davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1937-11-21
Mere Baby Swallows Hook and Fisherman Becomes
Victim of Natural Specimen of Predatory World.
Air Transport Outfit Is Launched.

needle-nsh and all those pretty little
tidbits that tarpon like. And out
there 1t happened. Frank hit the
big boy. Maybe he wouldn't have
gone as big Is that 186-pounder that
hung up in Victor Browns taxidermy
shop. Maybe 1t wouldn't even have
gone over 160. But whatever 1t did
60, it wasn't any baby tarp. We
never did find out. and I'll bet .
couple of nickels-Mex, that fish would
have gone over foot 10 inches, which
happens to be . fair-sized tarp in
any mans book.
Frank had been sitting around
drinking in sunshine and branch wa
ter for an hour or 50. He'd lean back
in his chair and take 4 snooze and
he'd wake up and look at the sky and
pelicans, and tell yarn about poll
ticos and seals and big salmon and
Eskimoe up in Alaska. You know
Frank has 4 flock. Of Eskimos work.
ing for him. Chinese. too, who make
quite piece Of change when the seals
are killed. selling certain part Of
the seal they consider especially lucky.
But that's another story, and anyhow
Frank tells it best.
The big boy started foolins around
Franks bait. He'd pick 1t up and
carry it four or i've feet ana nose
1t; and drop 1t and come back.
"Wait for him to make . rum" cau-
toned smitty. Frank wasn't 20 strong
for 1t. His belly still ached. It looked
like clinic on bruises and brush
burns. as they call 'em' down at po-
lice headquarters.
Slowly Franks line ran out until
all the slack had been gathered up.
"Hit him now" whispered "Smitty."
Frank struck with all his might.
'Whoosh." and out of the drink came
the big boy. Wow" yelled Smitty.
'Yeow," yelled Frank.
THAT'S quite . minnow," said the
pride Of the Everglades guides.
But Frank wasn't In any condition to
talk He had his hands, his shoulders
and most Of his helly full a palpitat-
Ing bruises and asndSy and aasosted
Evening star., 1937-11-21

what he did to my belly" And he
pointed to a flock Of black and blue
marks. He booked as if he'd been hit
by some of Joe Louis Sunday left
hooks.
Say, Mr.. Commissioner" opined
"Smitty" Maybe if you'd used that
belt We pushed at you your belly
mightn't be in such bad shape. You
know now that these tarpon-even
baby tarpeare pretty strong and
fairly active. But, shucks, man, wait Il
we hit a real one"
A couple Of "humphs" and q snort
was all the answer Frank gave. The
sheriff was thinking about how tough
man would be If he got as rugged
as little" tarpon.
REFORE the baby tarp cut up Frank
Bells tummy he'd had one of
those experiences we all can have
nowadays in this age Of fast travel.
He'd put in half a days work at his
Office in the big Commerce Depart
ment Building, hoped over to WASH
ington Airport just before lunch,
boarded a big Douglas airliner and
slid into Miami Airport in comfortable
time for a highball and dinner on the
Columbus roof.
Eastern Airlines were not showing
OF for the boss of things fishy.. It
was all part Of regularly scheduled
run, but it was the origin of some
thing else. Frank started the Flying
Fishing Club" of the air transport
OUTFIT. and If you 60 to Miami by
plane and get yourself q fairly big
fish you can become . member, too,
and get one of those neatly engraved
diplomas like the one that hangs
on the wall of Frank Bells Office. Nor
does 1t cost months salary to do it,
either. But the big part of it is that
II you make the day run to Miami
from Washington it takes only half
an office day, and If you go by night
you can snooze in comfort and wake
up in Miami in time for breakfast
and fast trip out to the Gulf Stream,
or = quick hour-and-a-half run over
to Everglades, where the tarpon run.
In other words, If you tire of looking
at blank onice walls, you can hop .
plane Friday morning, get two days
fishing Of the kind that only Florida
has and be back In Warrington or New
York before the milkman onishes I'd
Monday morning.
Evening star., 1937-11-21

