davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
YES EDUCATION DOES PAY

l. education is to be viewed as dollars and cents proposition--a view which happily is not shared by all of the cducated-then the story ln- volying one John II. Castle, wealthy Detroit realty man, is of unusual interest to the publicity agents of the higher institutions of leaning who continually tell the world that col loca graduation results in earning at ieas, &lo.oQ0 a year in no time.
 This Mr. Castle. it appears, came rom Evansville, Ind, to Detroit d dozen years ago and went to work ID Mir. Ford's automobile plant at s5 day. Young MT. Castle soon found out that the Ford plant was not rcd hot university, so he took correspondence course in salesman ship.
 This correspondence course seems to have done him much good, Studying the psychology of sales manship by mail stirred him to his depths. as well as greatly accelerat- ing the workings of his mind. He soon began selling automobiles on the side" and made a down payment on house.
 From such raltry beginnings be gan the Castle fortune. In due time he became associated in the realty business with Henry Ford's brother; and his bank balance was s2,40o,- 900.
 Of course, young Mr. Castle did not have the opportunity oi belong ing to d college fraternity while pouring over the pages Of his cor ,ospondcncc course; nor could be 'n- joy 'Dc prestige of Greek letter a,mbership a,t.r h." got his '1ip'o ua." II, did mol enjoy the com u1njou O. lelow spirits searching for moro education; nor did th" corr spondcnce school have a foot 1 ball tcan Indeed. there was much that AIr. Castle missed in his form- ative period.
 Seems. however, he didn't miss
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21

out. it is we'll to remember that their sponsor was the late Mrs. Elise Traut, who resided for many years on Arch street near Grand.
 A newspaper story appearing ir the Herald is credited with inspiring Mrs. Traut, who had a high sense of civic responsibility to agitate for public tree. The story concerned a group of boys living in her neighbor- hood, who had decked a small eveI- green with cans and bottles. Mrs. Traut. who had keen taste for orderlness, stripping the bush Of it's decorations. replacing them with ornaments of q more pleasing na- ture. Shortly afterward. she sug gested that q tree be set in Central park as the scene of music programs suitable to the season. For several years the tree was maintained by public subscription. and it is need less 10 say that Mrs. Traut was d generous contributor.
 Soon after Mrs. Traut's initial cf- fort. property owners who had suit able greens on their lawns, began to decorate them as Christmas ap preached. Today hundreds of homes can boast of lighted trees blazing forth the message of Christmas and forming a picture that thrills and ln- spires. The Observer has made 1t a point at the Christmas season to drive through several other con- munitiea and can report without bias that none can surpasS New Britain in respect 10 bcautN.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
SUBWAY SHORT CIRCUITS

Drops Of water, dripping upon th" insulation on u third rail Of the Queens subway line under the East ltyer, wore away the insulation, causing ,hn short-circuit which in turn caused thick clouds of smok, to penetrate about and into q train Of cars passing through the tunnel. The resulting panic among passengers was one O. those grewsome spec tacles which attends all subway acci- dents, Not even the proximity ot the deadly third rail prevented the panicstricken from rushing through the darkness and smoke Of the tun- ncl
 Tho New York subways can point 10 marvellous records Of safety in operation compar,d with the uEmb,r of trains operated and the millions oC raaaea2.rs carried every ''af Trans rush through thr tubes al high speed wj;h only few minutes head gay during rush hours automatic and human control belr2 so perfect that il is rare indeed that collision takes place When an accident docs occur, either a collision or a short circuit, 1t is spectacular in the ex-
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
STORM SIGNALS

