davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
Blind, He Builds own Home
From Basement To Roof
BALFPUR, BLIND
But NEVER GAVE
UP HIS FIGHT
Completes Home in Eight Years
Doing All Of the Work
Himself

KANSAS CITY, Mo, Nov. 10
Did you ever long for a home of
your own, only to give the idea up
because it seemed too difficult to at
tain?
Then listen to the story of C. j.
BalfOur, who is totally blind, but
who built his own house here with
ms own handds, taking eight years
TO do it.
Balfour, who has been sightless
since the age of 10. bought subur-
ban lot from his meager savings as
an insurance salesman. Not having
money enough to hire a builder, he
went to work to build his house him
self.
First there was the excavation to
make. He could not push a wheel
barrow because he would strike OBJ
stacies; so he loaded the dirt in his
sons hand wagon and hauled it out
feeling a head of him with one hand
for distractions in his path.
In his spare hours he assembled
rough stones. Working in the eve
nings - the lack of light did not
hamper him-he put them in place
one by one-and in two years the
foundation was finished.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16

Installing the plumbing was hard
er task, but Balfour persisted, learn
ing to cut and turn pipes without
, ever seeing them, and at length the
pipes were in.
! Then the money for lumber ran
, out. So Balfour turned auto me-
, chanic on the side, grinding valves
and tuning up motors-and bye and
bye he was able to go ahead again.
/ He built his own work benches. lie
measured all the lumber, learned
how to drive nails that he couldn't
see, worked often until midnight.
And bit by bit, the little bungalow
began to take shape.
Then came another blow. Banks
refused to make loans on the Job,
fearing that man so handicapped
as Balfour could never repay them.
SO there were long periods when no
building was done, while Balfour was
saving money to buy more materials.
A new obstacle rose then, Kansas
City was becoming big city, and
traffic donwo town was so heavy the
blind man could not walk about from
office to office as he used to do. 1t
ioked as though his means of earn
ing living was gone.
But he was undaunted. He learn
ed piano tuning, and abandoned the
insurance business for this new work
1t was more lucrative and presently
there was money to go ahead with
the house.
SO Balfour resumed his carpentry.
With the rougher work done it
went faster. His cropping hands
were more used to the saw and ham
mer and plane.
And at last the house was done.
Now Balfour and his wife and son
are living in it. 1t is filled with
Their own furniture, and Balfour has
a small car in which his wife drives
him to and from work daily. There
is no Indebtedness on the home. Bal
four owes no one,
Did you think it was hard to own
your own home?
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
OUTPUT OF OIL
MORE THAN THAT USED

MEXICO CITY, Nov. 14.-Lands
of the Mexican National Railways
are producing more oil than the rail
ways use for fuel so an oil com
pany, a subsidiary to the railways,
his been organized to develop the rail-
ways oil properties.
New wells are being sunk. Govern
ment officials hope that when the
railways are returned by the gov
eminent to their former private own
ership the developed oil properties
will be sufficiently valuable to off
set some of the losses and deprecia-
tons in the railways.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
Holds Girl Was Killed
AS An Indian Sacrifice
CARMEN WAGNER
THOUGHT KILLED
BY HALF BREED
Beautiful Girls Body Found in
California North Woods Vic
time of Murder

