davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14
ON. Or UNCLE SAr1s. New. Coal BEDS

s2i.34o.oao. or If ii were million dot
lars the total cost Of the land would
then be S2'S. 4 .0G,. You must also re-
member that the coal has TO be still got
ten out of the earth, and that you cannot
be absolutely sure as to iust what is
under the ground. In all tn 9 we have left
out the question of taxes which would
go up as the other coal mines nearby
were developed. SO that there is great
doubt as to the ACCESSIBILITY of a century
holding of Alaska coal"
went with Dr. Brooks over the maps
OF his recent explorations and took a
look at the Boring river and Matanuska
coal fields. which are now being dis
cussed. Neither is far from the sea, and
the Gusgenheims have already built a
railroad which is not more than twenty
five miles Or 50 from the Bering river
beds The coal of this region is excel
lent, varying from anthracite to valuable
semi bituminous. The beds cover some
thing like forty square miles. and they
will yield from 10000 to 10000 tons to
the acre. The Matanuska field is not
much farther away. and it is probable
that there are other fields i'm the immedi-
ate vicinity. This coal could be made
quickly available. and 1t would command
a good pr.ce in the market.
In talking with Dr. Brooks i was told
that the coal trade Of the Pacific is now
largely monopolized by the British. who
are working valuable mines on van
couver Island. from which they supply
Puget sound. San Francisco and other
places The Vancouver coal delivered al
tidewater sells for as high as $40 ton
and is sold at wholesale in Seattle at %
In California coal is now bringing from
Sc to $1S a ton. and on the Pacific sea
board of Alaska the retail prices run
from 50 to $16 per ton. At Nome Goa
Isl selling for from SIS to $25. and these
prices will probably continue until the
Alaskan coal fields are opened. just al
present there are some Ignite heidS ne
ing worked on the Seward peninsula
This is contrary to law. and the miners
have been warned to desst. They are faI
off in the wilderness, however. and the
warnings are not needed.
In view of the present talk OF pos
sible war with Japan. the Boring river
coal beds assume great Importance as q
supply point of the ships or our navy. III
such an event much of our coal would
have to be shipped by rail across the
continent or be carried about through the
Strait of Magellan to San Francisco. In
the latter case 1t is estimated that a
least one-fifth of every cargo brought
would be used up in steaming that dis
lance and this would be in addition to
the cost of the coal itself The freight
rates by rail would be enormous. The
Bering river coal beds are about LOO
miles by water from Puget sound. and
they are not far from the excellent har-
Dor of Cordova bay. They might be
defended by some of the great ships of
our navy. or Japan might rush there with
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

government buildings. though he had
been an assistant chief of division when
he'd been thrown out on his face with
out warning.
So | swung along. by this time quite
unconscious of the wonderful beauty of
the day. | was too busy wondering If
anybody was happy.
At Sth and the Avenue very thin lady,
coming from the direction Of a depart
ment store to make car, caught sight
Of me and smiled wanly at me- She
weighed l should judge. about d hundred
pounds The last time ! had seen her,
about five years before, she had weighed
about a hundred and seventy; a beauti-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

note, and Went along the Avenue, feeling
sort O. out of tune with all Of the beauty
of the morning.
At that unspeakably dispiriting Coss-
well drinking fountain at the corner of
9TH and the Avenue l came upon an old
gentleman who has been an old gentle
man certainly since my young boyhoOd
and still looks precisely the same as he
did then. He gave me a feeble hand
shake. He was scrupulously Clearly. but
his clothing was very much frayed and
worn. He had lost his position about a
year ago-a position in the Treasury De-
partment that he'd he'd for more than
forty wears. He ditin'r know why they'd
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

ing now
She was most manifestly consump-
tive But apparently she did not know
or believe that.
'How's jack I asked her.
Jack was her husband. | knew him
from a boy During all of our young
manhood in Washington I had tried I'M
availingly to beat him just one game of
billiards: but he always and eternally
wailoped me at billiards.
ooh. hadn't YOU heard?' she asked me,
her features beginning to work bit con-
vulsively
No. I hadn't heard.
"Oh, l forget that you've been living
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14
UNCLE Sans pRoepEcToRse ON The
MARCH. A. SCENE. In NORTH. ALASKA

