davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Discoverer of Radium, Soon to Visit America,
Is sUnassumng Woman, but Will Receive
Nations Highest Honors

science and the care of her two children.
Pierre Curie long since ceased TO aid her in
her scientific work, for, dreamer as he was,
he was killed by a taxicab while absent
mindedly crossing one of the crowded streets
of Paris.
After all her years of work she does not
possess any radium of her own, for that
which she separated has long been consumed
In the study of its properties. The French
Government allows her to use some OF its
own. but this must be carefully conserved
and cannot be risked in experiments.
The only desire she has expressed to her
friends is that she may have some radium
OF her own. A committee of women and
scientists has been formed to raise suffi-
cient fund to present her upon her arrival
in America with one sramme of this precious
substance. The committee has announced
that it will welcome contributions of any
size from the women of America and that
the Equitable Trust Company of 81 Wall
street, New York. has been empowered TO
receive donations for the Nine. Curie Ra-
dunn Fund
Not only have ] gladly accepted member
ship on this committee to provide this self
sacrificing woman and great scientist with
the only thing which she wishes in the
world but every whom / have ap-
preached to assist US in this matter has
yesterday clinic patient OF mine. suffering
from cancer, begged that she might be per-
mitted to contribute ST. all that she could
afford, in order TO help the cause. Her name
will rank high on the list which win be
given to Nine. Curie when the radium Is
presented. will those OF the women or
greater means. several of whom are giving
$1,000 apiece and one 100000
Only those who have worked in a labora-
tory can know the fascination OF discovery
and can appreciate the motives which led
these two people to devote their lives to the
separation of radium and its allied com
pounds and the study OF their nature The
children of ones brain are far more i'm
mortal than the children OF the body. They
indeed, can never be taken from one. No
one can injure them. No one can buy them:
they remain always monument erected by
the brain to its capacity to reason. Even in
its busy and multifarious life the world in
queer, dumb fashion appreciates occasionally
one of these great research workers and at
tempts in clumsy way perhaps, to express
It's approval and to offer some reward.
Usually the world is quite astonshed and
even panied to find that true science is its
own reward and that nothing it can do,
either by applause or by criticism, in
the least influence one of the great genuses
The reason is very simple: the great genius
is creative, and those who create have very
little interest in material things.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

tn its efforts to prevent typhus and other
ship borne plaques from gaining foot
hold here the Health Department has
made New FORKS entire water front the
scene Of great rat hunt. While always
under the ban as disease carriers IL is doubt
full If the rodents ever faced so intensive =
campaign the one now directed against
them TO offset increased dangers to public
health arising from the influx Of immigrants
from countries where postwar conditions
have fostered plaques of all kinds.
The great rat hunt is by no means
stricted to water front districts. IL is along
the docks and piers. in warehouses and )n
incoming ships, however, that the work OF
the hunters is most vital Some Of the chief
measures In the anti-plague campaign are
described In the weekly Bulletin of the
Health Department.
Poison gas (hydrocyanic acid) is proving
ono Of the most effective means Of extermi-
mating vermn. The Health Department Is
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
City's Rat Hunt Takes in Entire Waterfront

prevent the loss of merchandise overheard in
the unloading of such vessels, due to the
open water between ship and dock, the con
signee has the option OF fumigating the ves-
sci with hydrocyanic acid gas instead OF
complying with these regulations
The piers themselves next receive atten-
ton The presence OF rats thereon is proved
by actual trapping. Accepting as fact the
theory that plague will appear among the
rats Of a city six months before its commun-
cation to man. these trapped rats are taken
to the laboratory and examined for the pres
ence of disease All Of such examinations
80 far have proved negative.
All dunnage, old material and refuse upon
the dock which might form harborage for
rats is ordered removed. Materials to be left
on the dock unmoved for some time, are or
dered elevated placed in ratproof enclosures
and so arranged as to permit Of ready inspec-
ton The lessee or the department Itself
spreads poisoned bait-barium carbonate
mixed with flour being selected as the most
easily handled and the least dangerous TO
man or pet animals.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Bootlegging in Full Swing
From Tybee Light TO R5buu Gar

