davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

bristles IL he should try 70 go through
them. These gates are OF palm planks;
they are sawed out by hand and pegged
rudely together. The date trees forms the
pillars which uphold the house roofs, It
is used as beams and rafters and it Is
made into ladders for the watch towers.
These towers are of mud brick, but there
is more or less palm wood in them, and the
platforms, on which the spies sit at time
of date harvest to guard the crop against
thieves, are made of the same material.
1 was much interested In the palm trees.
They looked ragged and rough on the
taller trees there are no leaves except at
the top and l am told that each ring
of bark represents years growth. IL
this is true many Of the palms NUT be
century old. They begin to bear at
ten or twelve years and yield crops there
after every two years The dates here
are not as good those OF some other
parts Of the Sahara. There are better ones
in Tuat, in Tougurt and Biskra. l shall
learn more about them as l go on with
my travels.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

the water is stored when not needed for ir-
rigation Each tree, am told, gets a good
drink at least twice a week.
During my stay l visited Ell Abid and
these springs. The palms grow all about
them, In some places they are only two or
three feet apart and the branches meet
overhead, shutting out the sun. Some of
the springs are in great watts, some are in
hollows or ravines and others In wells or
square tanks, During our visit the Arabs
were bathing in one of the springs and
crowds Of white gowned men with rags
about their heads looked out at me over
their long boards as took these notes. At
one place Jack attempted to take a photo
graph of them, but Arabs protested and
looked angry, only to smile again when
Mr.. Pascalet told them that we were TAX
ing pictures of the palms and springs. only;
and that we had very good looking men in
Nrance and America and hence did not need
to take home pictures of the natives Of
Figuig.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
oasis of FiEuig.


Oasis of FiEuiE.
This was the oasis Of Figuig It consists
OF this valley and has great date planta-
tions. Standing at the entrance, between
Mount Tarla and Mount Zenaga, each a
barren, rocky brown mass about 5000 feet
high. we could see forest, OF green-leaved
palms ranging in width from two to three
miles and extending up ravine for a dis
lance of seven miles or more. On both
sides and beyond were nothing but sand,
rocks and mountains, perfectly bare, thirsty
and dry. The palms formed a great green
sheet in this setting, with round brown
watch towers made of sun-dried brick and
the yellow minarets of the village mosques
rising above them. On a hill in the center
we could see the mud houses of the village
zenaga, but the other towns of the oasis
were hidden in the forest of palms
This oasis has. am told, about the larg-
est number of palms in one solid block Of
any In the Sahara. Mr.. Pascalet thinks
there are more than 100000 trees, and 1
am sure I saw 100000 or 10000 lying in front
of and below me as I stood on the Jorf,
one Of the highest parts Of the oasis.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

dates are now ripe and we ate them fresh
from the trees They are as sweet as honey
and their flavor cannot be imagined by
those who have only tasted the mushy
black dates of our grocery stores.
Under these palms, apricots, peaches
pears, pomegranates and other such fruits
were growing and below them in some
places were vegetables, three crops being
produced on the same soil at the same time.
Outside the date plantations were unirri-
gated fields in which grain had been planted
to take advantage of the slight rainfall
which comes here near the mountains dur
ing certain months of the year believe
that these fields are also given some water
from the springs.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
vIIIaEe RepubIic OF riaulr.

village Republic of FiHuiE.
Stranger even that the palm trees are
the people of this out-of- the-way land.
Each Of these GASES has its own little VIII
lage, and every little desert settlement is a
community of its own kind. The villages
of Ftguig are seven. The first and largest
contains more than 5000 people. 1t Is
known as Zenaga. The next largest is lei
Oudaghahir, and the third is FL Abid, which
have described as having the hot springs
and as furnishing water for the greater
part of the Ffgug plantations. In addi-
ton to these villages there are four others.
They are named FL Maiz Foukani, El Maiz
Tahtani, Eel Hannah Foukani and El Ham,
man Tahtani.
These seven Figuig villages have alto
gether about 15,0O0 inhabitants. They are
separate towns, but together constitute a
little United States of their own, with a
congress but no president Each village
governs itself and a common council Of
the combined villages governs the oasis
The village governments each consist OF a
council Of seventeen members, five of whom
are land owners and twelve of whom are
laborers. They are all elected by the peO-
pie of the village. Three members of each
council are elected to a general council OF
twenty-one, which passes only upon mat
tiers which relate to the whole corporation
of Figuig. The village councils regulate
all things affecting their respective villages
They appoint the local judges and make
the town laws. AS TO matters OF peace and
war with villages outside Figuig, these are
dealt with by the oasis council, and the
same body regulates all matters regarding
the water supply.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

