davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
OBTAINING THE $500 900
DUE NEW BRITAIN

Mayor Paonessa, buzzing with
ideas and hopping from one TO the
other as occasion requires, has
alishte5 upon one of the most press
ing of those before the city. which is
the collection OF some 100000 in
tax money. Somewhat indignant
about the sjtuation-an emotion
fully justified under the clrcum-
stances-the mayor refers to the
fact that as far back as 1873 he
recommended a regular and SYSTEM
ATTIC audit OF the city's books, and
blames the Common Council and
the comptroller for failure to pro-
vide such a busincss-likc procedure
The gentlemen blamed for the
dolorous circumstance show no m
clination to argue with the mayor IN
the face OF the sultry figures, but 1t
Is significant that the present Com
mon Council unanimously paved the
way for collecting the bills due by
appointing the finance committee
and the corporation counsel as d
commission to insure speedy settle
ment OF disputes.
In these days of talk about
economy, efficiency and business
like methods some of which evil
IDENTIFY is mere ballyhoo-it is sur
prising indeed that corporation
like the city of New Britain should
find itself in the position of collect
ne 100000, much of it on its books
for many years. No private firm
could exist long under such condi-
tons. And no private firm of con-
sequence can long prevail in this day
Of keen competition without regu-
lar audits of its books, such as the
mayor valiantly desires. Indeed. In
view OF the governments eXactions
to do without regular audits is i'm
possible. We are inclined to think
that much efficiency would be forced
into the machinery of municipalities
if the state or federal government in
some manner pried into civic books
each year, enforcing understandable
audts such as private corporations
arc bound to provide.
The city is fternally clamorins for
money: needed Improvements are
croWding the horizon and perhaps
there is many an official who has
permitted alarm TO creep down his
spine. Here is an opportunity to pun
in $1,000 which debtors are willing
to pay when the city moves half way
in their direction to obtain the
money. Let there be no more delay.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
Theodore R0bERTG!
LIFTS Up CURTAIN
Will Of Noted Actor Reveals
Grief Suffered

Hollywood, Cal. Dec. 81 R-The
death of Theodore Roberts. grand
old man" of the stage and screen.
has lifted the curtain on a secret of
his life.
His will. made public here today,
reveals that he left his estate. valued
at more than $4,000" to his
nephew, Edward Roberts Higgins Of
New York city. with the explanation
that Roberts had suffered like him"
as an exile from home.
''ln my experience ! remember
neither affection nor sympathy from
any member Of my family until such
accomplishment had been achieved
by me that affection became a part
of pride in relationship" Roberts
said in the will. which was made
here September II. 1926.
During the darkest hour OF my
life no word Of sympathy or offer
of help from any member OF my
family came to me. and I hunaered
for it as the wanderer in the desert
thirsts for water. The pride that
kept me silent as a neglected and
unwanted child stayed with me
through life, through many vicissi-
tudes. and kept me silent even while
in a prison CELL
$50 BE IT.
Nov that l am beyond the infiu-
encc Of all earthly things. I want
these words said. If they leave any
atmosphere over my
memory, SO be it,
Only one member Of his family,
Higgins. shared "a kindred isolation
from the family" Roberts related In
the will. Higgins was designated to
be the executor without bond.
The Veteran actor who was buried
here Tuesday. with many of the
most prominent persons of the mo-
tion picture industry paying him re-
spect. cnjoined his nephew to ZAP
portion my belongings to the differ
ent members of my family, in ac-
with your best judgment"
He asked to be buried here beside
his second wife but made no refer
ence to his first wife except indi-
rectly. Roberts served six months
in prison in New York, when he
could not pay alimony to the first
Mrs. Roberts, who had divorced him.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
facturers Of New Britain advertise