The papers say that an effort is being
made TO reduce the size OF the standing
army of the United States II had better
not be done. They should double the size OF
the army. bring all the boys back from the
Rhine, declare them all to be military police
and string them out between Tybee Light
and Rabun Gap. If it is really the intention
ging in Georgia.
Let IL be understood at the outset that
this story deals with North Georgia Down
in South Georgia they use mostly red liquor
and imported stuff that comes in bv ship,
for which they pay from SS TO SIS "A quart.
according to the degree OF thirst acquired
by the purchaser before he decides to align
himself permanently with the criminal
classes of the state. However. after he has
demonstrated that the Governments OK
penditure of some hundred million dollars
or so TO keep him from taking a drink did
not accomplish its purpose, he finds that the
Iiquor he has bought Is very good indeed.
There seems TO be very little adulteration.
Also they make u type Of moonshine liquor
In South Georgia that is distilled from
sugar cane. hut II manages 10 catch in ones
throat some way or other, and II is not
much IN demand except among the negroes
But enough about South Georgia We are
dealing with the profession of bootlegging
It is praciised In Atlanta. 1850 feet above
sea level In the Piedmont section, and from
there 10 Rabun Gap on one side and Chat
tauooea on the other
The making and selling of whiskoy in this
section is ms perfectly systemstizc6 as ever
it was iu the pre-. prohibition days before
fcw thousand persons Organized and do
cidod that everybody would have 10 stop
drinking The only difference i that greater
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

discovered that whiskey which trickles
down a charred willow pole is given one year
of age by every two feet of the pole. There
fore he cuts willow sapling sixteen feet
in length chars 1t over an open fire, throws
it into the branch to clean 1t, places one
end at his worm and the other over the
mouth of his jug or bottle. BY the time the
corn liquor double distilled, has trickled and
twisted down the charred willow pole.
through the sunlight and the air. and
dropped into the jug it is double and twist
cd !" eight years old.
His part of the operation of quenching
the thirst of Georgia having been com
pleted, the moonshiner returns to his cabin
on the hillside and awaits the arrival of
the whiskey runner. This latter individual
has an automobile. Invariably he travels
in a high power car. The runner pays the
moonshiner SIS a gallon for his double and
twisted clear profit of 81 gallon. The
runner transports the whskey to the edge
Of the city only. He has come through
the country. His car is muddy dusty or
out Of repair His car on the city streets
would be instantly object of suspicion
Therefore he sells direct and outright to
the station agent at the edge Of the city
and goes 10 have his car washed or repaired,
preparatory to making another trip.
This station agent may be a negro who
has cabin in the suburbs, or he may be
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

garage owner or even a truck farmer on
a good road, but he is decidedly among
those present in the deal The runner re-
ceives -$11 per gallon for what he has
brought in, a profit of s6. but he is con-
sdered to be entitled to the largest share
because he really is the man who has borne
the heat and burden of the day.
After the station agent next appears on
the scene the bootlegger, who buys from
the agent outright for s14 a gallon and who
sells to the regular consumer for prices
that vary from SIG to $50 gallon accord
ing to the condition of the market and the
place of delivery. OF course, the bootlegger
sometimes gets as much as $40 or S35 a
gallon for his liquor. but not from his reGu-
lar customers.
Naturally this means that down in Georgia
they are uuenching their thirst by the gallon
The stuff is delivered in turpentine cans
since these make square. neat package
free from all suspicion. 1t must be emptied
as soon as possible from these cans, else 1t
will acquire a dark color. which is not harm
ful. but which necessitates straining through
filtering paper or charcoal to restore its
pristine clarity. These turpentine cans are
all delivered to one mans office. which is
known as the Clearing House, and there
the consumers repair each to get his gallon.
The manager of the Clearing House who is
himself merely consumer and friend
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Southern Section of State Well Supplied From the Bahamas and
Section Gets Enough From Mountain Moonshiners

