davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

deal of land on which the shrub grows and al
ready much rubber is being turned out by the
new process, and it is said to have been so sue,
cessful that arrangements are being completed
by which the manufacture will be more exten-
sively engaged in
The first factory for this purpose was estaD-
ished about year and half ago, and at the
present time there are about three million dol-
lars invested in the new industry in the ylelni'y
of Monterey alone There are indications oi
the same amount being invested in the immedl-
ate future in the erection of new factories and
extension Of old ones.
Two years ago such lands the Guayule grew
upon could have been bought easily for thirty
cents per acre. Today the crop gathered from
one acre Of this land is said to be worth more
than one hundred dollars in American money
Two tons can be cut from one acre. and in the
course Of two years, II the plant has been prop
erly cut go a. not 10 destroy the roots, second
crop will be ready for harvesting
The excitement following on the trail OF the
announcement that this hitherto worthless land
is now an assnt of.conaderable value "a antsnss.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

acter of weed which covers the Northern pla
teau of Mexico, and which has been regarded
as one of the most impossible plaques of the
country. There are thousands and thousands of
acres, covered with this weed, and for this rea-
son the land Is quite useless. Otherwise it might
be of value for cattle grazing, but with the weed
growing on it the land is worse than useless.
The property is often burden to the proprietor.
The plant is known as the Guayule shrub, and
it grows very thickly on the lands of the section
referred to, and where it once gets good start
everything else ia crowded out. The plant grows
about four feet high and covers great stretch
of country, and extends about one hundred and
fifty miles into the State Of Texas.
It has been recently discovered that this plant
has great value and persons holding tho land
on which IL grows find themselves with pros
psct Of enormous wealth. 1t has been given this
sudden valuation by the discovery Of an Ameri-
can, that 1t can bs made use Of In the manu-.
faoture Of rubber.
The process ia owned by an American ayndi-
vsts which haH secured tho control of.a great
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

lied by ''tong" for one girl. The maintenance
of many gambling rooms, and fully three-fourths
of all the violations of the Chinese Exclusion
law were also charged to these organizations.
Many of the "hatchet men," or assassins, were
ostensibly merchants, but the disguise, in many
cases. was transparent j. d. Putnam, an in
spector of Chinese immigrants, is authority for
the statement that, There is not one out of ten
Chinese in San Francisco styling themselves as
merchants and registered who are merchants
except in name. There are many firms claim
ing to have from ten thousand to fifteen
thousand dollars capital, and having list
filed in the Custom House of from Ave to fifteen
partners, whose stock could be removed at one
time in single express wagon. Usually there
are one or two men found about the store, the
rest cooking or gardening or running gambling
rooms until just before they wish to visit China
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

and still they have trouble in procuring sgners
to their papers being bona fide merchants"
Police Lieutenant William Price declared that.
after twenty-one years of observation as a mem
Der of the city police force, he convinced
that all the "tongs" were organized and main
tanned for the purpose of murder, and that in
offensive Chinese merchants were obliged to
assist in maintaining the "tongs" in order to Sc
cure immunity from the hired assassns and black
mailers. He also said that these criminal go
cieties have their meeting rooms finely fitted up,
and that any member, at any of the secret meet
ings, may offer a of money for the murder
of any Chinaman he disikes. The 'hatchet men"
are Immediately blindfolded and they then draw
lots for the selection of the one to commit the
desired murder. Two are generally chosen, and
they are bound to kill their man even if score
of policemen be about when they meet him. Be
fore they go on their errand of murder the chat
chet men" fix up what little business they have,
lust as a white man makes his will before going
on a long journey. If the murderer is caught, he
is defended at the expense of the "tong," and if
he is Imprisoned hanged the "tong" compen.
safes his relatives in China.
Blaclmai is levied on the slightest provocation,
Lieutenant Price said, and he told this story
illustrations Zone evening Chinese butcher in
San Francisco threw little clean water into the
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14
False Alarm