AS we went on with our journey we could
see how important the date palm is to these
people of the desert 1t is their bread, fire.
wood and lumber. The bitches here and
there crossed the streets and in such
cases there were bridges of palm wood.
I observed the doors which go into the
walls of the date gardens Each has but
one, and that not higher than my waist.
Indeed, some doors are so low that the
common razor-back hog would lose his
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
IGopYrigl

CCopyright, 1907, by frankie. Carpenter.)
RENI OUNIF, Algeria April H.
U Special Correspondence Of The
Bee.)-I lave Just returned from
1880 the great oasis of Figuig. on the
Sa9 boundary between Algeria and
Morocco. 1t lies here I'm the heart of the
Sahara desert, 400 miles south Of the Medi-
terranean and LOO miles from Timbuktu,
IN the French Soudan. II I should go
westward through Morocco about as far
as from New York to Pittsburg, / would
strike the port Of Mogador on the Atlantic
ocean. and II took camels and Travelled to
the east L should have to go through the
Sahara for a distance as great as from
Philadelphia to Salt Lake City before
found anything green and came to the val
ley of the Nile.
Figuig has long been a caravan center.
and today the freight from large number
Of GASES is shipped here on camels. This is
90 OF Tablet in Morocco. from where the
best dates come. and OF Twat, q large col
lection of GASES in the Aigeriaa Sahara
now controlled by the French, 300 or 400
miles to the south OF us. Some Of this
freight stu goes to Figuig, but a large
part of 1t has been diverted to Colomb
Bechar and Benz Ounif. to be sent north
ward by the new railroad.
This point is about as far north as
eamels can come without danger Of catch
ing cold. II they go farther they get sick
and die. For this reason the goods from
other Gases were once brought here and
then sent to the Mediterranean on donkeys
or mules. The exchanges were made at
Figuig and this caused it to become COM
mercial center. Its merchants were 9oted
as some OF the shrewdest of the Sahara,
and they sent regular caravans to Tlemcen
and to Melilla, in Spanish Africa, the
Mediterranean sea. About three years ago
the French completed their railroad to this
point and Figuig is rapidly losing its trade.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
In EI AbId.

In lei Abid.
But come with me and look at one OF
these GASES communities. WE shall go
through the town OF El AbId, observing
some Of the things / saw there this after
noon. The municipality contains about
1000 souls, but it Is nothing like any town
OF that size in our country. In the first
place doubt whether it covers more than
twenty acres, and, as one looks at II
through the palm trees, he sees only the
mud walls which inclose II. with the fiat
rooted. windowless mud buildings rising
here and there above them.
We enter the town by a gate in the wall.
II is not over ten feet high and about FIVE
feet in width and IT is shut at night by
rough doors Of palm wood hung on rude
wooden hinges There are two gates to the
town. and outside one OF them some cam
els, a part OF a caravan which has just
cJme from the desert, are now lying On the
ground chewing their cud while their Arab
driver sits meditating among his freight,
which he has unloaded for the time. AS We
go in through the gate we pass donkeys
loaded with grain and sugar, and. turning
this way and that, ind ourselves In dark,
covered streets. Ina which we might lose our
way had we not our soldiers and Mr. Pas
calet to guide as.
The town Of Fl Abid reminds one OF the
the streets with only here and there hole
for the light. outside is the fierce glare OF
the African sun; here, in the main street
Of FL Abld, IT is almost as dark Cs In some
subterrancan cavern or in tho tomb Of II,
above Cairo, in the valley OF the Nile
The streets cut the town al all sorts OF
angles. Some are too narrow fer horses
and one has 10 get down and go through
them on foot. The houses have no windows
facing the street and they are entered only
by low doors OF palm wood. In some Of the
wider streets lodges have been built along
the walls, and upon those shrouded figures
lie and sleep or sit cross-legged and chat.
Here and these men squat the ground.
hugging the walls while working away at
their trades. I noticed several tailorS max
ing gowns, cobbler or 50 sewing yell
low slippers and also one or two ped1lerH.
There we're many little boys with sore
heads closely shaver. and sore eyes with
files playing about them. They stopped and
stared at u.s. and as We passed many Arabs
with boards soowled at us and the camera.
There were no women to be seen, although
now and then caught glimpse OF sheeted
figures which ran out OF our way In the
Jewish quarter saw some barefaced girls
with earrings as big around as the bottom
OF a pint cup. The Jewish men were
dressed Like the Arabs.
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