facturers Of New Britain advertise
their products more extensively than
any other industries In New Eng
land, and the place where the goods
are made is always added to the
advertisement. Which II not the case
of the typewriter industry In Hart
ford. for instance. The Hartford
typewriter companies advertise ex-
tensively. but one could not deter
mine from the ads whether the con-
traptions are made in Hartford or
Decatur. III. In the insurance bust
ness Hartford is well advertised.
however.
There are two classes OF national
advertisers: One class does not think
the public is interested in where the
products are made: the other class
adds the name of the city where the
big plants are located. and do so
with feeling of pride in that city.
Virtually every magazine of ma
tional circulation contains page ads
in eolors originating from the Amer
lean Hardware Corporation. with
New Britain mentioned; and ads
from Landers, Frary g. Clark. also
with New Britain mentioned. The
mail OF these corporations is direct
ed here. where the Offices are: not to
New York, as is the case with the
Hartford typewriter concerns which
indulge in national advertising. A
citizen who recently wrote 4 letter
to a Hartford typewriter concern
got reply from New York.
New Britain as city is we'll pleas
ed with this notice being given in
nationally circulated literature. 1t
makes the city widely known out OF
all proportion to its size. There were
days when Springfield. Mass. was q
widely advertised city through ito
manufacturers. day which seems to
have passed except in the case Of .
few who have not much to advertise.
The advertising campaign Of the
Ill, of L. h. Art AZ
campaign that Waterbury apparent
ly is thinking about. The Worcester
campaign breaches the importance
of Worcester as a manufacturing
center, holding up to the nation the
fact that wide variety OF con-
paign will be evidence to the re-
mainder of the country that New
England is not bound up with the
vagaries of the textile industry. for
textiles are no important part Of
Worcester's industries. Such city
SoiIi llo"SNSls arc VI
less sporadic. They are inferior in
this respect to the campaign waged
by the New Britain manufacturers,
which is q consistent attribute OF
their enterprise and continues year
in and year out. There Is no city in
the country that is better Adver-
tised by its manufacturers than New
Britain.
We are not telling the brass indus
try of Waterbury to 60 and do like
wise, but we arc vcnturing the
opinion that it is the best modern
manner.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
GRANDMA'S DIARY


Monday morning went a-skatlns
On the ice with Charlie Browne.
Tuesday night we took a sleigh-ridc:
All the boys and girls in town
Laughed and sang: the sleigh bells
jingled
Merry tunes: and Thomas Hall
Slyiy squeezed my hand and whis-
pered
You're the sweetest girl of ALL"
Wednesday night l gave a party:
Beth Young said (it wasn't soD
That she saw me very plainly
Making sleeps eyes at her beau:
Thursday went to town for mother:
Friday to a quilting bee.
Saturday to choir practice
Minnie's beau came after me.
How she glared when we came walk
ing
Up the aisle, but what Of that?
Went to service twice on Sunday;
Wore my lovely purple hat.
December, 1928
T told my grsndchild Genevieve
I think it's very shocking
That girls ere never taught these
DAYS
To heel and toe stocking.
Their heads are filled with foolish
things,
They're very vain and silly.
see her from the window now
She's flirting there with Billy.
When I was young the boys and
girls
Were taught 10 know their places:
But nowadays girls primp and dress
And deck themselves with laces.
They have beau for every night
And seem to deem it clever.
I think it 10 a sinful sight,
I never did it-NENER!
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

On the uninhabited ialand OF Juan
Fernaadsk
Q. What Is the population OF
New York City today compared with
1870! What Ii the population Of
New York state?
A. The population of New York
City. according to the census OF
1890. was s.ec0.ots. The estimated
population OF the city for July l..
1873 10 6.O17.500. The 1920 popu-
lation Of the state was 10.172.o27.
The estimated population for 1928
Is 1850, 900.
Q. What does Amatuzzi mean?
A. 1t 10 an Italian name. re-
rived from the Latin "amatus"
meaning beloved.
Q. In what plays did Lolita
Crabtree appear?
A. Among her principal plays
were: 1.-THE Little Detective, An
Object of Interest. "Musette".
Zip. la Cieale" and THE Old
Curiosity Shop.
@. Are sharks blind?
A. No.
@. When was the first public
telephone exchange installed in
New York City?
A. The first one, opened In the
fall Of 1875, was of temporary
character. and was located in the
office OF the Holmes Burglar
Alarm company. 1874 Broadway. The
first telephone exchange separate
from the Holmes company was. at
SO Nassau street and was opened in
1879. 1t was sometimes re-
ferred to as Nassau Street exchange
although distinctive names were
not given telephone exchanges as
early as that.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
DIAGNOSING NEW ENGLAND

