davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
AMERICAN MeERscHAuM MINES.

Because of the discovery of vast
deposits of meerschaum in the noun
tains of New Mexico 1t is not likely
that the monopoly of that mineral
heretofore held by the Turkish govern
ment will be broken and pipes of that
material will be lessened in cost.
Until recently all the meerschaum
used in the commerce of the. world
was produced from a mine in the
plains of Eskihi-sher, Anatoly, Turkey
In Asia. In those mines are employed
10000 men. The output of the nina
was owned by the Turkish government
and it kept the price up.
1t is said that enough meerschaum
has been discovered in Grant county.
New Mexico, to supply the worlds
needs.
There is a popular belief that meer-
schaum is petrified sea foam washed
up ages ago and solidified by some
strange process of nature Meer-
schaum is a mineral known to sci
entists as "sepiolite." 1t is composed
principally of silica and magnesium.
1t is found in assures in the rock,
where volcanic action has forced y
up to the surface. Meerschaun
used not only for making tobacco
pipes, but because of its unique prop
critics of resisting high degree of
heat and its ready absorption of wa
ter, 1t is put to various electrical and
mecanical uses.
In the mines of New Mexico a solid
block of meerschaum weighing forty
two pounds was taken out. 1t was the
largest block of meerschaum ever
mined.
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
THE POINTS DECIDED.

In deciding the suit of the state of
Kansas against the state of Colorado,
the supreme court dismissed the bill
for the reason that Kansas had not
established sufficient injury to its in
terests through the depletion OF the
river to warrant action by the court.
The following questions of fact were
discussed and decided:
First--Tnat there Is .arge amount
of arid land In Colorado and other
sections OF the arid region which can
only be reclaimed by irrigation.
Second-That there are over 3O0,-
900 acres of land irrigated in Colo
RADIO from the waters of the Arkan-
sas river, which supports popula-
ton OF almost 10000 people, producing
farm products valued at many mil
lions of dollars, and that this de-
velopment would be destroyed If the
courts should deny the right of the
of the stream for irrigation purposes.
Third-That irrigation in Colorado
has depleted the amount of water
which would otherwise flow into Kan
sas.
Fourth-That some detriment has
been worked to the southwestern part
of Kansas by irrigation in Colorado.
Fifth-That the withdrawal of the
water in Colorado for the purpose OF
irrigation has not proved a source OF
serious detriment to the Kansas coun-
ties along the Arkansas river.
Sixth--That the contention of the
state of Colorado that there are two
rivers, or in other words, broken
river, is not sustained by the evidence
Seventh-That the contention of the
state of Kansas that the so-called un-
derfow constitutes sub-surface
stream is not supported by the evil
dehce.
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
EVA BOOTHS POLICEMAN.

World To-Day.
you are under arrest! You are
disturbing the peace!" snarled po-
liceman, breaking OFF her first public
prayer In the streets of London. She
was still in her early teens, slight
slip of girl, with no means of re
sistance. and as the bullying officer
tightened his grip on her arm she
was dragged shrinkingly with him.
But the action aroused the sympa-
thies OF the rough crowd as a lighted
match fires a keg of gunpowder. In
an instant the policeman and his pris-
oner We're surrounded. and before the
officer could raise his voice he was
beaten to the pavement under a show
er of fists.
1t was the girl prisoner who, for
getting his rough grip and the cell to
which he would have dragged her, ap-
pealed to the throng In his defense.
When the crowd finally retreated the
policeman was groaning with two
from head to foot.
For weeks the little girl in the big
Army bonnet paid faithful visits to
the helpless man in the hospital, and
when he was released warmer friend
Eva Booth and her cause could not
have found in all England. To this
day she receives letters in rough,
sprawling hand, signed simply, your
policeman"
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20