held from sale, pending the government
investigation and the trouble concerning
the titles, and that he had estimated their
value at half a cent a ton in the
ground. This seems ridiculously low, but
even at this rate he says the lands near
the Pacific coast would be worth from
$50 to $500 per acre.
| here ventured a suggestion that IL
Pierpont Morgan or one of the Guggen-
helms wished to perpetuate his wealth he
might invest 100000 in such lands with
the understanding that they were to be
mined only by his great-great-grand-
children one hundred years from now.
1t would seem So" replied DR.. Brooks,
'but We have had discussion concern
ing prospective values that makes that
matter a very questionable one. Even if
the lands could be bought at SO an acre.
which has been the law as to the public
coal lands of Alaska, and should be kept
one hundred years, they would have to
yield big amount Of coal to pay the in
terest charges. | have had one of the
financiers figuring upon the possibilities.
He says that at $40 an acre the mvesI-
ment in leo years by annually compound.
ing the interest al > per cent would
make every acre there cost $2.63i. not
counting the taxes. Now, if the invest
ment were 100000 instead Of SO the
interest charges and principal in 100 years
would amount to the enormous sum of
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

/ had known her as a little girl. with her
hair in two pigtaIls, and with excessively
starchy little skirts above her knees. The
change In her was startling that I
took particular pains. after cropping about
in my mind to recall her, not to let her
see that j noticed it.
Why. it's a wonder you recognize me
at all she said in a weak tone but
smiling winsomely. Don't you think
have grown very thin
"A little" l lied. Perhaps a touch Of
malaria, or something of that sorto'
"No-anemia.' she said. I've had il
for some time. But | think I'm improy-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

seemed little less brilliant than l had
supposed it to be for little Willie after
| got into it.
Walking through the Capitol grounds |
came upon an exceedingly stoutiSh lady
who. as she approached from the other
direction, looked me over recoeniZinSly.
Then | glanced at her ineaments and
knew her at once, for all of her vast in
crease in bulk. l could without I'M
proprieIy call her by her first name, and
did Eheu, l used TO roller skate with
her, sylph that she was then, at that Old
rink on T. street between 9th and 7th.
Let's see. Yes. about in 50 Twenty
six years ago! She was a vision then,
and / was boyishly mad over her. She
led me dance, having the instinct for
making moon-calf boys hideously Jealous.
And here she was--I hadn't seen her since
her marriage many years ago-waddling
through the Capitol grounds, a market
basket on her arm, a little knot of thin
and careleSsly arranged hair on the
nape of her neck. her face worried.
We chatted.
TIN awfully cut up this morning" she
tie girl
You a grandmother / gasped.
on, my dear, grandmother five
times overt she replied with a wistful
sort of smile.
Tut, tut. where had the years gone?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

1T may be, dunno, that Nobody
loves a fat man. is true axiom.
But every body, I begin to believe,
Il likes to tell hard-luck stories to
fat man.
Sometimes l am tempted to suppose
that l am the more or less compIaisant
recipient of more hard-luck stories than
any other human being on the globe.
Bat every time | fall to believing this
meet up with some other adipoSe person
who tells HE that he is the one best bet
in all the world as a receiver general of
the adamant narratives. So have plenty
OF corroboratory evidence that fat men
are. by some instinct on the part of the
narrators which / can't at this moment
analyZe, chosen to listen to the Woeful
recitSis. Perhaps it is because adipose
persons look fat and comfy and sympa-
thetic. IL is hateful to be compelled to
record the observation, based upon init
mate and personally conducted knowl
edge, that there are fat folks who are
a heap less sympathetic than they look.
But that isn't the point.
Are there any more hard-Iuck stories
drifting around Washington than in othe..
towns of its size? Such thing is scarce
~ conceivable. but surely there are d
lot of them
Recently | dropped into Washington
fIo New York IL was d very beautiful
morning. Nature smirked. The skies
were of azure The brides chirped.
IeptTyrS soft wool and warm. IL was
Tie first time 1 had been warm since Ia st
september. for ] had autunned and win
tered alternately in New FORK and AT
lantic City. Read frozen and friz for
autumning and winterina in these two
places and you'll come close TO appre-
hending me.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

