davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

SAN FRANCISCO BAY MENAcED.
Hydraulic Mining Threatens to De-
strOy the HarbOr on the Pacific

tFr0m the Scientific American.)
In California a renewal Of the old agita-
ton against hydraulic mining has been
started by influential agriculturists. 1t is
asserted that the restraining dams built
under the Camenatti act, for holding back
the debris Of the mines, are Intellectual and
do not fulfill the purpose intended. the re-
suit often Of faulty construction or DELHI
crate indifference to the careful require
ments of the law. Chinese are the principal
offenders, and much litigation has been the
result. Floods have swept many Of the
frail structures with all their accumula-
lions of sand and rocks away and the
consequences have been the ruin of agri-
cultural lands and the increased sh0alng
Of nayigable streams Fifty years ago be-
gan the disastrous filling up of streams,
caused by the general and unrestrained
pursuit Of hydraulic mining. No estimate
can be made of the quantities Of debris
washed down by this process. The evil re-
suits are visible in thousands Of acres OF
fertile valley lands deeply covered over
with sterile sands washed down by flooded
streams from the mountains above. The
area of navigable waters of the State II
seriously curtailed.
In 1919 the Sacramento River was a clear
and limpid stream, navigable for vessels
drawing seventeen feet Of water as far in
lbIu d. W ut4 z tllt NlNg VI E1d'i dlbtiLAb ubW
stands, and for 200 miles further for yes
sells of seven or eight feet draft. Now
steamers and barges drawing not over
three and One-half feet can navigate the
river at summer stages to Sacramento. and
but twenty inches if they are bound to
Red Bluff. The three fathom limit which
in 1919 extended to Sacramento. has con-
tracted at the rate of one mile per annum
for the last fifty years. and is now al Porto
Costa.
For over twenty years. or since the
cessation Of hydraulic mining, the streams
or California have never regaiued their
original limpidity and are even now appar-
entity bringing down as great an amount OF
solid matter as ever This is accounted
for, in part, by the vast mounds of debris
thrown out by early operations which
eventually find their way into the current
through the operations of floods. But the
process Of filling up the bay comes also
through the involuntary assistance of the
agTiCultuTists themselves. Scientific iuves-
tigation demonstrates that the silt now
flowing into the bay is not from the noun
tains altogether, but is in great part the
soil washed from lands plOwed for agricul-
tural purposes. The very element that 30
demanded and achieved the
destruction of hydraulic mining is now do
ing that for which they successfully de
UOunced an interest width in the past has
contributed so greatly TO enrich the world 4.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
NEWS FROM ALEXANDRIA.

ALEXANDRIA. Aplil 1.-a.esludril which IS
4iu4yr busy 1l saturday night, was unusually SO
this evening. The ciuyls-iug among the Demo
erals for the primary next Tuesday brought
tm10gs of smith men ard sp.nks men on tine
streets That leonard Mfbury viii De rcnomi-
mated by the Democrats for commemorative At
t1Iacy. and Thomas q. Robinson. city treasurer,
:, thuught 90 le certain A Lively contest will
Jake place between John s. Beach, the present
incumbent. and William T. Fc1dal for the clerk
ship of the count. but tie main fight viii he be-
tween William a. Smith and Frank g. Spiuks
over che office OF city sergeant, which includes
the control of the Jail and Jhe management OF
rur city court house.
The hope which prevailed that the William R.
T-ieg ShiphuI'diug Company, Of Richmond.
would accept from tire city council Of Alex
ladria the donation Of the city property at the
outlet locks OF be old canal, opposite Shepherds.
aud establish 4 -hpvIrd here. ha, been dissip3tcd.
Mayor simpson received today from Richmond
the reply OF the Tdsg Company. which thanks
th. titv council for its offer, but says that the
Company has gone So far in the development Of
its plant 20 Eichm1ud that &c is 800 late to con
slider the subject Of a removal
Tfe Pr-sbvtery OF tine Chesapeake. to which the
Central Presbyterian Church Of Washington and
fHe second Presbyterian Church here are attach
cd uiI meet here on TUESDAY night next. and
be opened hy sermon 10y Rev. Walter g.
Robertson.
MANY ish are uow caught IN gill nets. nrlriv
opposite this citv- Sturgeon, which usually DO
r.t arrive unit. after the shad and herring fish
.ae i- over are coming with the elriy spring
Two sturgeon were caught oG this oiry TO-DAY
Of the stump Nees farm, ou the Potomac. urlr
Mount Vernon. It /, especially valuable for il
supply Of sand aud gravel Eight thousand dol
lars was paid for the place.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
A FAMOUS HosTELRY.
Many Noted Men of OIden Times
Among the LOdgcrS.

