Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-14

few weeks ago press dispatches
from Butte, Montana, reported that a
live frog had been discovered in the
hollow of a limestone rock in a mine
near there. For many years past
reports have come to Washington of
the discovery of toads in all sorts of
out of the way places. The Montana
story Indicated that the toad in ques-
ton had been found something like
three hundred feet under the surface,
and the indications were that Montana
was disposed to brag over the fact that
its particular toad had been discovered
a little deeper in the earths surface
than any such animal, reptile, fish or
whatever IL might be called was ever
found before. But Congressman Jo-
seph Howell. OF Utah. has just re-
ceived a letter from one of his con-
stituents. upon whose Veracity he is
willing to stake his reputation. in which
the writer shows that the Montana
toad was a comparatively recent adj
dition to the surface of the earth. Mr..
Howells correspondent writes in part
as follows:
"On receipt of the thousand year.
old toad from Butte, Montana. found
in limestone, ] must say something of
our toad, found In the solid sand
stone at Silver Reef, Utah. You will
recall that that is the largest and pos
sibly the only silver mining camp in
sandstone in the United States, 1t
was about the year 1888 that Robert
Campbell, miner / had known from
childhood. and who Is man of his
word, told me that he and his partner,
working in one of the mines of the reef
down on the six hundred foot level.
were doing some shooting and blasting
In drift. AS you know, after shoot
ing they return TO the surface and
toll ha hfI nalf CT
the face of the drift. In doing this
they found a crack running in deeper
than some of the rest, and picking out
the rock they found u small cavity con-
tanning live toad. 1t was of pink
ish flesh color and somewhat transpar-
ent. After carefully taking II out
on their shovels to the surface, the toad
seemed to collapse from contact with
the air. They gave 1t to Mr.. Rice, SUI
perintendent OF the mine. who placed 1t
in alcohol, and for q number of years
afterwards II was seen by great many
people. / wanted Campbell to go be-
fore notary and make affidavit to the
facts and send them to the Smith
sonian institution. which he promised
to do. But the affidavit was never
made. It is, however possible that
can still find some one who was there"
Mr. Howell declares that the Silver
Reef mine was located in the sandstone
of Utah after some OF the most emil
nent biologists of the country had de-
clared that no silver could by any ros-
sible chance be found In sandstone.
THE GRANT MONUMENT.
At the foot OF the Capitol plaza
fronting on Pennsylvania avenue is To-
Gated what has long been known as
the Botanical gardens. 1t covers three
or four blocks of ground but is sur
4 4 ~
of busy business life. A high iron
fence surrounds the garden which gives
It the appearance of some landed es-
tate and within the enclosure lives
William A. Smith. the superintendent
of the garden, friend Of Andrew Car
negie and collector of writings OF
Burns. In fact Mr.. Smith has the fin
est collection of Burnsiana in the
country.
IL is In this Same Botanic garden
that the magnificent monument TO
Gen. Grant is to be erected and about
which all kinds of a fuss has been
raised because some three or four his
toric trees must be removed before
the foundation for the monument can
be commenced.
Resolutions have been introduced in
Congress looking TO the repeal of the
law fixing the site OF the Grant MONT
ment in the Botanic garden and n lot
of eloauenoe expended over the 1es-
truction of the trees. judge Walter
7. Smith of Iowa, who represents the
Council Bluffs district in Congress,
has not taken the flights OF oratory
very much to heart, but on the con-
trary has insisted that the site select
ed by the Grant monument commits
sion, OF which Gen. G, NJ. Dodge is a
member, as we'll as Secy. Root, should
stand and that IL necessary the Bo-
t.at, II. 11Nn -, -. la.,
put some place where ii might be
what its name implies, real garden
for the propagation of rare and un-
usual plants.
THE GARDEN MAY GO.
As far back as 1889 bill was pass
ed directing that the iron fence which
surrounds the Botanic garden should
be pulled down, but Supt. Smith has
been bigger than the law and he has
been able through his friendship with
senator's and representatives TO keep
the fence Intact. Now, however, that
Mr., Smith has been protesting against
the placing of the Grant monument IN
the southeast section of the garden
Because 1t will necessitate the removal
OF several trees planted by former
statesmen, the controversy over the
Botanic garden has been revived and
II may be that although quite an old
man, Supt w. A. Smith may have 10
yacate his comfortable cottage with
In the garden, for some other location
and the high iron fence pulled down
to make way for growth and progress.
IL can be said that the Grant monu-
ment Will be put where originally
planned even if the Chittenden tree
and the Beck tree have TO go.
CANNON ONCE FREE TRADER.
Uncle Joe" Cannon was once free
trader, OF course It is pretty hard 10
believe but he confessed Il the other
day IN reminiscent talk on some OF
the high lights In his busy life. but
that was In the days when | was
dactranalre," he said. II had never
enjoyed the advantages of a collegiate
education but when / was acquiring
an education later In life by absorb
Ing and devouring everything / could
lay my hands on In the way OF books
j conceived II would be a noble thing
to throw our markets open 10 the
world. When ! began to get practical
sense later along l changed nv mind
about free trade, / am now a pretty
good protectionist, am a believer in
the theory that II is duty we owe
ourselves 10 dominate and control our
markets and incidentally To dominate
the markets Of the western hemisphere
and as much OF the rest OF the world
no We can take possession or The
first step TO commercial supremacy is
for us 10 get as much as we can and
TO hang on 10 all we get. Some day