davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15
MYSTERIOUS LOST RIVERS OF THE WEST

schutes. which drains a large area in
Central Oregon. 1t is known to by.
drographers all over the world for the
flow throughout the year. This is &C.
counted for by the porous lava forma-
ton, which constitutes a portion of
the drainage area, and which is es-
recially prominent where the head
" alter tributaries leave the foothills of
the cascades. Successive flows of
lava, ruptured, fractured, and assured
by commissions of nature, extend over
many miles of this region. When the
streams encounter this sheet of lava
they are taken up by the sponge-Eke
material, and disappear from sight,
passing beneath and through the lava
and finally emerging through the dark
caverns and deep canyons into the
lain stream
This wonderful lava bed is natures
regulator. 1t swallows up the floods
that come down the steep slopes. 1t
absorbs the rains and SHOWS, and then
releases them slowly through a filter
miles and miles in length, into the
river channel There are no turbid
floods in the Deschutes. In fact, there
are no floods at all. Day after day
and year after year its flow is uniform
and It's waters sparkling and clear.
For this reason probably 1t is the fin
est trout stream in America.
Disappears in Desert.
New Mexico also has a truant
stream, the Rio Mimbres. 1t drains
many miles of mountain country in
the southern part of the Territory,
and for a time Is a stream of import
ance. Then, as if tired of existence,
it flows out upon the plains near Dem
ing and is lost forever, swallowed up
in the loose sand and gravel. The
Pecos, too, is truant at times, and
seeks seclusion beneath the surface.
coming up miles below in artesian
springs of great volume and flow.
Ages ago, when the earth was
young, the great Snake River plain, in
Idaho, now a scene of utter desola-
ton, was semitropical garden.
Countless streams crossed it, and
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15
BY Frederick ordway.

On the American continent there
are no natural phenomena of more
mysterious and fascinating interest
than the "lcst rivers CT the far
West. These hide and seek streams.
as a rule head in mountainous areas
and rush downward into the bowl
like valleys, where they incontinentiy
vanish. Some of them reappear,
miles from the vanishing point, while
others are lost forever and no man
krOws what becomes of their waters.
The floors of the valleys into which
they flow generally are comparatively
evel and are built uD of loose sands
and gravels, washed down from rocky
and forest-clad slopes, which absorb
the water and through which it per-
colates slowly beneath the surface.
When the slow-moving underground
current encounters an obstruction, as
al often does, in the shape of a natur-
al dixie or the rocky rim of the lower
end of the valley, the water is forced
to the surface and the stream is
Torn again.
Thus the Santa Ana river in Cali
fornia sinks in the wash above Red
lands, rises to the surface above Bun
ker Hill dixie" sinks below it, rises
from Riverside to Bedrock Canyon be-
lew Ell Rineon. sinks in the wash
above Santa Ana, and finally partly
rises again in the large peat land
springs above Talbert. The San Ca
briel and Los Angeles rivers exhibit
the same characteristics but d'sap-
pear and reappear less often in their
much shorter courses to- the sea. At
some points these sunken rivers flow
for long distances under a wide
stratum of imperv'ous material where
the water is under considerable pres
sure When wells are driven through
this stratum an artesian flow results.
The discovery of this fact added many
thousands of acres to the cultivated
area of California, most of which is
in oranges, lemons, grapes, and other
products.
Another Peculiar Stream.
Another peculiar stream is the Del
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

gulf harbor, by February of mex;
year. This road has just been com
pleted from Dothan, Ala, to Cotton
dale, Fla, and work is now going
ahead on the line from Cottondale tn
Panama City. When this road is com.
pieted, it will enjoy terminal facilities
on one of the deepest and finest har-
bors in the world-a harbor capable
Of floating all the commerce that a
dozen railroads could supply for it.
OF the advantages of St. Andrews
Bay as a fine harbor there can be no
difference of opinion. Perfectly land
locked, broad deep, and close to the
Gulf, 1t must when it's commerce de-
velops be the envy of the mariner as
we'll as the pride of those who live
upon its bold and picturesque shores.
At present the water on the outer
bar of st. Andrews Bay probably does
not exceed 16 feet, but so narrow is
the strip OF sand which separates the
deep water of the bay from the deep
water of the Gulf that engineers esti-
mate channel depth of 80 feet can be
secured at a cost of not to exceed
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