profits are taken by every one who handles
the stuff from the manufacturer to the re-
taller tsometimes called the moonshner and
the bootlegger) and the consumer is limited
in his choice of brands.
Time was when they were very fussy in
Georgia about their liquor. They not only
demanded bourbon or rye as their fancy
dictated, but a certain brand of bourbon or
rye, and they even declared what kind of
water they elected to use as a chaser. That
was then. Now they merely inquire about
the responsibility of the bootlegger and don't
even ask for ice.
Now here is the method by which corn
liquor passes from the moonshiner, who
makes 1t, to the consumer. who drinks it:
The mountaineer at a cost OF rs cents or
81 cit can't possibly be more than that pro-
duces what is known as double and
twisted Unless new liquor is double and
twisted" 1t is not good Let's digress briefly
to ascertain what ths' more or less mys-
terious phrase means.
OF course, double" means double distilled
or run twice through the worm. Twisted
has yet another meaning. This is it: The
mountaineer has discovered that no whiskey
is more than eight years old, far as the
bettering of the whskey Is concerned. In
other words. twenty year old whiskey may
he thicker but il Is no better than that
which is only eight years old. He has also
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Georgians Have Promising Ways
When Talking About Liquor

So that's the way it's done in Georgia, and
that's the way they are quenching the thirst
Of the Empire State of the South.
All the consumers are now saying that
they hate liquor a mortal enemy and de-
plore that they ever far forgot themselves
as to press a foot on brass rail and keep
it there until the porter came around with
a broom at closing time to sweep the place
out They tell each other between drinks
and tears about the pitiful case OF "Old
Sam" who never touched liquor in the old
DAYS, always drank beer until they took II
away from him. and absolutely compelled
him. yes, sir, forced hm to drink liquor.
They are all saying that il they could just
get light wines and beer back they would
never touch another drop Of liquor.
Georgians have mighty promising ways
when they are talking about liquor, but it
is all promises. There was once time
when they said in Atlanta that they had
no objections to Statewide prohibition. but
that this thing of having Atlanta dry and
jug Tavern (Which has since adopted the
more dignifed name of Winder) and Grif-
fin wet and getting all the money was wrong.
So the prob bitionists took them at their
word and gave them a Statewide drought.
Immediately the Georgans loudly cried
that they would not object to a dry State
If the rest Of the United States suffered
also. National prohibition" that dream of
the dreamer they would agree to. They
would keep the law and love 1t and en-
brace It IL I were made to apply to all of
the United states Evidently some one be-
lieved them. because they got their national
prohibition. Now they protest that they will
observe the law II they can get back light
wines and beer"
The truth is that neither Georgians nor
any one else can be believed on this liquor
question. Ninety-nine men out hundred
will stop and help pick up the coins that
have spilled from a blind beggar's tin cup
and return every one TO him, millions OF men
can be trusted with money unlimited. with
the integrity Of home or the honor Of
friend but where Is the man who can be
trusted with half pint of liquor?
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Quenchng the Thirst of Georgia Is Reduced Science

who gets no profit out of the liquor, tele-
PHONES some such message as:
"The four-forty train will not be in until
five-ffteen,' by which il known that the
distribution of the gallons will take place at
his office at Sis o'clock in the afternoon; or
he will say:
II can't keep that appointment with you
to-day until six-twenty''; perhaps:
"You can see those fittings to-day at my
office at three-thirty"; and then sometimes
will come the more mournful message:
"Jim's hens haven't been laying recently.
and it has been absolutely impossible to get
that dozen eggs I promised you to-day"
All of which cryptic messages have
meaning if you will study them out.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

of materialism to the nth degree, should de
sire to do honor to one who has cared moth
ing for the material things of this life. In
France some years ago. ii is true, when
referendum taken throughout the coun-
try to decide who, in the opinion of the
common people. had brought most glory to
the nation it was not. strange to say, Napo-
leon they chose, 1t was not a statesman; ii
was not a man of affairs; 1t was a simple
scientist who had worked in his laboratory
for the love of work and without the
pectation of any material reward. Pasteur
was his name He had conferred upon his
country more fame than is given to most of
the great ones OF this earth.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