Tho town OF Zenaga, which we next Wis
fled, was OF about the same character as
Fl Abid. save that Its streets were little
wider and Il had business section. This
ran about a square which could not have
covered more than a quarter OF an acre. I
have seen many stable yard quite as
large. Around this were a number OF small
stores with a motley crowd OF Arabs shop
ninE and chatting outside them. Some OF
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21
Among the Date Plantations.

Among the Date PlnntatiOns.
Fifteen thousand acres is a pretty big
farm, and as 1 estimate it, that is just
about the extent of these GASES. This
Figuig farm. however is like nothing you
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

oNDON, April live who send
wireless messages through space
and have seen Sir William
Crookes draw flames out OF the
air agree generally that nowadays
Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-21

CONTINUED on Page Fivs)
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
WHO LOST THIS
NIGHT GOWN?

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 90
Has any lady on the Pacific coast
missed a night gown? That is, did
she expect one by mail from her
hubby that never came?
If the lady in question writes to
the postoffice department within
the next day or two she may recov-
err said garment. If she doesn't
write some other lady will soon be
wearing it, with a lot of other
articles lost in the mails.
All that is known about the night
gown is that it was mailed on a
Southern Pacific train in the West.
The annual sale at the dead
letter Office always attracts atten-
ton. Packages gathered from the
ends of the earth are for sale. A
pair of girls shoes, pair of baby's
stockings, mans necktie, and a
cowbeli are among the offerings
Why a cowbell should be sent with
a mans necktie and pair of girls
shoes is incomprehensible.
Yet these strange packages, lu-
divrous though they seem, are in
reality filled with tragedies. Did
not Emily weep out her little heart
when her much coveted slippers
failed to arrive last Christmas
Some day she may meet some other
girl wearing her Christmas present
but little dream that fate was sc
cruel.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
OTHER WESTERN STATES
SHOULD PREVENT ABSORB
TON OF COMPETING BOAT
LINES.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Dec. 90
That there is urgent need for more
direct legislation by the states of
California, Oregon and Washington
as precautionary measure against
the possibility of railroads securing
control of boat lines, to the injury
of competition and shipping, is the
belief Of Interstate Commerce
Commissioner Franklin X. Lane.
Commissioner Lane only recently
held sessions in the West, in which
testimony was developed showing
instances in which the Southern
Pacific operated in restraint of
trade in dealing with steamboat
competition. But in most cases the
traffic concerned was state business
and not punishable under interstate
laws.
"The West should have more def
mite state legislation to prevent
railroads from absorbing COM
peting steamboat lines" declared
Commissioner Lane in an exclusive
interview. This legislation. when
secured, should also make it I'M
lawful for a railroad to monopolize
or secure any interest in, COM
peting railroad lines. Some of the
western states may have similar
laws to the one outline, but if
they have l doubt if they are being
enforced.
"The Sherman law makes it un-
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
TORESTRICTR. r. MONOPOL Y

lawful for a railroad to absorb a
competing railroad or steamship
line. But that is an interstate
law"
Commissioner Lane declined to
make any statement on the action
Of the railroad interests in sud-
denly Withdrawing opposition to
the improvement of waterways and
coming out in favor of an annual
appropriation of $50,000,000 by
congress. 1t was pointed out to
the commissioner that some of the
delegates to the national rivers
and barbors congress expressed
fear that the railroad companies
were favoring the improvement of
waterways in order to secure a
monopoly of boat lines and operate
them in conjunction with railways.
r A case to which such a law
should apply in Oregon is coming
up on the completion of the North
Bank, Hills railroad. When this
road is finished it is considered GER
tain that the Northern Pacific will
withdraw it's steamers operated UNI
der the name of Regulator line,
from the upper Columbia. in order
to avoid competition with the North
Bank. which parallels the river.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
SANE AFTER Is
YEARS IN AN
ASYLUM

