davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

months) Poe frequently visited Ben
ny's place of business while il was still
on the reservation and became de-
voted to him. The future poet often
remarked that Benny was the sole
congenial soul in the entire God-for-
saken place"
Benny lived to the ripe old age Oh
lightweight years. Taps were sound
ed for him on May 90, 1877, and now
he sleeps in the Highland Union GENE
tary on the banks of the river he
loved so well. But West Point is rich
in memories of Benny Ravens. II
you go there today they will show you
the pitcher from which he served his
famous cider flip. But most of all his
fame is preserved in the song which
has been carried literally around the
world by West Pointers. That song
was composed early in his career. II
was written about 1888 when Lucius
O'Brien of Maryland, a lieutenant in
the Eighth infantry was visiting a
friend, Riley A. Arnold, then a first
classman. Together they spent many
a congenial evening at Benny's place
and, so the story goes. O'Brien and his
friends composed poem about
Benny and set it TO the tune of "The
Wearing of the Green" 1t Immediate
Iy became popular at West Point
and for the next quarter of century
one of the first things a plebe did was
TO learn to sing Benny Ravens, Oh !"
During the summer days of 1865 when
day after day the steamers bearing
home the veterans of the Civil war
passed Benny's little cottage on the
banks of the Hudson the bands would
strike up one tune and Benny would
hear hundreds of voices joining in the
singing of:
Come I'LL your glasses. fellows. and
stand up in a row
To singing sentimentally we're going
for to go:
In the army there's sobriety. promo
tons very slow
So wen sing our "reminiscences of
Benny Ravens. Oh!
CHORUS:
Oh! Benny Ravens. OH Oh! Benny
Ravens, OH
Well sing our "reminiscences of Benny
Ravens. Oh!
To our kind old Alma Mater. our rock
bound Highland Home
Wen cast many a fond regret as o'eI
life's sea we roam:
Until on our last battle field. the light
of heaven shall glow
Well never fail to drink to her. and
Benny Ravens. Oh.
CHORUS:
May the Army be augmented may pro-
motion be less slow
May our country in the hour of need
be ready for the foe;
May We find soldiers resting place
beneath soldiers blow
With room enough beside our graves
for Benny Ravens. Oh,
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Vain Efforts

Senator King of Utah. at a dinner
in Washington, said of a political
scandal:
cit gets worse and worse, and the
efforts of these men to clear them
selves only soil them more.
''It reminds me of the Munich
butcher. An American lady said 10
him:
"'And you can assure me, then,
that there is no horse meat in these
sapsages?
Lady said the butcher earnest
". I can assure you that there's
no meat of any kind in them"
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

ton is so strong, centers around the
name of Benny Ravens.
Who was Benny Ravens? One of
Americas famous generals, a graduate
Of whom West Point is proud? A be-
loved teacher at the academy? Well,
hardly! Sometime prior TO 1882 Benny
Ravens came TO West Point and oc-
cpied One-stOry cottage a short dis
tance west of where the old cadet hos
pital, now the nurses quarters, stands.
What his ancestry was or where he
came from no one seems to know. But
after all those things are relatively
unimpOrtant, for the beginnings of a
tradition are frequently wrapped in a
mist of Obscurity. but a tradition is
none the less dear on that account.
In the early days of Benny's residence
at the post he sold to the cadets ale,
cakes and cider, and in the winter.
buckwheat cakes and cider flip. Later
on the cider flip became ale flip and
still later something a bit stronger
was added to his bill of fare. Ii was
this something" which led TO Benny's
undOing, for he was expelled from the
reservation.
BY this time Benny had become so
attached TO the corps of cadets and
the cadets had become so attached
70 Benny that neither could think of
allowing this expulsion to mean his
retirement TO the obscurity from which
he had come. So he set up his little
shop just off the post in what later
became known as The House by the
River" Mecca to which so many of
West Points famous sons made fire.
quent. even if forbidden, pilgrimages.
For slipping out of bounds to the hos
pitable freside of Benny Ravens.
where food and drink could be Illegal
ly obtained, contrary to the rules and
regulations which have always char
acterized the dignity and order of this
severe academy, was one of the of
lenses for which cadet could be
skinned to-day they call it
"squilled," |. e. reported for one of the
many breaches of regulations).
For instance. take the case of Cadet
Armstrong Custer of Ohio along about
the year 1861. Custer himself has re-
corded my offenses against law and
order were not great in enormity but
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
City of Wealth