Z. Edwards, and at the time Of his
death. which occurred in his Lafayette
Square home, April ~, 1893, he left
behind, In addition to host Of
friends to mourn his loss, his wife,
two daughters and q son. Truxtun
Beale. The latter, who died recently,
resided In the Decatur house up to
the time Of his death. and his widow
continues to make 1t her home.
A sister to Truxtun Beale, Miss
Emily T. Beale. was married at the
jackson place residence. to John r.
Mclean on October Z, 1884, Mr.. Nc
Lean then being the editor and pro-
prietor Of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
At the funeral Of Gen Beale, which
took place several days after his death,
there were many important people
present to pay their respects to the
departed. Reverend DR.. Aspinwall
conducted the funeral services and
the following persons served as hon.
orary pallbearers: Ex-Vice President
Morton. Justice Fields, Senator Henry
Cabot Lodge, Judge Bancroft Davis,
Evening star., 1937-11-21

aches and pains, and the big boy out
there 100 yards away wasn't helping
Franks peace Of mind and body.
There he is again." Frank
screamed, as the big tarp tore another
gap in the Gulf Of Mexico. Well, 1t
was quite a scrap while it lasted. Be-
tween bruises and grunts Frank final
ly wore the fish down in an hour or so
until he began to show white. out
there 80 yards astern of the boat. He
thought he had him licked, and he did
have him licked until a big black
I'm began to weave around after the
tarp. That tarp simply went wild.
Long dashes, crazy leaps, and frantic
hurdles tore Franks arms loose in
the sockets. Smitty got out a rifle
and went to work on the shark, but it
didn't do any good. A wild furry,
. spot Of red on the water, the big
black I'M showed high over q yard of
the back Of the hammer-head, and
Franks big tarp was all through. He
dragged him in-haf Of him-bitten
through just back Of the dorsal. as
clean As one Of those big metal shears
in . Detroit auto factory would do the
job.
Frank was sore all over. First in
the tumny and then in the spirits.
Damn these sharks anyhow" he
broke down into real cussing.
The ex-sherin pushed into high gear.
Damn and double-damn all sharks
Here have the biggest tarp Of them
all, hooked and ready to gaff, and
shark comes along and clips him off.
Ill show EN-" But Frank did get
. scale, even though he can't claim he
landed the tarp. He claims divided
honors with the shark, but he didn't
want to have . try at him. He'd had
enough shark on tarpon rods for one
trip. And that's how the boss Of all
the fsheries was licked by shark.
But next time he'll 60 equipped with
. flock Of harpoons and elephant
rifles. IT I'm going to be the boss Of
al the flsh, I'm going to lick those
sharks" yelled Frank. "Pass me that
arsnch water. Maybe It'll do my belly
some good"
Evening star., 1937-11-21

in q valley, to the right Of the
Bladensburg road, going north, and
about half mile south OF the village
Here they met Capt Elliot, Commodore
Barron and a Mr.. Lattimer.
Upon taking their positions, Com:
modore Bainbridge informed them
that he would give the words quickly,
Present! one, two, three" and they
were not to fire before the word "one"
nor after the word three" Before
the fatal count was made, Commodore
Barron observed to Comomdore De-
catur that he hoped on meeting in
another world they would be better
friends than they had been in this, !"
and Decatur replied. II have never
been your enemy. sir"
At the word two" both fired, 50
near together that 1t sounded as one
report. Barron fell. wounded In the
right hip. Decatur stood for moment
erect. and then, pressing his hand to
his right side. fell, the ball having
passed through his abdomen. He re-
marked, Il am mortally wounded. at
least believe so. and wish that
had fallen in defense of my country"
When he later sank down near where
Barron lay, the latter declared that
everything had been conducted in the
most honorable manner and told Com
modore Decatur that he forgave him
from the bottom of his heart.
1t was soon evident that Decatur's
wound was mortal. He was driven
back to his home, on jackson place,
but before he would permit himself to
be taken inside. directed that Mrs
Decatur and his two nieces be removed
to the upper part Of the house. He
gave positive orders that Mrs. Decatur
should not see him He had too often" I"
he said. faced death to be awed by
its terrors, but he could not bear to
give her 50 much pain as his condi-
ton must awaken or to see her en-
dure it."
He had his will witnessed by Com
modore Rodgers, Dr.. Trevitt and DR..
Sim, and after 1890 pm. that same
day breathed his last And so passed
into the great beyond one Of Amer
ica's greatest naval heroes. If time
shall wipe away his deeds. his toast
will live forever, Our country! In her
intercourse with foreign nations may
she always be in the right, but our
country. right or wrong"
WHEN Gen. Edward Fitzgerald
w Beale bought the Decatur house,
shortly after the Civil War, he is said
to have filled it with relics and curios
collected during his travels here and
abroad, and here he entertained in a
way fitting his station and position In
the social and financial world, for he
was very wealthy man whose annual
income was fortune in itself.
This distinguished member of the
Beale family was born in this city on
February 4. 1922. and was educated
at Georgetown College, now George
town University. He was the son of
Paymaster Beale, U. S. N, and grand
son Of Commodore Truxtun. In 1886
he was appointed to the Naval Acad-
emy. from which he graduated in
1912 and as lieutenant served in the
Mexican War with distinction under
Commodore Stockton. who in recog-
milton of his unusual heroism in the
service made him the bearer Of dis
patches to Washington and In doing
so wrote him, saying:
United States Frigate Congress,
''Harbor Of San Diego, February
g. l8l7
Evening star., 1937-11-21