rom inc ltNill-ioL lhN l tIl~tEANI-l
The Phoenix Hotel is in one sense the
oldest hotel in the whole Western coun-
try, for il has, with varying changes, con-
tinued to exist ever since the year 1900.
Early in this century its ancient prede-
cessor was destroyed by fire. but rose
quickly from its ashes in an improved
form, displaying upon it's front a quaint
representation of the tabled Phoenix
whose name it has continued to bear from
that day to this.
Il was here that Aaron Burr lodged in
1906, while engaged In his daring con-
spiracy to make himself the head of a
new empire. and was here met and well
coined by Herman Blannerhasset. the cult
ured but unfortunate Irishman he had so
completely fascinated. Here, as far back
as JeffersOns Administration Democrats
and Federalists, in knee buckIed breeches.
rufied shirts. and dangling cues, talked
red-hot politics. II was the scene of a
sumptuous dinner to Lafayette and later
was the stopping place Of the willy Mexi-
can chieftain Gen. Santa Anna. During
the civil war. while Lexington was held
by the Confederates. il was the headquar-
ters Of Generals Bragg and Kirby Smith.
and before the struggle ended sheltered
General Grant President Arthur has also
been its guest.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
FROM THE RING TO THE RANKS
I'm Army officer Who Once Fought
Prize Fight.

They used to call him Big Foot" when
he was a student at the Washington and
Lee University, Lexington, Va. He is d
first lieutenant in the Regular Army. and
stationed at Chicago now. He had Two
brothers and a cousin at school with him
and the students called them Little Foot 80
play Foot" and Two Sticks Two
sticks was called so because he was a
cripple and used clutches.
Big Foot" was a strapping big fellow
with dark hair and eyes and skin as soft
aud pink as an infants. He was an
athlete Of magnificent build. straight and
strong and tall. Everyone liked Big
Foot and everyone had great deal Of
respect for his family. He was one of the
+. f. vs. His father. a colonel. had an
arm shot off al Malvern Hill while 'eading
the Confederate troops
big Foot had some hard experiences
after he left school He was graduated a
civil engineer from the university and took
a railroad contract with a partner to help
him. They made money ont of the con
tract, but the partner stole il an and Big
Foot Was left without d dollar il
strange land.
He was ashamed to go home or to write
home about his condition. He cOuldn't find
work and he got pretty hungry az times.
This is what led him TO do what he did. AT
Lynchburg Va he fell in with some sport
ing men who were looking for a man 10
whip a prize fighter that had reputation
In the town. Big Foot could see no
easier way OF making money than fighting
the prize fighter He would be fed while
he was training anyway and if he should
win the fight he would make a little money.
So he agreed to fight the fighter
He whipped the fighter. made some
money and went to Fort LeavenwOrth
where he enlisted in the army as a pri-
vate This was in 1893. In 1898. two years
later. he had risen to second lieutenant.
This is the shortest possible time in which
a man may rise in the army from the ranks
10 such a position.
The lieutenant was stationed at Nancou-
yer barracks. Tacoma Wash, a few years
ago Ii was there he met the daughter of
a general fell in love with her and married
her. He went with the general 10 the Phil
ippines. but returned shortly lfterward a
first lieutenant. He is soon TO leave again
for the Philippines
The lieutenant is known TO several Kan
sas City men. one of whom went 10 school
with him Il Is doubtful though. whether
the lieutenant ever told how he fought
prize fight and made enough money cut Of
IL TO join the army.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
PARIS TO BE ENLIGHTENED.
American BarrOom GIories in the
Coming Mig show

