perhaps, by speaker who is competent to show that his state ments are not true, that bolshevism is not tho cure for all the ills that flesh
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
TAKING HIS CUE.

.'wheres the big cheese around here!' asked the slangy caller.
 Do you mean the head of the firm? asked the secretary, politely. 'e.
 s-n Sure. Don't you get me?" q get you" said MT. Grumpson, pop- ping his head out of his private offics- I'm the big cheese around here, and if you don't get out while the gettings . good, I'll land on you like ton of lirn- burger" RAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14

, an endless variety of undertakings
 without regard to the state of their
 progress.
 Heretofore the waterways have
 been subjected too much to grab bag
 process. Worthy and practical proj-
 ects have seen larger sums go to those which were more or less wis.,
 ionary. Great developments like that of the Warrior waited years and years
 because there was little discrimination in the appropriations. A new policy
 that would first complete the ap-
 proved projects before taking on many
 of the new will advance both the present ones and the new ones by com- pleting one good job at time. The rivers and harbors congress
 also urged that work be placed on
 the continuing contract plan. There is no escape from the logic of this
 position. The poorest economy in the world is to leave gaps in the work of construction. There is loss from
 depreciation of exposed and unfin- ished parts an dexpense involved in the reassemblage of men and mate
 rial. Waterway development should be
 conducted in the same efficient man. ner as any other business.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
NO CURE.

NO CURE. At sixty miles Augustus Smiles Embraced his lady fair. Most indiscreet- Some forty feet They travelled through the air. A grinding jar, A shattered car, Two loving hearts were still: Though fools should learn Such risks to spurn, We fear they Deyer will.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
Retail Trade Is
 Doing Big Business

I7rl HE outstanding feature of pres u ent trade conditions is the large yolume of business being done by the retail merchants. That is self-eyident to the casual observer here in Bir- mingham and is borne out by travel ing salesmen and others more inti- mately acquainted with the retail trade.
 The citizens of the United States have been earning high wages sev- eral years, they have purchased many securities, they have placed money in savings banks and building and loan associations. They have undoubtedly acquired large reserve. There was a lot of extravagances, but that, like the bubbles on wine, was not the sub- stance of American thought and habit. While some indulged in orgies of spending, many more quietly put money aside.
 Theodore H. Price, the eminent New York authority on trade conditions, lays:
 The volume of retail business
 during November was greater than
 the previous month. and the sec-
 retary of one of the national asso-
 citations of retail merchants as-
 sures me that while they ap-
 preached the holiday season with
 some trepidation their fears quick
 ly passed. The public this year is
 as sensitive as ever to the holiday
 spirit and as able to gratify its desires to purchase. and though
 the full story of Christmas trade
 is not yet written. there Is every
 indication that it will equal the
 unprecedented volume of 1919.
 There is just halt in the unpre- cedented speed at which the country was going. By early spring industry will resume its usual pace. Mean while the profits of past years con- stitute sufficient reserve fund.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
is heir to and can never solve the worlds economic problems.
 * # < Poisonous Liquor a Menace During the Holiday Season

.SSD E"ARE of pOisOnl" is good
 10 slogan to bear in mind. The unreconstructed "wets" of America still cherish the delusion that they can not celebrate Christmas properly without consuming as much alcohol as their systems will stand. The willy bootlegger and the 'moonshiner" are ready to meet the demand with every kind of poison that can be passed off under the guise of whisky.
 There may not be much danger from wood alcohol in this part of the coun- try, but the vile stuff that many un- scrupulous dealers sell is almost as deadly. When there is a rush to buy, bootlegger eager to make quick prof. it's are all the more likely to dis pose of anything that looks like whisky, regardless of what happens to the consumer. When liquor bearing every indication of being properly bot tied and sealed is found to be de- cidedly something else, the whisky that is distributed in drug bottles, fruit jars, soft drink bottles, cans and many other make-shift containers may be comparatively harmless or it may be rank poison.
 The old-fashioned "moonshiners" of the hill country made corn whisky that was at least comparatively pure. They had practiced the art of illicit distilling long enough to become ex- pert in the manufacture of "white lightning" It paralyzed, but did not kill. City "moonshine," made in a foul kitchen, cellar or somewhere else by persons who are unskiiled and neither know nor care about the in- numerable ways in which their product may be contaminated, is just about as safe to drink as embalming fluid.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
AN OuTCAST.