A Clergyman who was widower had three
grown-up daughters. Having occasion to go away
on visit for few weeks, he wrote home from
time to time. In one of his letters he informed
them that he had married strapping widow
with six children"
You may imagine what stir this created In the
household. When the vicar returned home. one
Of his daughter, her eyes red with weeping, said;
where's the widow you married, fatherr
"0h, married her 20 aaqther uaan"
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14
People Who Are Crazed by Weed

Persons who formerly were burdened with the
proprietorship of Guayule land are now hoppy IN
its possession, and making desirable con
tracts for the sale of the crop for term of
years or arranging for the sale of the land out
right at what seems to be fabulous prices in
view of the fact that the land was looked upon
as worthless only short time ago. Options on
lands are being bought and sold and titles ex-
changed many times in the course of short peri
ods of time. Values are inflated and rather
unwholesome condition Of affairs exists in the
country where the Guayule thrives
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14
Wants Old Aunty by HIS Side

Major Barak G.. Thomas of Lexington, the
famous breeder and turfman who died recently,
directs in his will that his faithful old negro
servant, Aunt Margaret" Prior, shall be buried
by his side in the Lexington Cemetery. The ne
gro woman inherited the bulk of the estate, in
Guiding the Hra Villa stock farm, and all of the
horses, which fact itself caused much comment
II is not believed that the authorities will permit
the clause in the will regarding the burial Of the
old woman to be carried out.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

street, and Chinese highlander, who was stand
ing nearby, got little of the water in his sleeve
When had passed by the highbinder went into
the butchers store and demanded one hundred
dollars as atonement for the offense. / learned
of the demand and told the butcher not to pay
the money, but to arrange to meet the high
binder at a certain place and would be there
He promised to do SO, and l left him, but be-
fore l returned to his store he had paid the
one hundred dollars out of sheer fear of his
life."
DESCENT ON THE "'TONGS"
At one time, backed by the Chief of Police
and encouraged by the Chinese Consul, Leuten-
ant Price took sixteen men in uniform and with
axes they destroyed the rooms of five of the
"tongs." They literally cut the furniture to
pieces, making kindling wood of about one hun
dred and eighty thousand dollars worth OF
property. Wherever this squad went it found
arms ammunition bowie knives two feet long in
the blade, iron bars done up in braided cord, and
chain and steel armor, the latter to be worn un-
der the clothing. One joss, or idol destroyed had
been brought from China, and was worth seven
or eight hundred dollars. In another building
there were seven josses and all these were de
stroyed greatly to the CONSERVATION OF the friend
ly Chinamen, who predicted the lieutenant s
death The lieutenant still lives to tell the story
of the raids. As result Of this vigorous action
several of the "tongs" were driven out of Sar
Francisco, and for three years there was not g
Chinaman killed in the city
The ''Hatchet man." according to the heuten
ant, seldom carries a pistol, but is accompanied
by another Chinaman, called Jury" who car
ries the weapon and passes it TO the "Hatche
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

1.-THE residents of Northern Mexico and
| HI portion of the State of Texas are at
- the present time literally 'lOcoed.
1asEs They are as crazy over Guayule weed
as range cattle are after an undue in.
dulCence in the Loco" weed. After Loco
lag horse is insane for the remainder Of his
natural life, and is no good for any purpose
whatever, but it is hoped that the residents or
Northern Mexico win not be SO disastrously at
fected.
The Mexicans are affected by another char
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

the absence of the latter, and, sometimes, with
committing murder for pay. They were also said
to review and nulfy the judgments of the local
courts with regard to their proposed victims, and,
at times, to use the local courts to enforce their
own decisions. There is on record trial of
Chinaman for murder in which it was learned, af-
ter the conviction of the accused, that all the
evidence was false and was furnished by the
"tongs" which had marked an innocent man for
destruction. Even innocent and well-meaning
Cinnamon were terrified into swearing away the
life Of a fellow-countryman.
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

