davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1925-02-22

the Washington country in West
moreland County was late in the Fall
of 1908 or 1904. He left the steam
boat before dawn on a chilly day at
Wirts wharf in Maddox Creek,
walked to Laurel Grove farm. to the
home of Lawrence Washington Gun
Gle Lab; on to Bienheim, then oc-
cupied by Mrs. Lena Washington
Hungerford; then to Wakefield; was
taken over the whole farm by John
f. Wilson, the owner; had dinner with
Mr.. Wilson; walked to Potomac Mills,
and got to the hotel at Montross
about 10 at night. A walk of some
thing like 25 miles with heavy
Evening star., 1925-02-22

THIS Sunday coming on Febru-
ary 22, the Rambler thought
ne might write a piece on
Il Wakefield, the farm on which
George Washington was born.
Little new is to be said on the sub
Ject. Nearly all the facts have been
written and recited. few men have
gone to the farm and the land records
and have written the results of their
work and many men have written
articles" and spoken lectures with
out having had the pleasure of Wis
itlng the Washington lands or the
labor of rumma gins in courthouses
Their only exertion has been in TAX
ing street car to the Public Lii
brary.
Origin and significance of the name
Wakefield" are obscure-a common
way of saying that a thing is not
known. 1t is always written that
George Washington was born at
Wakefield, Va, February %. 1882.
George Washington never knew his
birthplace as Wakefield" In his life
and in the time of all the Washing
tons before him, the place was called
the farm on Popes Creek" the
Pope's Creek Farm" or the farm at
Bridges Creek"
George Washington wrote in his
brought to him by his marriage with
MRS. Martha Dandridge-Cu that
he then visited his brother, John A
Washington, at Nominy; the widow
or his brother Augustine, a t Pope's
Creek, and his brother Samuel, at
Chotank, in King George County
Neither in the diary nor in any other
writings does George Washington
mention Wakefield
1t Is believed that the name Wake
held was given to the farm on Pope's
Creek by William Augustine Wash
fngton, son of Augustine Washington.
who was Georges oldest brother, and
who inherited the Pope's Creek farm
from Augustine Washington, Georges
FATHER Vain effort has been made to
fine why William Augustine Wash
ington, at considerable time after
the deatht of George Washington,
named the place Wakefield. So far as
found there was no connection
&etween him and the Wakefield
1amily, and no connection between
Evening star., 1925-02-22

(Sort of peeved-like:) Faithful
readers! Fiddlesticks and fiddledy-
dee (strong reminine explosives).
''Waht faithful reader is going to sit
up all night with you, put hot poul-
tices on your feet and icepacks on
your head? What faithful reader is
going to prepare those tonics pre-
scribed for you by your favorite ply
sicians, DR. Gordon of Scotland and
DR.. Bacardi of Cuba? Go tramping
about the country in weather such as
thisn
X X X *
"RUT, my dear" the door slams
and the Rambler is left alone
to take what follows out of a ramble
written in 1904:
From Wirt's wharf the road climbs
a wide plateau. The plain at this
season Is brown and white with dead
cornstalks and sticktight weed and
with daisies and goldenrod in seed
Scrub pine in the higher places and
sweet gum in the lower give the
landscape touches of green. Glimpses
of the Potomac, two or three miles
away, are caught from points along
the road. About a mile and a half
from the wharf you come to a farm
house in a cIump of trees, with fig
bushes and Grape myrtle growing
there. The farm name is Laurel
Grove and it is a Washington Writ
home.
The Star man had landed from the
steamboat Wakefield an hour before
dawn but, lettering along the road,
the east was gray when he came to
Laurel Grove. Thin blue smoke was
curling from the kitche9 chimney; a
man was milking COW in fence
corner and farm hands were moving
about. A man came down the gravel
walk from the farmhouse. He had
not been long awake and his toilet
had been quickly made. His hands
Evening star., 1925-02-22

the place, and this was attractive to
me and other boys of the neighbor-
hood. 1 remember the stone that was
put there by Mr. Custis of Arlington.
1t was inscribed with the dates of
,Washington's birth and death, and
was set in the wall of the broken
chimney ] was a little boy when
Charles Jett came to live on the
Wakefield farm, and to my boyish
mind he was remarkable for two
things, first, because he cut down the
old apple trees which the boys called
Gen. Washington's orchard; and, sec
ond, he pulled down the only standing
chimney because he needed brick.
Evening star., 1925-02-22

