davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
Florida Everglades the Nations Future Garden
Says Woman Scientist Who Has Explored Swamp

TINE mental picture of the Flor
l. ida Everglades.-as little more
than "a happy hunting grouSd'
for hungry alhgators is ali wrong.
Tourists who have plunbed evety
pleasure that the fashionable resorts
provide, as we'll as future Presi-
dents who have confined their cruis-
ING to houseboat navigation along
the golfng waters, are probably un-
aware Of a remarkable metamor-
phosis now going on in the wild and
exotic interior "a change which
actually means a sharp challenge to
Cuba for the sugar supremacy of The
world.
Miss Elizabeth F. Fisher, profes-
Sor Of geology and geography at
Wellesley College, the first woman
held geologist ever sent out by a
{ company to locate wells in the oil
regions, is of the opinion that a lit
as more drainage and little more
Improvement in marketing facilities
viii show the world something phe-
aomenal in the way of speedy recla-
hation Of a land once thought hope
essly lost.
Miss Fisher has just returned
nom a careful geographical survey
@tending from Fort Myers, on the
sest coast, to West Palm Beach.
Sue travelled by automobile and boat
II More Haven, on the shores of
AXE Okeechobee, and thence by
anal to the east. She has seen the
Everglades, the land that has been
gained, and the farmers at their
sOrk In the virgin soil. And as a
eographer Of long experience she
slieves firmly in the idea Of Florida
NJ sugar state.
4 Sugar itself is not q new story to
atve-born Florida people. The
3hs was cultivated in northern
arts of the state as long ago as
'eu years. Florida planters are all
aFe to the situation which has
Sown out of the wartime shortage,
sad Northern capital has been quick
see the possibilities in the fact
ast well-drained soil will yield a
Rentable crop of a product which
aas never seen Florida failure.
nut there is something new in the
'sien OF this woman explorer and
%'entist, who sees the country not
Terms Of $50 years ago, but with
y eyes of geology, which Ieok back
though the thousands of centuries
sas time when Florida rose from
70 sea. This peninsula. the last
s'an OF the continental shelf to
Ih above sea level, is ore of the
s'uagest parts of the whole country.
y ~ the infant state of the union,
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27

Miss Fisher found in failure the
greatest augur of success. This was
the case of farmer named Has
klns, who lives at More Haven, on
the shores of Okeechobee. This
pioneer saw the possibilities of the
virgin land, but made the mistake of
planting cabbages. He got the cab
bages all right, $4,000 of them, and
most of them tipped the scales at
three pounds or more. AS cabbages
they could have held their heads
high in any market. But even at the
low price of half q cent each Mr..
Haskins couldn't sell them. The
freight rates to the North were pro-
hibitive. So he plowed his cabbages
under the soil and started in anew.
Every one knows how the sandy
soils near the sea in Florida yield
their oranges and grapefruit. But
the gardening possibilities of the
muck land of the interior, in the
Everglades, present a chapter of
American enterprise which has yet
to be written. Miss Fisher, as a
member of the Wellesley College fac
ulty, has only a scientific interest in
this problem and is not press agent
ing for Southern land companies.
Yet she says freely that the radishes
she saw near Lake Okeechobee looked
just as big as beets.
"There are many angles of this
situation, from scientific point of
view, which have yet to Dc thrashed
out" she says. Conservation must
take into account the cost Of clear
ing away our nearest approach to a
jungle, and must also consider the
disposition to be made of the five or
six hundred Seminole Indians who
consider this country their own.
Such, for example, was Billy Tuck
er, of Lakeport, a Seminole who ac-
companied our party and tried IN
vain to grasp the significance of our
survey. There must be a liberal ap-
plication of time, energy and capital
to this problem, and, above all, some
official consideration of the market
ing problem, without which, even
with the gift of the soil, the pio-
neering planters can never hope to
succeed in their aim of Americana
ing the production of sugar"
Meanwhile, if there are those who
wish to follow in Miss Fishers foot
steps, without the same scientific in
terest in reclaiming the soil for the
sweet tooth of the coming genera
| tion, it might be added that Albert
Haring, junior at Yale who ac-
companied the party on the boat
across Lake Okeechobee, put in half
an hour with fishing rod one day
and landed eight catfish, four of
them weighing six pounds.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27

