davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02
SIDNEY HERBERT's LETTER.
THE MILFORD o. STORY COMMENT
ED UPON.

Capt. James BaOhlison Furnishes
Some Informa tfon-The Monument
at West Point, Ga.-The Fight at
That Place . Holly Contested One.
The West Point Academy Again.
Facts About Its Early Days-0ther
Matters of General Interest.
Pine Crest Villa, Maitland, Fla, June
IA veteran writes to know where he
can get copy OF Col. b. w. Wrenn's
Souvenir OF the First Reunion OF the U,
C. ". held at Chattanooga q cannot now
tell, as my own spare copies have all
himself without one. The May
issue of THE Lost Cause" has a very fine
picture of "Brigadier General Nathan
Bedford Forrest" in a major generals
uniform, while the sketch says he was
a lieutenant general. This is as bad as
the Georgia papers Gen. Forest"
The commander-in-chief of tho United
Sons of @. ". Biscoe Hindman, is called
West Pointer" is hardly correct He
was a cadet at West Point. but made
poor record there and failed to graduate.
Since then. however, he has become a
prominent educator and enterprising
citizen. Smart men often fail at West
Point, while young men not as smart sue
coed in graduating. The active
presence at the Confederate reunion at
Memphis of Rev. Gen. C. A. Evans, of
the Methodsts and Rev. DR. J. William
Jones, of the Baptists and Bishop I. II.
Gailor, of the Episcopalians, ought to
satisfy Sergt. Vim. Riley Boyd that the
Put up Thy Sword" era is not yet in
sight.
Press kilograms announce the death at
Milford, o., of Col. James G. Miner, said
to have boen assistant secretary of the
Confederate states navy, once wealthy,
but dying at 50 years OF age, in poverty.
/ do not find his name in the navy re-
cords, In any capacity, but Commander
George Minor was the head OF the ord
nance bureau and he and Lieut.. Robert
ID. Minor, &. s. N, had charge OF ord
nance manufacture at Tredegar iron
works, OF which Col. ]. G. Miner was
said to be part owner before the war.
Master John c. Minor and Surgeon Lewis
w. Minor were also In the navy, but
can discover no mention OF a James G,
Miner. There are just as many
reasons why arbitration should have TAX
en- the place of war in 1851 as there are
why the same policy should prevail to-
day. Mr.. VIM. Riley Boyd was just as
much "a od-thirsty murderer as a
sergeant I'm the Civil War as is any sol
der now in service. His plea for peace
is weakened by his own course in the
Civil War. for he comes into the discus
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

far different type from the worthless
"Greaser" of the Northern frontier PEN
etrated the woodland wherever they could
find streams to carry the lumber down,
and established their camps. Presently
they overran the frontier and brought on
war in 1884 and again in 1895, wars which
each instance pushed back the Guate-
mala frontier. The first timber company
that went into mahogany cutting on an
extensive scare there got a concession
from the Guatemalan government and
struck in through the dense forest until
they reached a large and placid stream,
the River de la Passion, about which the
valuable trees grew thick. To get the
lumber out was the problem. Fashioning
n canoe the explorers set out down the
stream. which presently became narrow
and swift, and rushed through a gorge
TO dash over a rock shelf In seething
torrent. Only by throwing themselves
from the speeding canoe did the men es-
cape. long time after the canoe was
found on the Gulf beach near the mouth
~ the river. II boat could find its way
m sea water, so could mahogany tree
trunks. Camps were soon established
there Then came the question OF labor
IL was not to be hoped that the sun
loving merry hearted Mexican poems
could be tempted from the social lie
az the villages and cities into the depths
Of the gloomy forest at any wages.
some other method must be found The
cunning Monteros, as the mahogany
hunters are called, devised means OF
ensiaving the poems. BY the Mexican sys-
tenn a man engaged for certain labor and
prcpaid Is compelled 10 work out his
wage IN any Mexican town u H. easy
10 plck up poems particularly OF fote
zine. who will drink little and then be
ready 20 enter into any kind OF contract
for the sake Of money for more drink,
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02
of a curl,
Och hone, Major Bob q.

