davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1923-11-02
Washington State News


The annual assembly. washington
state society. Daughters of the Amer
lean Revolution, was held in Chehalis.
with all of the SO chapters in the state
represented.
William Douglass, q millwright OF
Anacortes, died an hour after being
taken from beneath his auto. which
overturned in a ditch two miles south
Of A~nacortes.
Roy Westby and Peter Smith wer
killed and Claude Payton injured when
their automobile was bowled over and
thrown to the sidewalk by a street
car at Bellingham.
w. H. Talley, secretary of the state
farm bureau. and Brick Burford, Whit
man county agent, recognized the
Whitman county farm bureau at q
meeting at Thornton.
All pre-volstead records were shat
tered in the number of arrests for
drunkenness during the month of Sep
TENDER. Police Secretary W. L. Jack
son announced in Spokane.
Representatives from nineteen
southwest Washington Knights OF Ply
thias lodges will meet in Chehalis
Thursday evening as guests Of st.
Helens Lodge at that city.
Members of the Washington and
British Columbia Gymnasium Leaders
Corps, representing Seattle, Tacoma,
] Vancouver, BelIingham and Everett,
held a three days conference at Ever
EFT.
Binding and gagging two employees
and a customer who drew up for gaso-
line, four masked men blew the safe
Of the Yost Automobile company at
Edmonds and escaped with 5000 in
cash.
Announcement of his candidacy for
the republican nomination for COVER
nor at the next election was made in
a newspaper statement by Colonel Ro-
land H. Hartley of Everett, published
in Spokane.
Contract for the construction Of a
7OO0-ton combination passenger and
freight steamship for the Southern
Pacific lines has been awarded to the
Todd Drydock & Construction COM
pany at Tacoma.
An auditors statement for the year
1898 found by Deputy County Auditor
Calender shows that the total tax
able value of Clarke county property
at that time was $5,727.2 800 compared
with SIT, 4,SO4 for 1922.
w. B. Sands. Indian agent on the
Oakville reservation, has allotted 800
acres to young Indians who heretofore
have been without land. A crew Of
government surveyors is cutting up
the tract into 20-acre pieces.
Positive Identification has been made
Of the four bandits who are alleged to
have held up two employees at the Of
flee of the Western Union Telegraph
company In Seattle October 2 and
robbed them of $500 in cash.
DR.. R. j.. Mercer has added seven
pairs of interior Alaska silver foxes
to his farm at Vancouver, and his
brother, G. e. Mercer. is now at Prince
Edwards island Nova Scotia, nego-
Eating for another IS pairs. The foxes
are valued at $4,000 a pair.
Flour shipments headed the exports
from Tacoma In July, which reached
a total close to $4,000, 900. according
to figures just published by the Gus
toms collector. Imports totaled ST.
252.23S and collections Ss5.O94.
Coming from New Zealand to the
Wenatchee valley to study apple con-
ditions in north central Washington
and get new ideas to take back with
Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1923-11-02
BRIEF GENERAL NEWS

Notices Of a 50-cent reduction m
days pay were posted at all mining
properties in Butte. Anaconda and
Great Falls. Mont.
Hugo SHINES Jr, son Of the Ger
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