I lengthwise through it flowed the
raighty Snake. In the forest primeva
! and over the verdue-clad plains roam
ed the mastadon. the mammoth, the
camel, a queer kind of horse, and
many other species of prehistoric ami
mails. We know all this to be true by
. reason Of the discovery of the remains
of these extinct animals in the recent
excavations made at Mendoza
Rapids.
A great castrophe overwhelmed this
valley. On seven different occasions
the lofty Tetons, which frame its
eastern boundary, and which were
then active volcanoes, erupted and
poured forth a sea of lava, which
swept downward and westward COW
ering the beautiful valley with a
blanket of fiery liquid more than 500
feet thick. In the cataclysm all the
teeming life was annihilated. The
rivers were burned up and their
channels obliterated.
Cut Its Way Through.
The Snake River cut it's way
through the lava sheet, carving for it,
self one of the most wonderful can
yOnS In TIE 'WSSI, OIuer SCreduS lIOul
the south persisted and finally Joined
the parent stream. On the north the
rivers encountered the wall of lava,
but did not cut through it. 1t is a
striking photographic feature of the
valley that. for hundreds of miles not
a river crosses 1t from the north.
Among the streams which flow
southwark from the range of snow
capped mountains ON the northern
edge Of the valley two are especially
interesting. the Big and Little Lost
Rivers. In that long ago before the
mountains belched forth fire these
rivers formed an important tributary
of the Snake, but the channel was
obliterated by successive layers OIL
lava which flowed over 1t. To-day
the floods of these rivers flow for al
short distance on the surface of the
plain and then disappear in assures
-crevices, or in the softer and looser
formations. Both are truly lost
rivers. for they never appear again
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

through the st. Andrews Bay country
whose soil seems to be. particularly
adapted to products of this kind.
1t Is singular fact that the eastern
shore OF st. Andrews Bay marks the
extreme western limit of the extensive
growth OF the cabbage palmetto. THE
species of the palm is found, it is
true. west of this line. but in very
small numbers and nowhere does it
grow as thiclzly and as large as it
does from the eastern shore of st.
Andrews southwark.
All in all, when the projected rail-
read to which the whole ST. Andrews
Bay county now looks with so much
hope Is completed, Panama City will
assume an Importance in the CONNER.
ciaT world which few can now compre-
bend It is located about threesmiles
south and~eastsof the town of st. An,
drews and with a railroad reaching
each point 1t willznot be strange II the
two combined shall in a few years,
form one of the most important ship
ping points ,on the entire gulf coast.
F. L. M.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

velope you and you fall back in your
hammock swinging under the palms,
leZily contemplating the graceful
rings ascending from your cigar.
Then with eyes half closed, the hum
OF droning insects in your ear you lay
your plans for tomorrow, and mind
the land Of Now, with it's turbulent
strife, its fret and toll, and this Is
Tomorrow hand.
Plan of the Lottery.
The plan is toslease the island from
Honduras. drive out the squatters,
and then by the expenditure of mil-
lions, make this the American Monte
Carlo. OF course, there Is little said az
yet about 1t. It's a big proposition,
but Honduras needs money and some
years ago made proposals looking to
just such scheme, to the lottery
people. Bonacca would make one OF
the most attractive winter resorts In
the world. 1t Is reached by short
voyage from New York, and its
charms once known 1t would become
very popular.
Viewed as ii Is to-day, an emerald
gem In an Opalescent sea, IL is dill
cult to conjure that the strains Of
Banda Rosa or the thrilling song Of
a new Patti will replace the piping
cues of the white-faced monkeys
springing from tree top to tree top.
Yet it Is not impossible that where
now CLEAN the Pickering light of
pitch pine torch the shadows Of night
will be dispelled by myriads of cleo
trio lights; the mud novels will give
way to stately palaces, and the naked
wretch who now resides within these
Wales of emerald loneliness, hts mind
still clouded with the superstitions
of Dark Ages, will vanish before the
advent of the enlightenment and
beauty of the twentieth century. And
woman, lovely woman, In diamonds
ard laces and other things, will re-
CONTINUED on Page Teal
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15
8 PANAMA CITY ON ST. ANDREWS BAY

st. Andrews Bay, famous for years
in history, romance. and story, is
just now attracting attention anew
by the developments going on at the
new town of Panama City which has
been laid out on the. high eastern
shores of that beautiful body of water.
Just at present. Panama City con.
sists of but little besides Hotel. q
store, and a city park band stand. but
i the future brings to it one-half the
good things which it's enthusiastic
promoters anticipate, Panama City
will be factor in the commercial
world long before the Panama canal
itself is completed.
Just at present there are three pro-
jected railroads heading for st. Az
drewS Bay, with reasonable GER
tainty that two of them will be CON-
pleted One of these, the Atlanta G
ST. Andrews Bay Short Line will have
for its terminus Panama City, and its
builders promise to have the last rail
laid, which will connect Atlanta with
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