EUREKA, Calf, Nov. 14.-Did
pretty Carmen Wagner, belle of the
California north woods, whose NUT
Hated body was found near an an
cient Indian altar, die a victim of
primeval tribal rites?
Prof. E. 0. Heindrich, celebrated
mlcro-analyst, has found evidence
Of a bareback to primitive religious
beliefs among the indians living near
here and he has found an altar. deem
In the timbered wilds on Ghost Noun
tain, where Indians of the district
have worshipped for generations.
Erecting a temporary laboratory
the sides of the mountain, close to
the ancient altar, Heinrich is study
ing the circumstances of the girls
death.
He works in the timbered wilds
while a little band of mountaineers
ooks Wcnderingly. Indians, too.
come dow rom the canyons to
stand silently by while Heindrich
with his thiek-lensed glasses goes
infinitely over the altar.
Carmen Wagnerf of flaming red
hair, sparkling eyes, a crack shot,
went hunting with Heny Sweet, her
fiance. When the couple failed to
return a posse went in search of
them.
Sweets body was found first. He
had been shot. Two weeks later the
posse found Carmen body in shall
low grave. The body of her dog lay
nearby, riddled with bullets.
Prof. Heindrich claims he has evil
dence that she was tortured before
she died. On the Indian altar near
by he found blood stains.
Was Carmen Wagner offered up
as a sacrifice by the Indians to their
sun god?
Heindrich recalls that Florence
Grist, Is, daughter of a rancher,
died years ago on the same noun
tain under similarly mysterious cir
cumstances.. Her body was found
buried under a great rock in a creek
bed, rock that must have taken a
hundred pairs of hands to move.
Before Florence's death, ranch
er had been strangely slain; and
years before that two hunters died
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
COLLEGE HAS
PLUMBING COURSE

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 16. - The
plumber may now have degree
lacked to the end of his name.
The Carnegie Institute of Tech
nology here has added to its curricu-
'um professorship and two scholar.
ships in plumbing, heating and vent
Hating, and DR.. Thomas S. Baker.
president of the school, says he hopes
they will result in a further improve
ment in standards of living in Amer
lea.
The scholarships, each valued al
5000, are available to Carnegie Tech
students. They are the gif tot the
National Association of Master Plum
bers and the Women's auxiliary.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16

The girls watch was found on Ry-
ans person.
Professor Heindrich promised to
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
MANILA WOMEN
LIKE PHARMACY

MANILA, Nov. 16.-Prescription
filling by women is on the increase
in Manila. In the latest crop of l19
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16

on Ghost Mountain, their deaths yet
unsolved.
Authorities here are holding two
half-breed Indians in connection
with Carmen Wagner's death. They
are Jack Ryan and Walter David,
half-brOthers. Neither will say any
thing. Both acted as guides to the
possee that hunted Garments body.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
BROTHERS REUNITED
AFTER WAR SERVICE

WINNIPEG, Sask., Nov. 10
Wounds received by Ernest and
Harry Gridley, twin brothers, on the
Western front in the World War left
each minus his left leg. The brothers
were wounded at the same time on
the morning of October 80, but one
year apart.
Records show that each was ope-
rated on nineteen times for war in
juries.
The brothers were reunited at
convention of the Canadian Amputa-
tons Association here. Ernest lives
in Winnipeg and Harry in Toronto.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16

give his conclusion in the mystery
soon; what he says will go a long
way with the authorities who seek
to bring the guilty to justice.
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-16
REPAID this MAN
A DOZEN times

81 have been repaid dozen times
over in improved health for every
| dollar l spent for Tanlac, and the
medicine is still building me up ev-
cry day." is the striking statement
of Joseph DeSarne.
"Tanlac has driven pains from
my body that had troubled ne for
ten years. Besides backache, which
almost killed me at times, / had
rheumatic pain and swelling in ny
hands and legs, my circulation was
poor, feet always cold, nerves I'M
done, my stomach didn't feel right,
had regular headaches and l was
discouraged man.
81 have never seen the equal Of
Tanlac in my life. 1t has more
than doubled my appetite, my stom-
ach feels great and my general
health is so improved that l can
not praise Tanlac enough for what
it has done and is still doing for
me-"
What Tanlac has done for others,
it can 90 for you.
Tanlac is for sale by all good
druggists. Accept no substitute.
Over 40 millions of bottles sold.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
AVERAGE WAGE
UP; TOTAL WAGE
DOWN., IN U.S.A.
Don't Be Deceived BY
StatiSticiGnS
BY LELAND oLps