There was no exhilaration in 1t for
him. He had been driven to it.
AS he stood with his ,45-caliber
automatic close to my side and COM
manded me to she'll out mad keen
desire to know what he was doing
1t for. ! noticed the knitted khaki
sweater on his chest and became
curious. I asked him first if he had
ever "done time"
Prison Possibility
L haven't, but I may" he threw
back at me.
And here is the significant part
of what he said:
4 intend to make. 'em paw for
every scar I've got on my body"
My God., boy, I'm Al Jennings,
and I've done time, and for the last
fifteen years I've been trying to keen
men from doing time" / told him.
Yes, I'm President Wilson," he
said. mo more of this talk or I'll
tear hole through you.t
He had Colts as automatic in
his hand, and l know what As
caliber bullet can do. About that
time he jabbed me pretty strong in
the side with the muzzle. I've been
shot five times, and I know the
heavy detonation of a pistol of that
size which comes so suddenly. I
'smelt powder right there and saw
myself lying on a marble slab in
some cold New York rnorgue. The
idea wasn't pleasant, but for the
life of me l couldn't get scared, and
had to keep the conversation going,
even If he pulled the trigger. 7
laughed and it made him nervous
and sore, but he let me go ahead.
"Son," said, '<if / really and
truly had any opportunity 1 would
take advantage of you and you
wouldn't understand. You've got me
pretty we'll covered, and | want to
tell you just this: / feel so sincerely
for the boys who've come home from
France and have been forgotten
that l don't blame you for holding
people up. It's a damned shame,
apdv
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27

standing at this moment on Forty
second Street and a New York
street battle should begin, Pm sure
I would stand and watch it for the
old thrill it would bring back to me,
l wouldn't think for moment about
being struck by bullet. By the
same token these ex-soldiers are not
afraid. They've had it taken out of
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
Talk Made Hin Nervous

That was as far as l got, but l
was talking fast and he was getting
more nervous every word. He had
already gone through me and taken
my wallet.
Il don't know whether YOU'RE trv-
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
Al Jennings Finds New York Bad Men a y

ing to kid me or not" he came back
at me. Il guess you'd better move
on"
That was the last I saw of that
New York hold-up ex-service man,
and I've been thinking it all over
Stree.
The $S2 that he took along in
my wallet I didn't mind losing
SO much, but my full and un-
conditional pardon signed by
Theodore Roosevelt was in that wal
let. / know / can get another par
don paper, but cannot have the
name of Theodore Roosevelt on it.
Really, my love for that man for
his kindness to me was something
sacred. Of course, his signature on
that pardon was the thing that have
often looked at, and it has always re-
called his words to me: "I am going
to give you full and free pardon.
because you have not lied to me, but
| want you to be worthy of the con-
Ifidence / have in you"
Before God, I have been worthy
of the confidence of that great
American, and always will be. I've
been honest for fifteen years, and
I'm awfully lonesome.
If that man that held me up here
in New York had received the same
treatment on his return home from
overseas that was so effulgently
given to all Of Uncle Sans soldiers
before they left, in my Judgment he
would never have been hoId-up
man.
The Western Bad Man
Out in the West, years ago, we
had the rough lives that gave us
contempt for danger and death, and
those Of us who went to the bad
were hold-up men and robbers be-
cause we had no fear of anything on
earth. We held up train or robbed
bank with no thought of the battle
which often followed, and we felt
no advance horror of the possibility
of bullet tearing through US, Some
of us were driven to banditry and
others took up the profession"
through sheer cussedness.
Men never hold up fellow men at
the point of six-shooter or auto
matics through fear of personal in
jury or the might of the law. Some
thing must take this out of them be-
fore they can become hold-up men.
Our young men of to-day have
had the cowardice of honesty taken
out of them by their experiences
overseas. With death all around
them over there they have come
back unafraid to take chance when
circumstances drive them.
am not afraid of injury or
death. If | should chance to be
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27

