davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25

times has not been proved The answer to the ques-
ton, Is climate changing?" is a negative one
On the other hand, it is clearly established that
there slight fluctuations oscillations of climate
there being periods of slightly higher temperature
and less rainfall or snowfall and then periods of
slightly lower temperature and rain CT sTow
The whole amount of these variations is, however
small indeed. Professor Bruckner of Berne has
made careful investigation of the whole subject
OF these periodic climatic changes, and finds evidence
of thirty -hveyear periodcity in temperature and
rainfall
Bruckner began with the long period oscillations
OF the level OF the Caspian Sea. He then inveSti-
gated the level of the flowing into the Caspian
and then the dates of the opening and closing of
the rivers of the Russian Empire, and finally ex-
tended his study pretty much the world. A
supplementary study of the newer rainfall obServa
tons Tor Russia and the United States, as well as
for certain stations in Central Europe and Eastern
Siberia, has given Bruc1ner satisfactory confrma-
ton of his earlier conclusions, in the fact that he
finds decrease of the rainfall these districts
a whole, beginning about the middle of the
decade $4,000.
The time of the boom in Western Kansas and
Nebraska, and in eastern Colorado, in the decade
$4,000, followed one of Briickner wet periods and
the collapse of the boom came when the climatic
pendulum swung back again to a dryer period
Farmers who went out to the high plains in the years
of slightly greater rainfall preceding the BOOM and
who lost all their capital, and more too in the
vain attempt to raise grain in the wears which
followed, could with difficulty be convinced that
the climate of the plains had not permanently
changed for the worse The impression left upon
their minds was one of decreasing RAINFALL unSuc-
cessful agriculture and financial ruin.
1t must, however, be remembered that these
are periodic oscillations of slight amount They
not progressive changes of climate permanently
in one direction. The pendulum swings as far to
the right to the left. It's total swing involves
in the mean temperature, and of only small
percentage in the annual rainfall.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25

articles of food from distance are speedily followed
by changes in the districts over which these same
crops grown Again, it has been urged that
there progressive decrease of rainfall IN Greece,
Syria, Northern Africa and other parts of the Old
World which were formerly prosperous than
now, where the conditions of occupation or of
population have changed within historic times.
From this point of view some writers have pre-
dicted an inevitable progressive decay in the civil
izaton and in the prosperity OF the inhabitants OF
these regions
But there is another side to the story. Has
there been progressive desiccation, have the
inhabitants less capacity, less energy, less ability,
than formerly? Is the change from a once cult
waited to a barren eXpanse the result of de-
creasng rainfall of the emigration of the former
Inhabitants to other 1ands3 The difference between
present-day sandy, inhospitable waste may be the
result of a former compulson of the people, by
strong governing power to till the soil and to irri
gate, while now, without that compulsion, no
attempt is made to keep up the work. The in
capacity of the present inhabitants is often respon
sible for effects which have been interpreted
being due to climatic change 1t has been clearly
shown that where irrigation is TeSorted to in many
parts of the districts about the Mediterranean
which reported be drying up there the former
fruitfulness returns. In most the reports of
increasing dryneSs in that region really concern
only the decrease in the water supply from rivers
and from springs, and it is well-known that change
in the cultivation of the soil in the extent of the
forests may bring about marked changes in the
flow of rivers or springs, without any essential
change in the actual amount of rainfall. Partsch
has disproved the suppOsition that there for
merly more abundant rainfall in Northern Africa
by showing that the ancient settlements the
interior lakes clearly indicate that these lakes
formerly contained no more water than they do at
present. The Tunisian Schott-el-Djerid contained
just as little water in the days of the Roman EN-
pire it does to-day
1t appears, therefore, that the fact of permanent,
progressive changes in climate during historical
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
Might Have Killed Two Dozen