-yss the Louisiana purchase by when 'i'e
French sold us territory ten tunes as
large as the state of Illinois That block
of land cost about 3 cents an acre. 1t
is now worth $40 and upward per acre
and il annually yields crops to the
amount of thousand of millions of dol
bushels of corn and two hundred and
fifty million bushels of wheat every year
and is feed ng live stock valued at over
nine hundred millions.
The purchase l speak of today is that
of Alaska. Uncle Sam bought it of Rus
STA for less than two cents an acre
forty-four years ago. He has already
realized more than sixty times the
amount of his original investment. and he
does not yet know what he owns The
land is netting us 400 per cent every year,
and it will so up to 1909 per cent in the
future. We paid for ii little more than
seven million dollars. We have already
taken out over four hundred millions. We
got more than the purchase price out OF
the two three little seal islands. and
the salmon fisheries are now bringing in
over ten million dollars per annum. The
yearly output of gold is close to twenty
millions and by the end Of this year we
shall have realized more than thirty times
its cost from the minerals alone
These are big figures, but they are only
pin pricks on the surface of that land
of ice and show. The most of the gold so
far taken out has been from piacers and
there are quartz deposits of incalculable
value. Alaska has copper beds which
bid fair to flood the markets of the world.
and its coal veins are estimated to COM
tain billions of tons of black diamonds
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

So the morning being so riotouSIy beau
tiful. decided TO walk down town. after
checking my nag. | always like to pass
De the old Baltimore and Ohio station
lind material for dreams there; for in
the long-nown time | used to hang
around that station and, boylike hunger
10 be railroad brakeman on a passen-
ger train, with the red-lantern- swinging
privilege and Joy
had just checked my bag and was
walking out of the fine big station
which, somehow, 1 never can become
quite used 10. when / was huskily nailed
from behind
1 wheeled. and there was an old friend
of mine. exceedingly rumiferous We
used 10 work in the same Washington
store about "a quarter of a century ago
Tor two and half week-apiece that
is We used to slug each other with
great deliberation and delight in the rear
of that store whenever the opportunity
offered. We remained pretty chummy
after growing UP, though ! rarely saw
MIN owing To my protraCted absences
from the town of my boyhood.
So there he was dsheveled and pic
Killed., very much at odds, by his ap-
pearance, with anything remotely re-
semblins a sense of wel-being, and
surely discordant note on so beautiful
(, morning. Almost literally the poor old
chap fell upon my bosom and demanded
my shostly counsel. He'd had a row
with his spouse il appeared, and she
lad gone back 10 nother-mother being
point. Therefore. he had brined up and
by the inevitable process had reached
the weepful stage. Cfhey all are just
al the weepful stage when l come upon
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

rice. ! have seen the value estimated in
billions of dollars. 1t would be worth
that If it could be dumped down a few
tons at a time in the chief markets of
the world, but it lies now the state
ment makes one think of the words of
the japanese schoolboy: 1T Is TO laugh"
OF the fifteen billion tons which are the
minimum figures of the biologists esti-
mates, about four and one-half billions
are on the Arctic slope, where it is locked
in ice for most of the year. 1t Is beyond
ranges Of mountains, which could hardly
be crossed, and on seas from where the
coal could not be carried to any market
on earth. Another four billions or more
lie in the Interior of Alaska, in the. pla-
teau region of which l have written,
and IT is safe to say that it will never
be worth anything except for local con-
sumption. The greater part of the bal
ance. comprising more than six billion
tons by conservative estimate. is In south
eastern Alaska, near the Pacific coast.
These last beds are Live working guam
tity. and they Will some day have a great
part in the industry and wealth of the
world.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

During the past week l have been look
ing over the latest government investiga-
tons of this mighty property. AS soon as
ii came into our hands Uncle Sam sent
his experts to explore it and for the past
generation they have been taking it up
section by section, climbing the noun
tains and trampng over the plains and
plateaus, making maps of the land and
prospecting for mineral wealth.
The greater part of the work has been
done by the geological survey, which
keeps three divisions of men in the field.
One of these including three parties. is
devoted to mapping the country and CIV
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14
We Women----The One Who Knows 1t All.