of curl.
Och hone. Major Bob a.
oh. my dear commandant. you've re-
ported us so.
Och hone. Major Bob g.
How to prevent being found we really
don't know,
Och hone. Major Bob q.
To offer an excuse Is no manner of use,
II there is word of abuse, It's the frst
thing you see,
And unless milk and water. OF course
quite improper,
Och hone, Major Bob G.
Now. my dear Commandment. without
telling lie,
Och hone, Major Bob @.
don't think it exactly Is proper to spy,
Och hone, Major Bob G..
We are really afraid when we go TO pa
rade,
As you stand by in the shade or behind
some big tree.
That you'll pink" ham the corps and
perhaps a few more,
Och hone, Major Bob C.
Some words of advice. my dear Major
Bob c..
Ooh hone Major Bob G.
From somebody else, indirectly from me,
Och hone Major Bob @.
Let us be as before you came into the
corps,
And don't drill us from four until time
for tea;
Nor watch like a ferrit to give us demerit,
Och hone, Major Bob q.
Now, the spirit that prompted this ef-
fusion Is the same that inspired the ca
diets to hold secret meetings and use con-
temptuous language in their criticisms OF
Superintendent Mills. But then, as now,
parents and congressman and war on
Gals at Washington, did not
sustain proper discipline at the academy,
insubordinate cadets were restored by the
Secretary of War I'm respone 20 appeals
from parents and congressman, but many
OF them were again dismissed for later
offenses. One Of these, however became
a distinguished divine In the Episcopal
Church. and his namesake is now a South
ern bishop. Another one became the
Bishop of Michigan. but in his later years
was deposed for immortality. Even that
good man, Rev. DR.. Francis i. vinton,
while a cadet, wrote a pretty song, up
IN the Cockloft," which Is full of EVIL
dence that discipline was on that night
at least scattered to the four winds Of
heaven" Here are two verses;
Up In the cockloft,
Hear that jolly sound.
All the fellows are smiling,
The bottle Is a passing round.
Fiji up the meerschaum,
Draw the curtains tight,
While the officers are sleeping
Wen keep 1t up awhile tonight.
II will be seen, therefore. that all the
cadets who make the fun. or whose de-
merits, piled mountain high. cause their
discharge or dismissal, are not really bad
fellows, only too highly charged with hui
NOR. etc. Sidney Herbert.
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

or arms, would be slight indeed. Should
they reach civilization 1t would be only
to be arrested as fugitives under the peon
law. and imprisoned, or, worse still, sent
back. Tales are told of the death rate
in some of the camps that are almost in
credible once, while lost in the forest,
the writer ran across one of these slave
settlements. At matched cabin near the
bank of large river which proved to be
the Osumacinta he applied for something
to eat A table was brought out Of the
cabin and a couple Of Indians hustled
around, whispering together by turns.
Finally a girl came out with food and
said in Spanish:
You are Don Tomas, are you not7 And
you used to 1--WE in Coban, and 1 carried
water for you, many the time
And 1 used to sell YOU wood" said
one of the Indaans IN a mournful voice,
approaching shy1y.
The writer sat back. his mouth filed
with twisted tortflla and egg, gazing in
amaZement.
How did you get down here so far
away from your own country?' he asked
"Mdguei Taruca brought US here?" said
the girl In a frightened tone. HE brought
us here Just after tho feast OF San Do
mingo."
Then the Indian told now he had been
diIleros with several of his country peo-
nle by the Mexican mahogany cutter,
Miguel Taruca, who, promising them big
wages. had advanced them ten dollars
each for the celebration OF the San Do
mingo feast, had subsequently lured them
into the forest farther and farther away
from home till now in Mexico on the
banks of the great river, they were badly
created and III fed, with no prospect or
ever getting back to their homes. Iney
never received any money, and once when
one of their number made request Tor
settlement he was nut in the calaboose
and threatened with a long term of i'm
prisonment IL he did not at once agree
to go back to camp and work out his IN
debtedness, which was represented as a
considerable amount.
Food and means of escape were offered
to this man later, but he was hopeless or
being able to get away, and, moreover
would not leave the girl and his Fellows.
Miguel Taruca, by the way shot man
shortly after, was captured, escaped ana
made his way into another province,
where he was Imprisoned for cutting ma
hogany without q license and his camp
destroyed This nearly led 70 another
war between Mexico and Guatemala.
Whatever became Of his poems the writer
has been unable to find out.
After the mahogany trunks are cut ana
trimmed by the slaves they are stamped
with name and date and set adrift IN tho
river. Some OF the logs take as long as
four years TO make the trip; others never
are found Nevertheless, the traifc Is
highly profitable, as the Monteros pay no
wages. and the expense Of keeping the
peons alive on corn II very small. DC
casionally log drifts down the river with
some poor poems MESSAGE Of appeal for
release from bondage nailed 90 SIS sur
face. Surely there are In the annals
OF all time no more mournful documents
than these bits Of scrawlod cloth entrusted
10 the Wild waters Of the River de Ia Pas
sion to be found months perhaps. perhaps
years afterward by some wanderer ON
the sea beach. Thomas r.. Dawley, Jr.
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