Signal Hill. Calf. Is said TO be, for
ITS size. the richest city In the world
The title WAS claimed in a report filed
by the raptain of its fire department
According TO his statement. each of
the l.3f3 acres of producing oil land
included within the city's boundaries
hears an average assessed valuation OF
sla.au. or a total of 81. 707ON for
The entire city The same report
placed the per capita wealth at Sc.
S20 Signai Hill has existed as a COZ
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Ancient Utica

The ancienI city of Utica occupied
location in Africa on the north
western extremity of the Gulf of
Tunis. ~ miles from Tunis. n was
one of the nl'iesr Phoenician settle
menis -acc"r,ling Ia tradition about
100 b. {. Utica played an Important
part in the runic wars and submitted
Ia RoI1e in the third war II WAS
destroyed by Arabs about the Seventh
century Excavations among its RUNS
revealed an ampEirheafe, seating
2O.OOO people
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

rage VOWS are being issued by the
Mothers Union of England. They are
"f size convenient for Carrying in
he pocket. and printed in silver ON
white. They record the date and
place of the marriage and the name
of the contracting parties. and they
Reproduce the essential portions of
the marriage service which have ref
erence TO marital fidelity.
II is intended that each married
couple should have two cards. one
for retention by the husband and one
by the wife
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Famous French Scientist

Louis Pasteur, the celebrated
French biological chemist aid rathoIo-
gist. was born at Dole. Jura. Deem
Der q. 1872 Devoting himself to the
study of chemistry, he was gradu-
ated from Ecole Normale, Paris. in
1S47: became professor of physics at
Dijon. lS4S; in the following year
professor of chemistry al Sirassburg.
Later he carried on his researches at
the Institute Pasfeur. Paris One of
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
How to Fool the Rats

An Ingenious way of catching ra't
is told 10 :he Peoples Home Jour
niL In setting The raj trap This arti
Gle advises the covering of II with
tissue paper Rats are TOO intelligent
10 walk into an open trap However
they are curious tn know what is un
uef the paper. and with soos find out
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Working Incubator

It usually pays to follow the direc
tons given with each make of incu-
bator and add moisture accordingly.
Crippled chicks are sometimes said To
result from too much moisture. Sur
plus egg material remains at hatch
ing time in the form of substance
like glue. 1t dries the chick to the
membranes of the egg until the joints
have hardened in unnatural positions
When the joint has once set the young
chick is a permanent cripple
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

the most important of the many re
suits of Pasteur's Investigations is the
well-known treatment of hydrophobia
which he showed 10 be caused by the
presence of specific bacteria in the
blood. the spinal column of the IN
fec'ed animal serving as a culture
medium. Pasteur died near ST. Cloud
September %. 1874.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

HAT officer of the United
States army from the mer-
est shave tail" up TO a
general with four stars on
his shoulders has not heard
that verse and for a brief
moment been carried back
TO Alma Mater" the Unit
ed States Military Acad-
envy at West Point, n. Y?
For one of the most pic
turesque and beloved ira
ditiOns of that famous mil
itary school where tradi-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

po-ate city for little more than FIVE
years II withdrew from the jurisdic.
lion of Long Beach as result of the
enormous oil activities then going on
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22

BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON
From Nevada's hoary ridges. from
stormy coasts Of Maine.
From Lava Beds and Yellow Stone
the Story never waned;
Whenever duty called, they went,
their steps were never slow;
With Alma Mater" on their lips
and Benny Ravens. Oh"
When this Iife's troubled sea is
Ger and our last battles
through,
II God permits US mortals there
his blest domain to view,
Then we shall see in glory
crowned, in proud celestial
row
The friends we've known and
loved so well at Benny Hav-
ems OH"
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Burros Out of Business