WTHAT in bazes is the matter with you, mani"
w inquired the officer Are you crazy?"
The gunner's mate gasped for minute, and then
related how near the big gun had come to razing
the ogallant-f csle with the spar deck and
to killing couple of dozen of officers and men, in
Guiding me and you, said the gunner's mate. As
a matter of fact, there would not have been much
left of the cruiser forward of the mainnast
had the big gun been fired with unlocked
breeCh.
One OF the first of the new steel ships of new
navy had not been in commission for three months
before level-headed apprenticeboy executed
rapid descent into the pit of the ships endangered
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25

n VILE recent disaster on the Benn1ng
ton emphasizes the fact that
war vessel is not the safest place
in the world to live. Danger turks
everywhere, and the one, be he officer
enlisted man, who negects to keep
a careful thinking head on his shoulders
during all his waking hours aboard
ship is likely to get hurt.
The most careful naval man often
finds himself the brink of disaster
that without quick thinking and light
ning-like action somebody's part
would land him and many of his ship -
mates, if not his whole ships company -
in Kingdom Come
Recently gunners mate, serving on
of the ships of the North Atlantic
Squadron exhibited bit of swift head
and hand work that will no doubt boost
him far up the line for a warrant officers
blouse. The ship engaged in big
gun practice at sea Solid shot
being fired from the main battery of
six-inch guns The commanding officer was in
the coming tower directing the firing. The gum
ner's mate also was stationed in the coming
tower, where he was serving as messenger to carry
verbal messages from the commander to the officers
in charge of the guns. One of the big guns on the
topgallant-forec loaded and the point
of being fired electrically by the skipper from the
coming tower when the gunners mates sharp
eyes perceived in a sudden glance that the breech
of the huge gun was not locked He could not have
made a sound if he had wished to. He simply
made two bounds for the exposed insulated wire in
the coming tower connecting with the big guns
strength of both hands and then collapsed, weak
as kitten, the commanding officer, with his finger
still the electric button, gazing at him wonder
inqlV.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
Peri1s Of Man-o' War Life

ward got his sword for the job, was
wide-awake. He Skinned down the
tackle an instant after the lamp fell,
grabbed the lamp, the flame of which
had already begun to heat the can met
al, and yelled up the hatch; Pull me
and the can up to the deck, you fellows! f"
A second-class fireman serving on
one of the smaller cruisers had his
head about him when the magazine of
his ship was threatened a few years
ago, and he has had the much better
rating of a water tender ever since.
One of his shipmates of the black
gang was cleaning his section of the
after engine-room bilges one morning.
His particular section of the bilges was
on the star board side of the extreme
after part of the engine-room. Imme-
diately at of the engine-room was the
ships magazine, separated from the
Biiges are cleaned with turpentine-
soaked waste. The bilge cleaner too
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
Chance for the Powder Monkey"

THE chief gunner mate, under the direction of d-
vision officer, was experimenting the movements
OF the men, He was leaning over the hatch, calling
out orders to the hands in the pit of the magazine,
when he knocked the lantern he carried in his hand
against of the steel sides of the hatch The
way and the lamp fell through the hatch. Still
lighted it fell bottom side up top of big of
powder that was hooked and ready to be hosted
to the deck The two men in the pit of the maya
zine had gone away aft to haul more cans of powder
to the hooks, and their backs being turned to the
hatch-opening they did not the lamp resting
on the can of powder with the flame of the wick
next to the metal of the
The men at the top of the hatch were in a stupor
of horror; but the alert apprenticeship who after
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25

lazy to fill one of the small turpentine provided
for the purpose, dragged a five-gallon can to his
bilge station and began work.
Smoking is strictly prohibited in the engine
rooms of a man-of-war but this blge cleaner
was a reckless sort of fellow and when he had
his cleaning under way he took out his pipe and lit
it. carelessly throwing the match in the bige
There some turpentine there, and the match
still agow, set it into fame, The bge cleaner
jumped to his feet and in doing he overturned
the five gallons of turpentine Then the bilge was
converted into roaring OF flame that shot to
the berth-deck gratngs and played directly against
the steel bulkhead separating the engne-room
from the magazine. The careless bilge cleaner was
scorched, and he boted for the spar deck yelling
like mailman
The Man Behind the Boiler"
THE second-cass fireman with the wise head was
the only other in the after engine-room at
the time this happened. He made jump for the
bi1ge-covers that had been removed by his reckless
mate, and although severely burned while doing it
he thrust them the bges. Then he seized
wrench and knocked open one of the intakes from
the sea, letting water directly into the bilge that
in flames. The water came in SO rapidly that
it showed the bilge covers off, but it drowned the
fire There was more than foot of water in the
engine-rooms before the intake could be closed
again; but that a small matter compared
with what might have happened had the hot
turpentine flame tapped the magazine bukhead
much longer
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23
puRANGo's INTEREST IN
CALIFORNIAN CALAMITY