Federated Press Industrial Edtor)
A gain Of more than 5 per cent over
July, 1924, brought the average week
ly earnings Of factory workers In July,
1925, up to s25,s2, according to the
U. S. department. Of labor. This is
the highest july average since 1920
when weekly wages reached a peak
at S31.56. Wages this July were 10
per cent below that high level.
Employment showed drop of IL
per cent compared with June but there
were IA per cent more workers on
factory payrolls than in July, 1924,
when the first Coolidge depression
reached it's maximum. This gain, how
ever, means only that big business is
stabilizing employment at low level.
The average employment of the first
7 months of 1925 is considerably be-
low the same period of 1924.
rs Per Cent Capacity
The new low level at which employ.
ment is being stabilized means little
more than Y of fulltime capacity
Factories are averaging about 80 per
cent of full time for 80 per cent of a
full working force.
Average weekly earnings are today
SSh per cent above July 10 years
ago. The figures for July each year
since 1915 are:
Average Per Capita Weekly Wage
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
Average Per Capita Weekly Wage

The apparent gain Of the workers in
the purchasing power of wages is
more than Offset by the speeding-up
which is narrowing the number of
jobs. The total wage payments to fac.
tory workers in July, 1925, were less
than ~ per cent of July, 1920. Com
pared with July, 1915, they show an
increase OF only SO per cent. Factory
owners paid 10 per cent less in total
wages in July 1925 than in July 1923.
Part Time General
More than half of all the establish
ments reporting to the department of
labor were operating with less than
a normal force and over one-third
were operating part time. Only II per
cent of the meat packing establish
ments had a full force and only A
per cent had full time. For other i'm.
portant industries the corresponding
percentages were flour mills 40 per
cent and 36 per cent; cotton goods
SO and 81; wooden mills SO and 81;
mems clothing AZ and 70; women's
clothing SO per cent and SO per cent;
iron and steel 20 and so per cent;
foundries and machine shops rs and
40; boots and shoes Al and 81; auto.
mobile plants 80 per cent with normal
force and so per cent on full time
schedules. The country's production
power exceeds its ability to dispose
Of the products.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
MACHINISTS OF
/. DETROIT ANSWER
JOHNSTON ORDER

DETROIT, Mich, Sept 1.-THE
machinists of Detroit have given an
other vital blow TO the reactionary adj
ministration of "B, and o." Bill John
ston. president of the International
Association of Machinists. At a call
meeting Of Lodge No. 49, the members
in a most decisive way protested
against the executive councils expul-
sion policy by vote of 81 to 5, de-
handing the resembling of their deci-
sion as printed in the official circular
No. 1873.
committee was elected TO draft q
resolution answering the ridiculous
charges that the Workers Party,
Trade Union Educational League and
The Young Workers League are dual
organizations TO the International AS
sociation OF Machinists."
The members of this Lodge are
greatly aroused against the present
administration. At a recent special
call meeting, the recall OF the Inter-
national officers was endorsed by
vote Of 80 to 4.
At the last meeting. William Green,
president OF the A. f. OF L. was also
severely criticized for his Labor Dav
speech. wherein he attacks the Com
munists within the trade unions and
had not outlined any policy Of organ.
-. ~ s4as ~ sa.sss 1llIlDWNlIlsx.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
Carpenters to Gather
With Building Crafts

WASHINGTON (FP)-Among the
building trade unions which will be OF.
ficially represented at the conference
in Washington Sept. % called by the
national board of jurisdictional
awards will be the carpenters, who
for some years have not been affiliat.
ed with the building trades depart
ment Of the American Federation Of
Labor and have not accepted the
awards made by this board.
While the most conspicuous dispute
engaged in by the carpenters regard.
ing jurisdiction is with the sheet
metal workers, they have trouble also
with the fathers and other building
trades. The conference has been sum.
moned to start settling these differ.
ences.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16

their strength and individuality, and
at the present moment they are but
mere playthings of shifting moods
and varying seasons
The purpose of this communication
is not only to acquaint you with the
facts, but also to enlist your whole.
hearted support in the attainment of
our aims. You CAN and. MUST give
us your assistance, our demands must
be made known to your membership.
their help secured and resolutions
passed in our tbehalf.
Here are a few items for your inn
mediate consideration:
u Look for the union placard be-
fore patronizing any Photographic
establishment
y Demand the union label on all
photographs and Kodak prints.
- Refrain from handling non.
union photographs
T. every solitary member of your
organization will respon to this APP
peal, the Photographic Workers
Union OF America. Local No. 1880,
will be greatly strengthened and the
objects for which It is striving. at
tanned.
Fraternally,
The Photographic Workers Union
Of America, Local No. 1880.
Affiliated with the A. F. of l..
Louis A. Baum,
Business Representative.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16

