The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-05
SAND WORTH $500 A TON.
1t Was Owned by q Yankee. but this
Brazilian Government Robbed Him.
Washington Letter.

1t Was Owned by q Yankee. but the
Brazilian Government Robbed Him.
Washington Letter.
1t is said that a shrewd New Englander
Janeiro. Brazil, happened to learn of some
strange metallic sands which existed on the
shore of the province of Bahia. near the
little tow of Prado. He had samples of this
sand analysed and discovered that it was
made up almost entirely of the metals
named. Then he felt that wild joy which
gold mine. a coal mine or an oil well. and
set about getting possession OF his va luable
find. The Brazilian government reserves to
try extending inland for los feet from a
point midway between high and low water
mark for government defensive purposes.
Gordon. not liking to be too specific as to
what he wanted or too modest in his ask
ings, obtained from the government a con-
cession allowing him to dig up and ship
away ANY and all sand contained in the
marinhas."
The little town Of Prado is diffcult of &C.
five days travel by slow coasting vessels
from Bahia. When it is reached there are
sometimes ten days at a time when a
steamer cannot enter the harbor on account
of the shallow water over the bar. But Mr..
Gordon went up to Prado and bought a lot
of property adjoining the beaches where
the precious sands were. Then he had YES
sells go to Prado and load sand, ostensibly
for ballast. The languid Rrazilians could
not imagine what the Yankees were up TO:
but as they have long ago given up trying
TO comprehend the madness of the English
and the Americans. they shrugged their
shoulders and lit a fresh cigarette.
smoothly and prosperously for Gordon.
Then the Brazilian government accidentally
discovered that an article called .monazite
sand was being received in Europe and
America from Brazil and that 1t was worth
about 500 a ton. Here was an explanation
Of the doings of the crazy Yankee up at
proA uh4 had hAAa a.a. th4eA
foolish shiploads of sand. And here. also.
was what most appeals to any South Amer
lean government-an opportunity OF levying
a tax. To make up for lost time they put
the tax on heavy.
Mr.. Gordon objected and declared that
his concession protected him from any such
finally he was forced TO pay an export tax
of % per cent. a tax OF per cent; for
cent. for federal purposes on the value of
every ton shipped. In addition. If any Of
the sand was landed at the city of Bahia
he was directed to pay a tax Of l per cent.
more. The Brazilians may not know
enough to make use of the natural rich
ness of their beaches. but all the world can
not beat them in knowing how TO squeeze
a well-paying business.
Not content with this. the governor of the
state of Bahia declared that the federal
as much of the beach as IL claimed. and
that part of the deposit belonged to his
state. He seized a part of the beach and
from there unless under a concession from
the state, which. of course. meant prac-
tically a concession 10 the governor, as his
influence was supreme In his own govern
ment. The state of Bahia then gave out
three concessions for the removal of 1900
tons of the precious sand. Finally Gordon
was brought to terms and made a compact
with the governor. He took over the con-
cessions for the removal of the 1900 tons
and agreed to pay the people to whom the
concessions had been granted SO for every
ton removed until the 1900 tons were gone.
and TO pay TO the government of the state
of Bahia $ a ton for every ton removed.
taxes. He was held up" and ne gave up
Thus does Brazil encourage enterprise and
attract business people with capital. The
Gordon matter has been made once or twice
the subject of consular reports. but the
United States government does not seem
TO have been able to help the sand digger.