The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-10-22
King ADAMS
OF SWAN ISLAND
HOLDS ALL THE OFFICES AND
TAKES ALL THE GLORY.
Plucky American Is Biggest Man in
His INSTRUMENTATION Has Less
Than Hundred Subjects.
RULER OF PHOSPHATE LAND

Alonzo Adams, king OF Swan Islands
In the Cai ibbean Sea, Is the self-made
ruler OF two small sun-scorched phoe-
plate islets about 100 miles OF the
north coast of Honduras. Compared
to European standards of royalty,
King Adams may not be an imposing
figure IN .ntern2 tional circles, but he,
according to the New York Evening
Sun, is a big man on Swan Islands.
re Is his own secretary of state, and
Ia few days ago when 1t became neces-
lsary for him TO enter into diplomatic
negotiations with the state depart
Gent at Washington for the determi-
nation of the status of his kingdom
he hailed a passing fruit steamer by
wireless and came TO the United
States, landing at Boston.
King Adams does not use the wire
less telegraph out of preference or
because OF any desire TO be up to
date. The wireless is his only means
OF communication with the outside
world. The Swan Islands are OF the
regular lines OF travel and there Is
no postal service. because the fruit
steamers which ply the Caribbean do
not stop at the islands except on
special occasions. There Is a WIRE
less station on one of the islands,
however. upon which King Adams
relies for communication with the
outer world. II is one of a chain
established by the United Fruit COM
pany, operating between New Orleans
and Colon.
Adams realm includes the two
Islands known as the Greater and the
Lesser Swan Island. The larger
Island is almost a mile and haif
broad and two miles long. The
smaller one has the same width and
is about a mile and half In length.
They are difficult OF access to steam
ers because OF the rocky shore. The
seat OF government is a settlement on
the larger or Western island. They
beth are very fat and thickly wooded
They rise about co feet above the
Level OF the sea. King Adams loyal
subjects include about 60 negro la
borers. original from jamaica. but
now citizens OF the island. They for
merly dug phosphate out OF the earth
but at present they appear to be I'M
as phosphate is no longer
exported. At one time the annual
output averaged about 10000 tons.
But the Swan Islands are not such
a bad place, after all. to live In. or
course, the heat Is intense during the
day, but usually there Is cooling
breeze at night. The soil is excellent
and capable OF producing all the
tropical fruits. The inhabitants OF
the island grow their own vegetables.
There are ten large tanks in which
rain water is collected for drinking.
In addition, there is a large distill-
Ing apparatus for use In the dry sea-
son. The islands abound with ducks,
teals, pigeons and turtles.
Years ago. In the days when pirates
Infested the Caribbean Sea, these
little islands may have furnished a
base for the operations of some des-
pcrate bands Of freebooters who
sailed forth to prey upon trading YES
sells. But II such was the case these
stirring tales of adventure are for
ever lost. for the islands have never
had a historian or chronlcler TO re-
late the glories of their former days.
The records do not go back beyond
1862. when the New York Guano
company filed proof with the state
department. under the guano act of
1856 to secure the protection of the
government in extracting guano from
he Islands. King Adams went there
lbout 20 years ago as the reprosen-
.atlve OF one OF the guano companies
which owned the right to extract
yuano. But the industry never seemed
o flourish, and In 1903 the company
which owned the Islands instructed