~
IAI tation, rearrangement of streets and
kS=zZA police regulations, now before the auth
tg8@rEI critics of San Francisco, not the least
important in the judgment of the local
police is the disposition of the criminal element
in the city's enormous Chinese population. Tales
Of crime, actual occurrences, besides which "rhe
Queen of Chinatown" and other melodramatic
performances are inane and feeble, were matters
Of almost daily talk among the San Francisco
police before earthquake and fire destroyed the
densely-crowded district known as Chinatown"
One who has made study Of the conditions that
existed in this district says;
Out of the 25000 Chinese in San Francisco
prior to the earthquake and fire, fully 5000 were
believed by the police and the immigration in
spectors to be "Highbinders" or criminal idlers
These criminals confined their operations to their
own race, levying backmail at will and punishing
with death those who refused to pay. They were
thoroughly organized in fifteen "tongs," or socie-
ties which were known, respectively, as Chez
Kung Tong, Suey On Tong, Bow On Tong, Hop
Sing Tong, Hip Sing Tong, Suey Sing Tong, Wa
Bing Shean Tong, Bing Gung Tong, Bow Sin
Sere Tong, Gi Sui Sere Tong, Hip Yee Tong,
Quong Duck Tong, 10 Lung Sen Tong Lun On
Tong and jew Yee Tong None of these "tongs''
were connected in any way with the "Six COM
panies," or other Chinese commercial organiza-
tons
A CORPS OF HATCHET MEN
Each "tong" had its corps of "hatchet men, .
who were sworn to murder all who incurred the
displeasure Of these societies, and so great was
the terror they inspired that law-abiding China
men could not be depended upon to resist their
demand or report their offenses. A system Of
electric bells, from house to house and block 70
block warned the "hatchet men" of the approach
Of policeman, and sometimes they did not hest
tate 10 shoot down their victim on the street. and
IN daylight, with policeman nearby, SO confident
were they that the neighbors fear would ensure
them from detection.
The stongs" were freely charged by the auth
critics with trying their uctima ia secget and in
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

man at the opportune time for the crime When
the fatal shot is fired the pistol is quickly passed
10 the Jury" who disappears, and the High
binder, if caught quietly submits to having his
pockets searched by the police.
While the lieutenant and two policemen were
on one side of the street, and two policemen were
on the other side "Hatchet man" walked up
TO his victim, old Chinese merchant and re-
peatedly plunged knife ten inches long into
the old mans body This murderer was Of
course, caught ''red-handed,' but the incident
showed that the "Highbinder'' was Obliged to kill
his man without regard to the consequences.
MURDERER's COMMISSION
DR.. j. Endicott Gardner, interpreter of Chin
ese who has spent more than thirty wears of
llte among Chinamen at home and in San Fran.
cisco, possesses letter of instructions to a
follows:
10 Lum Hip, saaried soldier:
1t has been said that to plan schemes and de-
wise methods and to hold the seal is the work Of
the literary class, while to oppose foes, fight bat
ties and plant firm government, is the work Of
the military.
Now this tong appoints salaried soldiers. to
be ready to protect ourselves and assist Others
This is our object
All, therefore, who undertake the military
service OF this tong must obey orders, and with
out orders you must not dare to act If any Of
pui pieyHeh are suddenly molested 1t will be nee
essary for you to, act with resolute will.
You shall. always work to the interest of the
tong and never make your office means of pri.
vate revenge.
When orders are given you shall advance
vahanty to your assigned task. Never shrink or
turn your back upon the battlefield
When ship arrives in port with women ON
board, and the grand master issues an order for
you to go down and receive them, you must be
punctual and use all your ability for the good
of the commonwealth Tor state).
IF in the discharge of your duty you are slain
we will undertake to pay five hundred dollars
sympathy money to your friends.
If you are wounded doctor will be engaged
to heal your wounds, and if you are incapacitated
for any length of time you will receive ten dol.
| lars month.
IF you are manned for life and incapacitated
for work two hundred and fifty dollars shall be
paid to you and subscription taken to defrav
costs OF your journey home to China
This paper is given as proof as word Of
mouth may not be believed
furthermore, whenever you exert vo,,r
strength to kill or wound enemies of this tong
and in so doing you are arrested and imprisoned
one hundred dollars per year shall be paid to
your friends during your Imprisonment
dated 18th day of 9th month of I4th year.
Kwong Sui, Victoria b. c."
(seal of Chez Kong Tong)
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14
GIRLls TERRIBLE TALE