statesman and here he resided while
serving as Secretary of State under
Presidents Harrison and Tyler. After
ceasing to be a cabinet officer, Mr..
Webster found it convenient to dis
pose OF the property, as its upkeep
was considerable for man of linn
tied means, and so the property was
sold to Mr.. Corcoran. founder Of the
CorcOran Gallery of Art, and has
since then been known as the Cor.
coran house. Because of Mr.. Cor
coran's strong Southern sympathies,
the Federal Government, according
to reports, once planned conflscating
the mansion, but the banker, antici-
pating this move. leased the dwelling
to the French minister. the Marquis
de Montholon, in 1865 Thus this
structure held French state secrets
during the Civil War. just as it had
sheltered those of the British Legation
in the regime of Minister Richard
Pakenham during the Mexican War.
Diagonally across the street from
where the Webster or Corcoran house
stood, at the southwest corner of H
street and Jackson place, is one of
the most noted of the old buildings
still standing. facing Lafayette Square,
for it not only represents an early
form OF Washington architecture, but
has its historic side as well, including
scenes of supreme sadness intermin-
gled with happiness and Joy. Few
changes have been made in this old
mansion in the more than a century
it has stood on this corner, and today
1t is just about the same as it was
when built by Commodore Stephen
Decatur in 1919, and there that In
trepid sailor died year later.
NATURALLY, many are familiar
with the famous duel fought by
Decatur with Commodore Barron,
which forms considerable part of
the history of this house, but other
important happenings have occurred
here as well, with which the public
is not quite 50 we'll acquainted. and
which add considerably to the i'm
portance of the building. But as to
Decatur:
After the close of the War of 1925
many naval officers found themselves
possessed of considerable prize money
turned over to them by the Gov
ernment through the sale of captured
enemy vessels and their cargoes. Two
of these in particular, Commodores
David Porter and Stephen Decatur,
invested their money in local real
estate, Porter purchasing, with a part
of his money, the Meridian Hill prop
erty, consisting of some ITO acres,
and erecting there a pretentious home,
and Decatur purchasing, with a part
of his share, the Jackson place prop
erty.
However, prior to building this
house, though after Decatur had been
ordered to Washington, he first re-
sided in Kalorama Mansion, but soon
afterward purchased for his residence
one Of the Seven Buildings, now .
somewhat ren1odeled row standing on
the north side of Pennsylvania avenue
Evening star., 1937-11-21
By Walter McCallum.


TRANK T. BELL, United States
r. commissioner of fisheries, Is
L an angler. He has travelled all
over the inside and outside
waters of the United States, before
and since his appointment as the boss
of all the fish that swim the streams,
lakes and oceans. He has coaxed and
pleaded, sat for hours on f1shless
boat on a fishless ocean. or a barren
pond, and he has run into schools of
so many fish that his arms ached
from dragging 'em in. He's caught
gigantic salmon in Alaska and Wash
ington State; he has lured the scrappy
steelhead trout to his spoon, and he
has chased all the Alaska fish all over
that peninsula. In fact, there wasn't
any fishing of any kind that Frank
hadn't done until he took . whirl at
Florida tarpon, and the tarpon took
. fall out Of him.
After Frank had salved his bruises,
painted iodine over sore hands, shook
the kinks out Of an aching back and
rubbed himself all over with sunburn
oil. he woke up and yelled, "Say, what
time did the hurricane hit and how
long did it last? Or was 1t q fish that
did all those things to me?"
Down in the cockpit Of the snug lit
tie cruiser lay a dinky little tarpon-
q mere baby of IS pounds or so. Frank
took him only because the poor tarp
was so hungry he swallowed the hook
away down in his tummy, and tar
pom that has done that to fish hook
is no more good to his friends and
relatives. A fish hook does things
even to fish, and even to that tough
citizen known as the tarpon, when he
swallows it.
Ordinarily, Frank wouldn't kill any
tarpon. He'd do Is all other sport
fishermen do. Take q scale or two,
measure the fish and turn him loose
over the side back to his natural ele-
ment. But you can't do that with .
tarp hooked deep IN tho belly. That
Evening star., 1937-11-21

A pavement Of black and brown
rubber, which was laid Is an expert
ment In Moscow. Is said to be meeting
the tests Of heavy trafic.
Evening star., 1937-01-02
BY MARSHALL BAGGETT.