a life of crime.
at isn't your picture, Mr.. Jen-
nings," she said. st is your own
personality. You havs been sue
cessfu, even though You once led a
life OF crime. ~ is your own success
that we are afraid of. OF c2vrse,
we all feel very kindly toward you
personally"
The Kindness That Kills
Yes" 1 replied, yours is the
kindness that kills. Suppose 1 de-
pended only on my picture for liv-
ing, and by your action / was cut
off from an honest living, as thou
sands are. Wouldn't your action
tend to drive me back to my former
banditry, because, after all, | have
to have some place TO eat and sleep?
Under present conditions, with
crime wave of profiteering in the land
and eating running high, l almost
have to go out and knock some other
poor devils block off to get loaf of
bread--but I'm not going to do it."
Let the incoming Administration
curb profteering in all the neces-
saries Of life, let it treat the men
who fought and bled for this coun-
try as human beings and there will
be less crime.
Ex-convicts have their great strug-
gle with society, but ex-soldiers, rer-
haps, have as great claim to de-
cent treatment.
Perhaps those who read this will
remember reading of a robbery
which occurred in Chicago a short
time ago. Men drew up to bank
in motor trucks, one behind the
other, and skirmish line of young
men advanced from the trucks on
the bank. Others formed rear
guard. 1t was d robbery carried out
in absolute military fashion. The
I system and The contempt for the law
was learned on the battlehelds of
France.
/ In my own career, common hold
ups were seldom done Myself and
my gang used to content ourselves
with express cars and banks. Some
times when we failed to get any
thing from the express car we would
take up a collection from the pas
sengers.
Since l left prison I've been a
preacher. III say now that the pas
sengers we used to line up outside
! the cars gave. more freely than any
congregation I've ever preached to.
I'm quite sure the man who held
me up here in New York was
ashamed to do it. l could sense it
in his enforced tone of command
that he felt new to the game and
guilty. think if he had known that
his victim was Al Jennings ne
wouldn't have taken my money.
I'm equally sure that I'll hear
from that boy some day and that he'll
+ send me back the finest document
that I ever hope to possess--my full
and unconditional pardon signed by
that great and fine American, Theo-
dore Roosevelt
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
lin Spite of the Public

Since | came out of the peniten-
tiary / have worked in every way to
make men better. For fifteen years
I've worked in the pulpit, in the
public forum, in theaters, before
civic clubs, trying to make people
understand that a man, no matter
what his past has been, can beat his
way back to his former good stand
ing in life in spite of the public, and
that's the Gods truth. I've striven
in every way to make an honest
living, and I have succeeded, but
where I've made good many have
failed. Why? Here is an incident:
My moving picture "The Girl in
the Dugout," which depicts my past
life, must go before boards of CEN
sorship in every city. The chief
objection found by censors is that it
might serve as bad example to
youths who would attempt to
emulate my CRIME life. But that
isn't always the real reason why
there is objection to it. The picture
really carrys its moral. The crimes
of Al Jennings landed him in the
penitentiary. Recently in Memphis
there was a woman on the censor
ship board. The board passed ad-
versely or the film without seeing it.
The explanation came from the
woman. She said:
"Mr. Jennings, we cannot afford
to let you show your picture in
Memphis, because it would set a bad
example for our young men. They
would want to follow you
"But you haven't seen the film"
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27
BY AL Jennings

T%HERE used to be a certain ex-
I hilaration about shooting all
~ the window glass out of rail-
rsy train windows, making the pas.
sengers get down and shell out and
watching them Jump around in obedi-
snce to our rough commands in the
cid train robbing days, so I thought
I knew the feel Of the young New
York City bandit who poked an ugly
automatic in my ribs a few nights
ago and relieved me Of my wallet.
Folks, I've been thinking about
that hold-up right here in Americas $
gestest city. 1t wasn't because /
vas Al Jennings, ex-train robber and
bank robber, or any stroke of CO.
incidence that / was the within of
that hold-up. 1t was me because ]
was the first man to pass along. It
might have been you: But It was a
unique experience for me.
Staged Roughness
I've given the command Cup with
your hands," hundreds of times in
the old days without any intention
ever of shooting. One sis gruff in
the robbing game to terrorize, and it
has the desired effect. l put myself
IN this young fellows place when be
almost Kissed through bis teeth, up
with 'emr' and put them up, but I
couldn't feel terrorized or afraid. I
had chance to study him. And I
will say here and now that the man
was not an ex-convict, professional
stick-up man or a. bad man,
He was an ex-soldier. of Uncle
Sans army who had fought in
France for his country, He wasn't
making profession of robhing as
me and my gang did in the. old days.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27