quiring purpose, caused Barnum to
fear that some farmers would buy
elephants, and he printed a form
letter, headed "Strictly Confidential. "
In this letter, copy of which was
sent to each Of his correspondents,
Barnum said that TO him the ele-
plant was profitable agricultural
animal because he advertised the
Museum. but that other farmers
might find the anii.al burden.
The original cost of an elephant.
Barnum pointed out. was from $4,000
to $4,000. In cold weather the ami.
NAL would not work ut all: and in
any weather he could not earn his
keep. since every year he would eat
up the value Of Els head, trunk and
body. He concluded by asking his
correspondents to keep these facts
secret. so that each of the hundreds
felt himself in the confidence of a
-rcat man.
The newspapers worked Barnum's
elephant for all he was worth. Re-
porters made special trips to Bridge
port from distant points to write OF
the scene accurately. Some of their
stories said that Barnum's elephant
built a stone wall around the farm,
planted corn with his trunk, washed
the windows of "Iranistan," and
sprinkled the walks and lawns by
inhaling water into his trunk and
using that instrument MS a garden
hose. The elephant was also credit
ed with feeding the pigs and picking
Ill L..
audacity to print that since he was
n male elephant he carried Bar,
NUNS letters to and from the post
office. Millions Of readers through,
out the country saw pictures of
Barnum's elephant, and after the
six-acre field had been plowed more
than fifty times. the animal was sold
to Van Amburgh's Menagerie.
Exhibiting a Piekpocket.
For several years at this period
Barnum was president of the Fair.
field County Agricultural Society, al.
though his practical knowledge OF
farming vas nothing. But he
proved useful as manager of the
county fairs OF the society. His knQwl.
edge of showmanship was exhibited in
this capacity with great effect in at
least one instance.
At enc of the last sessions Of Bar
nuns last fair pickpocket was
caught. Pickpockets visited the fair
annually and usually came away
with large profits, and this particu-
lar pickpocket had reputation for
that work both here and in England.
The day after his arrest was the last
day of the fair, and Barnum antici-
gated light receipts.
He therefore obtained permission
from the sheriff to exhibit the pick
pocls,t mt the agricultural fair. for
the purpose, he urged the sheriff, OF
giving those who had been robbed
an opportunity to identify him.
Barnum issued hand bills announc-
ing that for the last day of the fair
the management had obtained an
unusual attraction, "a live pick
pocket" who would he exhibited,
safely handcuffed, without extra
charge. Some farmers brought their
children ten miles TO see the ex-
tiror,linary sight.
While indulging moderately in sun
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

dry enterprises, Barnur, kept careful
contg~i of the museum. Any curiosity
that happened to be passing through
New York was requisitioned by him
In August of 1850 a negro came Il
New York who claimed To have dis
covered a weed that would turn neg
roes white. Barnum exhibited him al
at the museum. He hailed this engrc
and his weed as the solution of the
slavery problem, contending in his ad.
ADVERTISEMENTS that il all the negroes
could be turned white the problem OF
slavery would disappear with their
color. The newspapers reported daily
the progress of the negro's change IN
color. ~.
A gallery of Beauty, a contest in
whish two hundred prizes were offer
ed to the "handsomest women In
America, the public to be the judges
from daguerreotypes sent to the MUGS
nm, created sensation, and another
Baby Show added greatly to the pop
ularity of the museum.
Barnum wrote TO his friend Ballou,
of Ballou's Pictorial:
Friend Ballou:
. Dear Sir: We gave Mr.. French to-
day our advertisement of the Baby
Show send here circular of par
ticulars which hope you will notice.
"Two triplets and one quartern are
already engaged, and we expect the
woman from Ohio who has five Cat
BIRTH.
''In few days We shall have the
Giant Woman from Maine, said TO
be a very tall curiosity. i guess our
museum. can sometimes furnish as
good things for you to illustrate as
you can pick, up elsewhere, and / will
occasionally pay for engraving special
curiosities. snch as giant, etc., if you
will publish them. OF course l don't
expect or wish you TO publish anything
that is not of itself full of interest
to the public.
"0ur Baby Show will make a grand
scene for illustration.
"Yours very truly
p. T. BARUM."
Bearded Lady Sensation o..
In July, 1858, The Bearded Lady
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

was exhibited at the muesum, and
she caused Barnum trouble. of he
kind he liked most. The Bearded
Lady, accoring to q pamphlet she sold
when she was exhibited, was born in
Versoix, Switzerland, March % 1881,
Her parents noticed a slight down on
her face when she was a baby, and at
the age of eight she had beard two
inches long, which grew to be five in
ches long by the time she was fourteen
years old. Physicians in Geneva ad-
vised against cutting the beard, for
fear it would become hard in texture.
In 1S49 a French Snowman offered
the parents attractive terms for the
right to exhibit their child. and she
consented. Her popularity in Europe
was great; Louis Napoleon was in
terested in her and presented her with
many gifts, In London it was said
that she was visited by more than
100000 persons. She married French
artist, NJ. Clofullia, and gave birth
to boy, whose face was covered with
hair at his birth. Barnum met the
York in 1858, and engaged them for
the museum, where they attracted
large crowds.
One William Char made a COM
plant against The Bearded Lady, and
she was brought to the Tombs Court,
CHAIR had visited the museum at a
cost of twenty-five cents, and after
looking at The Bearded Lady came
to the conclusion that he had been
humbuged out of his money.
He expressed the belief in court
that said lady was 'noting more nor
less than dressed-lfp man." and
further, that she and Mr.. Barnum
were humbugs and ought to be dealt
with according to the law Barnum
appeared in court to defend the char
acter of his curiosity and his own rep
utation. He testified that TO the best
of his knowledge the woman in ques-
ton was a woman. that she had been
examined by DIR. Valentine Mott, DIR.
John W. Frances and DIR. Alexander
Il. Mott. and that they had all come
to the same conclusion. DIR. Covil, of
the Tombs Prison, also made an afr
fidavit to the effect that in collabor-
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