NEW YORK, Dec. 20.-After %
years spent in an asylum, Mary
Elizabeth Lewis, 81 years old, has
been declared sane and able to care
for her estate, by a jury. Miss
Lewis was sent to Bloomingdaie
asylum after suffering a nervous
breakdown, caused in 1866 by over
work in connection with soldiers
charities. Twenty-Five of the sue
ceeding 40 years she has spent in
the asylum, havin been discharged
for periods lasting from few
months tot five years. Her last
commitment was IN 1907.
When Miss Lewis father died he
left fortune of s1,500,000 in trust
for his four children. 1t was so
invested that each had an income
of s27,500. Miss Lewis income has
accumulated until she now has due
her more than 100000 The trus-
tees under her fathers will and her
sister and the two brothers fought
the case when Miss Lewis was lib
Grated on a writ of habeas corpus
early this fall. A number of prom
inent alienists declared her insane
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
FIGHT CLOSING LAW
IN SUPREME COURT

SEATTLE, Dec. 20.-Attorneys
representing the Sullivan & Consi-
dine interests will attack the valid
ity of the Sunday closing law be-
fore the supreme court The ease
against Frank Donnellan, of the
Star theater, is now nominally on
the docket in the shape of an
amended complaint, to which a de-
murrer was raised and overruled.
An application will be made to the
supreme court for writ of habeas
corpus, and it is upon this point
that the issue will be fought.
Attorneys for the theater man
ayers contend that when the state
constitution was adopted acts of
the territorial legislature which had
been give ma local application were
repealed and they insist that the
Sunday theater act was one of
those given local application.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
ANOTHER STRIKE
IN SEATTLE

SEATTLE, Dec. 20.-The threat
ened strike at the Puget Sound
Realty associates seven story con-
crete building on Fourth av. has oc-
Cured, following an order of the
contractors, John G. Boyle & Co.,
that wages be reduced Between
rs and 80 men quite, including the
carpenters.
According to workmen, the con-
tractors announced a cut in wages
from SO to $3.50 day, to apply at
once.
When it was found that the men
had struck the word was passed
about that they would be taken on
again at the old price. The men
later congregated about the build
ing, but none of them were put to
work.
Union men believe that Boyle's
action is in line with the step of
the master builders for the open
shop. The old workmen declare
they will not return to work except
at the old figures.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
No MONEY FOR
IDAHO TRIAL
STATE AUDITOR REFUSES TO
PAY PETTiBONE PROSECU-
TON BILLS UNLESS SU-
PREME COURT FORCES HIM
TO.

BOISE, Dec. 20.-State Auditor
Bragaw has complicated the Petit
bone trial situation by refusing to
honor any more deficiency warrants
to cover the expense until COM
manded to by the state supreme
court. The friction grows out of a
difference of opinion as to the wis
dom of proceeding with the re-
naming trials after the state had
been put to such heavy expense in
the Haywood case The state board
of examiners, composed of Gov.
Gooding, Attorney General Guheen
and Secretary of State LansdOn, is
determined to prosecute the cases
regardless of cost. A majority OF
the republicans and the Steunen-
berg wing of the democrats are
backing the board.
Bragaw reluctantly issued war
rants to cover the expense of the
Adams trial, but refused to honor
the Pettibone warrants and an
open rupture ensued. Gooding gave
Bragaw five minutes to decide to
issue the warrants and Bragaw re-
piled that he had already decided.
The warrants have not yet been
issued.
The state appropriation for the
cases has been exhausted and the
prosecution is left in the embarrass
ing position of being without means
to proceed. Judge Wood has held
the warrants legal, but the auditor
says nothing but a mandatory or
der from the supreme court will
cause him to issue any more OF
them
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
BRIEF CITY NEWS