Nine Marie cu the of rad. and of the worlds
the sake Now the S. she has nothing but the salary Of
a a mott han
She her only desire of enough the
The presented the the
Of Americ and
i rasin o this
Of of
of
lin human
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

lead. for, what most people do not know,
there are two kinds of lead in the world.
One kind of lead. of which there is very
little, comes from radium, and another kind
of lead comes from the plumber. OF the
radum lead there is scarcely a pound in
existence, but it's cost is so high that even
the plumbers lead seems cheap.
1t is hoped that Nine. Curie when she
reaches America will tell of some OF the ex-
traordinary discoveries which she has made
how radium is the realization OF a part Of
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

summer evening. mere ghosts of matter
whose life is a few seconds, while others
so stable that in 100000 years no loss in
weight will be appreciated by the finest
balance of that far distant period. Yet by
the delicate electrical tests devised by Nine
Curie we know these elements are slowly
changing.
One of these elements lasts only five
hundredths of a second before 1t explodes
into a descendant which lasts little longer.
and finally all of them stop when they get to
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

many of the leading
educational institutions
in the country invit-
.ng Nine. Curie to lee
ture to their profess
sors and students. Aca-
1emic honors will be
bestowed upon her.
Scientific societies are
preparing to award her
evidence of their high
est esteem. No am
bassador carrying all
the honors that his
country can bestow has
been received with half
as much enthusiasm as
this simple and unas-
suming scientist.
1t seems strange that
America, which has
alWayS haen credited
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
She Comes to Study
Ampiifications of Her Method

And so Nine. Curie after a long life OF
arduous labor. is to take few weeks vaca-
tion and come to a country she has long
wished to visit. She will find here many
friends and pupils for her laboratory has
long been a place to which ambitious stu
dents flock. She wishes to see some OF the
institutions in which her original discoveries
were carried on and amplified. for the dis
covcry Of radium has led to the finding of
many other curious new elements. some of
which are as fugitive as the gnats OF a
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Sir Ernest Rutherfords
Experiments Interest Her

How do we know all these things? Be
cause we can see many OF them That is.
the eye of the camera can see them, and
after all it seemed ridiculonsly simple when
it was really thought out by bright Eng
lishman. He put the radium in a glass bot
tie filled with damp air and then by chang
ing the pressure little made fog. and the
fog settled on these minute shooting stars,
just it settles on the spider webs on damp
autumn mornings. Then as these fog laden
particles shot through space at the rate of
thousands of miles a second he photo
graphed them by hashight-not the ordi
nary flashlight, which would never have
stopped them, but the quickest fiashlight
which we know (that is, electric spark,
which is only 1900, ,oo0th of a second). And
so we have actually made visible particles
smaller than what we used to think was the
smallest thing known, and that Is the atom.
These little particles weigh but 1-1,S00th as
much as the atom weighs.
Now all this may seem very uninteresung
and theoretical, but every one to-day knows
that radium is used to treat cancer, and the
reason why we use radium to treat cancer
Is due to an unfortunate accident which oc
Cured to Prof. Henri Becquerel. After he
had carried in his pocket tube containing
little radium he had for few weeks a
bad burn on his stomach. AS the older
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