equipment was sold, except one ele-
plant, which Barnum retained for
his personal use. In charge OF a
keeper the elephant was sent to
Bridgeport, and on Barnum's farm
ing land adjoining ~Iranistan," both
were put to new uses.
The keeper was dressed in ORR
entail costume of silkcn breeches,
turban, and yellow silk tunic. A six
acre field. facing. the railroad tracks
of the New York & New Haven
Railroad, was set aside for the ex-
elusive use of the elephant. Bar
nun gave the keeper a railroad time
table, and whenever q passenger
train came into sight the elephant
busily plowed the land, the keeper
goading him on and leading him as
close as possible to the. railroad
tracks, so that he who rode might
see. This publicity plan was ar
ranged by Barnum for the benefit
OF his American Museum.
The newspapers of this. country
and Europe printed accounts of the
phenomenon, and everywhere 1t soon
became known that up. T. Barnum,
proprietor of the American Museum
in New York" had been the first
man in the world to make use Of the
elephant as an agricultural animal. !,
especially to watch the elephant In
action. and hundreds of letters came
to Barnum from agricultural socie-
cites. Some of these were as fol-
lows:
1. Is the elephant a profitable
agricultural animal?
2. How much can an elephant
pillow in n day?
3. How much can be draw?
4. How much. does he eat?
.. Will elephants rhalr themselves
generally useful on a farm?
q. What is the price of an ele-
plant?
Z. Where can elephants be pur-
chased?
Concerning "Will elephants make
themselves generally useful on 4
farm?" Barnum snid: IL suppose
some of my inquirers thought the
elephant would pick up chips, or
even pins and would rock the baby
and do all the chores, including the Oc
casional carrying of trunk. other
than his own, to the depot" The
elephants trunk was an inexhausti-
bic source of puns to Barnum.
Some anxious farmers asked
whether an elephant would quarrel
with a COW, il 1t was possible TO
'leel elephants on the far',. and
how old calf elephants must be be-
fore they would begin to earn their
own living.
Heading Them OF.
r The number OF letters he re-
ceived, written with a serious in
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

alton with the matron of the prison
he ''had an interview with the lady In
question, and both are perfectly con.
WINGED that in spite of her beard, ,he
is woman"
The magistrate was satisfied that
Barnum had proved his innocence
of humbug, and the case was dismiss.
ed. Barnum and The Bearded Lady
left the courtroom, followed by large
crowd.
fais episode was probably a pieee
of Barnum's planned publicity. II
would seem offhand as if he could
readily have proved out of court ia
the complete satisfaction of William
CHAIR that The Bearded Lady was
a woman. But "a large crowd of spec
tators, whom the novelty of the case
had collected said the Tribune, sol-
lowed them out of court, and that
could not have been accomplished
out of court.
A Market for Monstrosities.
Barnum, having passed the first
ten years of his notorious career,
was now known the world over as a
consumer of curiosities. He had
first choice on all the monstrosities
in the world, because he paid more
for them than anybody else. Men.
women and children wrote to him,
telegraphed him. and called With
varied products for his inspection.
Ossified men, all bone, india-rubber
men with no bones, three legged
men. and men without legs were
brought 10 his attention. Often Bar
mum must have felt like the Creator
in the presence of His mistakes.
Upon one occasion a man rushed
into the museum office and asked
how much Barnum would pay for
the greatest curiosity ever exhibited
anywhere by anybody. Barnum asked
for particulars.
The curiosity was a man, but this
man had two heads. with two dis
tinet faces, both handsome. His two
spoke Spanish. French and
English; they could carry on dia-
logue with each other. sing duets.
one mouth singing in English and
one in Spanish, or vice versa, in
Guiding French, and the two mouths
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