Herald employees are besieged on
the street and at the office for news OF
the awful calamity which has befallen
California. 1t would seem that nall
OF Durango has either relatives or
friends In the vicinity of the strike
OF earthquake from north to south
along the Pacific coast. Among those
not mentioned previously. from Du
range. residing In San Franclsco, IL
X. Honey, who was formerly an al
derman in Durango when ne conduct
ed the laundry and mingled promi
nently in Democratic politics John
Wingate recalls that year ago he
found Honey running saloon just
of Market street, on the north, and
near the Palace hotel.
Last evening travelling man
whose home is in San Francisco
walked the floor in one of the big
stores of Durango and wept like a
child All his people and all he had
in the world were in San Francisco
and the news he had read had left
him without nope OF ever seeing those
whom he loved most.
Hundreds OF Durango people nave
tried in vain to get communication
with their relatives and friends in tn,
destroyed city.
With only one wire ont OF San
Francisco, via Los Angeles and Ash
Fork. Ariz., the great burden OF com
merclal kilograms and press news
1t must be realized that much Is be
ing done to convey the news OF the
situation to the world at large. Tne
Associated Press boys are employing
every means ever known to get the
news to the wire. Panic of war has
never presented worse obstacles tc
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23
the dissemination of the news.
From Saturdays Daily.
Durango's Liberal Response

The people of Durango are respond
ing generously 10 the appeal for mon
ey 10 aid the California earthquake
sufferers. Inside OF an hour Messrs
Graden, Ritter and Leiner collecte
over 5000. After The Herald went Ia
press the committee received many
more donations. and The Herald was
not on the streets 10 minutes before
money began pouring Into The Herald
office.
The Herald will cheerfully receive
and account through It's columns tor
all money contributed. which will be
turned over to chairman OF the local
committee. C. Il. Mcconnell. who viii
forward 1t from time 10 time as re.
ceived. There Will he some who can.
not reach us with their mite for a
week or ten days.
II will require twenty-five 10 thirty
millions of dollars. probably more. to
provide for the 100000 homeless until
they can look ont for themselves.
Dollar contributions from those OF
small means will be welcome. indl
eating just az much feeling as large
sums from those In anluent circum
stances. In fact, The Herald be.
lieves all desire TO help. and they
should not hesitate on account OF In
ability TO donate large sums.
Remember the Widows mite and
the glory she attained.
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23
CORRESPONDENCE OF
THE BOARD OF TRADE


Following is the recent list OF CORE.
snondence received by the Durango
board Of trade. making inquiry re-
garding opportunities In the Durango
country,
j. Hilbun. Center Junction. Iowa.
Farm lands
l.. Ware. Llsco. Neb.-General in.
formation.
f. Tranb, Cumberland. Wis.--Soutir
western Colorado lands
w p Neifert, r. +. ID. No. 2.
Bloomfield. Southwestern Colo.
rado lands
Il. r. Walton. Paw Paw. Mich
General Information.
X. 10. Moss. 1926 W. Bryan st..
Chillicothe. Mo.--Frnlt lands.
A. w. McCousland, r. F. ID. No. 1.
Washington, lowa.--General informs-
tion.
Samuel stenen. 1046 watervelert
Ave, Denver. Colo--Fruit lands.
Peter Engbarth, Lumberton, Miss
Fruit lands
II. w. Sigman, Care American Ex-
press Co, sedalla, Mo.--GeneraI In.
formation
Edward Carson. Joliet, Mont
General information.
NJ. II. Smith. 1902 Woodland Ave,
Des MoInes. wa.-Southwest Colo.
RADIO.
chas. q. Baker sos $. State st.,
Chicago. Ill.-Fruit land.
u. w Smith, r. f. d. No. 3, Box
80, Postvllle, Iowa.--General informa.
tlon.
Mason Mcfarland. wawaka, Ind
General Information.
Earle II. Turner. BOX ia. Rumss-
ton. iowa.-Agrifultura land.
John Adams. Jr.. Warrensburg, Mo:
Fruit and farm lands.
Thos. Lamb. 40 Central Ave, Paw
tucket. II. I.-Fruit and farm lands
V. C. Ward, rs +. Gay ST.. Colum-
bus. O.--General information.
Hon. John J. Lantz. Harrison Bldg.
Columbus, o.--General Information.
e. G. stevens. Hull. Sioux Co, Iowa
Southwest Colorado farm land.
Harry Smith. Urban, saniiac Co,
Mich.-Fruit and farm land.
l. ID. Watson. Salem, Mo.--GeneraI
information.
II. II. Tezotte, Beaver Crossing.
Neb.-Resources of Southwest Colo
RADIO.
chas. Bebout, Hopkins, Mo.--Gen-
eral Information.
G. L. Thompson, Van Vert, Iowa
! General Information
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23
DURANGO PEOPLE THERE.

