davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
Earthquakes and
Floods IN Mexico
:. ),
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star
CITY OF MEXICO, August y, 1905
The recent remarkable behavior of the
elements in Mexico, eliminating In the
coudburst and food at Guanaj uato. on
June so. in which over LOCO lives were lost
and millions of dollars worth of property
destroyed is causing many of the old in
habitants to predict greater disasters to
come Natural phenomena in Mexico are
always connected in the minds of the peo-
pie with her sleeping volcanoes. This has
been true from the time of the Aztec EN-
pire and probably earlier
Nearly all Mexican legends are about the
volcanoes, and history shows that they had
a far greater influence in shaping the des-
TIMES of the Aztecs and their contempt
raries than might be supposed. They were
held responsible for floods, droughts, cleo
trical disturbances and other meteorolog
iCal phenomena. plaques, wars and all sorts
of things apparently quite out of their line
of business. The old Aztec beliefs and SUI
perStitionS held in far greater respect
in the present day than the church likes to
admit so it is not particularly strange that
just now the common people and many of
the educated classes hold that the volcanoes
are at the bottom of all that has been
going wrong in natures laboratory re-
Gently.
Immediately after the eruption of Mont
Pelee and ever since then the sunsets in
lurid. Brilliant sunsets are uncommon in
most parts of Mexico, owing to the rare.
dry atmosphere and almost immediate
darkness after the setting of the sun.
a rule.
For weeks after Pelee's outbreak hun
dreds OF timid people in Mexico gazed at
the crimson west in the evenings and
passed sleepless nights, for one is within
reach of a fire mountain almost anywhere
in Mexico if ii should break loose. Shortly
afterward the eruption of the Guatemala
volcano which nearly destroyed Quetzalte-
mango and sent ashes all over the 1sthmus
of Tehuamtepec sent new shivers up and
down their spines. Then an unusual amount
of smoke and stones and ashes from Mount
Coima. nearly due west from the City Of
Mexico, on the Pacific slope, kept up their
fears. Colima always smokes a little, but
about two years ago the internal eXplO-
sons became violent that the Indians
living on her sides moved away and haven't
moved back.
No longer ago than the latter part of the
month of May of the present year the min
Ing town of Tama zula. in the northwestern
part of the state of Durango, was thrown
into a panic by deafening subterranean
noises Earthquakes of unusual violence
were felt the temperature of the water in
springs in the locality greatly increased, In
some places the ground became hot enough
to dry up alb vegetation, and in several
places the ground rose to a considerable
height forming core-shaped hills. Hun
dreds of people left that immediate district,
fearing that new volcano was about to
be born, and not especially desiring to be
among those present when the event occur
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

red. But later the phenomena ceased and
those who stayed are breathing easier.
In the past four or five years the sea-
sons have changed considerably in Mexico.
The winters have been colder and the
summers hotter, and the lines between the
rainy season and the dry season have been
nearly washed out. In 1904 1t rained dur.
ing ten months of the year In the City OF
Mexico; 1t usually rains only five. In all
parts Of the republic during last year the
rains were unusually heavy.
The list Of washouts. wrecks and result
Ing loss of live on the railroads was about
five times as long as usual. and so far this
year the record has been kept up. Elec-
trical disturbances have also been of unus-
ual frequency and severity. One day
in March last, in the City Of Mexico, 1t
showed, hailed and rained simultaneously
in different sections of the city. In Febru-
airy a blizzard swept down from the east
ern Texas frontier over the northeastern
part Of Mexico, as far south as Monterey,
an almost unheard Of phenomenon, doing
great damage. In May an earthquake OF
unusual severity shook Mexico City from
her slumbers about midnight one night.
What will be the next calamity2 Ia the
question which people here are asking OF
each other. 1t is remarkable coincidence
that a renowned Mexican prophet on nat
ural phenomena, living in 0uana1uato,
prophesied the recent flood disaster there
being almost exactly correct In all of the
details. This same prophet has foretold
dreadful volcanic eruption by one Of Mex
ico's volcanoes for this summer. He doesn't
specify which one. The lower classes be-
iieve now more strongly than ever that
he knows what he is talking about, and, in
spite Of the fact that few of them can read,
they have all heard about his volcanic pre-
diction and each one has picked out the
volcano nearest his own home as the one
meant by the professor"
The City Of Mexico is beautifully situated
for a disaster Of almost any kind. 1t Is
near the center and at the lowest point
of the great oval-shaped valley, Of Mexico,
200 miles in circumference and surrounded
by high mountains. 1t was built in the.
midst of seven lakes and in Aztec and early
Spanish days was completely surrounded
by water, but in those days good deal
of the real estate was loose, in the form
of floating gardens. and a rise In the lakes
didn't matter so much.
In later days, however, as the lakes re-
bottom, the city expanded, placing itself
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