The Turk all nations seem to spurn, Why should he strive his ways ts
 mend? He knows full well he could not earn The plaudits of single friend.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
FORCE OF HABIT.

FORCE OF HABIT. "A friend of mine wrote note to the woman editor of a magazine, offering her his heart and hand.' Did she accept?'' No She replied briefly that the re- lection of his offer did not imply lack Of merit
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
Sack in Cemeterx

"A few days ago we had a call to the Spaulding cemetery, where it was stated a large number of chickens had been found,' said Jim Jordan, dep- uty sheriff. When we got there ex- pecting to see some chickens We were told by the sexton they were in a sack and everyone had it's neck broken. There were four Plymouth Rock hens, five White Leghorns and a couple of flyers. Just how the sack O. chickens got in the cemetery is not known unless the person who had stolen them got frightened and threw the sack over there to hide it and in tended to come back for it. As the chickens had been killed only a few minutes we brought them in and the negro prisoners at the jail had chicken for supper"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
WILLING TO SEE Ir

From the Washington Star.
 Every German who professes to fore- see commercial rivalry between Amer |ica and Great Britain appears able to contemplate so formidable possibility with the utmost philosophic calm
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
THE DEcoY

THE DECOY From Kind Words.
 Say, Jim," said the friend of the taxi. driver. standing in front of the vs- hicle, there's purse lying on the floor of your car" : Tho driver looked carefully around and then whispered: Sometimes when business is bad I put it there and leave the door opep- It's empty. but youve no idea how many people'n jump in fof a short drive when they see it." NEWSPAPER FOLK AND THE LIKE From the Washington Post
 The injunction Shop early for- Christmas falls with dull thud on with which to shop.
 the ears of those who have nothing
 MORAL By Alfred Tennyson.
 So. Lady Flora. take my lay. And if you find no moral there, Co look in any glass and say, = What moral is in being fair. o. to what uses shall we put n @ The wildweed-flower that simply
 blows? And is there any moral shut - Within the bosom of the rose? But any man that walks the mead. In bud or blade. or bloom. may find. : According as his humors lead. meaning suited to his mind. : And liberal applications 10 IsAaef u tdkfa1p R3ftEjEfd "A ! Should hook 1t to some useful end.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14

In the bleak f-s.,s tn ot December; The dreadful head it ssys him
 Is all he can remember.
 AN INDOLENr HOST. You had a party last night, didn't your" asked the dweller upstairs. "Yes," said the dweller downstairs. "But why did you keep playing the same jazz piece over and over again?' Tt was too much trouble to change the record. After the third round of hooch' my guests didn't know the dif- ferenca"
 AN oPTIMIsT. I'm sorry to see you here," said the friend of convicted bank embezzler. "oh, there isn't much change, arrer all," said the prisoner. cheerfully "No?"
 You see, I had been shut up in a cage and looking through bars for years before I came here. These bars are just a little thicker, and instead Of be- ing brass they are steel"
 TRULY GIFTED. T fear the prima donna is showing traces of an artistic temperament re- marked the orchestra leader. Traces" exclaimed her distracted manager. She's showing 57 well-devet oped varieties, and no two of them are alike 't
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
They Knew

Tt is true tuberculosis takes a terri ble toll among the printers" says Frank Stewart. and it is also true those in charge of the interests of the craft were among the first to take any steps to care for those suffering from it's ravages. For more than a quarter of century the Printers Home at Col orado Springs has been pointed out as one of the best sanatoriums in Amer ioa. It is splendidly built. fittingly equipped and well endowed. The Bir- mingham Typographical union. No. 1o4. was glad as an organization to give $1o0 to the fund now being raised lo- cally, and many printers have, in addi- ton, made personal contributions"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14

Our doubts are traitors, And make US lose the good we eft might wfns By fearing to attempt.
 --Mcasure for Measure.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
ChOked on Trash

People work to their own disadvan- tage when they throw papers, boxes and trash of all kinds in the streets" said pr. N. R. Barrett, president of the city commission. Yesterday afternoon when that big rainstorm came and the screens over the sewers caught full of such trash the water backed up and in 80 minutes was a foot deep in the streets. We had the screens cleaned off and in less than 10 minutes every bit of the water had disappeared. Throw ing trash in the streets tends not only to stop up the sewers, but it makes . dirty looking city as we'll"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
Finger of Suspicion Is
 Pointed at Peace Delegate