singular discovery. A jealous groper.
wishing TO put both hands to his work.
stuck his candle into a slit of stalactite
column and therein espied the edge of
q bronze blade. This proved a perfect
Mycenaean knife. But except by human
agency 1t could hardly have come into
that crevice. Crevice after crevice was
discovered to be stocked with blades, pins,
tweezers and here and there a votive
ak. Often it was necessary to smash
the stalacttte lips that in long ages had
almost closed upon the objects. Here,
then after all, was the real Holy of Ho-
lies. In this most awful part of the sa-
cred grotto it was held most profitable to
dedicate in inches made by nature her
self objects fashioned expressly for the
GODS service. In these pillared halls of
unknown extent and abysmal gloom I'M
doubtedly was laid the scene of Minos,
legendary converse with Zeus. That
here Is the original birth cave of Zeus
there can remain no shadow of doubt.
Among the holy caverns of the world this
on Mount Dicta in virtue of its lower
halls must stand alone, unrivalled. One
seemed in this dismal chasm to have
come almost to sight and speech of the
men before history. AS we saw those
pillared aisles so the last worshiper who
offered a token to Zeus saw them 5000
years before"
In another part of the island Mr. Ev-
ans has been digging out the buried
SIorles of Minos, the son of Zeus. By
purchase from the Greek government he
obtained the hill known as Kephla over
looking the ancient site of Cnossus. Elk
cavations began at once and the result
mas been the uncovering of a large part
of vast prehistoric building, Mnos' pal
ace, with its numerous dependencies.
About four acres of this has been I'M
earthed and by an extraordinarily piece of
good fortune the remains of walls began
to appear only a foot or so below the
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

A discovery OF much interest 10 goolo-
gists has recently been made about the
Yellowstone river. II seems 20 nave been
established beyond doubt that Yellow
stone lake, now the head OF tho river. once
flowed on southwark into Snake river. A.
that time a comparatively small stream
followed the course Of the Yellowstone
canyon, which had then nothing like is
present great depth. The head Of this
II cut the divide that Enclosed the basin
OF the lake. aud by thus divertinE the
waters Of the latter formed the Yellow
stone river -
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02
SLAVES OF MAHOGANY CAMP.
MEXICAN CAPTIvEs FOR DEBT
TAKEN AWAY INTO THE
DEPTHS OF THE FOREST.

The Mahogany Camps Are Widely
Scattered in the Vast, UnpeOpled
Forest of Standardization Being
Cut Down by the Peon Slaves the
Trees Are Trimmed, stamped and
Set Adrift In the Rivers to Find
Their Way to the Sea, Weeks Or
Months Later, and There to Be
Identified and Collected by Agents.
Many Trunks Never Arrive, but
the Business Is Very Profitable, as
the Labor Costs 900
Recently Paid for a Five Years
Mahogany Cutting Concession.
Copyright 1901 by Thomas r. Dawley, Jr.
New York, May 31.-The announcement
that a lumber company with headquar-
ters at Tazasco, Mexico, has paid the
Guatemala government $125000 in national
currency for a five years concession to
cut mahogany and cedar timber on the
banks of four rivers in that country calls
attention to an unknown little corner of
the world. The concession carries with it
on its face the privilege of introducing
the necessary labor, prohibiting the i'm
portation of Chinese. This means that
the timber will be handled by slave labor,
for slavery, though not a recognized in
stitution, still exists there, to all intents
and purposes.
The region of the four rivers is vast
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