necessity of international organiza.
ton becomes most evident and press
ing.
When seamen of all countries are
united in one fighting union; when no
ships manned by scabs will be I'M
loaded by organized longshoremen-
only then will our strikes be fully eff
fective The longer we remain isolat.
ed from the revolutionary marine
workers of the Red International of
Labor Unions, the greater our crime
against those who anxiously await a
call to be organized. No program for
the American seamen can be imagln.
ed as having hope of success unless
1t follows the policies and asserts it's
unity with the transport workers OF
the Red International OF Labor
Unions.
j. STONE, Secretary.
International Marine Transport Work
ers, Amalgamation Committee.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16

class in order to inteIligently and
effectively solve the many momentous
labor problems growing out of the
present world crisis In government
and industry"
This resolution put Minnesota la
Dor into the farmer-labor party. Il
still stands as the position of labor
on that question.
Hall, Lawson Showed Stripes.
It must be remembered in this con-
nection, that both Hall and Lawson
were opposed to this action by the
New Ulm convention Of 1918. They
did not participate in the delibera-
lions on that issue. They didn't want
labor party, as that group is strong
for 'rewarding your friends and pun
ishing your enemies" that is to say,
the capitalist parties. They have con-
strued this resolution as meaning a
petty bourgeoisie political dabble;
They have Quilted its proletarian sig
nificance.
Since its passage, both Hall and
Lawson, as labor lieutenants of CAPT
talism, have successfully pursued a
policy of emasculation, of defeatism.
They have sabotaged it to a stand
still.
This resolution provided, to use its
own terms, for permanent political
movement of the working class"
Very we'll But Hall, Lawson A.
Co. have seen to II, that no such a
movement would emerge out OF the
trade unions. AS a result Of this
piece OF sabotage, on the part Of these
misleaders, the resolution is a dead
letter today. The Communists are
doing their level best to make the
the desires of the rank and file, heed
ed by the officials.
Hall and Lawson must answer to
the convention, for their sabotage Of
the labor party. The convention I'M
doubtedly will take proper steps to
/ insure the organization Of a labor
party whose foundation shall repore
in the trade unions Of the state. Be-
cause the capitalists and their labor
henchmen are opposed to this kind Of
a party, is only the more reason why
labor should adopt it. It certainly is
an evil day for labor, when the stand
ard of its political and industrial cons
duct is formulated by its natural enes
mics. s,..az,sz.i
Election of Officers. @E'F3
The officers of the federation are
going to be elected at this convens
ton for the next two years.
1t is predicted by labor men here
that Hall and Lawson will have the
fight Of their pie card careers, to be
reelected 1t is pointed out that their
failure to meet the problems of the
! federation, in any sort of way, has
demonstrated even to the backward
sections, their unfitness to lead. Then
there is profound disgust with the
manner in which Hall and Lawson
have used the official year book. in
which they publish scab ads. Even
the timid are inflamed with wrath
against industrial blackmail Their
sabotage of the labor party is also
something that they cannot explain
away Their stewardship of the fed
Grafton has not rebounded to the well
fare of the working class. They must
go, the progressives declare, who viii
be on hand TO submit constructive
measures to build the labor move
ment of Minnesota.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16

Hatters and capmakers to Cooperate
NEW ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
has taken the place of jurisdictional
disputes between the two leading
unions in the headgear trades. The
new spirit is reflected in the joint
labor day message sent out by these
two organizations-The United Hat
tiers of North America and the Cloth
Hat, Cap and Millinery Workers In
ternational union.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
LABOR PARTY, BUILDING UNIONS Id
MAJOR ISSUES AT MINNESOTA /
CONVENTION; LAWSON A TRAITOR
lsy Worker corresp0ndsnoe.l