long and park benches are filed
and crime waves exist?
Let me tell you why / feel so
strongly on this point, l anu an ex-
convict. ] have said that l ana lone
some in honesty.
Since I've been here in New. York
or, rather, since. l was robbed on
the street and a newspaper wrote
something about it, / have been Wis
tied in my hotel by burglars and
other criminals from Sing Sing.
Like the misguided boys who are
broken by conditions and stunned,
these ex-convicts want to be good.
They've all heard of Al Jennings, ex-
convict.
you've made it bit easier for
all of u.s." they've told me, "by your
career of honesty since you quit the
pen and we want to quit like you
did, but they won't let U.s."
know how those men feel. They
are bounded by society and SO am
II have been for fifteen years.
AS lawyer before I turned bandit
1 was more dangerous to society
than bandit. was q member of
decent" society, lobbying Tor whisky
in Washington. It's the Gods truth
when / write it here that I was
able to influence legislation-whisky
legisIation-for money, and I've
bought" representatives of the peo-
PIE cheaper than you can buy a
pound of bacon right now.
New-York tribune., 1921-02-27

A RAGGED waif. now starv-
n ing in the cutters of Jeru-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
HARDING ASKS
AID FOR ROADS
President Urges Congress to 0.
K. Plan for Adjustment of
Rail Claims.
SETTLEMENTHELDN NEAR
Floating Of Securities Already In
Hands of Railroad Administration
Only object-Farmers Relief
Also Proposed.

Washington-Presid Harding, in
a special message to Congress asked
it to extend the authority of the War
finance corporation to purchase secur-
tiles probably up to 100000, 900 now
in the hands of the Railroad admin
istration so that the proceeds may be
used for settlements with the rail
ways. This, the President told Con-
gress, would open the way to "early
adjustment and relief" of the railroad
problem.
Mr.. Harding gave only the bare out
line of the plan he wants Congress to
approve. Details are to be given out
later by the railroad administration.
Wants Relief for Farmers.
The President, however, made clear
these salient points of his plan:
That the War Finance corporation
be empowered to buy railway secur-
tiles now held by the director generals
so that officials may have funds to
settle with the railroads without dip
ping into the treasury.
That the powers Of the corporation
be broadened so that it can extend
further. relief to the livestock raisers
and farmers.
Mr.. Harding also revealed that to
hasten settlement with the govern
ment the railroads have consented to
waive their claims based on the asser-
ton that labor deprecated in value
during government control and that
the government should pay for this
The waiver, however, will not preju-
dice their rights if they should take
their claim to the courts.
Sees Way for Early Adjustment.
Mr. Harding then explained that the
government owed the railroads and
the roads owed the government. and
that settlements have already been
made for claims totaling $225,568,764.
'The way would seem clear to very
early adjustment and relief except for
the fact that the railway administra-
ton, though possessing assets, does
not command the funds necessary to
meet what will be it's admitted obliga-
tions,' the message said.
The proposal that the war finance
corporation be empowered to nego-
tiate these assets was then made.
While the government is thus max
ing payments to the roads, the roads
debt to the government will be funded
that is, payment spread over a
period of years.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29

tails as that of many successful men.
His father died when he was nine
years old and he went to work. He
obtained his education at night
schools and as he expresses 1.-THE
good old college of hard knocks"
AS union official Bebergall has
served in nearly every office of the
San Francisco Typographical Union
No. 81, and as assistant secretary of
the California State Federation of La
Dor.
He was twice rejected for military
service on account of impaired vision,
but finally obtained waiver from the
secretary of war and was enrolled in
the medical department Of the United
States army. He served as member
of Base Hospital Company No. 81 In
France and was discharged June 30,
1919, at San Francisco as sergeant,
first class. He Immediately became
interested in the American Legion and
was one of the organizers Of the Cal
ifornia department.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29

lean artists have produced, according
to both the ex-infantryman and those
who have sought to immortalize him
In bronze and stone.
The Idaho commission has ordered
that all counties of the state have
memorials alike in character with the
addition that Mr.. Fairbanks Dough
boy" be the main feature Of each
county's memorial. The American Lee
gion of Idaho has been warm in its
commentator of the statue and Mr..
Fairbanks has returned the compli-
ment by informing the service men
that: II am convinced that the Amer
lean Legion can be tremendous pow
er in education and In honor and in
the glory of our great government. I
am indeed enthused with the loyal
stand on Americanism which the Lee
gion is holding out for"
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
cLoUDBURsT HITS MANDAN
Every House in City Damaged by
Storm; Loss 100000.

