Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-29

IL
with unassailable arguments and facts dis
Creetly formulated, which, as 1t seemed to
me, could be done effectively only by elicit
ing several clear and cogent dissertations
through the credible offer and assured pay
ment of a certain number of prizes in
ready cash.
Tits he did in 1879, when in st. Louis he
PLACED in bank 5000 to be awarded for
five of the most meritorious and convinc-
ing treatises then obtainabe." But still he
was ahead of the times. "A score or more
oS the newspaper notices of my proceedings
In the premises tiippantly and hilariously
advised in effect that a home should be
speedily provided for me in an insane asy
lumi In that regard, at that time, Anglo
Anne RIGA was not a whit more advanced.
not particle wiser or better. than Latin
America" But the essays were written and
the awards made.
Ready for the Journey.
Referring to his departure upon the jour-
ney of exploration before mentioned, Mr..
Helper says:
Then my excellent Argentine friends,
kindly solicitous for my welfare, desired to
know if 1 myself was well armed. Lifting
out of my trousers an ordinary pearl
handled pocket knife. l assured them, as
the exact truth sustained me in doing, that
that was the only sort of weapon, if
weapon at all. with which | had consider
ed it in the least necessary to fortify my
self, the only weapon or semblance of
weapon which l was in the habit of carry
ing anywhere, and that Herewith it was
my determination to cross the continent of
South America or else die in the endeayOr.
That very prompt and positive reply from
me convinced my highly worthy and really
estimabe friends in the capital of Argen-
tina that they were then in close contact
and queer converse with a crazy man!
Yet off | started from the waters of the
Atlantic and the River Plate. and safely |
arrived on the shore and above the surf of
the Pacific, encountering meanwhile thou
sands of privations and hardships and dan
gers of various kinds. but which for lack
Of space cannot be here explained. The
transcontinental Journey thus barely out
lined was. as | have already stated. under
taken in September, 1871 and finished in
February 1872, most of my time so spent
having been occupied in traversing the b.
livian and Peruvian Andes. Five years
later. again avaiing of the occasion and
convenience of using a portion of two years
1877 and 1S1S-I surmounted the Andes
at the pass of Uspullata. between Argen-
tina and Chile. still retaining in my pocket
the same penknife. and nothing else which
alone had previously served to protect me-
though in reality | have never needed pro-
lection from either man or beast. My aim,
my object, my incentive. my projected
Three Americas railway. was at once and
everywhere my shield. my sword. my sure
defense. and likewise my satisfactory rec
OmPenSe"
Obstacles In His Way.
All kinds of difficulties were encountered
by Mr.. Helper. Thus. for instance, his
troubles in securing map. He says: "Anx-
ious, and long anxious, to obtain a sep
arate and distinct yet combined map Of
North and South America, on which. with
due regard to both latitude and longitude,
I might strikingly and becomingly define
ate my projected Three Americas railway,
intended to run eventually the entire dis
tance between Bering strait and the Strait
of Magellan. and not having been able.
cff cft II r1hn In
New York in Philadelphia, in Baltimore,
in Washington and in other cities Of the
United States, to find the desired map, l
determined to go to Europe and there Sc
cure it. if possible. Neither in London, In
Liverpool. in Edinburgh, in Cardiff, in Dub
lin nor elsewhere in Great Britain. where
l personally made diligent quest and in
auiry, could I find a suitable map. Nor did
/ succeed any better in Paris or elsewhere
on the continent: so, coming back to the
United States. l bought in New York SIM
ply separate maps and attached them to-
gether in such a manner as enabled me to
present my preponderating project with
appropriate perspicuity and precision.
Credit for It's Inception.
Notwithstanding the proofs which Mr..
Helper has of being the originator Of the
Three Americas railway project there are
envious persons who would deprive him
cf this credit Conspicuous among them,
Mr.. Helper says. is another resident Of
Washington who according to Mr. Helper,
is mo more entitled to the credit OF having
originated the measure than the man in
the moon.
a dozen years ago. more or less. feeling
somewhat pestercd by this persons pre-
pGsterOUs pretensiOns, | consulted two SEN
ators on this subject. asking whether such
congressional action might not be taken as
would result in a just and final decision of
the true origin of the enterprise. Their
reply was that they doubted whether any
committee of either the House or the Sen
ate would consider the matter as one call
ing for public legislation.
Then / addressed Chief Justice Fuller
on the subject. and was informed by him
that ne knew Of no statute that imposed on
the Supreme Court of the United States
any obligation 10 take c0gniZance of such
cases. The latter information following
the former so suddenly and so concord
antly caused me to be beguiled, for few
moments into may and pickering dream
suggestive of nose-twitching or ear-bOxing;
not in the least. however against his
honor, the chief justice, nor even in the
slightest degree cOntemplative of any sort
Of disturbance of the peace and pleasure
of either of the great men in the Senate
to whom allusion is here made.
Yet it so happened that l quickly and
contentcdIy awakened from my rather ir-
regular reverie; and l am now only await
ing the reassembling of Congress, in De
cember mex, when | will with increased
formality and determination, petition our
national legislature to instruct our Depart
ment of State the bureau of the American
republics, or some other high power or
authority IN federal and international
functions to ascertain and report the fixed
and irrefutable facts involved in this af-
fair