corner, perhaps the middle, has sunk
six to ten feet. The cracks have been plss-
tered up and nobody thinks of danger.
There is probably not n house or building
of any consequence in the City of Mexico
built more than five years ago whose foun-
dations have not settled unevenly from one
to ten feet. The modern steel-frame build
inss are being built on foundations OF steel
beams and concrete. II is out of the Quer~
ton to sink foundations deep enough TO be
secure
An this has led to the general belief that
Mexico City Is built over q great subter-
ranean lake and that the crust is likely to
break through at any time and engulf the
city. This belief Is erroneous. OF course,
and II Is only necessary TO dig deep enough
to strike terra frrna, still there is nothing
to prevent a good-sized layer between the
surface and bedrock being washed out a.
any time and letting the city drop into the
slush.
Humboldt's theory was that the valley
Of Mexico is the crater Of huge volcano,
which is likely to break out at any time
and blow the city sky high. The south rim
OF the valley is formed by the Ajusco range
of mountains, all volcenic and active az
late lila A. d. Molten lava from Ajusco
the last time he was on a rampage ran
down to within seven or eight miles of the
present City of Mexico, forming the great
Pedregal About two miles east OF the
city are the hot springs OF Penon, rising out
OF hill that was once a crater and them
selves heated by volcanic fires. Since the
Pelee eruption they have been hotter than
they were before.
The Xico volcano. near Lake Chalco. to
the east of the city. burst into violent
eruption In 117e Only thirty miles to the
southeast of the city ara the great snow
capped peaks Of Popocatepetl and Ixtacci-
hautl. They are the peaks one thinks OF
first when the volcanoes of Mexico are
mentioned. Popocatepatl, towering 1I.ooQ
| feet above the City OF Mexico and 1900
| feet above sea level. still emits clouds OF
sulphur smoke at all times, showing that its
| fires are not dead As late as 1853 Popo-
catepetl was in eruption, throwing stones
and ashes over the Aztec city on the site
| Of tho present City OF Mexico, doing great
Damage Dana ano .ars ,n ahs psops IN ass@
] In the valley Of Mexico which ware attrth-
uted to Ixtaecihuatl, the Woman u WHITE
=
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
The Chinese Language.

From the San Francisco American Oriental
Among the fifteen thousand Europeans
and Americans in China, probably there
are not a dozen men in all that country
who can write article in the Chinese
language without referring to the diction-
airy at every other sentence.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

never finished. Had 1t ever been COM
pleted It would have made the Panama
mattS look easy in comparison. Al It y
the great Nochistongo cut into one OF the
mountains surrounding the valley Is a stu
pendous. II useless piece Of work
1t remained for the great. practical Diaz
to carry out the plan In a business-like
way and some i've years asp Q drainage
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

their waters sweeping over the city. The
drainage canal built by DtaE Is designed to
carry on this water without permitting II
to do any serious damage Gin addition to It's
regular work OF the drainage Of the city,.
but so far It's capacity for doing 80 has not
been tested.
After 800 years Of existence the founda-
tons Of the City OF Mexico ars stu soue.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

what watery. At any point in the city Il is
only necessary to dig three or four feet
into the surface OF the ground in order 10
strike water. Its massive old stone build
ings, with walls six feet thick, look solid
enough, but II is only necessary 10 look
along their sides TO see that one end or one
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

canal costing twenty millions was inaugu-
rated by him. The lakes adjacent to Mex
leo City have dwind4ed TO three-Texcoco,
Chalco and Xochifnlleo-and they are
slowly drying up, but still they above
the level of the citysand an unusual rain
fall would cause them to overflow and send
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

at the mercy of the lakes. Time after
time 1t was flooded being nearly destroyed
several times, the last time within the
memory of old inhabitants. This led to
the attempted building of great drainage
canal by one of the Spanish viceroys, con-
tinued by several of his successors, but
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
FOR SALE