What Superintendent ut Schools Leon (. Staples has done in Plain vile is to simplify matters. No more will parents be able to complain. aft CT hearing the No School Whistle, that the weather turned nice five minutes after the whistle was blown and that the schools should have been in session. The Plainvlle supcr- intendcnt, Ly doing away with the whistle. lets the parents themselves be the judge of whether children can get to school. Ninety-eight per cent Of them, we fancy. will be able to get their children to the school re- gardless of weather-cNcept on such rare occasions when a blizzard visits the toWn.
 The storm whistle system, wherever in force. has given the superintendents much to worry about. No school superintendent likes to be the butt Of criticism Yet there is no superintendent in the profession who can make public gucsses about New England weather vagarics and be right all the time. Down in Plainvillc the superin- tendent will let the parents do the guessing.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21

treme. People packed into the trains like sardines in a can have vivid remembrances of what they read Of former accidents and are not in mood to keep their heads,' Ire main cool or to act as if nothing were wrong, Reason is thrown 10 the winds by the instinct for self preservation.
 The boards of inquiry into the why and wherefore Of the latest subway accident will make their reports; ef- forts will be made to prevent a simi- lar occurrence in the future. And then, as fate vii have it. something else may go wrong at some future period. Meanwhile those in a hurry take their chances. Perhaps they luminatc that more people die in he'd than anywhere else.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
SPENDING MONEY

Until recently there was q dispo- sition in government circles 10 de- plorc the tendency Of cities and toWns-cvcn Nillages-to cXpcnl much money in sclf-improvemcnt. Who does not remember the charges cmanating in Washington that whereas governmental taxes have been showing steady decrease since the war, town and city taxes have been steadily increasing.
 Suddenly the administration in Washington has taken the position that the cities and towns can scarce ly spend too much in order to help stabilize industry. commerce and employment,
 In Connecticut alone, the govern or reports, expenditures in 1930 will be s21,000, ,00O. There is no talk at all about holding down tax rates. We think they will go up all around.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
THE .AIRPLANE TRAGEDY

We have been told repeatedly that a thrce-motored airplane is q sate contrivance during favorable wealth CT conditions II one motor goes wrong the remaining two are pow erful enough 10 keep the plane going to it's destination. But the powerful. Tokkcr army airplanc which camc to earth at Boiling field. Washington, ending the lives of Congressman Will liam K kayror of Springfield, and four others. WAS of that type. In addition, Captain Harry A. Dingor, army pilot. was one of the most expert in the national forces. The day was ideal for flying. Everything seemed 10 smile except a mysterious fate.
 wrong is indicated in statements made by observers at the field that Captain Dinger apparently attempt ed to make landing after he had scarcely gone 150 feet in the air. But the plane ascended to 300 feet and then crashed while a left turn was being attempted. Other investi- gators report that the three motors were running at the time the plane struck the ground.
 There is considerable about a plane besides the motors, however It is possible that something in con- nection with the intricate machinery that controls the motors and the steering Of the plane was out of or der and not discovered by the pilot until the plane had left the ground.
 Distressing airplane accidents con- tinue to occur and the effect upon our ability to become air-minded needs no particular explanation. The manufacturers of the contrivances assure us that planes are safe, fool proof and automatically perfect. and accidents only occur when aviators go mp in the wrong kind of weather. when they lack experience. and when the planes arc not properly ovc~hauled at regular intervals.
 Congressman Kaynor had six chil- drcu. Stanley T.. Low, ono Of the former newspaper writers Killed, had three children. They intended to sur prise their families by tlying to Springfield unexpectedly. Instead there is tragedy in their homes.
 Aviation officials will labor to cX- plain such an accident, but a pretty fair part Of the public will remain critical of the explanations.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
BUILDING IN pLAINNULI.