! little plantations, the light green cd
the banana and plantain being readily
distinguished. The coffee tree bios
SONS beside the orange; the Lime and
cocoa mingle their shade in the
same patio. The chief product, how
ever, is the cocoanut. 1t requires no
labor on the part of the people, other
wise doubt it would be a product at
all, for lazier lot Of rascals never
liver under smiling heaven.
The Same Always.
This is no place for the oldest in
habitant. whose hobby is recalling the
weather of the past. Here the
weather does not vary twenty degrees
in a whole year, and the temperature
is that of May morning. Ask the
thick-liped Carib about the weather
and he replies 'Es los mismos todos
los IDEAS" cit is the same always).
There is something narcotic in the
air. When you breath it to the full
you feel like declaring: No more win
ter for you. with its catarrh, its grip,
its coughs, its colds, and its collins.
Half of our lives in the north are
spent in trying to keep full bin of
COdi WILuOuI SOin6 inIO udAhiuptNy,
and the other half. when viewed from
this place, seems equally unattrac-
tive.
Now. in this climate, you are conf
dent that you would put in little
more time in sleeping, trifle less in
eating. and the biggest part OF two
thirds of the balance in enjoying a
few of the many blessings scattered
around You. Your enjoyment wouldn't
be married in the least by the fact
that you do not have to work to pro
cure these blessings. No stubborn
soil to till, no sowing or reaping.
You just get some one to pick your
fruit for you while you try and find
time to eat Oh, shall never be able
to describe to you the delicious Ian
guor which steals over me at noon
each day. The roseate atmosphere OF
the opium eaters dream seems to en-
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

500. 000 And when st. Andrews Bay
secures a railroad connection with
the interior, as it will soon do, there
should be, and will be, little difficulty
in securing an appropriation that will
put this body of water in communities
ton with the deep-draft commerce OF
the world.
ST. Andrews Bay is a beautiful and
picturesque sheet of water, possessing
with its various arms, bayous. and la
goons, over 500 miles of verdure
mounted shore line The eastern
shores of the bay are for the most
part high and bold, and deep draft
vessels can in many places sail with.
in 800 yards of the shore itself.
Fruit in abundance and of almost
every known semi-tropical variety
grows about this bay with little
cultivation or attention, while
vegetables grow odigally dur.
ing the months from October to
June. Oranges, figs, grapes, pears
teaches, plums, pomegranites, Japan
csc persimmons, and nearly every va
rietyN of berries grow in season all
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

as streams.
! Itsts more than a hundred miles
! from where they lose themselves IN
the lava to the canyon of Snake
River. Yet it is believed that a part
of the waters of these rivers, passing
through subterranean channels hum
dreds of feet below the surface, final
lly reach their former continent
Shepherds and herdsmen who Craze
their flocks and herds in winter ON
this broad plain have long insisted
that at several places where there
were yawning chasms in the lava the
rushing waters could be heard dis
tinctly.
Remarkable Springs.
Further evidence of the soundness
of this theory is found in the huge
springs which break out along the
northern wallssof Snake Canyon. One
group of these, near the head of Ha-
german Valley, is the most remark
able in the world. They are known
as Thousand Springs. It. Is as diff
cult to describe them as 1t Is to find
words with which to portray Niagara.
Conceive, If you can, moresthan half
mile of precipfeous canyon, with
black and frowning face nearly $40
feet high. Then imagine thousand
geysers gushing forth under tremen-
dous pressure. the water. white with
foam describing perfect parabola and
then falling sheer 200 beet, TO be
dashed into spray on the rocks below.
The roar of all these cataracts Is
deafening. In the spray which rises
the bright sun paints innumerable
rainbows of indescribable coloring and
beauty.
More than 100000 gallons OF. water
pours out of fountains every minute
in the year You can travel for ten
miles down the canyon and never be
out of sight of a dozen waterfalls.
More than half the normal flow of
the river at this point Is supplied by
these springs, which have their
source probably hundreds of miles to
the north, and which are drawn from
some underground reservoir beneath
the treeless plain.
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