Doctor Gardner also possesses catechism used
in the coaching of Witnesses for the landing d
Chinese slave girl.
Miss Donaldina Cameron matron of the Pres.
byterian Chinese Rescue Home at San Francisco
estimated that ninety per cent, or more, Of the
Chinese girls brought to San Francisco were
destined for immoral lives She said these girls
were bought and paid for in China, and that
they we're compelled to take the purchase money
in their own hands and give it to the persons
selling them so it could not come back upon the
person making the purchase One Of these girls
rescued by the home, was blind, having been
made so by imprisonment over night in a chicken
coop, where vermin destroyed her sight. This
imprisonment was punishment inflicted upon her
by the ''Highbnders" for some act Of disobedi-
ence.
Deportation Of every Chinaman found to be
member of a "Highbinders society is believed
by the authorities to be the only remedy for
criminal condition that is probably without 4
parallel ia any other city II the world
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14
GIRLS AT AUCTION.

Among other crimes charged to the "tongs"
was the importation of Chinese girls for question
able purpose, and their sale at auction right
in the city of San Francisco. AS much as three
thousand dollars in gold is said to have been real
Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-14

MONG the problems of rebuilding, sani+
tation, Encouragement of streets, and
police regulations, now before the auth
critics of San Francisco, not the least
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
FIRE EMPTIEs A SCHOOL.
Nearly 700 Pupils Dismissed in Good
Order in Three Minutes.

NEW YORK, December BIN just thres
minutes after Principal John f. Brown or
public school $50 rang the signal for
fire drill yesterday afternoon at 2:4p o'clock
in the building in Vandewater streets every
one of the SO children in the four-story
structure had reached the street In safety
and good order. All OF them We're under
fourteen years A lively little blaze was
roaring in the janitor's store closet on the
ground floor and the building was Rapidly
filling with a choking smoke.
Principal Brown was on the top hoor
when he heard excited shouting out in the
street He hurried to the third floor learn
ed that there was a fire on the ground
floor and lost time in ringing the signal
for fire drill In an instant the children
on all four floors were in motion. ! BY the
time they all got out the smoke was very
thick. a.
In practice at the bi-weekly fire drills the
building has often been emptied in Two min
utes and half. Principal Brown was
apologetic about that extra half minute of
yesterday afternoon.
You see he said, 1.-THE stairways leading
to the Pearl street exits were so thick with
smoke that we were unable to use those
exits as we ordinarily do. That was why
it took us three minutes to get them all
ont
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
WIFE DEAD, HUSBAND HELD.
Miner Arrested in Connection With
Eazleton Mystery.

HAZLETON, Pa, December 19.-Soberta
AnasacE, a Slovenian living at Jeddo Pa
was arrested in a coal mine a that place
yesterday on the charge of being impIicate ted
in the Hazleton barrel mystery 1t is al
legged that the woman whose charred re-
mains were found here Monday was his
wife, who disappeared from home several
weeks ago. 1t is reported that the marriage
of the couple, which took place year ago.
was opposed by their relatives, and that
after their wedding they had frequent quar-
rels. The description of the victim tallies
with that of the missing woman.
The body was found by Patrick O'Donnell
he wandering through the woods
with his dog. ODonnell thought that the
dog had come across a quantity of burned
rubbish, but on getting closer found that
the mass the body of a human being
Hair combs part of corset, the frame of
a hat and part of slipper We're lying near
by. Snow was falling at the time. and
ODonnell says there were indications of
blood on the body.
Under the body were found three hoops,
such as are used sugar barrels. The
odor of kerosene was strong, and it is
thought that both the barrel and the body
had been we'll covered with oil before the
match was applied.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
DISTRESS IN NORTH CHINA.
Official Advices From the Project of
Huaianfu