The burro was once one of the In
stitutions of the West, but now in
many sections, particularly in the
Southwest, the animal has been
thrown into the discard Once they
were valued burden bearers, but now
they have been abandoned, as their
work is done by the automobile. They
have been set at large in many in
stances by their one-time owners, and
roaming in small bands they have be-
came a nuisance. They enter the
smaller towns at night and, besides
annoying the residents with their
noise, they do considerable damage to
crops and other property in their
search for food. The town of Santa
Fe in New Mexico for while en-
plOyed a man to kill wandering
burros.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Reminders of Pledges

Special cards for husbands and
wives TO remind them of tha:r mar
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
This Mother
Had Problem

AS a rule, milk Is
about the best food
for children, but
there are times wheT
they are much better
off without it. 1t
should always be left
off when children
show by feverish
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-03-22
Small Loss

She-Am 1 the first girl you ever
kissed? \
He-Yes, dear.
She-Well, the other girls haven't
missed much.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
TO DISCUSS DEEP WELL

Hf
z The directors Of the White Bluffs
Water Works are calling a meeting
Of the stockholders of the company
in town Monday evening, November
rs. at 800 o'clock, for sthe purpose Of
discussing the propo sition of
having deep well drilled. B. L.
Clark, deep well driller,. says that he
will finish his present contracts II,
the wheat country about .the first Of
the year and that il he.i to be err,-
ployed on well here he would like
to know about it as soon as possible
so that he would not be looking for
other contracts where he is now
working.
Every one agrees that water from
what is known as the second flow
would be much better for all purposes
than the surface water in the shallow
wells, and If financing plan for the
undertaking could be worked out
without placing too great burden on
the stockholders, they would probably
be willing to look with favor on the
drilling Of deep well. The matter
is of considerable Importance to every
resident here and it is hoped there
will be a good attendance at the
meeting 50 that there may be a full
and free discussion Of the proposition.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
STUDY COURSES OFFERED

u The extension department of the
state college at Pullman is offering
number Of interesting correspondence
courses for &C llege credits or just for
the personal satisfaction derived from
study. There are courses for college
students who are out of school for
a while; for teachers who wish ad-
vanced work or for anyone wishing to
study some particular subject. College
or high school credits are not neces-
sary for enrolment.
i Some Of the courses offered are rur-
al economics, commercial law, book
keeping; eduration; English compost
.tion, English literature of various per-
iods, business English, foreign Ian
guages, history, and personal End
commercial hygiene; wood working;
mathematics; practical physirR; DOM
estic science course, physiology poli-
tics; psychology; secretarial science;
and sociology. M
There isia fee for each conrse,
covering the cost Of text books and
instructors. One course in English
equivalent to Freshman composition is
particularly recommended for high
school graduates who intend to go to
college but not able to enter at once.
Anyone wishing further information
may phone Mrs. John McFee at White
Bluffs or write to F. S. Nader, director
of general college extension work at
w. S. c., Pullman, Wash.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
NEW BUSINESS HAS
GREAT POSSIBILITIES