Plainvillc seems 10 be one Of the few towns on the map which en- joyed a substantial building boom during 1929. The town needs to bc congratulated. The governors home town is progressing most favorabiy.
 True, there were only 3i new buildings put up during the year, compared with 50 buildings during 1928. But the size of the structures were what counted in the totals. The Trumbull factory alone accounted for q substantial increase in the sta tistics. while school addition help ed considerably.
 Plainville has been showing a live ly growth. It no longer is merely q suburban town adjoining New Brit ain. It is on it's own and is doing well. It is as much a part of New Britain as some parts of New Brit ain, and it costs no more to reach it on trolley car than it does to reach Berlin on a bus; indeed, the Plain vile trolley line is the second most important link of the Connecticut company in the New Britain division the most important line out of the city being the trolley to Hartford.
 New Britain eyes Plainville with satisfaction. The town is a neiGhbor that New Britain fully appreciates. On the highway betwen the two towns automobiles provide a steady stream of traffic, while the trip by trolley takes only a little over a quarter Of an hour. For all practi- cal purposes, in matters of business and socially, Plainville is like a part Of New Britain. New Britain wishes it well and is pleased to offer con gratulations upon it's growth.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
THE OBSER VER- Makes Random Observations
 On the City an1 Its People


Briefly the plan is this. to be applied in addition to a rigid eXaminaton: Legislation that will establish 9 corps of civilian motor vehicle po- licemcn in sufficient numbers TO cover the state thoroughly: equip ping these officers with regulation autos that are speedy enough "a catch any average offender anu sending them out on the road, minus any distinguishing mark on the car; law to authorize these civilian Of fiCcrs to arrest anyone and everyone who displays recklessness in the operation of q motor vehicle; su5- pension of these drivers licenses. on the first o1fense. for period not less than two years and better yer, five.
 This is q drastic remedy. but an appalling situation deserves it. D"- priyc the reckless driver Of his right to drive and you remove q menat 2 from the highways, as well as in tliCting punishment on him. II would take only few weeks ol in tenSivc scouting on state highways to cut the motor vehicle death ra;c in half. and put the fear of law into the heart of every autoist-Whorc t riGhtiully should be. The individual who pooh -poohs such q radical plan merely indicates that he is tolerant individual who does not recognize the seriousness of the motor vehicle crease the death rate will soon silence the objections of the most sy-going opponent, SO he might 1s well grow accustomed to the idea ci radical laws now as later. They ar, bound 10 come. unless America is willing to cut the speed of it's auto: down or rip up the improved high ways and provide mud holes insteaI 10 curb the speed m2niacs.
 Continual "harping" on this sub icct is the only way 10 make it pen ?, tlato the American consciousness Inc average citizen of New Britain finds it hard to get stirred up abou such a problem. He hasn't bean wrecked on his Sunday afternoo. ride, pcrhaps-aS Net-and it docsr | mean much 10 him. Just mo.' newspaper talk" he may say to this whole outburst. But 10 years from now he will sing different tune unless something is done. And it is up to him. and men and women li};, him. 10 do the "&omethine.'
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
SMALL CHECKING ACCOUNTS

According to W. r. Augustine, vice president of the National ShaWmu- bank of Boston. who spoke in Hart
 ford the other day. almost 50 per cent of the checking accounts in the nations banks are under $50: and that in almost 90 per cent oE tin" cases only those accounts os $1,00o or moro can bc carried with profit by a bank.
 Furthermore, the small checking accounts usually arc "very active" The more the activity the larger the costs of carrying the accounts 10 the banks.
 In other words. the Boston bank CT gave the impression that the small checking accounts are a loss to the banks. He believed the banks should mako service charges fo: handling them.
 Some banks do charge such serV- ice accounts, and other institutions in the large cities are said to insist
 that bank balances be kept at a cer- tain figure. otherwise the accounts are not desired. In some such banks in the large cities a checking account that does not begin at s1,00O is not exactly welcome, it is said.
 To the public, however. the ability to maintain checking accounts at the banks, even when the balances on deposit are small, is a tremendous convenience. And they also are Of benefit to commerce. For years the public has been educated to the ad- vantages of paying by check;' and many business men no doubt will agree that the ability of purchasers
 to pay conveniently and easily hy check vastly facilitates collections. ! Paying by check is an easy process, saves time and bother. and brings in the money to the merhants. II conditions were changed so that only accounts of much larger dimensions 1 than at present were demanded at | the banks, and thousands of peo-
 pie would be discouraged from pos
 scssing checking accounts, the ef- ! feet upon business as q whole WouId
 be pronounced. Instead of checks
 for small amounts constantly floating | through the mails to business
 houses. the latter would have 10 en-
 ploy a horde of collectors to visit
 homes to get instalments due each month. The cost Of collecting money
 would be vastly increased.
 The interest of business houses, l therefore, must be predicated upon
 a continuance of the system of en-
 ern system of "a checking account
 The most important customers Of
 the banks are the business houses
 who in turn benefit from the mod i ern system Of "a hecking account
 for everybody" Let the banks con- fer with their best commercial GUS
 toners and we rather think the yer 1 dict of these will be unanimously in
 favor Of making it easy for people
 to pay by check"
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
water commissioners.