The gayety of nations Will be distinctly
promoted by the establishment in Paris
this year Of American bars. They will be
the first Of their kind that the French
capital has ever seen. There are. to be
sure, concerns that masquerade as such,
but they are frauds You can buy a glass
Of claret, or siphon Of lemonade. or a
book Of beer. but if you ask for cock
tail, or a stone fence. or tea roll. or a
sour, or a smash. or high ball. or a low
ball, or fzz, or a horses neck or look
for the free lunch you are doomed TO dis
appointment. The proprietor never heard
of such things. Yet with the nice taste
OF the Frenchman in things intended for
human consumption a Paris barkeeper
ought TO be one of the most skilled Of
artists There are Frenchmen in this
country who create beverages that are
dreams, and why should they NOT ind
employment in their own land Under
lead Of Americans they may do So II
Paris once tastes a real cocktail iJ is
likely to want more. and whether Paris
wants It or not, the thousands Of Americans
who live there or visit the city suffer eN-
ceeding for lack so that a real American
bar ought to be one of the distinct sue
cesses Of the forthcoming assemblage of
the nations.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08


ported to the Senate provides for a Wash
ingtou Board Of Education, as follows;
-Ti.e President of the United states is hereby
authorized 10 nominate and. ul and with the adj
vice and consent oi the Senate, 90 appoint seven
persons, bona hdg residents and taxpayers of the
District oi Columbia. and Who have been such
for five wear, Immediately preceding their APP
uaiurmaat WHO shah constitute Board Of Edu
cation. and whose term OF Office shall be seven
yssrs. except that the terms of the persons first
appointed Snail terminate as follows: One each
voar. 90 be determined ty iot among The seven
members vi the board frs, appointed.
This as will be easily seen, provides
that those who are responsible for the
management Of the public schools shall be
persons to some extent Identified with
Washington. In almost any other place il
would be a foreg0ne conclusion that the
members OF the school board should lie
voters taxpayers. and permanent resi-
dents. In this city it has been by no means
matter Of course. A large proportion Of
the wealthy and Influential people Of the
District are not identified with the in
terests OF Washington bur look upon some
other place as their home and take COM
psraGvely little interest in the develop
mert of the Capital This lack of inter-
est Is natural but it is not well for the
municipal government parti ulafly fer he
schools which can only be made thorough
iy good and effective educational agents
Fly continued and determined effort on the
part OF those responsible for the appoint
ment Of teachers and jne arrangement oi
courses OF study
by The provisions OF this bill MAX
payers people who vote in ether States,
and Office holders whose residence here IS
temporary in the nature of things. are
barred from appointment. The school
board VIII thus be made up OF proies-
z.oual men. merchants, or others VINO rep
resent The permanent residents OF the city
people who expect TO spend their lives
here ani educate their children in the pub
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
Kansas city Enterprise

II an Englishman had CHANGED to be in
/ Kansas City the day after the burning CT
/ the great convention hall. and had strolled
past the scene of the fire. he would I'M
doubtedly have paused in admiration and
! exclaimed, How very American
/ This ejaculation. from the lips Of for
I egner is rot always agreeable. but in this
! case no American, from Deer Island to
Puget Sound, from Lake Superior to the
Gulf, could possibly object to it, Early in
the morning after the Kansas City con
fagration the people began to clear away
the debris, preparatory to rebuilding the
immense structure. 1t is a tremendous
task to be completed between now end
July 4, but the people Of the City Of sand
Hills are not in the least daunted. They
are Westerners. and they have seen the
impossible accomplished before. They say
that they can do il. and the chances gre
that it will be done.
This trait Of rallying under defeat, Ct
picking ones self up after SCATTERING
blow. and going on with business, may
justly be called peculiarly American. 1t
is slightly different from the mercuIiai
temperament Of the Frenchman or the
Englishmans bulldog tenacity. 1t is born
of two or three generations of taking
chances" and Wrestling victory from de-
feat The colonial Englishman has it TO a
greater extent than the home bred. It is
developed in a population which has had
to face uncertainties. and large odds. and
has learned to hold itself ready for any
sort of emergency. Therefore. is it pecu-
liarly prominent in the West? The coun-
try is new. and the young blood of all the
Eastern States and of three or four Eu-
ropean nations went to people the prairies
of the Mississippi Valley and the sunny
California valleys Western cities could
only be built by the overcoming Of SEEM
ingly insurmountable obstacles With few
natural advantages. Kansas City has
reached her present position largely
through public spirit. enterprise, and ener
gy. All Of these qualities she n5w ex-
hibits in repairing the unexpected loss Of
her convention hall. Acquainted with the
boundless resourcefulness Of the American
and the general liveliness Of
the Kansas City business men. the leaders
of the Democratic party are inclined 70 90
smilngly about their work, confident that
when the time comes for the convention .
to assemble it will meet with a roof over I
its head.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
THE osTRACIzED CLAIMANT.
Honest Debt Thrown Overheard Re
cause of Age.

