The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-25
HE OWNED A VOLCANO
Bert Jekyu Tells of Guatemala,
where Earth Is on Fire All the Time

Mr. A. JekylI, who was at the carey
hotel yesterday, has just arrived from
Guatemala, Central America. where the
disturbances of the earth's insides have
been causing great loss of life and prop
erty. He had been on the water bound
for this country but a short time when
the terrible earthquake Of April Is oc-
CURED. Letters from his friends tell of
the horrors. of the destruction and blood
curdling incidents.
There are many volcanoes in Guate-
mala, but most Of them are dead That
is what the people say living near them.
but so was Mont Pelee extinct as long as
she pleased to be. Mr.. Jekyll is a mem
Der of the railroad construction com
pany under the name of May & Jekyll.
Seventeen years ago he lived in Sedg-
wick county and II was only a few weeks
ago that his father and family left Clear
water for Atlanta, Ga. Mr.. Jekyn has
been in Wichita nearly every two years.
He is well known here. having spent
much time in the city. Miss Emily JekyH.
the painter so well known here. is his
sister.
He has been experimenting the con-
struction of a railroad across Guatemala.
but is now on his way to Cuba, where
the company has already laid seventy
nine miles of track in Puerto Principi
province. He declares that he will not
so back to Guatemala, for there is no
more chance of money-making. as the
government is in a very bad way finan
cially All the Americans are getting
out. There has not been a revolution for
three years and the railroad is nearly
across the country from ocean TO ocean.
The president now ruling things got his
position in a very unique way. At the
death of the last president this man
announced himself as dictator. Then he
called a special election and every vote
was cast for him. If it had not been So
he would have started a revolution. for
when man in Guatemala with many
friends gets the idea into his head that
he should be president he Immediately
goes right up and takes it without con
sulting the bosses or anybody else. and
If there are any objections, one had
better file them in his own desk drawer.
Mr. Jekyll says that 1t has been the
common opinion down in this country
that the Nicaragua canal viii never be
constructed, but that Panama wifi be
successful. The people are OF Spanish
and Indian blood, very inGolent, caring
not whether they have anything 20 I've
on. Therefore they are very independent. I
and rs far as bossing them Is concerned I
Mr. Jekyll declares that It is impossible
They receive for a days labor about !
Is cents in American money
OF the interesting subject OF volcanoes. +
Mr.. Jekyn says.
There is no need to Re afraid OF The
extinct ones. no more than 70 BE- afraid 4
Of a cyclone here in Kansas. No one /
here thinks OF moving out for fear that
some day a cyclone may come along and .
sweep everything away s. Il IS down 4
there IN Guatemala No ore down there +
has ever seen those extinct volcanoes
break forth as Pelee did 50 they have 4
no reason TO fear them. we sust re-
Gently sold a volcano which We owned .
II was dead and called Vulcan Dc Ipaia. /
The crater was a lake u water. as sou
friere was when the eruption came. The 4
lake probably covers u acres. Il APP
psrently had 70 bottom and there was q
bubbling Up n g. bit 4 had .
no outlet as far zs TIE ton - the crater f
.
tain there were spriurs which Formed +
good sized creeks. and 50 = may he r.
terred that these springs we're waters
from the lake ia the crater. or The See
% the mountain re hal e tobacco plan
tatson Yen can gov apythlnE there
The soil Is the richest 7 ever saw. Erob-
ably due % the lava havinE cnce been
swept down over 9
when Ne we're working q saiszder
Z saw voica-o 81 action. als & as HsIl
worth seeing 4 rreat clcui % sruoke
aould Issue forth froz TIRE c-s-er ard
would seem 20 reach az inlnits dista1cc
ato ths heavens last fciiawlrE ffs s.
suing q the Hack riost thsre sas
.ozEue q fs-re that ica1ed f5rth THIS
about every afteen ulnutes
We have lsfs al shfs csurt-g haes ase
& e no longer a g2sfaE irvestaaenf =
stay there We az c7era.inE Fl cEba
have never ssez wichita fcos - Ere
zach tine I PASS through here the city
'sezs % have Improved = sorse say Il