MINNEAPOLIS Mimi, Sept. 1.-THE Minneapolis State
Federation of Labor will meet in annual convention at Austin
the 2s 22nd and 23rd of this month 1t is calculated that
from 200 to $50 delegates will attend
this year holds great promise of being
very interesting session. by of the fact that many complex
and pressing problems will the delegates in the face which
ignored and dracked but must be square faced
and dealt with.
At the present time the labor movement in extremely
weakened condition The shop barrage has left its trail Of
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
brother TELLS
OF FAKER'S Grip
But OMITS CURE
Collective Not Individual
Action
BY JOHN M. WALKER
Worker correspondent.l

The writer wishes to show the rail-
road men of the different organiza-
tons just how they are being led
astray by their grand lodge takers.
Before a convention is held, the
board of directors gets together and
makes out all the changes they want
in the constitution. They then have
all their tools, their hand picked dele
gates, vote the way they want them
to vote.
Over half of these delegates are not
in railroad service, but they have a
nice trip every three years at the
brotherhood's expense.
The Way II Is Done
The board of directors consist of
the grand president, vice-presidents,
general secretary and treasurer. How
can the rank and file expect to get
anything when these takers are there
to get everything for themselves? If
a delegate goes to a convention and
does not fall in with the gang, he
never is seen at another convention.
This is the way 1t is done: 1t is three
years before another convention. In
that three years, one Of the vice-presi-
dents visits the delegates home town,
lgets the president, secretary and few
more local officers, and tells them
never to sent Brother So and So to
another convention, as he couldn't
talk, was unreasonable and kept the
convention in an uproar.
The faker never gets UP in open
meeting and make these charges, but
spreads the poison about on the uiet.
The seed is sown. The good brother
never goes to another convention.
How About Remedy?
The above description by Brother
Walker is undoubtedly true. But we
would like to have something besides
negative attitude from those who
complain of such evils. Brother Wal
ker does not mention a word of how
to avoid or counterfeit the influence
of the union bureaucrats. Has he no
idea Of the power and possibility of a
left wing movement in the railroad
unions?
Has he never heard of the Interna
tional Committee for Amalganiation
in the Railroad Industry whose activi
ty has set thousands of local unions
into opposition to the reactionary
bureaucrats? Does Brother Walker
imagine rank and file movement in
which each progressive member is
| isolated from every other one, fight
ing lonely and losing battle? THAI
would certainly be no movement al
all.
What Is A Left Wing?
But we suggest to Brother Walker
that he think of collective effort in
the union against the takers, just as
he thinks of collective effort of the
workers in a union against the bosses
Why not left wing movement, or.
ganized with local committees in all
lodges? A movement with a national
executive and a publication, literature
and power to see that any brother who
is prosecuted by these vice-presidents
or any other sort of takers is protect.
ed by the whole committee movement
which would expose the traitors and
by raising fighting issues against them
everywhere ultimately educate the
membership to such a level of class
understanding that they are immune
from the poison of class collaboration
and would stand no autocracy from
their servants who assume to be their
masters.-Editor, T. U. E. L. Section.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16

To All Labor Organizations
The men and women who take and
make pictures, who develop plates
films and papers, who finish Kodak
prints. are overworked and under
paid, their jobs are at best insecure;
sweat shop and unsanitary conditions
prevail in most instances. Their
average wage is between SIS and 500
per week. All these things, together
with other occupational evils. have
had tendency to greatly undermine
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
LOW WAGES AND SWEATSHOP RULE
LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC WORKERS.
SAYS APPEAL TO LABOR UNIONS

NEW YORK Sept 1.-THE Photographic No
has issued call all workers urging cooperation
dtions.
Under the caption of Help Us Abolish Sweashop
Child Labor the following letter has
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16
SEAMEN'S COMMITTEE TELLS OF
LIFE AND CONDITIONS ON SHIP
INCALL FOR WORLD SOLIDARITY

following excellent description
sufficient for
Workers Industrial Union
the
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-16

Put a copy of the DAILY
WORKER in your pocket when
you go to your union meeting.