water commissioners.
 Judge Cooper has been appointed 10 the governors staff, an honor which has not come to this city be- fore.
 The forcmcn of the Stanley Rule X Level company held a banquet at the Hotel Russwin last evening. Governor Chamberlain, a former employc at the plant and an hon. orary member of the forcmen's $ club, was unable 10 be present.
 At the annual summons meeting Of Court Friendly, F. of A., held last evening, James w. Manning was elected trusted for three years.
 Father Walsh oc Plainvillc has secured the trick mare owned by Dr. F. F. Lyon. The local doctor is going abroad and wanted 10 feel se- cure that his favorito horse would be well taken care Of.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
THE, TRAGEDY.
By John l.. Martain

He sat there tense. motionless; ears strained for the slightest sound. His eyes were dull and heavy with q sense of impending tragedy, his tirmly-set jaw told tale Of grim fCrcboding. His attitude was that Of q man who, battered and buffeted by an memorable fate, has almost forgotten the meaning Of the bless ed word Hope"
 Suddenly he gave a nervous start His straining ears had caught the sound of mutfled footsteps Nearer and nearer came the footsteps, i'll at last they stopped. Then came sinister cracking and rustling noises. followed by the thud of a falling body. To the listeners over wrought nerves it sounded like the crack Of doom revcrberating through the quiet house. The muffled foot steps reccded, and for the time all vas still.
 The man half rose. then slumpc1 back into his chair Though no cow T, and look at the thing lying oIt there. He shivcrcd slightly. and q cold pcrspiratinn bathed his brow. Was it or was it not? he wondered The suspense was cruel, yet ho could not summon the necessary will power to end it. It was by no means the first time that this had happen ed, and the frequent repetition of the shock had well nigh brought him to a nervous breakdown. Too bad that it should happen on his birthday of all days.
 Other footsteps approached. an q woman entered the room. Smiling | brightly, she went up to the man and kissed him.
 Many happy returns, dear?' she said. handing the amateur author q large envelope containing his story, ] The Boomcrang.'
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
.RECLUSE CAUGHT;
 KIDNAPPED GIRL
58 Year Old Man Claims to Be
 Hypnotic Student

Kansas City, Mo-, Dec. q (UP) "A 53 year old man who claimss Q
 be q student Of hypnotism and men, tal characteristics and had fitted a
 cave room under his garage ''tc find seclusion for study" today was held by police, charged with i'm. prisoning a schoolgirl and attempt ing to attack her.
 Russell Arnold, a former street car operator. said he called Doro- thy Van Camp. 14, to his door Thursday morning while she was going to school. He told in a written statement last night how he forced the girl inside the house and at tempted an attack.
 She screamed, he said, so he put her in q trunk and carried it to the
 underground room which was reached by a stairway beneath q
 trapdoor in the garage floor. There the girl was manacled to
 chair with chains.
 Arnold was picked up by police
 on suspicion that he knew the girls whereabouts after she was re- ported missing.
 Officers went to his home late Friday and. hearing cries from the garage, discovered the cave com partment. The girls ankle was bad ly bruised from a chain dashed to i it and. her back was bruised by blows She was suffering from eX- posture and hunger.
 The girl said Arnold made a sec ond attempt to attack her in the
 cave and when she cried. threaten ed to kill her with an axe. Arnold is the father of four chill drcn. three of whom are in a chari- | table home. His wife divorced him two years ago.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
ITALIANS PRESS
 PARITY CLAIMS Equal Naval Strength With
 France Demanded