DIAGNOSING NEW ENGLAND
1t IL said that every economic
diagnostician In the country has
discovered New England and 10 bus
lily engaged in telling the world
what ails this stricken tier OF states.
Years ago the favorite hunting
ground Of the alarmed was the
South. which was mixed in
LUXURIOUS blend Of reconstruction.
tho race question. the poor whites.
hookworm. bad roads. industrial
paralysis, lack of enterprise. lack Of
capital, debt, and rabid senator's
and representatives.
The diagnosticians seem to have
been robbed OF a fair field in the
southern canebrake and have taken
up worrying about New England.
We read. therefore, that New
England suffers sadly. Its best minds
are said to have emigrated to what
once was the COW country and have
built it up into prosperous districts;
the remaining upper caste is CONF
posed of cautious investors who are
growing less every year as they die
out while the rising generation is
composed of newcomers.
All of which may be more or less
unexpectedly less. The textile in
dustry is the most famous OF New
Englands troubled industries: but
that is only one industry. and It Is In
no worse shape than the coal In
dustry is In other parts OF the coun-
try or the farm industry is In the
West.
As for the rest Of the statistics.
those applying to New England are
az gratifying n those applying to
any other section of the country. The
main trouble with New England 10
that its troubles are concentrated
and look worse than If spread over
states six times ~ large as our com.
paratively small commonwealths.
Among the things that New Eng
land can still be proud IL that 1t does
not swallow everything provided by
its critics.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
EDWARD WEIGH HELD

Boston. Dec. o1.-tP-Ednard
WEIGH of New York, suspected of
stealing goods from trucks in the
wholesale district. was arrested In
downtown Boston Yesterday by Pa
trolman Walter Ovens after a chase
in which several hundred persons
Joined. Owens fired shot in the air
after nearly losing WEIGH in the
heavy traffic
Later an alleged accomplice. Don
aid Courtney. was arrested and held
with WEIGH for questioning. WEIGH
admitted having served several
terms in New York state. according
TO police. One thousand dollars
worth Of alleged stolen property was
seized at \ house in connection with
the arrests.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
HOOVER'S INDEPENDENT
MIND

Not without reason did the wise
men in the Republican party not
warm up to Herbert Hoover except
by slow degrees. The engineer had
to learn his politics by making
sundry~ mistakes. one of which was
that one cannot get anywhere unless
one conquers the organization. He
is credited with having had an eye
upon the presidential nomination as
long ago as 1920, but despite the fact
he was quite as favorably known
throughout the nation az In 1928 he
obtained 4 mere handful Of votes at
the convention Of that year. From
then on he studied American politics
to considerable advantage and by
1928 his education was complete.
After Mr.. Coolidge delivered his Il
do not choose"-even before then
he had quite = grip upon the situa-
ton. His strength appeared over.
whelming despite the tcnacity with
which some Of the stalwarts in the
party councils held out against him.
including J. Henry Roraback. The
rest 10 recent history.
Yes. he would follow the Cool
idge policies-as II Z President 10
bound to follow the policies Of his
predecessor in every detail! The wise
men knew better. but the less wise
salved their condolences with the ex.
pectation. probably sincere. that the
Coolidge policies. 20 satisfactory to
influential blocs. would be maintain
cd in every detail by Mr.. Hoover.
The first rift In this plan has been
indicated during the Latin American
trip. and no less a parsonage than
President Irigoyen OF Argentine was
made aware OF the secret that Mr..
Hoover when inaugurated would
conduct some things contrary to the
established policies OF recent years.
Mr.. Hoover stands quoted as not be-
ing OF a mind to mix in the affairs
OF other nations" which In Latin
America means not mixing in the
affairs Of the Republics III that part
OF the world. We have mixed into
affairs in Nicaragua. Haiti. Costa
Rica and elsewhere. and have had
the unstinted approval of all the in
tcrested friends Of law and order in
so doing. If Mr.. Hoover continues in
this fashion the time may yet come
when the executive branch Of the
government will not try such advcn-
lures without the advice and consent
of the Senate, which some old FASH
toned s'icklcrs for the rules say is in
conformity with the Constitution.
It is becoming crcasinsly evident
that when Mr. Hoover takes the
rcins he intends to exert much Of
that independent spirit for which he
WIS beloved in the war days The
election being over and victory won,
Mr. Hon rr ran afford IN no tho
architect of his own policies. even if
they go contrary to the wishes Of
sundry cStimablo leaders in the
grand Old party. We await that time
with considera bic satisfa ction.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
NEW BRITAIN LIBRARY
RECORD