Building operation figures mounted
into the million-dollar bracket again
in 1886 for the two fastest-growine
localities in Virginia as Arlington
County and the city of Alexandria
marked up combined years activity
in excess ofs$7, 100000
The home building industry in
Alexandra, skyrocketed to almost un-
believable proportions as the 190-year-
old city more than doubled last years
figure to record operations in excess
of s2,258,00
Before 1935-when Alexandria's
building activities totaled 81 ,099 ,519-
they had never reached the million
dollar mark in the history of this early
American city that had its beginning
back in 1747.
In the smallest county in the United
States. named for the Arlington home
OF the Lees, the 1896 building business
approached the $4,000, 900 mark, but
fell short Of the 1885 record, when the
activity was officially marked up at
$6,l21.22s.75.
arlington County's total figure for
the years building trade to date is
approximately s4,400, 900, with an
other s5oo,0oo project expected to be
added to the grand result before the
year Is very old. The last-minute
s5O0,oo0 project is for an addition to
the mushrooming Colonial Village
Apartments that will spread them
further across the lower part of the
county.
1t was the same Colonial Village
projects that sent Arlington's build
ing operations figure to the s6,oo0,-
600 mark last year.
Because Of this fact, the Arlington |
record for 1896 is impressive in that |
1t has not been bolsteed by any large
single project. Individual homes have
BEEN the principal building business
of the past year. The point is clearer
oy comparison Of the number of build.
Evening star., 1937-01-02

More than IS countries are buying
aeronautical products from the United
States.
Evening star., 1937-01-02
Building in Arlington County
And Alexandria Still B00ns
Combined Activity in Excess of $1,000.
O0cCity Doubles 1885 Figure
for Total of S2.258.OOO.

ing permits issued. This year there
were l,278 permits issued up to De.
cember 81. In the record 1885 year
only 955 permits were granted.
Only two other projects helped
boost the Arlington. County total this
year. They are the s243,000 permit
for a new junior high school, and an
sS5,000 permit for the Buckingham
Village development on Glebe road,
according to figures of Assistant
Building Inspector P. o. Shepherd,
jr. The Buckingham project has been
planned on a 100000 scale, with
new units to be undertaken as others
are completed.
The 1884 building figure for Airing
ton County of $685. ,665, is striking
evidence Of the county's building boom
during the past years.
Alexandria's total for 1896 was aided
by $500,000 annex to the Virginia
Public Service Co. power plant and
by a 100000 permit for a new King
street theater. Four apartment prof.
ects, two In excess Of $50, 900; a s25..
600 chlorophyll plant; a s21. 900 dairy
and a $4,000 bakery also helped.
Otherwise. Building Inspector A. r.
Lash issued 246 permits for new sin.
homes, more than 500 per-
mits for extensive alterations and re-
pairs to homes already built, 13 per-
mlts for multiple dwellings, 8 for q
family homes and 2 for gasoline sta
lions.
The restoration fad, one source of a
revival OF the building business here
several years ago, continued in full
swing as both new and old residents
u the city went on with the popular
'ogue for making more attractive and
iveable scores Of old Colonial homes |
n the original part Of Alexandria.
Evening star., 1937-01-02

Use Of Credit Facilities.
. The membership includes both State
and federally chartered institutions.
The increasing use Of their reserve
credit facilities indicates greater par
ticipation by these associations in
meeting the demand for loans in many
parts Of the country for the purchase,
construction. repair and refinancing
of homes.
On November 30, the number OF
Federal savings and loan associations
(See LOAN, Page C-4)
Evening star., 1937-01-02
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
ACTIVITIES CONTINUE
One and Two Family Houses in
S6 Cities Reach Total of
100000.