Rome, Dec o1 (P)-The latest Italian reply to France in their in terchangc of conversations prclim- mary to the London naval disarmH. mcnt conference, is understood to repeat the Italian contention for parity with France.
 It suggests that agreement on dis armament may be aided by politi- cal agreement such as. for instance. q Franco Italian pact of non-aggres- sion for treaty Of friendship and az bitration which Jas been under dis cussion for several months. The Italian foreign ministry declared it. self willing and ready to discuss any agreement of such q nature.
 The Italian reply, which was eX- pected to have reached Paris soon. Ggain says that the system of dis armament suggested by France, ramcly that both countries submit their building programs for period of years which they would not be allowed to exceed, would in actual fact tend to cause an increase rather than decrease in arma- mcnt5 because 10th countries. not being able to torcscc the future, would tend 10 set their limit as high as possible in order to be ready foH amp CVentuality.
 In the note Italy declared herself in favor of the limitation by total tonnage and not limitation by cate gories, but also declared itself open 10 discussion on this point As for submarines Italy said she could not declare herself before thu conference whether favorable to abolition or not because that de- Cision would depend on certain con- dtions which cannot be foresecn but that Italy was ready to discuss the matter.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
25 Fears Ago Today

The annual meeting of the New Britain club for the election of off cers will be held next Thursday eve ming.
 The Crcmo Brewery company will be tn" name Of the new or ganization that will succeed tho Hunncr Brewery company Tn" new organization will have capi- tai S ock ot $lo0.p00.
 Unless it grows very cold soon, New Britain will be in for sloppy Christmas.
 The people Of the city arc asked to be careful in the use of water. The condition Of shuttle Meadow reservoir is beginning to worry the
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
Observations On He Weather

Washington, Dec 21.--Forccast for Southern New England: Fair, continued cold Saturday; Sunday fair.
 Forecast for Eastern New York; Fair, continued cold Saturday; fair Sunday.
 Conditions The disturbance that was over southern New York has advanced northcastWard to the Gulf Of st. Lawrence.
 The outlook is for most fair weather Saturday and Sunday in the Washington forecast area without decided change in temperature.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
CHINESE BANDITS ROUTED

Shanghai, Dec. 21 R>z-An Amer ican naval guard on the steamer Iping of the American Yangtse Rapids Steamship company routed Ia body of unidentified Chinese troops with heavy machine gun fire yesterday after the ship had been subjected 10 rife fire.
 The Chinese fire on the steamer, which plies the Yangtse river, was so heavy that the guard departed from the usual practice of ignoring such attacks and rctaliated Nigor- OuSlY
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21

Having read for the stocnth time that holiday turkeys will be cheap. VIC can come to no other conclusion than that tho competition of chick ens, ducks and porter house steaks is more or less devastating to the turkey interests.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21
Germans Buy Yule Fare
 By "Stuttering" System

Berlin, Dec. 2l LP-ThoUands ot Berlinors this year will eat their Christmas goose by what is called stuttcrins' in the jargon ot the man on tho street.
 Suffering" rapidly has come to be a synonym fQ" purchasing on the installnlent plan.
 For the first time this year th" many merchants of Berlin are per hitting them to buy their Christ mas fowl OF the instalmcut plan.
New Britain herald., 1929-12-21

much money when he began cashing in on what he had learned from the correspondence leaflets.
 We are increasingly glad that the New Britain schools have started correspondence courses. There may be some Mr. Castles in town.