Down in Waterbury nothing hurts
quite as keenly a. a fleeing stats.
tic which puts New Britain on top
of the Brass City in some worth
while endeavor. Thus the Water
bury American. in quoting the per
capita library costs for cities Of New
England finds with dismay that
Waterbury is near the bottom Of the
list. and that New Britain Is above
it.
OF IS New England cities included
in the survey, Waterbury il one Of
the five expanding less than so
cents per person annually for its
public library. Nine OF the - cities
cxpending more per capita than
Waterbury are smaller municipali-
ties, such as Newton. Maiden.
Quincy. Holyokc and Brockton.
Mass.
and the cruelcst discovery
of ALL notes the American,
the city of New Britain with
10000 souls has a per capita OK
penditurc of s.709.'
1t isn't because Waterbury is an
nd ref, .i.,1 r.if nil Matt
bury editor has discovered. II that
were so then Bridgeport, also an in
dusriai city somewhat on the order
of Waterbury. would be down in the
cellar also, when in reality its total
1927 expenditure for its library was
s1SG1os. a per capita expenditure
Of SIZE.
The very fact that Waterbury is
an industrial city should stimulate
IT 10 he d liberal spcndcr for its
library. Libraries are universities for
the industrial population. Wide
awake Industrial workers in this
city long ago learned that the pub
lie is gold mine Of Information for
them If they are ambitious TO learn
as much as possible regarding their
trade. Many such a worker has aI-
NHnccl himself rs result Of indus
trial knowledge obtained in the
library. The rich do not need free
NNrari"s as much as the poor.
Andrew Carnegie, who rose 10 dis
tiuction in the Industrial world. gives
nlrh of the credit for his rise to the
stimulus and information obtained
from books And many the poor in
F0ntor. ambitious shop-W orker and
industrial Ia borer has found the
lfE"r 10 future success rcposing for
his u5c III the tones on file in the
srro library.
N"w Britain has cause TO feel
'hInI,fHl for its position among
those rtogrrsssiy" Now England cities
Who d", ots Practical attention to
heir public libraries.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
Is Years Ago Today

The Stanley Ruiz shop fore mon
held q banquet at The Allyn HOUSE
in Hartford last night. Governor
Chamberlain Was 4 guest.
The boom Of William Randolph
Hearst for the democratic nomina-
ton for president has reached New
britain. Leading democrats arc
receiving circulars from Bridgeport
setting forth his claims and his
promse
There arc so many Yale era duatnS
hero now that there is talk of form
ing q Vale club. 4 university club
10 take in all college men is also
being proposed.
a number Of local members won
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

Fi'ts'ield. Mass. Dec. II UP)-
Ed" ard r. Wharton. divorced hus-
band Of Edith Wharton. novelist. left
an estate valued at s56.695 accord
ing 10 a report filed in probate court
here yesterday.
Tho will was contested by Whar-
tons relatives because Of a h"uleSt
Of s55. 90" 10 his nurse. rearl l..
Barrett. but a settlement has been
reached. 1t was said.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

You can ret IN antwes to any
question Of fact Or Information BY
writing to the Qussties Editor. New
Britain Herald. Waahinston Bureau,
l312 New York avenue. Warrington.
D. c.. enclo ing tvo csnts in stamps
for reply. Medical. legal and marital
advice caneot b gisen. nor can ey-
tended research b undertaken. All
other question: Will receive . rsr-
sonal reply. Unsigned requisite can
not b answered. All letter. are con-
Capitalization
Q. What is the definition of an
ATHEIST?
A. A person who denies, or dis
believes in God ~ tho first cause or
ground Of the universe.
@. When was San Francisco the
capital OF California?
A. San Francisco has never been
tho capital Of California. The CAPT.
tails have been Monterey in l777:
Los Angeles In 1855: Vallejo in
1852: Sacramento in 1859; Benecia
in 1883. and Sacramento permanent
ly since 1854.
Q. Whsre are the headquarters
Of the Socialist Labor Party?
A. At Is Rose street, New York
City.
Q. How long did 1t take the Graf
Zeppelin to return from Lakehurst.
New Jersey to Friedrichshafen.
Germany?
A. sixty-eight hours and IS
minutes. For more than two hours
the airshtp cruised around waiting
for dawn to break. the lighting ia
cilities at Friedrichshafen being in
adequate for 4 landing at night. 1t
was landed after being In the air II
hours and L: mtnutes
Q. Where 10 the coolest recorded
temperature?
A. The coolest temperature on
record was at Verkhoransk. Siberia.
when it was % degrees below zero.
No doubt Temperatures occur at
both the North and South polar re-
Eions even lower, but no records
have been made OF temperatures
lower than this
Q. For what was the Hog Island
shipbuilding plant used before the
world war? Who owns it now?
A. Hog Island shipbuilding plant
did not exist before the United
States entered the world war. In
1917 4 contract for the construction
Of this yard. to build commercial
vessels. was let by the United States
Emergency Fleet corporation. The
yard was built during the war. and
finally turned out about 100 ships.
1t is near Philadelphia and Is not in
operation now. 1t 10 owned by the
government and il in charge Of the
L. s. Shipping Board.
Q. Has the Panama Canal as
many locks aspthe Welland Canal?
A. The Welland Canal has seven
locks and il an eight-Kuard lock. the
Panama Canal has three sets Of
twin locks.
@. What is the record for a
parachute drop before pulling the
release cord?
A. Harold l.. Whitby. naval
jumped from 4 plane at
800 feet altitude and fell 400
feet before pulling the rip cord.
The jump was made at Pensacola,
Florida in April. 1928. He did not
wear 4 mask.
Q. When was the Statue Of
Liberty unveiled In New York har-
Dor? OF what 10 II. made.
A. It 10 cast bronze and was
presented to the people Of the
United States by the people OF
France. The statue was finished In
1883 and was unveiled on October
Is. 1885.
Q. What IL the value Of a U. 8.
penny dated 1858 with an eagle
on it?
A. From 2 to 5 cents.
Q. On what island was Robinson
Crusoe stranded?
A. Alexander selkirk, the his
torical counterpart Of Robinson
Crusoe. was stranded for four years
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
TANGLED TITIESi