birthplace of Washington. This
stone was placed there by George
Washington Parke Custis."
Let me go back to the burning of
the house. There is one theory that
when George Washington's father
and mother moved from the Popes
Creek farm to that on the$Rappahan-
mock opposite Fredericksburg, when
George was about years old, it was
Evening star., 1925-02-22

because of the burning of the house
on the Popes Creek farm. Another
theory is that it was burned while
the farm was in possession of William
Augustine Washington, and that he
built a big brick house, still standing,
which he called Blenheim, two or
three miles from the Popes Creek
house, because of the loss of the older
house. These are theories. The facts
are not known.
The Rambler's first trip through
Evening star., 1925-02-22
Old Grog and the Ear Of Jenkins
Made Some Mount Vernon History
rgten Spanish
Reveals Origin of Name Given the Home of Washington
BY DONALD ALEXANDER.

| ~ ROC and the ear of jenkins
Curious, cryptic phrase
" Strange that in such appar-
emily silly and meaningless
words there should be
wrapped up a tale of events that once
rocked the world, including many
peaceful plantations on the old Poto-
mac Stranger still that they could
possibly have any connection with
the lovely river home of George
Washington and it's euphonious name,
Mount Vernon.
If 1t should be asserted, just so
suddenly and without explanation
that the name of Mount Vernon, the
shrine to which the thoughts of all
Americans are reverently turning to-
day, is intimately related to the first
word in this mysterious formula, and
that the name Is on every ones lips
today as the direct result of a chain
of events that began with the afore-
said gentlemans ear, there would be
ample excuse for incredulity. There
might even be excuse for righteous
indignation.
So, as both of these statements are
presented as facts, the explanation
had better follow rapidly, If such un-
fortunate consequences are to be
avoided.
The home of George Washington,
in the city that bears his name,
would hardly have been called Mount
Vernon except for the fact that a
very angry and thoroughly unrea =
sonable Spanish sea captain rudely
sliced off Jenkins ear with his sword.
That happened on the bounding Span
ish Main just one hundred and ninety
four years ago this Spring. AS for
that potent and-in America-unlaw-
full sailors beverage of rum and
water, its expressive name Of grog
is derived from exactly the same
source as the name of Mount Vernon.
They were named for the same man
a man who had two names, one a
proper one and the other a term of
affectionate regard. He was the man
who mounted to greatest prominence
in the midst of the excitement that
followed the unceremonious amputa-
ton of that historic ear.
These are historic curiosities-not
mere pleasantries-for which my
friend, the Historian of the Potomac.
who spends his time delving into the
cobwebbed byways of the past, will
fully vouch. Any skeptical person,
who will take the trouble to follow
him in his labyrinthine literary wan
derings, can find them out for him.
self.
X X X
JENKINS ear stirred up mighty
~ fuss in the world. 1t was not
only the ear itself. but what hap
pened to it and what it stood for. 1t
was the symbol of a national anger
that grew hotter and hotter, until.
after seven years, II boiled over and
made a terrible mess of things on
both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. The
T-q-
tions agreement and the New Jersey
rum scandal in our day cannot COM
pare with it.
Well dried and wrapped carefully in
cotton, the famous ear was carried In
the capacious pocket of jenkins sea-
mans jacket for all that time, be-
fore it finally succeeded in creating
Evening star., 1925-02-22

least for facts, that the Rambler has
not the heart to rebuke himself for
taking the following from his own
story in 1904.
ION the way down Capt. Barker of
the Wakefield and The Star man had
a long chummy chat. and the captain
said: I was born on a farm adjoining
the Washington-Wake property
65 years ago. AS a boy I used to play
about what was left of the old house.
There was an old apple orchard near
Evening star., 1925-02-22

camera and two dozen plates. Tired?
You bet.
Since then he has made many trips
through that country, and during the
time automobiles have come in, old
roads have been rebuilt and new
roads made.
So many writers have drawn un-
sparingly on those early stories
in The Star, if not for inspiration at
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
BIG REDUCTION
IN TAXES CERTAIN

