davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06

In the world. Leaving Salina Cruz in the
heart of the semi-arid region of south
ern Mexico. at Z o'clock in the evening,
by midnight the traveller finds himself on
the Mexican plateau. where heavy spring
clothing is comfortable. BY dawn he is
In the very heart of the tropics. where
rainfall is abundant and vegetation dense
beyond description. At nishtfall he be-
gins to climb up from the hot lowlands.
and by morning he will find Il heavy win
ter suit necessary for comfort. During
this trip. comparable to one from New
York to ST. Louis in duration, the traveller
encounters almost every sort of weather
the world has to offer.
There are approximately SO different
steam railways in the republic. having Il
total of some 1900 miles of line. There
is almost a mile of railroad to each 80
auare miles of land. and 1909 people to
each mile of railway line. The bulk of
the railway mileage of Mexico has been
bu1lt under American auspices and by
American capital. A prominent American
railroad man in Mexico furnished a state
ment in which he estimated that &C per
cent OF the mileage of Mexican railroads
has been built under American direction.
He figures that approximately O,OO0 miles
owes its existence to American enterprise.
1t is also estimated that 90 per cent OF the
railway lines were built by English and
other foreign interests, while IA per cent
comes under the head of Mexican develop
ment. The total investment in railway
property In Mexico is estimated at about
s50O. GOO coo United States currency. Approx
imately 80 per cent of the railroads of the
republic are controlled by the Mexican
government. through the ownership of a
majority of the stock of the n~a.ional ines
of Mexico. The reinaird.r ia still held by
private corporations.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Railways Still Building

The day of railway extension in Mexico
is by no means past. At the present loss
miles are under construction. The Mexi-
can Northwest railway is building a link
OF 60 miles which will give an outlet for
100000 acres of white and yellow pine
timber to the Atlantic seaboard OF the
United States. The Kansas City, Mexico
q Orient railway is completing a gap from
San Angelo Tex, to San Sostrenes. CROSS
Ing the Mexican border at Preside del
Norte, and another link from Sanchrz to
Horneillos, which will give direct rail con-
.lection from Kansas City to the Mexican
gulf of California. 1t is also building a
line from San Angelo, Tex. to the Rio
Grande, at Del Rio, to connect with a new
line of the National railways in Mexico
This will give another international point
OF entry between the two republics and
another all-rail route between Mexico CITY
and Kansas City.
The Cararigo & Western railway is be-
ing built to the site OF the new Conchos
river dam, where water will be impounded
in a lake 25 miles long. which will fur
nish electric power for mining camps with
in a radius of 100 miles, and water for the
irrigation of 50O .000 acres of land, The
Southern Pacific railway OF Mexico is en-
gagged in building an important line in
western Mexico which will give direct rail
communication from Arizona to Guadala-
lara. There are a number of other inn
portant projects under construction.
In addition to the mileage now building
there arc LII miles of line planned for the
next year or SO. Ono of the most import
ant of these is a 29O mile line from Tam
pico to Vera Cruz. which will open up the
extensive new oil fields along the gulf
coast. "A concession has been granted for
the building of ii line from Santa I.ucre-
tia, the junction point of the Vera Cruz
and isthmus. and the Tehauntepec rail-
ways to Tarnpeche in the Yucatan penin-
sula. u distance of $50 miles. This road,
when completed Will give the Mexican
government its first rail connection with
the Yucatan peninsula. and promises to be
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Foreigners Heavy Investors