| tul, fights. cock fights, iestas and
mucko rum, and the great financie'
disclosed his plan. He would issue
bonds, sell them in Europe, ami COLI
struct a narrow-gauge railroad across
Honduras.
Sold Like Hot Cakes.
The first issue CT bonds sold like
hot cakes, as every mile OF railroad
tuilt was secured with square mile
of land on either side. ana the pros
pectus described this land as 1enss'y
covered with mahogany, lieum-vitae
rose wood, ebony, and osaer valuable
woods. The country was described
as a virgin parad Sc aRdSs the ideal
place for homeseekers.
Sixty miles OF railroad were actual
ly constructed, the rails and equip
ment being cast-off stuff brought over
from England This was not done, how
ever, uErtil Honduras had been trcked
into guaranteeing the bonds TO com
rlete the whole line. More than $780,
then the promoters abandoned the
project Tile 'boIdAolders are st.,l
waiting for their accrued interest. The
English courts declared the scheme
was conceived in iniqui.y and that
the republic could net be held legally
responsible for the payment of the
bonds, Honduras has never rean-
dated them. Neither has she mace
any provision for payment. 1t was a
game of high finance which deserved
ly shs:u'd be classed with that sltur-
MALTA of graft, the cid Panama Canal
Has Never Paid.
The Interoceanic Railway has never
paid, and as managed al present viii
never pay more taan operating ex-
lenses. Nevertheless. the country is
SO inviting, so absolutely undeveloped
that 4 few years ago John Jacob As
tor. Chauncey NJ. Depew, and several
other New Workers secured a conces
sion from the government and started
in To complete the road. They ac-5
CURED very valuable experience
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

fourth junket which the famous
Genoese explorer took at Isabella's ex
pense that he dropped in here early
one morning, and right on the spot
where | stood planted the standard OF
Fred and Issy and annexed everything
In sight. This was some years ago
IN 1902, but to the best OF my belief
am the first American to discover
the spot.
After six days on the heaving, tu-
] multuous bosom of the Gulf, it was
good to hit old Mother Earth again,
even if she was wet and smelly of
swamp and rotting vegetation.
A Remarkable Railroad.
Puerto Cortes' chef claim to fame
is that it Is one of the termini of the
most remarkable railroad in the world
-the Interocean.c Railway. In this
enlightened age of invention and
progress. when the tcot CT the lccon,o-
tive Is echoing around the Mount OF
Olives. and the festive brakeman is
juggling with the famous names or
Biblical history, you would not look
for back number like this one the
American Continent. It's rolling stock
would make mighty attractive ex-
hibit for the jamestown. Exposition,
1t belongs to past age, with the
steamboat of Fulton and the locoTo-
tive of Stephenson. II was built in
1870, and a perusal of its checkered
history affords substantial evidence
that the man with the muck rake had
; good subject in the Englishmen who
promoted this graft.
In thoco dave the eve teeth of the
rulers of Central American republics
were in a virgin state, and their con-
fidence in the sons Of Britain was in
nocent and chidlike. John Bull came
and looked the country over, and it
looked good to him. He confided 20
the dictator who for the nonce presided
over the republic that II sufficiently
urged and encouraged he might he
induced to build railroad to connect
both oceans. Thereupon there were
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