sion with bloody hands. We who fought
In that war, on either side, are not quail
fed to censure people who in these later
days prefer war to arbitration. Put up
or shut up" is good motto in this mat
ter.
Henry HIATT writes me from Savannah
to know about his uncle, Samuel Shaw,
of Mlllersburg, o., a soldier in an Ohio
regiment who died at Hilton Head, y.
c., during the Civil War. The regiment
was organized he says, at Steubenville,
but he was too small then to remember
the company or regiment his uncle was
in. Replying to his inquiry I am glad TO
be able to tell him that his uncle, Sam
uel Shaw, of Company F, Twenty-ffth
Ohio Regiment of volunteer infantry, who
died at Hilton Head. Oct. "a, 1854, is
buried in the Ohio section Of the National
Cemetery at Beaufort. 3. c., and the head
stone at. his grave is No $40, which will
enable him to find the grave without any
trouble.
Under date OF Ridgeville, Ga, May q,
a former well-known citizen of Savannah,
Capt. James Lachlison, kindly gives me
some valuable information IN regard to
matter discussed in my letter OF Sun
day, May 10. He says: I'm your last Sun
days letter you say Clarence r. Yongc
is recorded as paymaster, and yet do
not find his name in the list OF Confed-
crate naval officers / think / can tell
you the reason why his name does not
appear on that honored list. II you will
turn TO page AZ of Service Ahoat,' by
Admiral Semmes, you will lind the follow
ing: Myers the paymaster OF the Sum-
ter, was unfortunately for me, an prison
In Fort Warren, when the Alabama was
commissioned. In his place / was
forced to content myself with a man, as
paymaster, who shall be nameless In
these pages. since he afterward. upon be-
ing discharged by me. for utter worth
Iessness, went over to the enemy and
became one of Mr.. Adams hangerson,
and paid witnesses and spies about Liv-
erpool and the legation at London.
This was the only recruit the enemy ever
got from the ranks OF my officers
THE men now living who were students
at the Chatham Academy I'm the early
ffties will remember Candy Yonge He
belonged 10 one Of Savannah's best fam
lilies, who felt keenly the disgrace he had
brought upon himself. and his name.
suppose that the Murray Stewart who
has been corresponding with you is the
son Of my old friend and comrade Mai.
Jim Stewart OF Savannah. He and !
served IN the same brigade during the
war, and have eaten his fiap-jacks and
hog meat. when rations were scarce, and
the wonder was where the meat came
from He Ia one Of the best men I ever
knew and one Of my dearest and most
cherished friend / enjoy reading your
letters and hope you will live long and
continue 20 write up the history OF the
times that tried mems souls and their
solee. also"
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

II Is quite proper for West Point Ca.
10 erect monument commemorative OF
the bloody contest that took place there
on May 10. 1856. but when II n claimed
that tfis was "the last battle Of the Civil
War" the movement goes too far. IL s.
true that the last Confederate general
Frederick l.. Tyler-kiled In that war fell
IN defense OF Fort Tyler, located near
West Point. IL In. however, equally true.
I think. that the last Confederate colonel
killed In that ware. A. l.. Lamar-lieu-
tenant colonel OF the Seventh Georgia
Battalion OF Infantry father OF Mrs. r.
q. duBignon OF Sayannah), fell on tho
same day I'm defense OF Columbus Ca.
Gen. Lee surrendered on April .. but Gen.
Johnston. not until April D. Then came
the surrender OF Lieut.. Gen. Dick Taylor.
on May 4; Mai. Gen. Sam Jones, In Flor
ida. on May 70. Brig. Gen. Jeff Thonip-
son. on May n, and lAemt. Gen. y. kirby
smith, on May - Tho last nght OF the
War IL SuDpoxed 70 have been Al Palmetto
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

Now. my dear Commandment. tits no won
der you frown,
och hone, Major Bob O.
Popularity for you is fast going down,
Och hone, Major Bob q.
How altered our air with these dress
caps We wear,
And you've eut on our hair, which should
BE- nowing free;
There's no longer eharl that can boast
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02

sion with bloody hands We who fought
In that war. on either side, are not quail
fed to censure people who in these later
days prefer war to arbitration. Put up
or shut up is a good motto in this mat
ter.
The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-02
IS REST

aches.
ND,
ds Mos.
ri on Try
q Island
lar sum
md Board. !.
land, pho,
ing Island
e etc
NPASN,
Fullerton
pass Dept'
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-02-23

when I'm dead. I'm entitled to a
monument and I'm going to make
sure of having one, 50 I've put one
In memory OF myself"
This monument is of marble and
granite, about IS feet high, and cost,
set In place, about $3.50 The ped
estal is of Texas granite, while there
is a heroic figure of 'Shang'' in mar
BILE surmounting the whole. Smaller
hgures commemorative of stirring
events In his life are In inches about
the pedestal, and panels are chiseled
with inscriptions telling OF Mr..
Pierce's career.
Texas has many queer characters.
but none odder than Shanghai Pierce.
He is the richest of the cattlemeD,
the Oldest in point of active service
and the most enterprising. A thou
sand good stories are told about him,
some apocryphal, but the majority
true. He is as well known In bank
ing circles in New York a. on the
Prairies Of Texas, and the big money
men OF Chicago, st. Louis and Kan
sas City know him almost as we'll as
do the people of the larger towns Of
Texas. Nothing is too big for Shang-
hal to take a hand In. be Il q poker
game or blind pool in Wall street.
but the only thing he prides himself
on IL his knowledge Of cattle. He
Nays he Is the best cowman In the
world, and It would be difficult to
prove that he is wrong IN his opin-
ION 1t was a chance meeting with
Shanghai that led Charles 81. Hoyt
to write "a Texas Steer" They met
on railroad train, and Hoyt con-
ceived the idea OF writing . play
around the cattle king.
Pierce died q few days ago, leaving
fortune estimated at $s,ooo, 900.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-02-23