Fletcher: How did the Jury come
out in that Army Post case?"
Barker: They disagreed on the
question of titIes.'
Fletcher: What do you mcan?"
Barker: They said they couldn't
hold Colonel in a Major crime
arising from General riot occa-
stoned by Private quarrel"
Mother r.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

The dragons feared by our fathers
weren't imaginary. They were the
dinosaurs of 100000 years ago.
treasured In folk lore while the ed
ucated" forgot.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
IN LILLlPUTIAN LAND

Little Ted was on a tour through
the Art Museum.
Now this figure. Teddic," his
fond parent explained. this figure
shows Atlas holding the world on
his shoulder
The youngster was strangely ST.
lent for 4 moment. and then asked:
whats he standing on. Dad"
Mrs. William g. Christian.
Misunderstood!
wishing to arouse the interest Of
her Sunday School class. teacher
asked them to write down the
names Of their favorite hymns.
All the pupils handed in their
slips but one.
"Come on. Mary" said the teach.
er. bring your paper to me-"
Mary. with downcast eyes and
flaming cheeks. handed the teacher
a slip Of paper bearing the words:
Daddy and Tommy Mcssmer."
Helen Martin.
Natural Query!
A little girl. aged =. who was at
tending fashionable boarding
school in the country. was taken TO
the city by the school secretary TO
keen a dentists appointment
They stayed in town for dinner.
Noticing the waitress bringing
finger bowls at tho close OF N"
meal the chancron leaned over and
asked the little girl in a whisper II
she know how 10 use a finger bowl.
yes" replied tho child. do you?"
n. r. Augsburg.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

The modern Is efficient but he
can't annoint his whiskers with tur-
pentine and lard to cure a cold In
the chest.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

"He is honest but he is slow pay"
is the equivalent OF saying: HE is
truthful. but you must pry the truth
out Of him."
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
IOyEY, DOvEY!

Mrs. Colby: George and Carol
certainly had q long talk last eve
ming"
Colby: Yes. there was mush to
be said on both sides."
Dorothy Maxine Rothmann.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

rhe Associated Press is exclusively en-
t,,ied to the Use for republication ot
all news credited TO It or not otherwi 81
credited in this paper and also io' al
news published therein.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
E IT'S and Edncies

Note for future historians: Col
ored people" doesn't refer to the
great mass Of hand colored ones.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

Yet il all OF the magazines and
books we're printed in Arizona. the
country would think OF New York
as an important mass Of aliens. :.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

Truth. crushed to earth. will rise
again, although the men who have
gone down with it may not be in a
condition to get up!
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

People who get trimmed in Wall
street can get even by starting a
crusade back home to ] all the
wicked crap shooters.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

The "speakies" will fizzle. for the
same reason that every presentable
stranger seems NOR important while
he keeps still.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

Scientists have found skeletons
with = third eye In the top Of the
head, which indicates that Nature
foresaw the airplane and tried to
avert stin neck.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21
The COMBINATION!

Bartels: What is the secret OF be-
ing a good theatrical manager"
Theatrical Manager: Charge the
men all the traffic will bear and
show them all the women will barrel"
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

II an advance OF ten billion
doesn't make Uncle Sam a partner
In Europe's affairs. no mere agree
ment can do it.
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

An archaelogist is a man who can
find an apes tooth soo years old
and reconstruct tho primitive man
who chewed with it 100000 years
ago
New Britain herald., 1928-12-21

the lunch hour extends from - until
ESQ.