could converse at the a.
with Spanish, French and
gentlemen. The discoverer
unique man wanted only
travelling expenses to, trans
man from Mexico. z{<
Barnum said: why, let
There's no use specifying Z ~
lar sum, or standing upon tfi&I(
an affair of such importapces
I'll tell'you what I will do. AZ
as you bring your curl sit1 Il 81
and / find that the man Is, ~ g
do, what you say. you may hn0
wagon, and the stouteS cart bon
you can find in New YORK. "a
will go with you to the United sat
Sub-Treasury Building at the eqxnI
of Wall and Nassau streets, ~
load on all the silver Coin the Wug(
can carry and the hors can dya|
That is merely your commissioH7
agent. i will make terms with Il
curiosity afterwards" The eGer
never appeared again. MI
While some people thought th>
they could make Barnum belisSe !
anything. others sincerely believe
that anything was a valuable cur
esity. He received telegram frol
Baltimore, Maryland: ITO p 4
Barnum: 1 have a four-legge
Chicken. Come ouiek.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

/, He went about among his friends
and urged them to follow his exam
pie, TO give up whiskey. Later he
arranged public lectures in Bridge
/, port, and his friend, the Rev. Il. II,
Chaplin one of the leading temper
ance orators of the county, spoke
in the Bridgeport Baptist church at
Barnum's request.
a Drama of the Drunkard.
And the museum was also devoted
to temperance. For many hundreds
of performances Barnum presented
in his moral lecture room, "The
Moral, Domestic Drama of the
Drunkard, CIR the Fallen Saved"
In the first act Of this drama,
which was more popular than any
play Barnum ever presented in the
| museum, we see the moderate
drinker. "In the second act we have
his progress, step by step, to ruin. y
read the newspaper advertisement,
"his increased appetite for strong
drink; the distress of his relations :
the embarrassments of himself and
family. In. the third act we have
his drunken orgies in Broadway. his
barroom dcoauehery, the degrade
ton of himself and vileness of his
associates. loss of time. etc. In the
fourth act we have despair and at
tempted suicide, and the fifth act his
restitution to sobriety and society
by the aid of a temperance philap-
thropist."
There as no record that Rarnum
took the last part hilaself. The ad-
vertisement said: at is most
thrilling and affecting performance.
The whole drama is relieved with
lively sparks of wit and humor. and
the comic characters, fuuny scenes,
country dances, songs, chcruses,
ETC., serve to render the piece as
amusing as il is instructive"
After performances of -"The
Drunkard" it was announced from
Tie stage that all th>;e who wished
to sign the teetotal pledge could do
50 ut the boz office Barnun wrote
that "a.most every hour during the
Icy and evening women 'Ouid be
seen bringing their husbands to the
museum to syn the pledge"
No ba- was allowed IN he mu-
scum premises, and when Barnum
discovered that men we're in the
habit of going out for a drink be-
tween the acts of "Tbe runkard."
h. refised to give return CHI cks.
"The Loan of a Lover" was the at
traction in the lecture ROOT durins
the afte Loon. whic ";hc drunk
ard" WAS performed at night.
An Elephant That Made Talk.
In 1910 Barnum made the second
of his brief ventures into the circus
business. prior to the organization
of the great circus later In his life.
After four years, however, all the
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07
TO MAKE OIL SURVEY
Yucatan Votes $4,000 for Impertan1
Work. oS

Tampieo, Oct. 6.-The sovernhient
Of Yucatan has appropriated $4,000
for technical study Of the saAsoY
Of petroliferous lands in the sta>a
with the thought that the results q
such a study will be extremely v3lq>
able with reference to possible ~
development. q
. 1t is anticipated that a. soen', e
the technical commission, which hSS
been named, makes its report that thu
state will begin active developu1enf
work. -
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07
Living With an Elephant in the Front Yard
BY M. R. WERNER
About P. T. Barnum

Barnum ayeis his "domescated' display
wh
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-06-06
Women Favor
World Court
LEAGUE ADOPTED RESOLUTIONS
HOPING TRIBUNAL WILL
END WAR.

