Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-12-01
TOO MUCH "oRAc1As SENIOR

Other Things.
TOO MUCH "GRAC1As SENIOR"
B. F. Johnston, of this city, who has
been wandering up and down the face Of
the earth on this side of the continent
from Dan to Bersheba, from Aberdeen
to Chicago, Chicago to Kansas, Kansas
to New Orleans, and New Orleans to
Topolobampbo bay, Mexico. arrived
home last Friday; and though he has
been. much in demand, has, however,
given to the HERALD some interesting re-
miniscences of his trip to the land Of
the people who never do today what they
can put off until tomorrow.
Mr.. Johnston is interested in COM
pany organized for the purpose of build
ing sugar mills and manufacturing sugar
in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. The
tract of land upon which the first mill
is to stand IS near the Fuerte river and
not far from the Topolobampbo bay
colony. This colony is one of the most
interesting experiments ever made by
civilized man to solve the problem OF
cooperation. 1t has been in existence
for six years, and the colonists claim that
from them Edward Bellamy got his ideas
that afterwards appeared in one Of the
most noted of the jim de steele novels,
Looking Backwards" The originator
and chief promoter Of the scheme upon
which the colony is found is Colonel A.
X. Owen, a man ingenious and fertile in
resources. Mr. Owen was at one time q
surveyor and civil engineer. Now he
spends most of his time at his head
quarters in New York or in travelling
about in the interest of the colony.
The colony has found that human
nature can not all be cast in the same
mould, and that no two individuals can
have identically the same point of view.
The result is that all is not harmony
among the colonists today. Instead Of
being united, they are divided into three
parties. Mr.. Owen occasionally makes
visits to the colonists, and quells any
inclination on their part to ask questions
or to demand an accounting for the
years of labor they have put into the
scheme by reminding them that he is the
Father of the Colony on visit to his
beloved children, that love and gratitude
10 ,,-l,,t ba doo;roo onJ ov.oota - %to,,,
The man must have strongly attractive
personality to be able to hold the conf
dence and consideration OF men who have
worked SO long for the good time coming,
and who see it no nearer than when they
began four years ago to dig the big irri-
eating ditch that was to make the coun-
try blossom as the rose. This ditch Is
the one thing that has been needed to
make the country self-supporting, and
the men who built it own what is called
ditch script that has some real value.
Colonel Owen, it is said, is proposing
an arrangement which does not look so
good for the colonists as the colonist
seem to think. Among other valuable
concessions, the Colonel has in his name
the right Of way for the railroad to be
built from Texas to Topolobampbo bay.
Ills plan now is, it is said, for the col
onists to exchange their ditch script,
which has some value, for 'income
bonds" for the not impossible railway
that may be built, and also to have them
build the railroad and pay Them with
these same income bonds. These bonds
are to be valuable, SO the story runs, be-
cause they will be dividend bearing
bonds when the railroad is built and in
profitable operation.
What will it all come to? is the ques-
ton every thoughtful man will be inter-
ested in having this colony answer.
TOO MUCH FoRMALITY.
Don Zachirias Ochoa is one Of the
nabobs of Sinaloa, and, Mr.. Johnston
says, keeps a sort of open house for all
corners. There are usually from fifteen
to twenty persons around the Don's table
at meal times, and Mexican gallantry has
it draw backs. A plate of soup handed
to the man on the Don's left at the table
may make complete circuit Of the table
and wind up stone cold at the side Of the
man on the Don's right.
BETTING ON THE JUMPS.
Among the curios brought back with
him, Mr.. Johnston has some unusually
lively beans. Ordinarily bean is con-
tent to stay where it is put, but these are
not built that way. When in good trim,
they are constantly on the jump, and the
native Mexicans indulge their gambling
proclivities by betting in which direction
they will jump, and in jumping one
bean against another.
MORE LUMBER.
AS to what will be done about the
cargo OF lumber that was on the Dora
Blulm at the time she was wrecked, Nj.
Johnston is not yet able to say; but if it
is found that it is total loss, there is
little doubt but what another cargo will
be cut here.
Harbor Line Map.
The board Of trade has received copy
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