AS the result of an investigation
by the corporation counsel Mayor
Moore announces that the Ladd
telephone franchise claimed by the
Pacific States Co. is legal. BY this
franchise the company will be able
to do business seven years long
err without further restrictions.
The trial of George w. Ragsdale,
proprietor of the Favorite saloon,
on charge of striking Dusty"
Dean with his fist and killing him,
was postponed by Judge Sullivan
yesterday until Jan. 90 on account
of the absence of some of the
states chief witnesses.
Pupils of the Academy of Holy
Names entertained their friends
last night with an excellent vocal
and instrumental program.
Spokane democrats are preparing
to rejuvenate and permanently or
ganize the Jeifersonian society for
active campaign work within the
next two weeks.
A verdict for $4,000 in favor of
Mrs. Mildred Matthews was re-
turned against the city in Judge
Poindexter's court. She sued for
personal injuries resulting from de-
fective sidewalk
The funeral of D. J. Blanchard,
Great Northern engineer. was held
from the New England Undertake
ing Co, at 10 o'clock this morning
He was struck by a locomotive q
week ago and died yesterday.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
BOTH INNOCENT
AND GUILTY

ROSEBURG, Ore, Dec. 90
That Louis and Walter Carlisle
were justified in killing Hirma
Shook, but are guilty of murder in
also killing Name Kincaid, is the
curious verdict brought in by the
coroner's jury. The men fought
over homestead on Yellow creek
Shook fired revolver at the Car
isles and was in turn shot dead.
Kincaid rushed in with an AK and
was shot down by the Carlisles
The latter claimed that he tried
to get Shocks revolver to continue
the battle, whereupon they shot
again and killed him.
The jury held that the last shot
was not justifiable, having visited
the ground and noted the position
of the bodies.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
ACCUSE BROTHER Of
AIDING IN ESCAPE

SEATTLE, Dec. 20.-Detective
Clark accuses A. J. Walters, a real
estate man, of aiding his brother,
Ainsworth Walters, to escape after
the latter had embezzled 1920 worth
of diamonds from Mrs. Emma
Doyle, of Wenatchee. He won the
woman's confidence until he obtain.
ed possession of the gems and then
disappeared. The officer assigned
to the case says A. J. Walters blind
ed the police under the guise OF
helping them until his brother had
a chance to escape
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
RAILROAD PAYS
OFF IN CASH

Inquiries made at the offices of
the Northern Pacific in this city
brought out the information that
the employees of the road here are
now being paid in cash. 1t is the
intention of the company to pay in
cash henceforth unless some UNI
forseen occurrence takes place to
prevent.
At Missoula the Northern Pacific
is paying it's employees in cash in
stead of scrip, as has been the Gus
tom lately. The Brotherhood of
Railway Trainmen recently notified
the company that no more scrip
would be accepted as payment for
wages.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
SOCIALISTS GO
|. ON CHAIN GANG

SEATTLE, Dec. 20.-Rather than
pay fines of $25 each for holding a
meeting on the street, 80 socialists
have gone to the county Jail and
will serve time on the chain gang.
Among these are E. Tallison, local
socialist secretary; Thomas Slad
den, state secretary for Oregon; A.
Wagenknecht, state organizer for
Washington; e. B. Ault editor of
the Socialist. Fourteen members
of the Finnish branch are also pris-
oners.
The cases of DR.. Titus and J. w.
Downey were continued until after
the holidays and both men will
probably stay in Jail. The social
lists attorney will appeal on the
ground that his clients were fined
without a regular trial.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
GERMAN BARON
AS BLACKMAILER

BERLIN, Dec. 20.-The prosecu-
ton alone has scored in the trial
of Baron Lindenau, nobleman ac-
cused of an attempt to make Frau
Molitor's murder the means to
force the latter's daughter, Olga,
to marry him. The character of
the evidence promises a sensational
defense, however. Letters have
been presented in which Lindenau
accuss the girl of committing the
crime and threatens to cause her
arrest unless she WEEDS him.
The baron is charged with at
tempting to blackmail and libel
Fraulein Molitor, and attempting to
interfere in the administration of
justice.
The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-12-20
JUROR FOR SALE
AT $50

BUTTE, Dec. 20.--Upon sensa-
tional affidavits of James V. Collins,
president of the Olympia Brewing
Co., and two detectives, Amos Do
ney member of a jury panel in de-
partment No. / OF the district
court, was arrested last night on a
charge of soliciting a bride.
Collins declares Doney agreed
for the sum of $50 to secure a YER
dict in favor of the defendant in a
case coming up for trial