FOR SALE
S425o
Watch the construction.
Six BIG rooms.
Every convenience.
Every room In this house is A ROOM, every
room has a LARGE CLOSET. Lot over IT It.
front by 140 II. deep 10 20-ft. alley. There are
few lots in Washington this size
one OF the select sections of
the northwest.
liz TO 1913 ADAMS st. NV.
Adams St is the first street north of First and
W
These properties built and finished same
all houses.
MIDDAuGH AND SHANNON, INC,
Owner,
se22t First and Bryant NV.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03
MOORE & HILL, Inc,
III 18th Street.
REAL ESTATE.

Whether you want to buy or sell houses,
or rent your vacant property or lease home,
you consult your best Interests i'm consult
ing us.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
. TERRIBLE
EXPERIENCE

Ezra Clark, OF Granite, who was
reported lost In the eenhorns, while
en- route from Alamo to the Morris
mine, where he is employed, aud who
turned up safe and sound day before
yesterday, after undergoing terrible
experience in the snow-clad hills,
with the temperature dallying With
the 2O.below mark, is probably one
of the nerviest steel -polishers in this
camp. As related in The Miner at
the time he was reported missing, be
left Granite last Sunday morning,
after undergoing an operation for
fellon on his thumb Late Sunday
night be encountered dense fog on
the Clear creek trail. became be-
wildered, and followed his back
tracks to Alamo. Monday morning
he exchanged his skis for web
snowshoes and resumed his perl
lous journey. Again he encountered
a fog aud lost his way, swerviDg
south toward the rough Olive lake
country. After wandering all night.
he finally picked up his back track
and returned to Clear creek can
yon. All day Tuesday be tried to
locate himself aud Tuesday night
ran across the old Hurd cabin on
Ben Harrison hill. There he re-
mained until Wednesday morning,
which dawned bright and clear,
although bitterly cold. and soon hit
upon the right direction. arriving
at the Morris mine shortly before
noon, exhausted and nearly starved.
he went on shift at noon,
after eatiug a meal that will be re.
forever by the Morris
miners, and is now steadily pound.
ing steel.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22

better displayed; in no other place
was American adaptability to meet
difficult situation ever better illus
trated. Within FIVE years after the
discovery the experts from the hartz
mountains, where quartz mining had
been prosecuted for q thousand years,
came to Virginia City to mark and
marvel at what had been accomplished
there. The safety cages, the square
tim mbering, the mills fnr reducing
the ore; the economy manifested In
adapting means to ends, were all
wonders to the plodders from hey yond
the sea.
Then the salaries and fees paid
drew to that point the brightest men
10 all the professions and the posi-
bilities Uf securing great fortunes at
tracted the men Of finance from halt
the world.
That first winter Mr.. Msoksy lived
In cabin and % the Winds swept
around It, be was wont to declare that
80 soon AZ he could get together
S5, 900 he would leave the inhospit-
able piece. -Goodwin's Weekly.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
That Tabor fraction Suit.

II. II. Hendryx, plaintiff In the
suit against the Columbia Gold Min
ing company Tor possession OF the
Tabor Fraction mine. says that the
published reports that he seeks to
recover $50, 900 from the Columbia,
on account of ore extracted, Is In
correct. The suit, explains Mr.. Hen.
dryx, IL merely to annul the contract
now existing between the Columbia
and the old Geiser. iiendryX company,
whereunder the former operates
the Tabor Fraction. An accounting
IL also demanded. Mr.. Hendryx says
that the best Of feeling prevails be-
tween all parties concerned in the
suit; that II Is simply business
proposition.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22