ra. is in Santiago province, and is CON
trolled by the Cuban-American Sugar
company. a New York concern of
which former Congressman r. H.
Hawley Of Texas is the president.
II has large number of stockholders
In New York and other parts of the
United States, and 1t owns five of the
finest plantations in Cuba and a re-
fiuery at Cardenas. The Chaparra
plantation produces an average of $780,
600 bags Of sugar annually, weighing
325 pounds each. It is under the
management of Mario Menocal. neph-
ew Of Engineer A. G. Menocal of the
United States navy. Don Mario Is
competent and enterprising engineer
who was educated in Washington. He
was one of the most effective leaders
in the liberal party and has been
talked of as a candidate for president
The five plantations and the extra
refinery owned by the Cuban-Ameri-
can Sugar company represent an in
vestment of many millions of dollars.
"The United Fruit company of New
York, usually known as the fruit trust,
comes next in the magnitude of its
interests. 1t has two large estates.
The Terry family who are well known
in New York and Paris have the third
largest interest. Their estate, called
the Caracas, is next to Chaparra in
size.
AL 1a, no
American interests. They have not
been increased recently because OF
The general anxiety and apprehension
concerning the political situation.
There Is not much doing in lands at
present. The old Cuban families are
not selling as rapidly as they formerly
did. They anticipate peace and bet
ter times. They are confident OF
American permanent occupation soon
er or later, and as they are not re.
luired to pay taxes on their idle land
1t is possible to buy small tracts OF
land however, along the Cuba rail
roads, but sugar growing is a large
proposition, and the margin is so mar
row that it is necessary, to do big
| business in order to pay profits. Pres
ont prices are unusually low. Last
year $1,000 they were still lower
due to n forced market and the eager
ness of the planters to get their money
Cuba sold 2,GS4,OOO,OO0 pounds o
sugar to the United States in 1906 foi
$56,624 ,164, while in 1905 she got s72,
649.s1S for 2,4i7 .OOO. 900 pounds.
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
AS OTHERS SEE LIS

In letter from "A German in Amer
lea" published in a Berlin newspaper
the writer dwells at length on the
Americans fondness for gambling
and his proficiency in the art" His
business methods" says the writer
ARE speculative and not conservative,
like ours. and he takes great risks to
reach the coveted goal of riches. At
school he plays games with the small
copper coin of the country, and wheryn
he reaches college he plays poker.
He CANDLES on the outcome of the ath-
letic contests in his and rival educa-
t!onal institutions, and when driven
to the wall in argument, no matter
what the subject may be, the final.
and usually effective, weapon is q
bet. From school he goes into bust
ness, II this happens to be in the
financial line there is no interruption
of the gambling habit acquired at
school; If he goes into commerce and
can resist the temptations of the men
who dangle before his eyes visions of
fortunes made by specializing in stocks
he may be saved. But usually he
succumbs, and is worse off than the
financial gambler, because he becomes
speculator in his own business and
in the stock market also. 1t must be
a dreadful strain on the men, but they
seem to thrive on it, and to grow fat
and rich as well, and only we who
worry about them remain poor"
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
WHY WIDOWS FLIRT.