&, In addition to the number OF
. people formerly of Durango,
9, but now in the earthquake dis
&, trlcts OF California. published
g yesterday are the following:
8, Andrew Galbreath, dentist.
{, son of Judge Galbreath, en-
8 gagged near Palace hotel: fam
3 lily there.
8 Jesse Shields, son OF George
. Shields, working near city
. hall; family there.
= John p. Coston has sister
{, and nephew at Santa Rosa.
!, 1t appears today that the
= Herald was not correctly in
{, formed yesterday as to IL. NJ.
. Andrew being in San Francis
. co. He Is in Arizona.
9 Judge Adair Wilson and
Z, daughter, Mrs. Kate Brown.
9 were to have met Mr.. II. @.
:, Brown as the Palace aotel, In
9, San Francisco yesterday, where
6, they were to observe the ami.
3 versary of the Brown wedding
:, at Durango
6, Mrs. ShortTan is also among
6, those anxious for California
:, news, having a brother in the
{, doomed city.
=
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23
From saturday.s pally.


Last night about midnight Christ
ian Hansen was arrested on a charge
of attempting 10 blow up or dynamite
the Hansen brick building on Ninth
between First and Second avenues.
Several days ago before Mrs. Bel
lingcr had moved her business from
Il building iust west 10 the Hansen
place. Mr. Hansen called ON her to
learn if she Intended to move and
when assured That she mad to move
and had decided to go TO the Hansen
block, ne told her she would be sorry
not 10 go there. When reassnred
that she mnst move there ne cried
and told again his story Of the wrong
his family had done hin, driving him
out Of home to the street TO starve
that they would moi speak TO MIN /.
how he had suffered for food and
shelter
After Mrs Balliuger had moved he
called on her again The first day OF
the San Francisco horror and told
her and Mrs. Satterlee that there was
liable TO be an earthquake under
meath the Hansen building. and adj
vised them to get ont Of IT, He said
he did not want to see Innocent peo-
pie injured.
Last night Mrs. Bellinger saw some
one In the cellar stairway about mid,
night ana looked more closely to see
who it was. Discovering tae more
than half crazed Hansen there she
told b.m he had no right there. He
replied that it was his property and
that ne aid have right there. Mrs
BelIinger then thought TO scare him
by saying that some OF the people M
stairs. if they knew he WAS there
would likely take a shot at him. He
finally walked across the street and
stopped In the convenient shadows
Of the entrance door to Red Men hall
but later moved mp around secont
ayenne where the officer found him
Christian Hansen, for months, fol
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23
EDITOR WILSON SAYS
AZTEC is BOOMING
-

