Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-11-09

Americans began 10 bay the plant,
which grew wild, especially along the
eastern side Of the Mexican railroad.
About two years ago factory was
erected TO manufacture 1t.
When | passed over the road saw
them bringing In this weed from all
sides to the station for shipment II
was carried on the little burro from
the interior, and I was told that as
much as $50 ton was paid for It.
All this development has come within
the last three or four years. This
shrub, only few years ago regarded
not only as worthless but an annoy
ance by Mexican landowners, Is sim
ply bringing them piles Of money now.
Lands thick In this brush, which
could have been purchased for nomi-
nal sum three years ago, are five and
ten times higher today Many sales
Of the shrub Itself on the ground have
4 DtCH lcitoiitu ht UFft HFb tifutS TIC
price M which the land itself was
held previous to this boom.
/, The buying up Of the guayule began
about the latter part Of the year 1904
and SIS fMexican currency was paid
per ton Contracts for large lots are
now made at 500 and $3.50 per ton.
The shrub contains approximately Is
per cent of gum and % to so cents
, per pound Is paid for this in New
York, But lately a better process has
been introduced which will bring the
value up to 81 per pound. No claim
, is made that the gum extracted from
this shrub will ever take the pace OF
, rubber, but ii can be substituted In
many forms of manufacture.
This industry has now passed from
lthe experimental to the practical
stage and Is destined to become
very important one. especially in the
north Of Mexico. Factories which are
already working and those now under
construction. | am told, will represent
an outlay, in buildings end machinery
alone, of several million of dollars.
Large quantities of this gum is now
being exported and the industry is
thriving in all directions
Mexico seems to be a vartiable land
nf nil fx~ f,1o too 4
inexhaustible. her forests are rich in
many varieties of costly woods, and
her soil Is very productive. For cen
turtles. though. the great object OF
search for all Mexicans and emigrants
to Mexico was gold and silver As a
consequence some of her richest
lands have been left untouched II
has been told me since I have been
here that had the money which has
been spent in mining been invested
in agriculture, Mexico would have been
at least four times as rich as it is
today. Now 1t has to come to our own
country for many of the necessaries
of life. 1t can grow sugar cane in the
low lands. coffee in the temperate
lands and European cereals in the
central table lands. and in addition
its mines are still valuable and have
scarcely been touched Irrigation is
very much needed, and years ago the
government passed law granting
great concessions to private parties
who formed irrigation companies.
Everything has been done that was
possible by the government to invite
capital into the country with his OBJ
iect in view. Much irrigation, | am
told, is being done, railroads are be-
ing built and am assured that Mex.
ico has a future more wonderful than
dts past.
Sincerely yours,
n. b. SCOTT.
Gen. Morris Horkheimer. Wheeling,