from tine Lewiston Ne. J7urnslJ
The most pathetic figure at a town meet
ing is the man with a claim. / know OF
matters that have dragged along in some
towns for twenty years. The man who has
the claim or grievance goes TO the select
men each spring and has them put an ar
ticle in the warrant bringing this matter
up suppose he hopes that there may
come time some day when the heart Of
that town Will releut and its conscience
VIII gel at work Some years he goes into
town meeting himself and urges his claim.
Ia other years for the sake Of variety be
viii hire some Of the local lawyers to pre-
sent the matter in the best manner pos
sible Usually the man is listened to.
though the whole thing is horribly familiar
TO every voter in the town
Then VIXEN all the orat0ry has been
spilled into their ears. some long cared
man from the back districts viii rise and
will drawl with grin:
Move We pass over that article" AMI
forthwith the article is passed over with
whOOp And the man is round next year
as usual. Il is a curious thing. but the av-
erage town appears always ready to repu-
diate these matters of long standing.
have heard voters admit that certain claims
against their town we're perfectly legiti-
mate. and perhaps ought to be paid. but
they are Of the coterie that regularly votes
against granting the appeal Of the petit
TONERS.
Why?
Oh. well it's IAN Old matter" and the
Town is irritated by the persistence Of the
man who keeps coming to claim his own
When a town gets set In that direction
there is no reputation 50 heartless and 50
...r. .rs.aa
action. You see the blame is so equally
divided. Refusing TO pay honest debts Is
treated as a joke. Even the man who at
last with awakened conscience gets up and
urges his felow-citizens to do the right
lining and pay the bill is smiled away as a
chap chat means well but doesn't know
what be is talking about.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
The Problem Of Poverty.

woman in Rochester. New York. re-
Gently killed herself and her two children.
leaving an explanatory note in which she
said that she had no money owed gro
Gerry bin Of one dollar and six cents. and
had been refused credit by the grocer.
Seeing nothing ahead Of herself and her
little ones but SLOW starvation or pauper-
ism she determined to end their lives and
her own
The mood in which she did this might
rrAn ia called emotional insanity. The
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

Tie Democratic minority in Congress should be
reminded that SO long as the existing tariff sys-
TEN is allowed to prevail all talk of slppressing
trusts is useless They have TO be suppressed
and specific action must be inauguTated in thar
direction The most available mode OF attack
and that which il most likely to result in success
is the .nc OF Insisting Gpon the removal OF tariff
duties Upon all imported articles now controlled
by the trusts
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
Fewer Divinity students.


in his annual report, recently issued, Pres dent
T., II Capen. Of Tufts College lays stress OF tho
decline in attendance in the Divinity School
While suggesting that this may be 0ccasioned by
the policy %! requiring tuition from students and
by raising the standard Of admission his own
Judgment is that the cause may be found in the
weakening Of the religious motive which is ap-
parent ia nearly all the churches. and TO the
overwhelming attractions presented to young men
la of hfr ursfessi0Hs
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

The American public will read with
varied emotions the full details Of the spec
tacle at Ponce. yesterday morning when
five Porto Rican criminals were executed
Spanish garrote in the public square. Just
why such methods Of administering pun
ishment should be encouraged by the Adj
ministratiou, We are unable to say. Perhaps
it is 70 impress the American mind with
the idea that the island is a foreign coun-
States
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