cleared piece or right of way about
FIVE miles long, and then blew up.
A trip over this line is the best
substitute have have ever found for
course in gymnastics. The road.
bed has not ben repaired in twenty
years, and the only comfortable parts
of the journey are the stops or when
the cars are off the track. Time is
actually snnihilated. You lose SO
much you forget all about it.
I've been here two days, wandering
around. getting acquainted, and fur
bishing UP my Spanish. Information
las been gwen me that the arsenal l
brought along will not be necessary
if my nilsson is one of peace; so to-
morrow shall stroll quietly into the
swamp and deposit sundry and divers
deadly weapons. the close association
with which has already called up
lpameless terrors to my timid soul.
Ny good American gold has been ex-
changed fer the debased coin of Latin
America, and | fear that the dark
skinned gentlemen who accommodate
ed me have extracted trifle more
than the proper rate; but at that
Admirably Situated.
The situation of this town IS admir-
able for a maritime city. The climate
Is generally cool and delightful, as the
heat Is always tempered by the wild
of the sea. Back of the port chain
of high mountains contribute grand
and interesting character to the
scenery. and the coast assumes an ap-
pearance of grandeur and beauty that
more than realizes my idea of tropical
reg ons. Beyond the first range ere
lofty mountains of perpetual green
some isolated and others running off
into. ranges higher and higher, until
their SUBMITS are hidden in tie
Clouds.
They tell me down here the ghost
of the Louisiana Lottery is go; lg -
rise, and that new Monte Carlo is
going to be erected On the Island Of
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15

Bnoacca. That story sounded so in
teresting that determined to visit
the place, and engaged a Carib sloop
to take me over. Bonacca is inc OF
the bay islands and lies in latitrfe 10
degrees % minutes north, and longi-
tude So degrees IS minutes west. On
the map it resembles a hand, the in,
dex finger pointing to the northeast.
1t IS nine and half miles long by
five miles wide, and on account OF its
elevation it is visible for many miles
at sea.
Our approach In Il small sloop was
from the south side, and we anchored
in lovely little bay, in about eight
fathoms of water The water was
wonderfully transparent, and every
thing on the bottom was distinctly
visible All forms OF sea life were
numerous and particularly several
varieties of medusae, The medusae, |
found to my cost, are much nicer to
COX at than to handle. | discovered
this fact Immediately upon taking one
of these opaline beauties out OF the
water. A nettle sting. was trifling to
the discomfort / experienced.
Island of Banacca.
From where we landed the shore
ascends gradually to the summit OF a
high hill covered with every kind Of
tropical foliage. The beach as far as
Se could see seemed one continuoIs
grove of cocoanut trees loaded with
ruts. A number of Garth dwellings,
made of mud and matched with the
leaves of the cabbage palm dotted the
shore, their owners engaged in fish
ing on the cora reefs.
We proceeded to ascend the hill,
about 500 feet in elevation, passing
through a perfect maze of tropical
luxuriance. On the summit the view
vas enchantingly beautiful, ranges of
hills one above the other inclosing
charming and delightful valleys and
savannas met the eye on every hand.
The foliage seemed equally rich
everywhere Here and three were
The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-07-15
BY leander McFalI,

,,i ruerto Cortez, Honduras, July S.
"nen J landed on this narrow little
sIip OF bog, which extends for mile
~ so more into the Caribbean Sea,
.et Kin to the Irishman who was ship
..Ieched on South Sea Island. AT
Vel d terrible struggle for life Pat fl
aa,! managed to crawl to a point ot
FATTY, where he espled a dark-skinneG
Hatlve looking at him.
mas We a govermint?" asked the
son of Erin.
Inc native nodded.
IN, ain I'm ag'in it," said Pat.
No., ven AFTER the mahogany-hued Cen.
81 a' american who runs the custom
~, e mere got through Maintaining
NY baggage, and had mopped a
So ,"sy hoor with my lingerie, ! was
''pe lor revolution and anarchy.
nont uerto Cortes is little place of
re.naps 1000. situated on the north.
,aS cOast of the republic of Hondu-
.as, about 1000 miles south of Pen.
Of Ola 'S II struggles along the shore
e., ne harbor, which is really the
b,rL EXCUSE for its existence, as good
M, u'lS are scarce on this coast. The
, rann portion of the town is built on a
10. NV peninsula, and so low is it
III IN we houses are set on piles above
wafer, which, during the rainy
..'", Is always under them. Yet
tbr.p' as 1t is by the salt breezes on
san ee sides, in spite of the utter alb
con nce oil sewerage or drainage, it is
'paratively healthy!
Where Columbus Stood.
vbor sood to-day upon the exact spot
ms;at columbus first set foot on the
A, land OF the American continent.
one 'east' that is what the very couite-
aus .ps eabellero in sombrero and over
nhs o informed me, and while Christie
morr orsot to erect any permanent
BE- " ma to mark the spot it would
the aanilestly discourteous to doubt
statement of the polite natice.
S'0rdlng to history 1t was on the