Mexico C.ty-NO other country ever de-
pended more on foreign capital for the de-
velopment OF its resources than Mexico,
and today Europe and America are fur
nishing the major portion of the funds
Will which the numerous great projects
are being developed. Investment in Mex
leo Is practically as safe as investment in
the United States, but so few people
realize that fact as yet that competition
is not great and large profits are the re-
suit. A dollar %judiciously invested in
Mexico will soon bring another dollar in
profits. And yet some investors are not
entirely satisfied with conditions.
"A stakeholder in an American mine near
Monterey recently was discussing condi-
lions I'm Mexico. He observed tina taxes
were terribly burdensome in these latter
days. and that the people were not to be
planned for wanting a change. Take our
company. for instance said he, '.if it
We're not for the b~urdensome taxes as
sessed against us we would be able to de-
clare dividends of nearly 100 per cent" A
fellow traveller inquired what the profits
OF his company had been in the face of
the taxes. "Oh." he replied, I'VE have
peen clearing m the neighborhood of so
per cent q year on our investment"
The English capitalist was the first to
entrust his money in the case and keep
ing of the Mexicans. When the Diaz adj
mlhlstration began it's policy of encour-
aging the investment of foreign capital in
Mexico. the American and the Britisher
turned their streams of gold upon the UNI
developed resources. the American eau
tiously at first. but the Britisher with con-
siderable liberality. For many years Eng
fish capital was master of the situation,
and 1T seemed that Mexico was to be DOM
mated by English capital. But as soon as
the American capitalist was sure the fl
nanc1al ground was firm he began to pour
In his gold in lavish quantities. His in
and holdings have grown so
rapidly that the entire trade world now
recognizes the supremacy of American
capital in Mexico. Its railroads are for
the most part built with money furnished
by Wall street. Its mines are largely
worked with American capital. It's agri-
cultural lands are being exploited by
American companies. Its timber resources
are being developed by American mills.
The United States consul general to
Mexico, Arnold Shanklin. has been MAX
Ing a careful investigation of American
interests in the country, and he estimates
the holdings at fully 81. coo, coo. 600. In his
opinion there are at least $4,000 Americans
residing in the republic, the majority of
whom have greater or smaller investments
In Mexican property. American business
men have invaded every field. Where
once their activities were limited TO rail-
road building and mineral development.
today one may see them operating hotels.
running department stores. selling Mexi-
can curios, publishing newspapers. con-
Quoting automobile agencies. and particle
pating IN every other line of business to
be found in Mexico.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Americans Are Predominant

One encounters Americans in the most
unexpected places. When the tourist goes
out to San Angel, the flower garden of
Mexico. and to the famous San Angel. the
flower garden of Mexico. ana 10 the ia
nous San Angel Inn. which oncc was The
convent of tie Carinelite monks. he finds
the inkeeper to be a "enticGlan who ae-
knowledges Missouri as his native state.
Here one may play billiards upon tae
magnificent table that once gracei ta-
palace of Maximill.an. In Mexico CITY
there is a small sl.yscraper with great silt
letters at the top announcing it TO he
'1sdifcio Roosevelt" 1t houses the famous
clirio place called Aztec Land wllic,! il
conducted by an American. y few books
away is a quaint little place known as
1.-THE Original Hole N the Wall.'' ITS
proprietor IS an Irishnlan from Dublin.
who stayed in the Uaited States long
enough to become an American citizen.
Here one may buy anything from "a
nice well behaved. dressed flea from cur
own plantation, Scnof.' to a little god
of the Toltecs. an idol OF the Aztees. a
jewel case OF the conquest, or a hand
cannon of Iturbidc's cay.
Everywhere one sees evidences of the
Supremacy of American trade interests.
American engines, American cars and
American rails are used on IT'S railroads.;
American automobiles ana American car
riages are IN general evidence on its
streets: American clothes and dry goods
are for sale in its shops: American meats
and canned goods are displayed in its
markets. Whatever may be said about
the failure of the American exporter to
get his share of business in other parts
of the American exporter to get his share
OF business, in other parts of Latfn-Amer-
lea. it cannot be charged against him in
Mexico. Every British consul in the
country appeals to his home exporters to
emulate the American in Mexico. No one
understands just why England allowed her
former trade supremacy here to decline
until she now holds second place, but that
has happened.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Mexican Railway Financing