To Succeed DnviS.-It is said that
the selection Of successor to the Hon.
Webster Davis as Assistant Secretary of
the Interior is giving Mr.. Mckinley and
his advisers a deal of worry It is con
coded that in the peculiar circumstances
attending the resignation Of Mr. Davis
il would be good politics to choose some
! other Missourian for the place ne has va
/ Gated. At the same time it is being urged
upon the President and Mr. Hanna with
good effect that Missouri is hopeIessly
Democratic and except the possible preser-
walton of party harmony in that state
nothing would be accomplished BY the ap-
pointment Of a Missourian TO so valuable
a billet as that Of Assistant Secretary of
the Interior, particularly as the head Of
the Department is a citizen OF Missouri
whose political activity was unknown or
Unfelt in that State until Mr. Mckinley
discovered in him the organizer of the
Glass Trust and heaped political honors
upon him first in the shape of Ambassador
20 Russia and then a Cabinet portfolio.
SuH. the Missouri idea seems to have
a strong hold upon the mind of the Presi-
dent, and it is considered possible that
he may fill the vacancy with a Missourian.
The Missourian whose name is most fire.
Hon. b. b. Cahoon a lawyer of wealth and
standing in the southeastern part Of the
state. The chief objection to Cahoon
seems to be that he has been too closely
identified with the Hon. R c. Kerens TO
make him acceptable to Secretary Hitch
cock The Secretary is understood to de
mand the privilege OF saying who in Mis-
souri, is iii for office and who is not Colo
mel kerens fought for years TO get control
of the party machinery in the State and
when four years ago he finally succeeded
in driving the Machiavellan Chauncey I
Filley from the head OF affairs in Missouri
he thought his ambition as the undisputed
party boss at last had been attained Bur
the Presidents discovery OF Mr. Hitchcock
has put in the field a dangerous rival for
the honors Of bosssm in the State and
has confused everything pertaining to the
patronage Of Missouri. For this reason il
is believed Colonel Kerens' man will not
be named as Davis successor. but that
Secretary Hitchcock will be permitted to
fiji the vacancy with one Of his henchmen.
provided. Of course that the final decision
is for the place TO again 20 to Missouri
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.


Woodruff Movement SeriOus.-Lieu-
tenant Governor Woodruffs candidacy for
| Vice President is no longer regarded as q
joke either by the Republican managers or
he ribald and incredulous gentlemen OF
the press He has gained too much
strength during the past month to lie
! dealt with lightly. Il is now a force COM
handing respectful and earnest consider
alton. Its growth has been marve Gus In
less than two months AR Woodruff has
made himself a national character and a
candidate for the second honor in the gift
OF his party Who must be reckoned with.
Though Senator Hanna fatty told Wood
ruff several weeks ago that he was too
young for Vice President" it is interest
ing 10 note that lp is f0rty-two years old.
six years older than Mr. Bryan was when
the Nebfaskau became his paItys stan
dard- bearer in one OF the NEST tab
campaigns in the history Of the coun ~.
aud the New Yorker is now TWO years tie
senior of Bryan, Mr.. McKinleys c.ose
friends are now saying thar there is TO
disposition on his part to dictate the Vice
Presidential nominee. They declare that
the President positively refuses to use his
influence for OF against any candidate. The
friends OF Governor Woodruff are certain
that this is the case. and they are BOOM
ing him all along the line. The other day
delegates We're elected to the Pdiadeip hia
convention from Brooklyn. Woodruff
home. These delegates were instructed for
Mckinley and Woodruff. 1t has become
automatic in New York Republican roli-
ties that as goes Brooklyn so go 5 Kings
County, and as goes Kings County so goes
New York State. Two days ago the Re
publican State Senators, in conference at
Albany, enthusiastically endorsed Wood
run : candidacy. 1t is being pointed out
that he has been a leader in politics since
1884. and at the same time has been very
successful in commercial life. being now a
very rich man That he made friends on
his two trips West is no longer doubted.
Southern Republican leaders who come to
Washington bring reports of the rapid
growth OF sentiment in that section for
MIN. With all Of these indisputabe evil
denees of the spread of sentiment for him,
added to the declarations in hia favor by
beth Governor Roosevelt and Senator
Platt 1t is foolish to longer attempt to
underrate the man or the strength Of his
candidacy Il really locks as if at the pres
ent time he has the bulge on everybody
for the second place on the ticket nth |
Mr.. Mckinley.
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
4 Pleasing Suggestion.

(Frm the Milwaukee Sentiuel)
Our friends in Porto Rico may have made
mistake in Rot INDUCING IN more careful STUDY
OF our Constitution before subscribing to tie dag
The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

Mr. James L. Norris has been replaced
as Treasurer Of the Democratic National
Committee by Mr.. Willard F Dunlap. Of
Illinois. and it is announced that the
change was made through the influence Of
the Hon William J. Bryan. Obviously Mr.
Bryan knows his friends.