the old achemist's desire to be able to
change one metal into another. 1t is true
that the alchemist was interested only in
changing ordinary metals into gold and it
is also true that Nine. Curie the descendant
OF these alchemists is not able to change
radium into anything else. for 1t changes
itself. and neither the hottest furnace nor
the coldest liquid air makes any difference
in the way or speed with which II changes
1t goes on quietly exploding and sending
off big bombshels of gas known as helium
which. as every one now knows. comes out
of some gas wells in Kansas in large
amounts and was to be used for filling
dirigibles IL the war had lasted longer. Most
people do not know, however. that helium
was first discovered in the sun by the spec
troscope and for for many years remained
undetected on earth.
But when the radium atom blows up ii
sends Off great bombshells of helium, at the
rate Of 10000 miles a second, and these go
shooting through the air until they strike
an air molecue and are checked
The great force which they possess has
been used in very extraordinary way of
late by one OF Nine. Cures pupils, Sir
Ernest Rutherford, to show that by bomb
ing ordinary nitrogen gas-atoms of the
same kind OF nitrogen that We nreathe-an
atom of hydrogen can be knocked out of 1t.
Thus again is the alchemist's dream fulfilled,
for. as he probably guessed, all of the sub
stances that we know composed of
few elements, of which hydrogen is one. and
possibly the only one. When radium
plodes ii sends off not only the big bombs
but a lot OF little very high velocity shells,
some OF which go nearly fast as light
and light travels faster than anything else
can ever travel AS these little electrons
shoot madly out through space they give
such kick to the atom that is left that 1t
wabbles frantically and, 10. beam of X-ray
is produced. The X-rays from radium we
call gamma rays.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13

H OWN in Georgia some wag with a
nimble brain, fountain pen and
- three drinks produced this master
piece:
We know a little section Of the country
Where they make better drink than rye;
They'll give you drink for the asking
II you only let 'em know that you dry.
We get corn liquor from the mountaineers,
And we'll buy every day until we die;
That's what well do down in Georgia
When the whole darn world goes dry.
This inspiring ditty apparently has retired
permanently In Dear Old Georgia" and now
wherever the faithful are gathered be 1t
stock room. office. attic or the hotel where
the commercial traveller from the North is
buying for his customers, the grand rhythm
of the song rings out and offends the horror
stricken ears of those who have not been
invited to the party.
OF course the underlying reason for the
popularity Of the song is that II is funda-
mentally true.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
Untold Benefit to Humanity Has Resulted
From Her Labors and Our Women Plan
Unique and Worthy Testimonial

physicians were used to burning out cancers
with caustics, the idea occurred to them that
radium was perhaps magic caustic, and 50
IL has proved to be, for when suitably used
radium benefits and in few instances cures
tumors.
A diamond as 1t comes from the mine is
an uninteresting, dull lump that looks like
dirty glass, and no one would suspect its
beauty as it finally leaves the hand of the
cutter. So. too radium is disappointing. 1t
looks like a little tooth powder enclosed in
glass tube. Ten thousand dollars worth can
be put into such tube about the size of
coarse pencil lead and not more than an inch
in length. The glass tube is very thin and
is enclosed in a silver so as to prevent
breakage in handling. The bare tubes must
always be picked up with forceps, for about
minutes contact will in a week or so be
followed by a sharp burn which will render
the tips of the fingers useless for practical
purposes for month or more.
In treating cancer burn Is to be avoided,
so the radium is enclosed in a metal tube
about an eighth of an inch thick. which alb
serbs both kinds of projecties of which
have spoken and allows only the invisible
X-rays OF radium to pass. For the actual
treatment sufficient number of tubes are
wrapped up IN surgical gauze stuck into
piece OF dentists moulding wax so as to
keep the tubes from direct contact with the
skin. and the whole package is strapped
over the tumor with adhesive plaster.
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
IURIE'S WORK SHOWS ROMANCE OF SCIENCE

Here is pictures of Nine
French America
The New York herald., 1921-03-13
By DR.. FRANCIS CARTER WOOD.
Director of the George Crocker Research
Laboratory, Columbia University.

TIME announcement that Nine. Marie
Curie is to visit America has caused
an unexpected amount of interest
throughout the entire country. Her friends
here in America have received letters from