p =. Wilson nj tho Aztec Index,
spent today in town. Speaking of AZ.
tee aud wmt is doing there this
spring. he said:
New ditch and railroad projects
have helped stimulate outside interest
in Aztec, aud the home people taom-
solves are apDreclaungt as never be.
tore, what a favored spot tnoy occu.
Ply on ihis ola footstool. An around
the adjacent country the trees are In
bloom. the alfalfa green. and the
Sound Of the carpenter Is heard early
and late Within the last Two months
Aztec has aoon plans for new build,
inss and nlhor improvements that
VIII douhlc It's size the coming year.
About l.51o.ouO brick viii be burned
this spriug and II Is all contracted In
advance for business and residence
buildings. Beside this. two lumber
yards ana a concrete hollow block
factory are taxed to supply the de.
mand for blllding material. Town
lots and residence properties are
changing hands al q rapid rate. the
sale oi lots yesterday morning alone
footing mp $500 Prices are, of
course, advancing under this demand,
but no boom rs on and the growth is
substantial ana based on business de
mand
Approximately . carloads Of fruit
trees were uuluadcd at Aztec this
spring for the muruundmg country,
and the larger tracts Of land are be.
ing planted 10 fruit In the antioipa.
ton OF cutting into 80 and 20-acre
tracts, Land values are from 500 to
5000 pen acre. depending on state of
improvement and distance from town.
The land adjoining Aztec Is being
plated into 5-acre tracts, which bring
from $3.50 to $500 per acre. Each
acre viii cut into six lots. 50xi40 feet
which VIII bring S75 to 800 eacn
Several local syudicates are buying
some of those tracts-wlll plant
shade and fruit trees and place them
ON the market.
The time seems ripe for Aztec to
90 ahead steadily. An energetic
board OF trade Of 80 members has been
formed and 1t wants to cooperate
with the Durango board In dlffusine
authentic Information regarding the
splendid water supply. fertile soil and
favored climate of Aztec and It's VI
cinity Advertising matter is now
under preparation by the board, who
desire to express It's appreciation oi
Secretary w. II. Armstrong; assist
ance.
Aztec VIII be a city Of $500 peo
pie inside the next Ave years, and
the opportunities now existing to get
acreage ana other property cheap will
be gone. An addition to the present
school house viii be built this sum
mer. AS the old building IS so crowd
ed that The upper part OF the court
house has been used for school pur
poses the past year.
"Aztec has taken forward steps
that II followed out. will make it a
large town"
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-04-23

way there has never yet been one VIII,
is her equal in filling the part OF 4
| young girl in love. She was fairl,
| bewitching.
Extraordinary efforts are being
made to have the Eagle bali rank as
the affair of the season. The music
will be the best to be had In Duran,
go. There will be flowers for the la
dies; beautifully embossed and illum
mated souvenir tickets, which will be
given out on the night OF the ball, and
last but not least. delicious supper
Tickets. 81 per couple. Supper. %
cents each. extra.
Neil Campbell who has been con.
tracing on the development of the
May Day mine for a year or more is
visiting the city and will go to .he
Campbell ranches on Pine river be.
fore returning to the mountains.
In haste to rebuild San Francisco
there will probably not be time to ex-
plore many of the ruins for the bodies
of the victims of fire and falling tim
bers. and new edlfices will rest on the
bones of the dead.
o
The feature of the panic at San
Francisco that must bring the civil
lied world to tears is found In chill
dren frantically hunting their parents
and mothers seeking them: the hun
ger and suffering of unsheltered child
hood. The millions lost to the rich
and the homes of the humblest poor
are nothing in the comparison.
1t is theory that Johnnie Scho.
field, who conducts the dance hall he
low the tracks. and who was reported
10 have been held IN yesterday morn
ing at the light plant foot-bridge,
probably was not held mp but simply
assaulted by parties with whom ne
had had trouble at the dance hall pre-,
vious to that time. Finding the lost
hat may help to lead to the detection
of at least one of the parties engaged
in the assault.
Natalie Mazucco, an Italian. who re.
Gently stopped at the San Juan hotel,
kept by James Sategna, has gone 15
days without drink or food or his ac-
customed use of tobacco and says he
will continue to fast DR.. Lackey
was called yesterday Mr.. Sategna
became alarmed, and says he does
not want to have anything occur that
will give the public an idea that his
hotel sstarves people to death.
He wants to let this guest out on
the shares.
Mazucco is said to have been on
of the most industrious of hardworks
ing men In the country for long
time. absolutely honest In all his
dealings. During the first few days
nothing was thought of his failure to
take food, as he had said he WAS sick
1t is thought his mind is unbalanced,
and that 1t may be necessary to take
some action for his proper care.