White Bluffs is to be the head
quarters for new business and If
the hopes of the founder, Wesley
Robbins, are realized the business will
be one of considerable magnitude.
Wes, as he is known to his friends,
has been one Of the most successful
trappers that has ever operated in
this territory. He uses a peculiar
kind Of coyote bait that he concocted
himself and his harvest of furs in
each OF the years he has run string
of traps here has equalled that of any
other trapper in the state and was
usually much larger than that secured
by ths ordinary men lin that business.
Realizing that there was something
in his methods that would be valu-
able to other trappefs, he started a
sort of school aboutta year ago and
secured a number Of students at a
stipulated fee, to whom he impaired
this information. At the same time
he felt that in their haphazard and
disorganized method of marketing, the
trappers were not getting anywhere
near the prices they should be receive
ing for their furs, sothe embraced the
cooperative idea of marketing and
started to organize the trappers under
the name ''Trappers, Universal Mark
eting Association"
Both of these movements have
shown steady growth. In fact, every
trapper to whom he has presented the
plans, he says, has given enthusiastic
approval. Encouraged by this re-
sponse and knowing that if the busi-
ness expanded as lit promised he
would have to have quarters large
enough to take care Of it, he last
Saturday purchased from Herman
and Arthur Heidemann the two story
building in, White Bluffs on the
corner opposite from the White
Bluffs Motor company. He. plans to
fix this building up for an office and
for the storage OF flrs that will be
brought there to be. marketed.
His chief activity right now will be
in acquainting the other trappers in
the state with his plans and in inter-
esting them in marketing their furs
comparatively. AS he says, the situa-
ton is entirely in the hands of the
trappers. II they market their furs
under one head they can, without
doubt have a lot to say about the
prices that they should bring and
from the fur buyers standpoint it
would also be desirable for they can
buy in quantities at one place instead
Of picking up few furs at time
here and there, which method is ex-
'pensive and usually not very satisfac-
tory.
= Yves says that he hopes to extend
the scope Of the organization to in
cludc not only -trappers in the state
and the Northwest. but the whole
nation. Sounds rather ambitious but
It should be reniernbered that nearly
every large sbusinasss IN the conntEy
today had-just such small Beginning.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
-
MRS. ARTHUR FAIRBANKS

Grace Crozier was born in Dawson,
North Dakota, November rs, 1906, and
died November 13, 1929. When ~
years old she came west with her
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. T. Crozier,
and located in Seattle, where she
resided until her marriage toArthur
E. Fairbanks on August 10, 1928.
Since that time they have lived on
their farm in the Ih-B- Tween neigh.
borhood. midway between White
Bluffs and Hanford. During the s;x
years she lived in this valley she made
many friends and was a universal
favorite among the young folks. OF a
pleasant and happy disposition, every
gathering she attended was made
more happy by her presence and her
death leaves many sad hearts. Besides
her devoted young husband she leaves
two children, Arliss, five, and Darline,
three, both too young, fortunately, to
realize their lose.
The funeral was held at noon Satur-
day, November is, from the George
town Undertaking parlors in Seattle
and she was laid to rest in Mount
Pleasant cemetary in that city.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22

Mr.. and Mrs. J. e. Baker, who are
spending the winter at Sedro Wooley.
were in White Bluffs the first Of the
week looking after business matters
in connection with their orchard prop
erty. Mr.. Baker is planning two i'm
portant improvements on his ranch
before another irrigation season rolls
around. One is the installation of a
stationary spray sutfit and the other,
the digging or drilling Of well for
irrigation purposes.
On his way over here, Mr.. Baker
stopped in Yakima and was in the
Perham Fruit company warehouse
Monday morning when the Brogdex
machine for removing the the spray
from the apples, exploded, setting
fire to the packing room Of the ware
house. He said there was lots Of
excitement for little while until
firemen got the blaze under control
without much damage except to the
Brogdex machine.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
4 CHRISTMAS PRESENT
TO THE Community

Z, Preliminary work was started this
week in setting up the big power
press in the Spokesman office. The
press has been in White Bluffs for
the past five or six years but was
not set up because Of lack of room
in the old quarters and since moving
to the larger building there were too
many other necessary things that had
to be done.
As the press weighs between five
and six tons, a special concrete
foundation, from the gravel to the
floor, has to be built under that
part of the building where the press
will be installed.
Some of the parts will have to be
replaced and as these parts must
come from the East where the press
is manufactured, it will probably be
a few weeks yet before 1t will be in
operation but it is hoped that the
Spokesman can be printed on it be-
fore Christmas.
While the installation of the press
will not materially increase the
amount of reading matter in the
Spokesman, for the time being at
least, the appearance of the paper
will be greatly changed. 1t will be
two inches shorter in length, one col
uinn narrower and eventually all ad-
vertising will be removed from the
front page, which will be dressed up
in double decl.ed heads and possibly
cartoons and cuts on current news.
In other words it will look much
up-to-date makeup and credit to
the community it serves.
u The publishers would like to take
this opportunity to express to the
good people of the valley their ap-
probation Of the support, encourage
ment and good will that have made
this improvement possible, and prom
Use to continue to give their best
effortj to give the district the best
possible news medium.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
ANGLE FAMILY NOW ON
WAY TO KENTUCKY