SwampScott.-That finances of the
government are in condition to per-
nit the next congress to effect a tax
slash of at least $350OOO,OOO was the
assurance given the country by Repre-
sentative Madden of Illinois, chairman
Of the appropriations committee, fol-
lowing a long conference with Presi-
dent Coolidge.
The program backed by Madden in
cludes:
Cutting of maximum surtax to 20
per cent.
Abolishing of inheritance and gift
taxes.
Reduction of all the lower brackets,
possibly to as low as 1 per cent on
incomes of $4,000.
Abolishing the nuisance taxes, in
Guiding theater and movie taxes and
club dues
Madden said he has figures showing
that the treasury surplus will be at
least $373,00O,O00. If the governments
receipts continue to grow, and gov
ernmental economy is practiced wher-
ever possible, the tax slash will ex-
coed $35O,OOO,O0O, he said.
All the foreign nations can afford
to pay their debts" Mr.. Madden added,
and we expect them to pay"
Mr.. Madden said the $169,OOO.OOO
war debt payment being made to this
country annually by England, and the
war payments to come from other
countries, should be applied to de-
crease the national debts He added
that the governments surplus from
current income each year should be
applied to tax reduction.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Senator Smoot for Repeal
of Taxes on Automobiles

Washington.-Repeal of all the mis-
cellaneous or nuisance taxes, includ-
ing the automobile taxes. was pre-
dicted by Senator Smoot of Utah.
chairman of the senate finance COM
mittee.
Senator Smoot, when asked spe-
cifically about automobile taxes, pre-
dicted they would go with the rest
provided nothing in the treasury
revenue situation prevented. AS to
the nuisance taxes in general, there
is widespread sentiment in congress
for repeating them, but there has been
considerable doubt about the fate of
the automobile taxes.
The Utah senator, who has Just re-
turned from his home state, talked
about the tax situation and predicted
that a cut of about $35O,OOO, 600 would
be made. He predicted the surtaxes
would be reduced to 20 per cent.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
NEW ORDER HITS
PROHIBITION CHIEF
District Heads Will Inherit
Powers of Haynes After
September l.

Washington. = Prohibition Commits
sfoner Roy A. Haynes is to be stripped
of most of his authority and RESPONSE
D1lity under the reorganization of the
prohibition forces, D. II. Blair, COM
missioner of internal revenue, an
nounced. He also made public a new
regulation order approved by Acting
Secretary of the Treasury c. S. Dewey.
The prohibition commissioner is to
retain some powers, but several i'm
portant ones are transferred to the
"A new district prohibition administra-
tors who are made directly responsible
to Gen. Lincoln C. Andrews.
Will Inspect Districts.
Mr.. Haynes is to spend a great deal
of his time in inspecting the various
districts and administrative offices.
General Andrews stated some time
ago that the new regulations met with
the approval of both Commissioners
Blair and Haynes. and that many
changes were made at the suggestion
OF both of them.
Mr.. Haynes is expected to be
candidate for the Republican nominal
ton for governor Of Ohio this fall.
Alcoho! Regulations.
Another regulation issued by Mr..
Blair takes care of the industrial al
cohol situation until the new admin
istrative plan goes into effect on Sep
temper 1. AS the administrators have
not yet taken office it has been de-
cided that instead Of keeping the pres
ent system in effect until September,
the issuance of denatured alcohol per-
mits will devolve upon the present
prohibition directors from now until
then.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
MINERS To STRIKE;
DEMANDS REFUSED
Operators Bar Wage Raise
Workers Reject Ar
bitration.