The story OF MeXicO'S launching into
railway finance begins with 1902. In that
year the Mexican National Railroad COM
pany was reorganized as the National
Railroad Company of Mexico, under the
auspices of the Speyer interests. The
chief object of the reorganization was to
convert the line from narrow to standard
gauge. although another aim wa to offset
the advantage of the Mexican Central by
reason of it's deepwater outlet at Tampico.
In carrying out his purpose the Speyer
interests began quietly to acquire control
of the Interoceanic Railway company.
controlled by English capital up to that
time. and operating a through line be-
tween Mexico City and Vera Cruz.
At this time President Diaz and his
minister of finance We're persuaded that
heroic measures must be taken or Ameri-
can interests would dominate the Mexi-
can railroad situation. So they decided
to play the financial game against the
Speyers by buying a controlling interest
in the lnteroceanic. which they did, buy
ing on the London market $4,000, eco worth
of four and a half second debenture
stock.
At this %juncture Minister L.mantour
went to Europe. stopping In New York.
Speyer, during an interview in that city,
Offered to sell the Mexican government
47ia per cent of the stock of the National
Railroad of Mexico for s. 1000. coo, accepting
the debentures of the Interoceanic as half
payment. In this way. owing to peculiar
stock conditions. the Mexican government
got a controlling interest in the Nation
al. although parting with its direct con-
troll of the Interoceanic. BY this TRANSACT
ton the lnteroceanic came under the con-
troll of the National. and as the National
was controlled by the government, 1t prac-
tically controlled both lines.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Mexican Railway DEVELOPMENT

Mexico City-The railway DEVELOPMENT
of Mexico has had more to do with the
present prosperity of the country than
n other one thing. except the guaran-
tee of peace which the firm hand of Por-
firio Diaz has given the world. Prior to
the rise of Diaz to power, the policy of
the government was in the main hostile
10 railway development. President Tejada
strongly opposed the building of any rail-
road lines which would connect Mexico
with the United States. He declared that
the best defense of a weak nation against
a powerful neighbor Is an intervening
desert, and that he was thankful that the
great desert region OF Mexico interposed
itself between the Texan frontier and the
capital.
Tn first railroad built in Mexico was the
line of the Mexican railway extending
from Mexico City to Vera Cruz. a con-
cession for the building of this line was
granted In 1871. In 1854 a few miles of line
outside of Vera Cruz were built. In the
succeeding year the first section of the
line out of Mexico City was completed, ex-
tending between the capital and Guada-
upe-H.dalgo. When the builders came to
construct the road, the government in
sisted upon a literal fultillment of the
conditions of the concession. This cslled
for the construction of the line from
Mexico City to Vera Cruz. The result was
eIiat tHe IdiiTodu company was compelled
to transport the supply of rails, bridge
material, and other equipment from Vera
Cruz to Mexico City by mule and OK
team. When it IS remembered that the
Mexican plateau is over 1000 feet higher
than the city of Vera Cruz. the heavy
burden cntailed upon the railroad COM
pany by this provision will appear. The
grounds upon which the Mexican govern
lieilt based their insistence was that IL
the road should be built in from Vera
Cruz instead of out from Mexico City. it
would give Il vast advantage to any for
elgn power i'm case of war.
interference in politics by the railroad
was begun at a very early stage in Mex
lean railway history. When the Maximil-
ian government was in power, the Mexican
railway favored it's maintenance, and
found itself in bad odor with the repub-
lican government which succeeded the
ret;,ii of Macmillan. But in spite of this,
the Mexican railway was fairly treated,
aud the through line to Vera Cruz was
opened i'll 1919. This line is operated to-
AtH by English interests and its service
is as moeein rs that of the majority of
American railroads.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Taxes and Cost of Livina.