Travelling IN two cars the w. S.
Angle family left White Bluffs Wed
nesday morning on their long 1000
mile trek to Woodburn, Kentucky,
where they win make their home and
where Mr.. Angle viii be rural car
rier, having traded with I. M. Pipkin
his route here tor one of similar
length in the Kentucky town.
They expected to reach Bend, Ore
gon, Wednesday night and from there
to continue south, hoping to encoun-
ter warmer weather after the first few
days. They plan to stop nights at
the various auto camps along the
route and, by travelling 200 to 800
miles a day, to reach Kentucky about
the first Of December.
The official transfer of the routes
was effective On November is but
MI. Pipkn, who had planned to start
for White Bluffs on November l.,
was delayed on account Of the illness
of his little son and did not leave
Kentucky until November H. He
sent word that he hoped to reach
White Bluffs some time next week,
probably on the 9th or 18th. He is
also driving through in his car.
Until the arrival Of Mr.. Piplin, the
route at White Bluffs win be served
by ]. E. Leander, acting as temporary
carrier. z.
Rural carriers are civil service en-
ployees and while the postoffice rules
and regulations permit transfer of
routes, not many of the carriers have
made application for an exchange.
Ordinarily, there is more or less de:
lay in securing official sanction for
transfers but in this case the matter
was referred. to Congressman John
w.. Summers with the request that he
urge early consideration. Just how
much pep he put into the usually
slow moving departmental machinery
at the national capitol is shown by
the fact that the application reached
the postoffice department on October
% and the following day the official
approval for the transfer was granted.
This quick action is said to have
established record and is just another
Of numerous incidents that 60 to
show that Mr.. Summers is always
on the job to look after the interests
of his constituents, and not only to
look after them but to get actual
results. ssse
In going to to their new far away
home the Angle family carried with
them both the sincere regrets and the
good wishes Of nearly every resident
Of White Bluffs, where the family
have made their home for the last
ten or twelve years.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22

The new Vernita school house was
the scene Of a very pleasant party
last Saturday night. About seventy
five people were present to enjoy the
dance, music for which was furnished
by the Russell Brown orchestra.
y The new building ie far removed
from the little red school house SO
well remembered by most of US and
is more like comfortable community
home. Some Of the features. a roomy
alcove in one end that is fitted with
a stage, convenient kitchen where
hot lunches may 'be prepared, COM
modious coat rooms and up-to-date
furnace in the basement. The people
in that community have recently in
stalled piano in the building and the
party Saturday evening was for the
purpose Of raising funds to nay for It.
A number from White. Bluffs attend
ed the party ard spent pleasant
evening.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
POST lNsTALls OFFICERS

The regulzr neeting Of John Lind
,blaG Fest slsis month was held Jsuss.
day; evening in, The Legion rooms in
Liberty hall. III
Arthur ]. Toupin, district comnnan-
der for the sixth district, and Major
Fred M. We'll Of Seattle were present
for the installation Of officers OF the
Post for the ensuing year. The fol-
lowing officers were installed: Com
mander, w. M. Underhill; vice Com
mander, w. F. Shaw; adjutant, DR..
Ewin F. Newton; finance officer, r.
S. Reierson.
District Commander Toupin was
well pleased with the condition OF
the local Post. He spoke. Of the
work being done by the American
Legion for the ex-service men, the
Legion's aims and what they viii try
to achieve during the coming year.
Major We'll gave short talk that
was well received by the members.
White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-11-22
woMAN's CLUB NOTES

D.
Of unusual interest was the Woman's
Club program for November, held
Wednesday, November l3. The sub
ject, Creative Writing brought out
an enthusiastic response from a large
number Of the club members, some of
the original work offered being Of
exceptional merit. The stories, sket-
ches, memoirs, ETC., covered a wide
variety of subjects and lunearthed
unsupported talent, Of which the club
in general and the program committee
in particular, feels very proud.
There will be business meeting
OF the club at 200 p. m. Wednesday
November q. All members are
urged to form the habit Of attending
ttesc meetings