Atlantic City, N. J.-Refusal of the
anthracite operators to concede a
wage increase and the check-off caused
the coal miners to break off negotia-
lions for new contract.
This action was taken in advance
of the operators submission Of their
formal reply to the demands of the
miners, who had not quite finished
presenting their case.
With federal Intervention, as report
ed from SWampscott, out of the ques-
ton until after the present agreement
expires on September l, and with a
reluctance on both sides to submit
their case to Governor Pinchot of
Pennsylvania, a strike of 15S,000 an
thracite mine workers appears GER
tain.
Soft Coal Strike Looms.
Persistent rumors here link a walk
out in the bituminous fields to be
timed simultaneously with the expect
ed anthracite strike on September /.
Basis of the break in negotiations
over the anthracite scale which began
on July 8, was the demand by Presi-
dent John L. Lewis of the United
Mine Workers, on July 81, that Sam
uel ID. Warmer, president of the Lee
high Coal and Navigation company,
and w. b. Richards, president of the
Philadelphia and Reading Coal com
pany, take part in the conferences.
Lewis alleged that the operators sub
committee is composed Of minor heads
and that it was without power.
Miners Refusal Blamed
The operators asked two questions.
the first was whether, in view of the
operators opposition to a wage in
crease and the check-off the miners
refused to continue negotiations. This
evoked an affirmative reply.
The second question was a request
to submit matters in dispute to arbi-
tration. In reply the miners pointed
to Mr.. Lewis letter, alleging that in
a previous arbitration the mine work
ers lost $60,000,000 in the two years
to acquire the knowledge that they
now possess concerning the anthracite
operators well-known policy of keep
ing close to an arbitrator"
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Auto Deaths in u. S.
NoLU Total IS Daily

Washinton. = According to figures
made public by the Department of
Commerce traffic deaths in 81 cities
have averaged 10 day for the last
ten weeks, "a ratio of one death daily
for each 100000 of population.
During the four weeks ending July
Is there was Ais deaths in these 81 cit
les, where 2,511 had lost their lives
since January 1. Chicago reported
40 deaths in the four-week period and
299 deaths since January 1.
Other cities with high totals for the
four-week period were New York, 76;
Philadelphia, SO; Detroit, 25, and Los
Angeles, IA.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
No Plans Being Made
to Seize Coal Mines

Swampscott, Mass.-President Cool
idge knows of no plan worked out by
the bureau of mines or any other gov
eminent agency contemplating seizure
of anthracite. mines in event that op-
orators and miners fail to agree on a
wage scale and operations in the hard
coal fields are suspended on Septem-
Der l.
1t is the opinion of President Cool
idge that there is no authority on the
part of the government to seize mines
except the extreme authority of pro-
tecting the government and the public.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Daughter of Immigrant
Adopted by Millionaire

New York.-Before the dazzled eyes
of sixteen-year-old Mary Louise Spas,
only daughter of illiterate Bohemian
parents, was unveiled a vision of
modern fairyland
The Aladdin who rubbed the oc-
cult lamp for Mary was Edward A.
Browning, millionaire realtor, who saw
in her the ideal girl he sought for
adoption into his palatial home at
Kew Gardens, L. l., as sister-com-
panion for his other adopted daugh-
ter, DorOthky Sunshine Browning.
His three weeks quest ended when
he filed adoption papers in the Queens
Surrogate court. Her new name Is
Mary Louise Browning.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Four Killed, IS Injured
During Rioting in Italy

Cosenza, Italy.-Three women and
a man were killed and fifteen per-
sons injured in fighting at San
Giovanni in southern Italy, when a
mob of 200 stormed the municipal
building as protest against the adj
ministrative methods Of government
officials. Police fired on the crowd.
The attack on the city hall apparent
~ resulted from the villagers dis
content against the royal commits
sioner, Giovanni Rossi, who is said
to have increased the taxes on neces-
sites.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
FRENCH DISCOVER
RIFFS IN Old FORT

Fee, French MOrocco.-A gigantic
fortress from which the minions of
Abd-el- Krim, rebel chieftain, issue
forth to murder and lay waste hostile
villages has been discovered by French
troops.
This stronghold is midway between
Fee and Ouezzan. 1t is approximately
300 feet high and the walls are ex-
tremely thick and in a wonderful
state of preservation. The interior is
about 300x6O0 feet The fertilization
has sheltered as many as 800 Riffian
warriors, who organize there for raids.
1t was built in the Seventeenth cen
fury by the Portuguese when that ma
ton was a power in North Africa.
Small artillery would be useless
against it and to take it by assault
would prove a costly operation.
The French army threw a squadron
of tanks into the battle area in the
north and northwest sections and in
the Asejen. range completely routed
the Riffian enemy from a strongly for
tilted position.
At Asejen the enemy were COM
pletely taken atack by the sight of
the tanks and after a brief resistance
fled, leaving sixty of their dead upon
the ground.
Several planes are reported to be
operating from the Riffian bases,
which makes good the threat of ADD
pI-Kr rim that ha would soon he in nos
session of aircraft.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Commission Declares Judge
Kersten of Chicago Insane