he has been conducting a revival at
country church.
Some Of the people who attended
tho services became so enthused thar
their religion took on the form of in
sanity.
In the course of one of the expe-
rience meetings man arose from the
congregation and told of a vision
whioh he claimed to have had with
the Lord the night before, in which
he was commanded to take his young
est children and offer them as a sac
rifics to atone for the sins of his past
life.
While he was speaking his sister
arose and shouted:
Brother, obey the voice of the
Lord.''
The excitement was intense, and
but for the presence of a few cool
heads some of those present would
have done themselves personal yio-
lence.
The rash father who claimed to
have had the vision is being watched
by his neighbors to save his children
from harm.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-02-23

infected district on earth than the lit
tie colony OF Lagos and the neighborinR
territory. 1t is 50 bad that it is impos-
sible for q white man to remain longer
than nine months at time in the coun-
try, and the British government has
found it necessary to keep two sets of
ofhcials, the ore to relieve the other
every nine months The little colony
hes almost in ihe center Of the west
coast of Africa, and the oatives have
become 30 thoroughly saturated with
malaria as to b, practically useless.
Sir William IL working on the theory
that If q malaria infected MOSQUITO
never bites nan that man can never
have malaria, end II mosquito never
gets a chance 70 bite man afflicted
with malaria tie mosquito can never
carry the disease germs. He considers
that to accomplish his purpose one of
two things is necessary. Either he
must stamp OFT the mosquitoes, or he
must prevent their biting. The first he
considers impossible in Lagos, which,
he says, is natures ideal breeding
ground for Mosquitoes. For that rea-
ond course, and stop their biting.
de was recently in England and took
back to Africa with him master car
penter and master tinsmith as well
as a large supply OF wire gauze. He in
tends to provide every white man in
the colony with at least one MOSQUITO
protected room, and it will be the duty
OF the carpenter and tinsmith to in
struct the natites how to make and fit
the wire doors and windows, and instill
in them desirt for protection against
the pest" The natives are also 10 be
instructed in the method of manufac-
lure OF wire SCREENING, and hopes in
time to build upa profitable industry
in this line.
10 carry the course of instruction
further he will Introduce it in the gov
eminent schools # the colony. and in
slst on the teaches instilling fear of
the mosquito in thu minds of the native
pupils.
Another of Sir Williams methods is
to stupefy the mosquitoes with smoke
from burning cones O chrysanthem
seed powder. Tobacco smoke, if dense
o. wa AAIA d III SSqultO, put when
uee enough TO accomplish this pur-
pose III Is also decidedly harmful to a
human sleeping in a rom with it while
'iIe smoke from the chrysanthemum
is rather pleasant than other
WISE ana though 1t Int stupefies the
insect IL prevents its biting, which is
the one important Object to be at
ualneo' Sir William believes that
enrySanthemums De grown and the
power manufactured Lagos as well
as in other portions ef the world. and
that 1t is possible to avelop a new and
important industry in the colony.
BERNHARD BRISTOL.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-02-23
THE GROCER EXPLAINS.
How the Diplomatic Merchant stilIsa
the Discontent OF . CarpinE
Customer.

"a dollar = basket for pearsi" ex-
claimed the woman who had asked the
grocer the price, and added that she
expected to do up" about three bush
els. relates the Chicago Daily News.
That's the price, ma'am," was the
reply.
But it's outrageousi Think OF a
dollar basket for pears, and not over
half q bushel in a basket"
"Yssm; but pears ara little up this
fall"
'But why should they bef It's been
good weather righS along for peara."
MY dear woman, we are at war in
the Philippines. We are Is coed N at
war with China. We have q preSiden-
tial election ON hand. stocks are un-
settled, strikes are numerous and at
least one royal head has fallen under
the bullet OF the assassin. Just recall
this, and then ask yourself why pears
are dollar a basket. Can you ex-
pect pears to remain passive while cod
fish and clothespins are jumping like
kangaroos?"
"Uml But never thought of those
things" replied the woman in more
modified tones. Eyes; we've certainly
had awful times, and awfuler ones are
soming, and you may send me over q
basket after dinner. If you happen
to hear that the pope is assassinated
OF the state of Ohio has been devas-
tated by cyclone, you may send four
quarts of green tomatoes and q citron
at the same time"