Mandan, NJ D.-Under cloudless
skies, citizens of Mandan began TAX
ing stock of damage wrought by a
cloudburst Monday night, which sent
water rushing from the hills surround
ing the city through streets with the
speed of millrace, to a depth of three
feet. Water in Easements of hotels,
department stores and other business
houses is believed to have caused a
loss which will total 100000, while as
much more loss was caused to homes,
city property, street paving and sew
ers. Every house in the city was
damaged.
The storm covered territory from
Glen Ullen to Mandan, distance of
SO miles, and according to informa-
ton available, was Is to 20 miles
wide.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
NAVY LOST TO DRY AGENTS

Plans for Cooperation in Hunt for
Smugslers Abandoned.
Washington-Plans for naval CO.
operation in the hunt for liquor
smugglers along the North Atlantic
coast apparently have been abandoned,
prohibition officials declared
The plans had been discussed ten
tatively with the Navy department, Of
fcials said, but it was found the pro-
hibition unit would have to defray ex-
penses of the craft used, and lacks
sufficient funds: They are going ahead
with the assistance of the coast guard,
it was added, in an effort to sweep the
seas of the rum runners.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
q IHE O!
AMERICAN
LEGION
Copy for This Department Supplied b
the American Legion News seryice.)
THE ADoUGHBoY OF IDAHO"
Striking Statue Recently Selected BY
States War Memorial Commits
sion, Is Lifelike Study.

It's far cry indeed from the stiff
necked, primly dressed recruit which
flooded America after the armistice
as the sculptured representation Of
the American fighter to the shirt
sleeved, delightfully."- informal dough
boy Of Idaho," recently selected by the
states war memorial commission to
symbolic Idaho's contribution to the
World war. The statue, work of Award
Fairbanks. Portland, Ore, and Salt
Lake City, Utah, artist, is the most
lifelike study Of the A. e. r. infantry
man as the Boche saw him that Amer
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Generous Request.

There recently died lii Illinois an
aged farmer. reputed to be wealthy.
After his death, however, it was dis
covered, he left nothing. And his win
ran like this:
"In the name Of God, amen. There's
only one thing have. leave the
earth. My relatives have always want
ed it. Now they have t."-American
Legion Weekly.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Well Then. Who Was He?

Teacher-For whom was, this coun-
try named?
PupiI-Americus Vespucius.
Teacher-Corre and who was hef
Pupil-He was press agent fof
Christopher Columbus-American Lee
gion Weekly.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Negotiate on immigration.

London Negotiations are in prog
ress between the government of Great
Britain and the United States for a
settlement of the difficulties incident
to the first application of the Ameri-
can immigration law, it was an
nounced in the house of commons.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Fire pestroves Texas Town.

Wichita Falls, Tex.-Kemp City, an
oil field community, twenty miles
southwest of here, was virtually de-
stroyed by fire. The buildings were
all frame structures The loss is es-
timated at $4,000.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
LEGION MAN UNION OFFICER
California Organization Adjutant Well
Known for Activities With
Fellow Laborers.
Fred F. Bebergall of San Francis
co. who is now serving his second

term as depart
ment adjutant Of
the American Lee
gion in California,
Is one Of the most
active Legion off,
GERS in his state.
Bebergan also is
well-known for his
activities in labor
union circles.
Bebergall's life
h | S t DRY is the
same In some de-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Fire truck Kills TWO.

Chicago-Two children were killed,
and six others, all less than 10 years
old were injured when a sixty-foot
hook and ladder truck skidded and
plunged into gravel pile in which
the children were PLAYING.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Nerve.

young man, / admire your nerve
asking for my daughters hand"
"Good heavens, siri You don't
mean to say she's as bad as that ~
American Legion Weekly.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-07-29
Truce to Continue In Erin

London truce viii continue
in Ireland pending the resumption of
negotiations between Eamonn de VAL
era and the government" Premier
Lloyd George announced in the House
of Commons.