Albert j. Mock. writing in the Amer
lean Magazine on the inequalities and
injustice OF the personal property tax
laws, claims that the worst feature OF
this system of taxation is the imposi.
ton of the indirect and double tax. He
says:
"When you buy any manufactured
article do you ever consider how many
times 1t has been taxed? How many
successive taxes. l mean, have been
levied upon it at different stages from
start to finish of it's manufacture, and
accumulate to swell the final cost that
you are paying? If you ever made that
calculation, you rave one less reason
to wonder why the cost OF living is so
high.
Take any article you please, the
more common and necessary the bet
ter. and trace the history of it's tax
alton. If you are fortunate enough to
afford a suit of clothes thai has any
wool in 1t, take up the history of that
wool and follow 1T through from sheep
to suit. Wool Is an extravaganza these
Gays for most OF us-hav 0 Won
dered why? Formerly wool was not
much of a luxury. and still less ought
IL to be a luxury now. Wool is not
scarce, plenty of 1t is grown. it is not
hard to get: the trouble is it is terribly
hard to a for. Why?
yOu pay YOUR tailor IOr yOJT
l-woo suit. you pay an aggregate of
nine taxes on it's wool. and that Is
fast work for a mar who is trying to
make an 1893 income jibe with 1911
prices. First. the sheep was taxed as
personal property of the farmer. After
shearing the wool goes to a wholesaler
and Is taxed again. 1t is sold to the
manufacturer n taxed again as raw
material. It is manufactured with
taxed machinery and dyed with taxed
dyes. Then in h form of cloth it goes
to a second wholesaler and is taxed ns
part of his stock In trade. Then it goes
as part Of the merchant tailor's stock
and Is taxed for a seventh time. FINALLY
1t Is made into a suit and, theoretic-.
ally at least. taxed while you wear it.
as personal property-sometimes actn.,
ally taxed. e. g.. Paris gowns and slab
crate wordrobes. Eight taxes. all Q
and the last man pays the aRgreRats
of them all.
This is n reason why good clothes
come q trifle high just low"
Wfde-awaka R0nkv -.
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
The Tehauntepec Route

Rincon Antonio, Mexico-Here one finds
as interesting a railroad situation as there
is in the world. The Tehauntepec route is
owned by the Mexican government, oper-
ated by an English firm, and managed by
American railroad officials. Furthermore
it is u competitor of the transcontinentai
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
Eamarkahla galway Trips

1t also caera.es. in conjunction with the
scNerraie:t-cNnel Vera Cruz and 18TH
rus AM the Tel,alntepec routes, a
th!onsgh sifeDtng CIR service between Mex
iao Gig and 9eiina CRUZ. the principal
Pacific coa I pert. This service affords
os:e cf tie most remarkable railway trips
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06

A wide-awake Rocky mountain
hustler out in Greedy. Colo. is raisin1
for sale garden toads to catch garden
insects and pests. Twenty five cents
a toad. The toad is guaranteed to
catch several thousand insects. worm.
etc. q month
Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06

one of the most important steps under
taken in years in the railway development
OF the country.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-11
PIGEON AGAINST SPARROW.
Outcome Of the War For Supremacy Of
the Memphis Streets.

The war between the English spar
rows and the pigeons is over. The
little feathered scavengers have been
defeated. The pigeon Is the cock of
the walk in Court Square. 1t is but
another instance of the survival of
strength.
Not many years ago the English
sparrow ruled not only the square but
the streets about the square. Today
he has been driven to the suburbs.
The noon hour, and in fact nearly
every hour Of daylight, witnessed thou
sands of sparrows in the uptown Sec
ton of the city. They would cOngre-
gate in fiocks about the bluff, and es-
pecially on Front street, where grain
could be found. They served many
purposes. They were the destroyers
of insects, and they were active street
cleaners as well.
sparrows began to disappear. Today
there are any number to be found In
the suburbs and in the country, but
they seldom come to the heart Of the
city any more, although the sparrow
is instinctively a city bird.
The pigeons have driven them away
and are now fighting it out with the
squirrels of the square for supremacy.
Before the war and shortly after the
south was the home Of wild pigeons.
In fact Lamar avenue for many years
was known as Pigeon Roost road. In
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-11
The SiIkworm.

