The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-19
HAS A FORTUNE IN BATS.
New Mexico Man Finds Wealth in
Deep Caverns.
From the Washington Times

From the Washington Times.
Bats are the source of my revenues"
said John r. de Mier of Las Cruces. N.
NJ, at the National Hotel this morning
Millions of them are laying up annual
ly store of wealth. for me and my de-
scendants, and for centuries back have
peen accommodating a fortune for me. the
lucky discoverer l am an extensive slave
owner In bats No labor troubles disturb
my business. No discussions about work.
ing overtime. No care, no worry. no ex-
pense. 1t is better than a gold mine, for
mines become exhausted eventually And
L see no possibility that my bats will ever
desert their post or cease to produce. II
is an eternal supply which my childrens
children may enjoy after me. | am the
owner of extensive caves in New Mexico,
which are, and have been for centuries
abe habitat of bats. These caves are Of
lava formation, and are sometimes six
miles in length. The excreta of these
pats is the richest guano that has ever
( been analysed at the Agricultural Depart
ment. Beneath the guano are deposits
of phosphate, and since September, 1898
3,392,2i0 pounds of phosphate and guano
valued az an average of $4S a ton, have
been removed. In one cave which was
cleaned out, seventeen tons of guano was
collected five months subsequently, all Of
which was deposited by the bats in THAI
time. 1t has been estimated that 1885
tons of guano will be the annual deposit
THE habits of the bats are vastly in
teresting. BY day they are all to be seen
In the caves hanging from the roof one de-
pendent from the other. some times in
string of ten or fifteen deep. Sometimes
the uppermost tired from the weight OF
those depending from him. the whole
string will drop several feet, but will ney-
er fall to the floor of the caves They
mitch on to another string and remain
there. When night falls they all issue ont
INTO the open. From one cave they deboucn
in stream, which is three feet by eight
feet at the least and an hour is consumed
before the cave Is empted. There are mil
hons OF the little creatures. One Of our
faVorlte amusements is TO drop a stone
through this moving mass. Not one is ever
struck. Every tiny eye seems to see the
missile.
"A circular hole is made through the
eight feet of bats and not one but evades
contact with IT, The young are carried %
the breasts of the mother until they ne
come too heavy TO hang on. The sky IS
black with them at times and the air is
hlled with the sounds Of their soft plain
i've calling to each other. They seem 70
be organized in squads and captained Pt
some older bat.
1t Is interesting to watch their re-enty
INTO the caves at the first sign Of dawn
Each squad watches its opportunity to get
IN line When opportunity offers the whole
squad, In one single dash, drops down as
near the mouth of the cave as possible.
II baked by another and more successiul
squad. 1t does not retire but walls where
II Is for another favorable chance, when
II makes another essay 10 enter the cave.
Each squad has its place IN the cave ana
hnds II daily with unerrng certainty.
originally pre-empted these caves ~
the same manner in which a mining claim
Is made"