Paced by California, where building
has reached new peak in recovery
one and two family residential con-
struction in November showed little
evidence of the normal seasonal de-
cline characteristic of advancing VIM
ter.
According to the Federal Housing
Administrations analysis of figures
gathered by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. 86 cities were able to pro-
duce 100000 or more each in this
class OF building during November.
Los Angeles. New York and Detroit.
IN that order, exceeded the $4,000, 900
mark each, as they have for nearly
every month of 1896.
The best performance, of course
was that Of California. where 10
cities are enrolled in the $1OO. 900
class. These 19 cities account for a
total of s6.491, ,729. The entire Pacific
Coast total California, Oregon and
Washington) amounted to $7,252,32s.
Evening star., 1937-01-02
BUILDING CONGRESS
WILL BE ORGANIZED
Repre- sentatives Of Various
Branches of Industry to At
tend Meeting January 26.

The Washington Building Congress
will be organized in an open meeting
January rs. which will be attended
by representatives of all branches
Of the building industry. The meet
ing has been scheduled for pm.
In the La Fayette Hotel.
Proposed constitution and bylaws
already have been formulated. Ar
thur B. Heaton, architect, temporary
Chairman Of the Organizing Commit
tee, announced that invitations to
participate In the congress had been
sent to the following groups:
District Bankers Association. Dis
ertct Building & Loan League, Wash.
1ngton Real Estate Board, Wash
angton Chapter. American Institute
OF Architects: Landscape Architects
Association, Association of Civil En-.
gineers, American Society Of Mechan-
acal Engineers, District Builders As
Isociation. Subcontractors' Association
OF the District, District Of Columbia
Material Men, Producers Council
Club OF Washington and tn Wash.
1ngton Building Trades Council.
Evening star., 1937-01-02
HOME LOAN BANKS
INCREASE ACTIVITY
Advances to Thrift and
Home-Finance Institu.
tions Again Rises.

For the twentieth consecutive month
outstanding advances by the IL Fed
eral Home Loan Banks to their mem
ber thrift and home finance insti-
tutions have registered q steady in
crease, roughly corresponding to the
progress Of the present strong revival
in residential building. A report for
the week ending December IL shows
that on that date the volume Of
credits Of the bank system in use by
its members had risen to the record
figure of $l3s.359. .68S, as compared
with $4,000, 900 outstanding in April,
1885.
On December II total advances by
the banks since they were founded. in
1882, amounted to $272, $50 ,96I. Total
repayments were $133, S,669.
As of December l8, membership Of
the bank system numbered 3,75l in
stitutions, chiefly Of the savings,
building and loan type. Within the
past five months LOG associations have
been admitted to membership. Az
gregate assets Of the member insti-
tutions are estimated at $500, ,00o,-
900.
The following table gives the volume
OF credits outstanding by bank dis
tricts on December IL:
Evening star., 1937-01-02
EXPERTS PREDICT
'37|NCREASE OVER
$31,598,035 TOTAL
Last IL Months Valuation
Is 600 Per Cent Above
Depression Low.
TRADES AND RESALES
MAINTAIN FAST PACE
New Year Expected to Find Even
Greater Demand for Larger
Properties.
BY JAMES Y, NEWTON.

Featured by strong activity in the
small home building field and revival
of apartment construction, the real
estate and building business in Wash
ington during 1886 enjoyed the most
prosperous year since 1929. Predictions
of experts that 1887 will witness an
even greater improvement for the in
dustry locally are apparently we'll
founded
Private construction, including new
buildings. additions, alterations and
repairs, showed a valuation of $751;
598,035 for 1896, an increase of nearly
so per cent over 1885, and $50 per
cent over 1884. The valuation climb
was about 600 per cent over 1888 when
the building industry reached its low
est point in Is years. The building
total for 1885 was the highest since
1929.
The great gain in activity was not
confined to construction. All phases
Of the real estate and building field
shared in the increases. Builders and
brokers had small difficulty during
the year in dispoSing of both new and
old dwellings, despite the fact that
over 1000 one-family houses and $50
apartments and fats were erected in
the period, and the preceding year had
witnessed considerable activity in resi-
dental construction.
Bigger Deals Find Demand.
Buyers for higher priced properties
we're in evidence for the first time in
years. Larger pieces Of real estate
changed hands in healthy fashion and |
It is evident to many realty experts
that 1887 will see great increase in /,
activity In this line. Sales were re-
ported for large properties, both COM
mercial and residential in character.
All types of rental property reached a
high occupancy percentage. with
apartment and Offices almost 100 per
cent rented.
Building money was more plentiful
than it has been for years, and avail
able on easier terms than at any time
In the past two decades. Most of the
home and building financing institu-
tions reported huge reservoirs of credit
(see BUILDING YEAR, Page C-3)