A peculiar fact about the silkworm
is that it is actually a domesticated
insect. Neither the animals nor the
fowls of the barnyard, remote as they
are from the wild types. need so little
restraint as this bombyX mori, which
prodigiOusly Industrious though it he,
has never been able to meet the
worlds demand for its spun product.
As a matter of fact, the silkworm
has been so dOmeSticatcd through the
ages that ii would become extinct now
were it not for the aid of man. Born
into slavery, the caterpillars crawl
contcntedly over the narrow territory
of their feeding trays, and, though the
moths have wings, they have lost all
desire To fly. This slavery began in
China more than $500 years ago.
Nevertheless all the worlds silk does
not come from the domesticated insect.
Not little of the supply is wild
silk" This is the product Of various
insects belonging to the larger family
of saturnidae Chief among them in
dustrially is the Indian moth called
Antheroea mylitta, the source Of tus-
sab silk-Harper's Weekly.
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-11
Marbles In Cattle.

Two kinds of bot flies occur in
America, the larval forms of which
infest cattle. The mature flies ap-
pear in warm weather-May to Sep
tember-and lay their eggs on the
cattle. 1t is now generally accepted
that these flies do not puncture the
skin of the back when they lay their
eggs, nor do the young grubs which
hatch from these eggs penetrate the
skin of the back The eggs are laid
on the cattle and the small grubs
hatch out there, when the cattle, In
licking themselves take the grubs into
their mouths. These grubs are found
infesting the gullet or esophagus. and
some times in other parts of the body,
and by January make their appearance
under the skin of the back by migrat-
ing through the tissues of the cow.
Shortly after the appearance Of the
grubs in the back a small opening ap-
pears in the skin, communicating with
the cavity occupied by the grubs.
When in large numbers they must
produce considerable irritation and do
injury to the animal: but probably
their greatest damage Is in the injury
done to the hides of cattle slaughter
ed. In nothing is done, the holes in the
skin increase in size and the grubs
finally come out and fall to the ground.
They usually leave the cattle from
February to April or May and in fall
ing to the ground, burrow and take
on what is known as the pupa stage,
and emerge after a month or so, as
mature flies, ready to lay eggs again,
and continue the life cycle.
Some advise the introduction Of any
material into the sack occupied by the
grub that will kill it. Even when the
hole in the skin is small any sub
stance like kerosene can be introduced
by means of a small oil can; but we
do not advise this mode of treatment.
When the grubs are killed and left in
the back we believe the results are
worse than when the live grubs are
allowed to remain there.
A better plan is to slightly en-
large the small opening in the skin
with a sharp knife, squeeze out the
grub and destroy it. 1t is also good
plan to fill the cavity formerly occu-
pied by the grub with powdered bo-
racic acid.
If every cattle owner would remove
these grubs and destroy them, the pest
would be eradicated; but since all will
not do this there is no practical way
Of preventing the attacks of these
"grubs. On. c. Progressive
Farmer
Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-04-11
The Oldest Policy ::

The oldest policy now in force i'm the
Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Com
pany was issued to a 15-year old boy
i'm 1916, and has, therefore, been IN
force for 65 years. 1t is No. 795 and IS
for $3,5OO, with an annual premium OF
$54.6O. 1t was on the Ordinary Life
Plan--pay as long as you live-as no
other kind were issued in those days.
II originally guaranteed nothing eX-
cept to pay the beneficiary $4,000 after
the death of the insured. provided said
insured paid his premiums promptly
each year until that event took place:
1t was a participating, annual dividend
contract. SiXty-five premiums nave
been settled, the gross amount of which
would have been $3,549.00-$49 more
than the face of the policy-but for
the fact that the dividends used In
reducing the premiums have amounted
to $2,1S1.56, leaving the actual amount
paid by the assured the sum OF $l,-
367.44. The cash dividend for 1871
amounted to S53.23, leaving the cash
payment by the assured to be $1.37-
pretty cheap insurance, don't you
think for a man 80 years old? The
policies now issued by the Mutual
printed on paper, and by reason OF the
fact that the management applies ev-
cry feature that is embraced in its
new contracts. as far as possible. to
all others. regardless of their provis-
ions when issued, the above referred
to policy now has guaranteed cash
surrender or loan value Of S3,o41.57, or
s1.674.13 more than it's holder has paid
out, to say nothing of the 65 years pro-
lection for $3,5OO that he had had.
Look before you leap!
SAM M. GRIST. Special Agent.