Members of the National League
OF Women Voters aret very much in
favor of recent legislation passed by
the state legislature of 1923 for
the formation of permanent court of
international justice. This court
seeks the international cooperation
to develop orderly and just means
for the settlement of controversaries
among nations, and thus bring about
abiding peace.
At the fourth annual convention
Of the National League of Women
Voters held at Des Moines, Ia, res
olutlons were passed favoring the
formation of such court, for the
promotion of friendliness between
nations, and to appoint representa-
tives of the United States govern
ment to attend a conference of the
league of nations in reference to
opium and traffic in women. Other
resolutions advocate an open policy
OF diplomacy, and that fullest in
formation on international affairs
should be given promptly to the
pubic, and finally the women call
upon the government of the United
States to unite in support of a con-
| structlve movement toward a world
organization for permanent peace
without regard to party affiliation.
! The new international court of Just
ice was established as permanent
body by special treaty drawn up
at the first assembly of the league of
nations in December 1920. The judges
were elected by the council and gen
eral assembly of the league of nations
in September 1921, and they met for
the first time at The Hague on jan
uary 3d. 1922. The new court does
not take the place of the old court of
arbitration, which still exists. States
may resort to either the court de-
cides disputes between states, and
renders advisory opinions to the Coun-
Gil and Assembly of the League of
Nations. A state may bring a case
before the court by addressing a
written application to the registrar,
or by notifying the court of a spe-
cial agreement. Unless both par
ties to the dispute have accepted the
obligatory jurisdiction of the court, i.
bis necessary that both of them consent
to the courts acting at the time.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-06-06
LEARNING TO
ENJOY LIFE

Editorial in the Chicago Tribune.
President Scott of Northwestern
university evidently agrees with Presi-
dent Burton of Michigan that word
should be spoken emphatically for
what are called "the humanities." His
comment in announcing a 100000
gift to Northwestern is worth the
consideration of the public, which,
either as individual contributors to
privately endowed institutions Of
learning or as taxpayers supporting
our state universities, in the end con-
trolls our educational policy.
Progress in the nineteenth CEN
tury,' said President Scott, was large
ly dependent upon the study of nature.
Progress in the twentieth century
probably viii depend largely upon the
study of man. The results of teach
ing the natural sciences are direct
and apparent. The results of teach
ing the humanities are indirect and
intangible. This anonymous friend
appreciates the value of the natural
sciences, but his vision embraces also
the intangible value of the humani-
ties and he is willing to invest in
promoting them for the benefit of
civilization
We are an objective and practical
people and our interest in the devel-
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1923-06-06
Farm Overhead
Getting Too High
PRICE REIMBURSEMENT NEEDED,
FORMER PRESIDENT TELLS
BANKERS.

Operating expenses and the rela-
lively low prices he has received for
his products, and the high prices he
has paid for what he had to buy, are
responsible for the farmers econom-
ic condition, James R. Howard, form
err president of the American Farm
Bureau federation and now head of
the Transportation institute, declared
before the Illinois Bankers associa-
ton at Springfield last Friday.
"The farmer must pay for labor,
and buy food and clothing, machinery
lumber, feed and livestock in order
to produce" Mr.. Howard declared.
"These are operating costs. He al
so must meet certain fixed charges,
such as interest, rent and taxes. Not
until after these operating costs and
fixed charges are met and surplus
earnings in excess of them are in
sight does it matter to the farmer
or anyone else whether his land is
worth 81 an acre or $1,000.
81 am in favor of private manage
ment of railways because it is more
efficient than government operation.
I am in favor Of letting the railways
earn a fair return upon a fair valua-
ton, because, unless this is done, they
will not be able to raise the new capt.
tai required to enable them to expand
their facilities and make the improve
ments necessary to reduce operating
costs.
what the farmers want, and all
they want, is a square deal. They
know they will not be getting a
square deal until the prices they re-
ceive for the things they produce are
relatively as high as the prices they
have to pay for things which they have
to buy, and they will not be satisfied
until, by a readjustment of prices, the
farmers purchasing power has been
completely restored"