Official advces received here from the
project of Huaianfu regarding the famine
in North kiangsu, China, confirm the sto
ries of suffering and want among the people
of that section. The crops reported as
being almost a total failure in Taoyuen
and it is stated that by the new year this
meager supply will be exhausted. The con-
dition of things in Antong and Running
townships Is Still worse, the crops being
practically a total failure. The country
everywhere is under water and for a dis
lance of fifty miles the people were COM
PEELED to wade through water from knee
deep to waist deep, and in some places up to
their necks.
AS illustrating the extent of the havoc
wrought, the project states that in the
stretch of country Immediately west of
Tsingho what formerly was a fertile plain
covered with good crops and prosperous
hamlets is now a vast lake, extending
twenty miles at the narrowest point and
stretching for over forty miles toward the
southwest. Here and there the project
says, ARE the groups of cottages which
arise above the sheet of water and can only
be reached by boats. The people are In a
state of absolute restitution, not only their
crops but also the reeds which constitute
their fuel being destroyed by the floods
An urgent appeal is made to the people
of all foreign lands for aid for the stricken
people, whom State Department advices al
ready have placed at fifteen millions.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19

now have three guns to every man. he
remarked, land have expended more than
10O.0O00O0 in carrying out the scheme
of Notifications recommended by the sEndf-
colt board, and yet have made no increase
in the Artillery Corps"
1.-THE senator ought to have added" inter-
rupted Senator Hale, that we have no
enemies Mr.. Hale added that the aEgu-
ment~ of the army had been that you
could not have an army without gyms, and
when the guns are supplied they turn about
and say that what is the use to have guns
and Notifications without men! IL is
constant pressure on the part of the army
to aggrandize ITSELF he continued, first
for men and then for guns There is no
end to it,
Senator Warren suggested that he would
li$ke to hear from Mr.. Hale regarding the
navy in this connection, as Mr.. Hale was
a member of the naval committee, and as
$1O,GOO,00O to $20,OOO,OOO.
THE senator is right" responded Mr..
Hale. The disease is just as deep IN the
navy, and l am inclined to think deeper
years and shall try again this year to keep
down naval expenditures. But the military
establishments are alike. Each is seeking
to aggrandize ITSELF
Il don't suppose the people Of the country
appreciate it. 1 don't know that the Sen
ate does, that two-thirds of the revenues
of the country today are devoted to the
payment of the burdens of past wars. like
pensions, and expenditures in view of fu-
ture wars. OF all the taxes that are laid
and all the revenues collected nearly two
thirds are expended for the militaries In
a broad way
Senator Scott observed that during the
summer he had visited nine coast fortlh-
cations, and found the big, new, expensive
guns sewed up in canvas, after having
been rubbed in vaseline. He should demand
that some measure be passed to secure ade-
quate care Of these guns, or that no further
expenses be incurred in that direction.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-19
LABOR IN HAWAII.
Commissioner Sargent Bringing In
formation for President.

formation Tor freS1oent.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, December 10
Frank P Sargent, commissioner of immi-
grafton. arrived in San Francisco yester-
day from Honolulu, where he has been for
the past three weeks, studying immigra-
ton matters and labor conditions or the
islands During his stay in Honolulu the
commissioner collected vast amount or
information which he will compile in re-
port to the President.
While Commissioner Sargent went to
Hawaii ostensibly to investigate the recent
immigration of laborers from the Azores
he took the opportunity of examining care
fully the subject Of Japanese immigration
of the islands, which just now Is causing
some alarm in Hawaii because of the In
creased numbers arriving. While in Homo
lulu Commissioner Sargent took mass OF
prominent sugar planters upon the general
subject Of providing labor for the Islands
The result Of his investigation was not DIS
closed upon this subject. but what his nnu-
ings were could not be learned. To rep
resentative of The Star he said:
II found the immigrants from the Azores
a hard working Industrial set, apparently
well satisfied with their new home. Hawall
is sadly in need of bona fide settler lmml-
grants and 1t may be this experiment from
the Azores will solve the problem. Yes, !
but these l prefer not to discuss until after
my report is submitted.
Commissioner Sargent left here yesterday
for Washington.