HE best and easiest way to win
the confidence of your friends.
the heartfelt and undying adj
miration of your husband and
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

w RI IL today OF
one OF the best in
VeStmentS % Uncle
Sam. Patriarch.
Our fatherly rela-
tive is a Shr2Nd
speculator. He
makes millions IN
real estate. and his
chief land invest
nentS have paid
many Z thousand
per cent. The first
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

In my talk with DR.. Brooks | asked
him as TO the government values of these
lands. He replied that all are now with
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

WHERE the Beds Are
w and What They Are
Worth Can Japan Seize
Them-Coal Versus Petro-
leum - What the Panama
Canal Will Do-The Wealth
of Alaska-An Investment of
Uncle Sam. Patriarch, Which
Has Already Paid Six Thou
sand Per Cent-A Talk With
DR.. Brooks, the Alaskan
Geologist.
Copyright. 1911, by Frank G. Carpenter.)
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08
RESOLUTION FOR
INFLAMMATION
Joint Meeting Also Is Against
Issuance of County
Bonds.

The adoption of two resolutions. the
first in favor of maintaining a maxi
mum tax rate of 1 per cent. and the
second declaring against the issuance
of county bonds, was the net result of
the joint meeting on Senate Bill NO.
So, held yesterday afternoon by the
members Of the Chamber of Commerce,
Merchants Association and the trus-
tees of the Planters Association.
The meeting was largely attended,
and with the exception of a statement
by George r. Carter, attacking the
whole principle involved in the 1 per
cent, limitation, the speakers all de-
clared for the adoption of the first
resolution
Afteraa preliminary statement by At
torney Charles r. Hemenway as to the
intent of the tax bill now pending in
the Senate, the first resolution was
read as follows:
whereas, A bill is now pending in
the Legislature of the Territory of Ha-
wall designated as Senate Bill No. 36
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08

sonal strings to influence his judg-
ments.
Such an official, in whom all ele
ments have confidence, is what Hla-
wall has wanted for these many years.
Chief Justice Robertson in his pro-,
fessional and official life has stood for
an absolutely square deal, In his po
litical and business life his word has
always been as good as his bond.
That is the foundation he had when
starting on judicial career, and he
has made good as an official.
| There will be no fireworks in JUS
tice Robertson's service on the SUI
preme Bench He will decide on the
law and the evidence as it appears to
him, and he has behind his legal abil-
ity large measure of good common
sense.
The Bul II e til n believes the APP
pointment of Judge Robertson is most
far-reaching in it's effects on the af-
fairs of this Territory and upon the
esteem in which law courts are held
III Hawaii, His influence is and will
be for that which is strongly Amrri-
can i'll government AS a dispenser of
the square deal his appointment we
believe means the breaking down of
the power of prejudice because per-
sopal or factional prejudices can new
er prevail in the determination OF i'm
portant legal issues while a. &. N.
Robertson is the presiding just &c of
the Supreme Court.
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08

Who will make the greatest noise
about the faults of the government?
Business men, probably.
This may not sound very pretty but
it is the plain unauthorized fact, and
every business man knows it.
The business-like way of handling
the present taxation situation is to
inaugurate the reform NOW, when the
opportunity offers, when the transfer
is being made, when the people are
setting forth on new scheme and
want to start out right.
Whatever happens, the old folly
should not be perpetuated, regardless
/ of what the business organizations
may declare through their special
committees
Business organizations can make
mistakes as well as anyone else. They
are not infallible.
The present taxation transfer law
should at least carry with it provi-
sion for study of, with a view to
correcting, the present valuation fool
ishness, either by the Boards of Sup
ervisors or a special commission in
each County.
Nothing could be more disastrous to
good business in our government than
for Honoulu's business organizations
to look the situation squarely in tho
face, and after turning up their nose
and complaining about too much gov
eminent, turn away with,
Jaw, let it go at that"
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08
The PEOPLE AGAINST CITY
CHARTER TINKERING.