Chicago. = Judge George Kersten,
"chief justice emeritus" of the Crimi-
nal court, counselor and friend of the
Chicago bar, and for forty-three years
a presiding magistrate in Chicago
courts, has terminated his active ca
reer.
AT hearing held at his home, 2525
Orchard avenue, commission Off
cially declared Judge Kersten insane,
and paroled him into the custody Of
his wife.
The diagnosis, as announced by the
commission, gave the aged jurist's
trouble as arterio-sclerotic dementia.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
James J. Hills Home
at St. Paul Brings 10000

ST. Paul, Minn.-The James ]. Hill
home here one of the "show places"
of st. Paul, and a major contention
in the division of the $11 ,250,00O Hill
estate among nine contesting heirs,
was sold at public auction for 500, 300.
The brownstone residence, which cost
more than 100000 in 1889, was az
praised at S1S9,OOO. Almon A. Green
man, Minneapolis banker, bought the
home, but declined to say whom he
represented.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Nile. Sion of France
Fails to SLUin1 Channel

Dover, England.-MIle Sion, the
French woman swimmer, failed in her
effort to swim the English channel.
She was within mile and quarter
Of Dover when she gave up. Mile.
Sion was overcome by the low tenn
perature of the water.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Rich Banker Is Charged
With Embezzling 100000

Pittsburgh.-John A. Bell, former
president of the closed Carnegie
Trust company and reputed million
aire coal operator, was charged with
embezzling abstracting and willfully
misapplying $SOO,643 of the banks
funds and credits in an information
filed before Alderman Patrick Cawley.
He was released under $4,000 bail
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
France Pays $4,000, 900
to u. S. for War Goods

Washington. - The French govern
.ment has paid to the United States
another $10,0O0,o00 interest on the
$4O00O0,OOO owed for war supplies. il
was announced here.
The payment has no connection with
the war debt owed to the United
States by France.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Last of French Troops
LedUe German Territory

Berlin.-The evacuation of the Ruhr
by the French was completed. After
two years of occupation, the last
French soldier left the industrial heart
Of Germany and the official occupation
came to an end. parade of troops
at Essen was the last official act.
When the last tri-color over French
headquarters came down, the symbol
that French rule was ended, the popu-
lation went wild with joy.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
N. Y.-Chicogo Air Mail
May Use More Planes

New York.-It is predicted by air
mail officials that if the New York
Chicago overnight service continues to
increase in popularity at the present
rate, ii soon will be necessary to put
two planes in service each way in
stead of the one that now operates.
The service was inaugurated July /.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
JOHN Temple Graves,
Publisher, Seriously Ill

Washington.-Joh Temple Graves,
sixty-nine, noted journalist, publisher,
author and lecturer, Is seriously i'll
at his home here. Mr.. Graves has
been prominent In public life for a
generation, and was regarded as one
of the last survivors of the old school
of southern editors.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
President Coolidge's Son
Is Corporal in Army

Camp Devens. Mass.-John Cool
idge, son of President Coolidge, was
made acting corporal of his squad, the
second of Company c, Third battalion.
When the company went through its
first formation at the Citizens Mill
tary training camp, John won the pro-
motion on the strength of his camp
experience two summers ago.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Frfck Estate Must
Pay State $472,335

Pittsburgh. - The Orphans court
here decreed that the executors of the
estate of the late Henry Clay Frick
should pay Inheritance taxes amount
ing to $472. 1885 TO the state of Penn
sylvaDia. The decree was based on
a decision of the United States Su-
preme court.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Virginia Puts Byrd
in Lead for Gouernor

Richmond, Va.-Harry Flood Byrd
of Winchester led G. Walter Mapp of
Accommac by almost 10000 votes for
the gubernatorial nomination IN the
Democratic primary in 727 of the SAG
precincts in the state.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-08-12
Huge Rail Merger to
Cure Road Ills: Coolidge

Swampscott, Mass.-Volunteer CON
solidation of railroads, in President
Coolidges opinion, would pave the
way to a solution of the transporta-
ton problem. The President is watch
ing carefully the efforts of the Van
Sweringen interests to obtain inter
state commerce commission approval
of their merger plan.