The following is said to bs copy
OF bill OF lsding issued 200 years
ago: Shipped by the grace Of God
In good order and we'll condi toned
by George Fox and James Thomas, OF
Philadelphia, In and upon the good
ship Mermaid whereof Is Master under
God for this present voyage Robert
Grimes, and now riding at anchor In
the river Delaware and by Gods
grace bound for Barbados to say
Four boxes OF Soap consigned to
Arthur Law, Marcht, In Barbados, for
act. and Risques OF said Fox aud j.
Thomas. being marked and numbered
In the MarRent and are to be
delivered In the like good order and
we'll conditioned at the aforesaid
port Of Barbados (the danger of the
seas excepted), unto Arthr Law or
his assigns, he or they paying Frsieht
for the said goods twenty .ei ght shil-
linRs with primags and average ac-
In witness whereof the
Master or Purser OF the said ship hath
affixed to three Bills of LadinR all Of
this tenor and date the one OF which
three bills being accomplished, the
other two stand void. And so God
send the good ship to her desired
port In safety. Amen. Dated In
Philadelphia ye ON ID 1896. lnsd.
aud contents unknown to Robt.
Grimes.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
Executors Notice.

Notice Is hereby given that the
undersigned has been dnly appointed
by the County Judge of Baker County,
Oregon, executor Of the last will and
testament of Michael Lynch, de-
ceased.
All persons having claims against
said estate are hereby notified to pre-
sent the same to me. properly veri-
He'd. IA by law required, within six
months from the date hereof, at the
Office of Charles II. Chance, attorney
at-law, First National Bank build
ing, Sumpter, Oregon.
Dated at Sumpter, Baker County,
Oregon, this 25th day Of January.
1905.
j. B. FRYER,
Executor of the Estate Of Michael
Lynch, Deceased.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
Gold Found at treewater.

A dispatch from Waila Walla says:
1t is said on the authority OF mining
experts that the river pebbles being
hauled from the Freewater flats to
this city, for paving purposes. con-
tains heavy traces Of free gold. At
least 300 carloads OF this stone will
be used in this city this summer in
constructing the three mile, of model
road between this city and the
Blalock fruit farm. To what extent
the rock contains gold is not known.
Samples will be crushed and tested
by experts, aud IL the quantity OF
gold Is sufficient to warrant, the re
msinder Of the rock will be smelted.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
IMPORTANT STRIKE
AT THE IMPERIAL

on the hanging wall, surrounded by
q belt u few inches wide of soft white
granodeorite, thoroughly sericitzed
and carbonatized.
ore from the new strike is being
sacked for shipment to the Sumpter
smelter. General Manager A. l.. Nc
Even came down last evening from
the Imperial. 70 q Miner man he
confirmed the above facts.
"Our new huntington mill AID jig
concentrating plant is working Hne a.
an auxiliary to our old stamp mill
aud series of concentrators. The
ore now being taken from the Miner
tunnel is being sacked for shipment.
after scrting."
The Imperial group of mines re-
Gently passed into the hands OF a
close corporation of Detroit men,
McfIwen. Arthur and MCEwen
turning over their leass aud bond for
900, 900.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
Water Power for La Grande.

The most complete water storage
reservoir In eastern Oregon Is now
complete at La Grande. The Nor
gan Lake company has laid most Of
it's pipe line leading to the city aud
will in stall a modern plant to gener-
ate 10000 horse power, halt LAY
between the city aud the lake, three
miles away on top Of the mountain.
The company expects to generate
electricity aud furnish La Grsnde
with city water at very reasonable
cost.
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22
GOOD OLD DAYS
ON COMSTOCk