view 1Oih fIeSS.
II saw pretty woman at dis
advantage the other night" the little
real widow was saying. "She was
married. She was sitting at table
with some other pretty women and
handsome men and her husband. Her
husband began to flirt outrageously
with one of the women. | wish you
could have seen the look that came
over her face. Everybody in the room
saw how distressed she was.
Nov, what want to know is this.
Why didn't she go to work and fiirt
with one of the handsome met to get
even? Any one of them was quite
ready and willing. but, no, wives never
seem to be able to do that. They
just sit ready to cry with everybody
noticing.
That's the advantage We real wild
ows have over wives. We don't have
to sit and watch our husbands flirt
ing with other women. We know
where they are. and we also know
that whatever they may chance to be
doing, they are probably not flirting"
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
DEEP SEA SAILORS SCARCE.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The difficulty OF securing sailors for
the feet of sailing vessels now load
ing on Puget sound is greater in this
port now than at any time within
years. The local boarding masterS>
find it practically impossible 10 mafl
tain anything like usual expedience in
filling the complement for what YES
sells have called here during the past
months, and the future is even more
discouraging.
The opportunities presented the
sailors of obtaining work ashore. with
wages much greater than is paid deep
water men, is the strongest factor
In producing the scarcity of men.
Added to this point is the fact that
the coastwise feet has been greatly
increased during the past year Coast
wise sailors draw $45 and $50 per
month. while the deep water men get
but $25. The advantage claimed by
sailors of short voyages along the
coast, when coupled with the heavier
wage paid, constitutes cause for the
abolishment of the pride that at one
time caused the greater number Of
men TO desire foreign voyages to the
Inferior skill required for manning
ships of local transportation.
An instance of the difficulty en-
countered by masters in securing thek
complement of forecacstle hands Is
disclosed with the departure from this
port recently of the British bark Olive
bank. This big fourmaster, bound for
the west coast of South America with
cargo of Bellingham lumber, was
detained two months to secure crew.
Under conditions that have prevailed
until recently it would have been an
easy matter to have fitted the vessel
within fifteen days.
The large number of vessels now
oading in the sound which must be
furnished sailors before departure has
created fear with shipping interests
hat some of the profits anticipated
with the prevailing high freights will
ne heavily reduced through the ex-
pense required by the delay in secur-
| ing sailors.
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
THE EMIGRATION PROBLEM IN
ITALY.

For tie last few years the immi-
grafton to this country from Italy
has toen increasing at an extraordi.
nary rate. During the fiscal year 1906
over $4,000 Italians were admitted
al our ports--a figure that represented
gain Of nearly $4,000 over the total
Of Italian immigration for the previ-
OBS year. A further gain will be
registered by the figure of the cur
rel fiscal year. At the port of New
York 1t is stated. every fourth alien
adM tied is an Italian.
This showing explains the agitation
reported by consults and correspond
ents nom Italian cities, especially in
the south, over the emigration uues-
tion. 1t is said that for some years
the population of Italy has been de
creasing, and that the principal cause
of this depopulation is the heavy emf
grafton to the United States and other
countries on this hemisphere.
In some districts in southern Italy
the rush to America has become a
stampede, according to native and for.
eign observers. Villages are becom-
ing deserted, and at harvest time the
scarcity of labor is a matter OF very
serious concern. Professor Villari of
Florence is reported as saying in
lecture that in some provinces the
population has been reduced by one
third, and only the aged, the sick, the
women and the children remained"
The country was empty and desolate,
and large tracts of good agricultural
land cannot be cultivated for want of
laborers.
From all sides the government is
being admonished that the time has
come to make new departure with
regard to emigration and adopt pol
ley of restriction and prevention in
stead of one of liberation or even en-
couragement. Various measures have
been suggested, and the result of the
discussion is a bill which the gov
ernment presented on May 2 to the
chamber of deputies. This bill, among
other things, provides that the gov
ernment shall have the power TO for
bid the departure of would-be emf
grants of it considers it detrimental
Ia their interests to leave their homes.
Tramp steamers are prohibited from
carrying emigrants, while the repatria.
ton OF Italians will be allowed only
to certain companies duly authorized
to engage in that traffic
The bill contains other regulations
and restrictions that are manifestly
designed to check the tide of emigra
ton and give the government greater
control of the while situation.-Record.
Herald
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
NOTABLE RAILROAD DECISIONS