Finger of Suspicion Is
 Pointed at Peace Delegates
 N CCORDING to Washington dis EA patch, American delegates to the peace conference spent $1 ,651 ,191, and the House of Representatives will start an investigation to learn where this money went.
 Says Representative John Jacob Rogers of Massachusetts, "We de- sire to find out how many bottles of champagne were paid for out of the kitchen supplies. I desire find ut $283, ,560 reported for food, hotel and how many chandeliers were broken and had to be paid for out of the $125,870 also reported as payment for damages to the Hotel Crillon. I de- sire to know under what circumstances any chandeliers or other hotel equip ment were broken, and at how early an hour in the morning."
 It is hardly necessary to explain that the gentleman from Massa- chusetts is a republican and there fore not averse to making capital out out of the American delegations ex- pense account, as filed with Congress by President Wilson. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to know just how many bottles of champagne were consumed. If the peace conferences cigar bill was the largest in recorded history, it is not unreasonable to SUD- pose that the wine consumption was heavy. The tedium of the conference was excessive, particularly for lesser ulclupCIo WuO udu lO duOpC q pOllCy of watchful waiting while the "big three," the "big four" or the "big five" as the case might be, discussed the future of the human race behind closed doors. In such circumstances the consumption of champagne might have been rather brisk.
 As for the alleged damage to the Hotel Crillon, broken chandeliers and the like, until more convincing proof is forthcoming we refuse to believe that our delegates to the peace con- ference were guilty of misconduct, even though they were sojourning in a city for it's Thigh jinks."
 x # *
 Sound Position on
 Waterway Development 1N HE rivers and harbors con- 1 U gress at it's recent meeting in Washington adopted sensible plat form Instead of askinu so ,,,uch
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
ADRTFT WITH THE TIMES

WRONG WAY TO DO IT. He did his shopping early In the bleak h-ta,s tn ot December; The dreadful head it gaye him IS oil ba ca1 royparl.ar
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
Sound Position on
 Waterway Development


 Waterway Development 71N HE rivers and harbors con- U gress at it's recent meeting in Washington adopted a sensible plat form. Instead of asking so much money for this and that project, or that Congress name any specific amount for waterway improvement, it declared in favor of policies rather than projects"
 In particular the resolutions adopted call for "the earliest possible com pletion of projects approved and au- thorized by Congress" This smacks of the soundest commo nsense. It is far better to go ahead, complete and have in full operation the approved enterprises rather than to have a pork barrell appropriation distributed over
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14
noy Scout. on he Jeh

~When we were planning for the big shrine parade we wanted the Boy Scouts to police the route" said E. L. Keiser of the Zamora arrangements committee.
 But we were confronted with the fact that it would mean absence from school and accordingly We asked shriners who had sons who were Boy Scouts to ask them to be excused
 Do you know that in spite of the terrific rain 500 Boy Scouts reported for duty Monday morning? I think it was wonderful response the boys made, and we thank them for the willingness to serve"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-14


 After the cattle were judged on Wednesday, then on Thursday they were put up for sale. the winner of the grand championship being sold first. Raised in Alabama by the Meadow Brook farm. he was bought by Jack Phillips for the Birmingham Packing company at CD cents a pound. Weighing l, ,z55 pounds, he fetched $s73. This. with the 500 prize, totalling ss7s.. Friend Walter Smith ought to be satisfied, as he also got another
 s1oo for the best steer.
 All cattle competing for premiums must either be natives of one of the states 10 which competition Is open, or must have been in one of these states since Janu- ary i. 1920 Cattle nede not be bred or raised by the exhibitor, but they must he the product of his or their own feed- ing: that is, they must be In his own feed lots, or in feed lots under his su- neryision, and must be in his owner shin not later than October 5, 1S2o An exhibitor must file formal entry which should be in the office of the Union Stock Yards not later than December !. 1920: blanks for this purpose can se had upon application to this company. have put down these things in the hope that some of our Alabama breeders will begin at once to get ready for the lnext Nashville Fat Cattle show, Decem' her year. The show was an eye-opsner i to the breeders, live stock men and pack ers from all parts of the country. 1 1 think it surprised Nashville. for the cat tia inst rolled in. It was almost like the international, and far ahead of anything
 which the south had ever done Here is
 congratulations to the men behind the
 | show.