1t IL forty-six years since the Com
stock was discovered, since people
began To say: "We had every thing
except silver; It seems now that We
have another Potosi." 1t makes u
date for u revolution In mining.
Save few crude, old fashioned
quartz mills. the only mining known
to California was placer mInirR.
Not one Of her people knew auRht
Of the reduction of silver ores. But
there was Nh ore channel four miles
long, lode WAS filled with great de-
posits of rich ore, aud IL was neces
sary that IL should pe reduced.
There were many problems to solve.
How tn open the mines was the first,
how tn support the weight Of the
mountain as the ore bodies were ex'
cavated WAS another. Then the new
tind war on the slope Of desert
mountain, 100 miles from water.
transportation tn which no roads were
built.
The discovery WAS not generally
known until late In 1859. aud then
the rush began. What M exodus
was that. aud what u winter WAS
that first one In Virginia City !!
Virginia City IL q. 200 feet above the
sea. and as though the evil spirits In
the earth aud air we're iucensed that
the great treasure chamber had been
disco vered, the biting cold OF the
desert hurricanes were sent To drive
tn. interlopers away. Ii was tough
place then. Every town In Cali
fornia had sent there its full quota OF
lighters, aud the contest began to de-
termine who should be chief. The
safety Of the quiet lay In the fact
that the rouRhs did not disturb them
aud that the sinister class WAS made
up of men who were 80 hne snots,
that they only hit what they aimed
ut.
Then there were innumerable con-
tests over claims aud the lawsuits In
aud carried through were OF
such magnitude that men ceased to
tails about thousands, stopping at
nothing less than millions. But In
no other spot WAS American energy
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22

yesterday mt the Imperial mine, II
the Gable Cove district, when
body OF high grade shipping or
WAS opened In "a tunnel on tn
Miner claim OF the Imperial group
This tunnel, which WAS driven abou
200 feet down hill from the mai
Imperial shaft, has entered the veil
below the confluence OF the lmperis
and Eagle isdges. Thus the theory
entertained by Aisssrs. Mcfiwen
Arthur and McEwen, manager, sup
erintsndent and assistant manager
respectively, Of the Imperial compan!
that the oonvsrgent trends Of tn
two veins mentioned would result II
u juncturs aud In n deporition o.
rich ore is proven correct.
The Eagle vein, which IL popu
Iarly considered the mother lode oi
the Cable Cove district. continu
ing In strong development for two
or three miles, striking northwest
through the llOmestake, lisrcuIeau
aud Oregon Chief, where previously
opened In Imperial territory, displays
"a width Of ID feet between granite
walls, tho vein material being
altered Rranodiorite, travcrsed by
at least two streaks OF aressnioal
pyrite half u foot wide. On the
ilcroulean, u 400 foot tunnel has OK
plotted the Eagle vein tn u width of
II :eet, displaying oharaoteristically y
overlapping paystreaks from two to
three feet wide, averaging sl2 per
ton. The Eagle vein on Oregon
Chief ground retains its width, with
an ore shoot claimed To be eight feet
wide. containing total values Of 81!
per ton.
After traversinR the llerculean
claim tho mother lode turns north
east, running into the Black Dwarf
claim, through the Miner.
Tho Imperial vein, which hns
hitherto been the sole ore source oi
the imperial mine, being developed
10y an incline shaft on tho ore, is
located In tho hanging of the Eagle
lode, 500 feet distant. The strike
is north 30 degrees east, the dip 10
degrees southeast. \ series Ut similar
veins exist, each being from three to
four feet wide, the vein matter con
sistina larRey ot Rranodiorite slightly
crushed aud darkened by the spread
ing NJ ohloritio material. The pay
streak exposed In the main working
shaft consists of from n few iuohes
% two feet of massive sulphurets
with quartz aDd calcite gaugue, Drifts
from the Imperial shaft extend
southwest down Hill, depth being
lost. of course, as the dritt extends,
hut higher grade ore coming In
Nil the time, the overlapping lenses
of pay steadily assuming the shape of
u solid shoot of ore. This method
of exploitation aud production WAS
the advice of Superintendent Arthur,
VINO ia crank ON follow the ore. I"
lie aud the McEwen cousins were
confident that the Imperial drifts
were desti ued tn enter the conjoined
Eagle aud Imperial, aud To quickly
prove the correctness of this theory,
they began driving on the Eagle lode
toward the approaching Imperial
drifts. Yesterday the shoot WAS Gu
tered. The vein displays Its usual
ID foot width. but now exhibits u
psyshoot of solid aalena, srsenopy'
rite, chalcopyrite aud pryite ore,
approximately 2hs feet wide, lying
The Sumpter miner. [volume] (Sumpter, Or.) 1899-1905, 1905-02-22

The Baker City Democrat says it
has high authority for the statement
that the Bonanza mine will resume
operations at an early date.