A few weeks ago we directed atten-
tion to an important decision of the
supreme court of Florida, which held
that, when a railroad fails to keep its
tracks In repair or to render proper
service, mandamus by the attorney
general lies to compel 1t to perform
its neglected duties under the laws
relating to common carriers.
Since then two other noteworthy de-
cisions affecting railroads have been
handed down. one by state. the other
by the federal supreme court.
The Mississippi supreme court has
sustained statute requiring railroads
to pay to shippers demurrage for ev-
cry freight car held for more than
twenty-four hours on any point of the
line. THE law of reciprocal demur-
rage" says the court in its opinion,
SIS founded In the soundest common
sense and the highest spirit Of equity"
The court adds some dicta as to the
probable effects of reciprocal demur.
rage acts on car famines and other
evils. but that has nothing to do with
the question of law involved.
The supreme court of the United
States has decided that under certain
circumstances a state, through It's rail.
road commission, can compel a com
mon carrier to furnish a facility to the
public at loss. provided that loss
does not materially reduce the earn
fngs OF the line as a whole
The question before the court arose
In connection with an order of the
North Carolina commission to GER
tain road requiring it 80 to readjust
Its schedules as to accommodate pas
senEers Of other lines wishing to con
tinue their journey without delay and
Inconvenience. The company objected
that the readJustment would neces.
sitate \ special train which would not
yield q profit. and that to require the
operation Of any train without profit
or At loss, was taking property with
out due process of law. The court
says that rules of law applicable to
an entire rate scheme, or to maximum
rates. do not apply to particular acts
"the doing Of which does not involve
the question Of the proftableness of
tho operation OF the railroad as an
entirsty." The primary duty Of car
risrs h 70 furnish adequate facilities
70 the public. land that duty may
WI BE- compelled even II some pc
cuoiary loss may result from render
~ such service" The fact Of such
|oss 10 very material, and should be
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20

considered IN passing upon the rea-
sonableness OF the order entailing 1t,
but 1t is not the only criterion" The
courts must consider "the obligations
Of the carrier the productiveness of
It's business as a whole. the character
of the particular service required and
the public need for its performance"
The case did not involve the slight
est interference with interstate COM
merce, and the sole Issue was the
reasonableness OF the commissions
order.-Record-Her
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
THE LINCOLN FARM ASSOCIATION

The Lincoln Farm association was
organized and incorporated under the
laws of the state OF New York early
In the month of February, 1906. by
a group of patriotic citizens, who be
lieved that the people of our country
should, through affiiiating with this
organization. develop the farm in La
rue county, Kentucky, on which Abra-
ham Lincoln was born, into a national
park.
The assoc alton. prior to its inoor-
poratiUr, acquired the title 10 this his
toric farm, consisting of one hundred
and ten acres. The association hopes
to develop this property into an attrac-
tive park, embellished by historical
museums and properly monumented,
so that 1t may be complete for dedi-
cation on the 18th day of February
1903, which will be the centennial OF
the birth of the great war president.
The association has already recover
ed the cabin in which Lincoln was
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
THE TIMBER SUPPLY.
Three Times as Much Timber Used
Each Year as the Forest Grows.

Each Year as the Forest Grows.
Every person in the United States
Is using over six times as much wood
as he would use If he were in Europe.
The country as a whole consumes
every year between three and four
times more wood than all of the for
ests of the United States grow in the
meantime. The average acre of forest
lays UP store of only ten cubic feet
annually, whereas 1t ought to be lay
ing up at least thirty cubic feet in
order to furnish the products taken
out of it. Since 1880 more than 700.-
900. 100000 feet of timber have been
cut for lumber alone, including So
000.000,000 feet of coniferous timber
In excess of the total coniferous
stumpage estimate of the census in
1880.
These are some of the remarkable
statements made in circular 81 of the
forest service, which deals with the
timber supply of the United States
and reviews the stumpage estimates
made by all the important authorities.
A study of the circular must lead
directly to the conclusion that the rate
at which forest products in the United
States have been and are being con
sumed is far too lavish, and that
only one result can follow unless steps
are promptly taken to prevent waste
in use and to increase the growth rate
of every acre o. forest in the United
nj Al T..-.u
inc. This country is today in the
same position with regard to forest
resources as was Germany $50 years
ago. During this period OF $50 years
such German states rs Saxony and
Prussia, particularly the latter, have
and regulation which has immensely
Increased the productivity of their
forests. The same policy will achieve
even better results in the United
States, because we have the advantage
of all the lessons which Europe has
learned and paid for in the course of
century OF theory and practice.
Lest 1t might be assumed that the
rapid and gaining depletion of Amer
lean forest resources is sufficiently
accounted for by the increase of pop
ulation, II Is pointed out in the circular
that the increase in population since
1880 is barely more than half the in
crease in lumber cut In the same pc
riod. To areas supplying timber have
already reached and passed their max
imum production-the northeastern
states in 1870 and the lake states
In 1890. Today the southern states,
which cut yellow pine amounting to
one-third the total annual lumber cut
OF the country, are undoubtedly near
their maximum. The Pacific states
will soon take the ascendency. The
state of Washington within a few
years has come to the front and now
ranks first of all invidual states in
volume of cut.
At present but one-fifth of the total
forest area of the United States is
embraced in national forests. The
remaining four-fifths have already
passed or are most likely to pass into
private hands. The average age of
the trees felled for lumber this year
is not less than 1b0 years. In other
words. II he is to secure second
crop OF trees OF the same size. the
lumberman or private forest owner
must walt. say, at least one hundred
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
VETERAN CONSUL VISITS HOME