The people of the City and County
of Honolulu are opposed to continual
tinkering with the City and County
law, and they are especially opposed
to any radical change in the general
system of government provided in the
charter
This fact, that has been well under
stood for many months, was brought
home with especial force at the pub
lie hearing held last evening by the
Judiciary Committee of the House of
Representatives
Just two men favored the misfit
emasculated commission bill that is
heralded by few misguided persons
as representative of reform" Those
two were the introducer of the bill
and ex-senator w. c. Achi
Every other speaker, representing
all shades of partizanship and civic
walks Of life, urged the Legislature to
apply only the necessary correctives
to the present law, that are dictated
by experience and public sentiment.
The declarations before the commit
tee have been so positive that there
can be little doubt of what the Leg
islature will do if it has any thought
of meeting the wishes of the people
in the conduct of their own business.
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08

theory of accurate and scientific and
fair taxation. Keep up the old farce
and for Gods sake don't take so much
of our time talking about these af-
fairs of government"
That is just about what it amounts
| to. No man who is entirely frank in
his discussion of the subject will deny
| it.
From purely cold-blooded bust
ness standpoint what better oppor-
tunity can there be for Strengthening
out the present elastic and ridicu
lous GENERALIZATION farce than the
present when the proposal is serious
ly made, and accepted by the business
organizations of this city, to place the
responsibility for assessment of taxes
with the municipal authorities where
it belongs.
What does the continuation of the
present irregular generalization
mean?
Simply that business men of Homo
lulu during the next two years will
cuss the government, cuss in partic-
ular the city and county government
for its er-valuations--cuss the Off
Gals for following the example set by
and handed down from the Territory
all of which was done by, and with
the consent, and carrying the en-
dorsement of, the business men.
Who will be responsible for the
condition?
Business men, primarily.
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08

glaring evidence than in what il has
recently published as a news report of
public meetings.
The foolish advocacy by the morn
ing paper of the municipal commits
sion form of government led it, in its
news columns, to dub the almost
unanimous sentiment of those speak
ing before the House Judiciary Com
mittee for the present form of city
government in Honolulu, as an ex-
preston of the politicians" The
'reformers" heard in behalf of the
commission scheme were, according
to the morning paper, Mr. Achi and
Representative Archer
Again, in the meeting of the Cen
trail Improvement Club, the carefully
written resolution on billboards was
not correctly reported, merely because
the morning paper happens to be talk
ing few shots in the air on the bill
board question
1t is proper that the reading pub
lie should have these facts in mind
when drawing conclusions on public
questions now up for discussion, and
discount the misrepresentation made
by the only morning paper when deal
ing with legitimate news facts that
do not hammer In S11it tha foolish fancy
of the mutt factory.
Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-03-08
CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTSON.

For the first time in the history of
the Territory of Hawaii man has
been named for Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court of the Territory who
enjoys the full confidence of all
classes as an entirely fair dispenser
of American law, giving to American
law the Interpretation uttered by the
late United States District Judge Es-
tee-"American law is common JUS
tice"
This statement may seem rather
rough on those who have proceeded
Chief Justice Robertson. 1t need not
be so interpreted We are stating the
plain facts that are Influenced very
likely by Judge Robertson's predeces-
sors having been prominent when bit
ter feeling ran high.
Justice Robertson holds a position
in this Territory enjoyed by no other
man who has graced the Chief JUS
ticeship since the Territory was or
ganized.
The people feel that he is not in
fluenced in his judgments, conscious
ly or unconsciously, by personal, fac
tional or family relationships that
might operate to arouse bitter pref
udices and have sometimes so I'M
paired the vision of certain people
that they have been unable to see any
ability honesty, worth or right OF eX-
istence among the meek and lowly
citizens of the country outside their
charmed circle.
Some men may not like Justice
Robertson, but they know that no one
can successfully pull factional or per