Seattle Times.
d. A. Atwater, appointed in 1868 by
President Andrew Johnson as consul
to the Seychelles islands, and later
by President Grant as consul to Tahiti
is guest at the Stander. accompa.
MED by his wife, and will soon sail
for Japan.
Atwater is native of Connecticut
and served as consul to the Seychelles
islands for two years. He was then
appointed to a similar position to the
Tahiti islands, where he remained
eighteen years, retiring in 1888.
Pearl fishing and cocoanut raising
are the principal industries OF the
islands," Atwater said, land while the
mother of pearl shells only bring
about $500 ton now, against $1,000
ton few years ago. the industry is
a profitable one. The pearls are fre.
quently marketed in Paris, while the
shells find ready market in London
Three years ago a tidal wave resulted
In n heavy property loss on the prin.
cipal of the pearl islands, and SOC
people perished. The islands have
never recovered from that, and an
other but less severe storm year ago
again retarded the return of prosper
ity.
The shipment of the meat OF CO
coanuts is another important industry
on the islands, and most of this prod
uct is sent to this country. The oil
from the meat is used in the manu-
facture of soap. while the remainder
is used as an ingredient in feed for
live stock"
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
CUBAN SUGAR RAISED
BY CANADIAN CAPITAL
BY William E. Curtis, Correspondent
of Chicago Record-Herald.

BY William f. Curtis, Correspondent
of Chicago Record-Herald.
Camaguey, Cuba, April 13.-At the
Jatibonico station on the American
railroad, almost at the exact geo
graphical center of the island, and on
the bounary line between the prov
inces of Santa Clara and Puerto Prin-
cipe, is an impressive example OF
American enterprise in the form of a
sugar plantation that was started
about three years ago in the midst OF
a tropical forest by Sir William Van
Horne. General Grenville NJ. Dodge
and other large stockholders In the
Cuba Railroad company. Mr.. Dodge $
son-ln-law. Mr.. Pusey, formerly OF
Council Bluffs and a son of Judge
Pusey, who represented that district
into the wilderness with 500 or 600
into tn evidences with 500 or 600
Cubans, cut out the trees, and cleared
the ground. planted the cane and
raisel crop in fifteen months from
the time he came into the intry-
In the meantime one of the largest
and most modern sugar mills in Cuba
was erected at the station to grind
the cane. 1t has been great success
and serves as a brilliant example.
The manager of the Jatibonico sugar
estate is Wilfred Skaife of Montreal,
who has become familiar with affaii :
during his residence in Cuba, partic-
ularly with the sugar industry. When
I asked him how much benefit the
Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-05-20
TRlppEo ON QUOTATIONS.

Glasgow News.
Mr.. Gladstone made the mistake of
thinking that the phrase "the land of
the leal" referred to Scotland, and so
used 1t. And 1t was he also who. in
one of his Midlothian speeches. re-
ferred to tho words OF the Palmist.
God TEN RS the wind to the shorn
lamb'-a text for which the devout
may search the Scriptures in vain.
Sydney Smith was guilty of an even
more atrocious blunder when he spoke
of that beautiful psalm beginning
with Now lettest thou thy servant
depart In peace" A no less curious
mistake was made by Bright on one
occasion. when he attributed the com
mon phrase Cleanliness is next to
godliness" to the Apostle Paul.