davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-10
FISHER HEARING
Continued from Page u

that direction, would you regard thar
as an nnwise policy"
Ashford. after some thought, admit.
ted he would
Aiken said he thought the land
laws Of the Territory are sadly in
need OF revision. II was originally
copied from the land laws of New
Zealand. He would divide the pub
lie lands into three divisions for
handiing-one the sugar lands he
would have leased to sugar planters,
all other cultivated land to home
steaders, and the high land. of small
value and fit only for grazing, he
would lease as such to any appli.
canfs.
Fisher then made inquiry into the
Territorial laws, affecting the home
steader who forfeits his rights. Ash.
ford and Aiken agreed that the home
steader was paid back the value OF
his improvements. Governor Frear,
asked IL this were so, said II is not.
It was the old law, but he said is
true no longer, under the amended
laws.
Aiken said that and per cent is
auC uc1es otto eAtC AD5oA oec Va iheSl-
est. That was disputed.
L. Tenney Peck was called into the
discussion as apparently the only
banker In the chamber. He said that
S per cent Is the legal rate.
A general laugh was raised when
Fisher asked Mr.. Peck what the us
ury rate il, and the latter said he
had never tried to use IL and there
fore was not an authority on that
point.
Mr.. Aiken, on being excused, asked
whether the Secretary intends visit.
ing Maui before returning home. Mr..
Fisher said he hopes to be able to|
visit Maui and inspect some of the
hou1esteading experiments mentioned
by the land agent.
In response "a a question NV Mr..
Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-10

iLLuS the iduaS nave Deen STANDING
idle,
Fisher: Have they been sold?
Aiken: Three rubber companies
are planting rubber there now.
Fisher: Who are the people?
Aiken: The holdings are quite
numerous.
Fisher: Are they people of large
or small means? g
Aiken: People of moderate means.
Fisher: Even the rubber expert.
ment is not being carried on by PEG.
pie of large. means? s
Aiken: No
Fisher: Well what has happened
to- that?
Aiken: 1t is running along all
right The Nahiku Rubber Company
Is getting along fine and expect to
get enough rubber next year to pay
dividends.
Fisher. Are the settlers still liv.
ing on these lands?
Aiken: Most of them have moved
away: but some are working for the
rubber company.
Fisher: Then that effort has not
resulted in getting q population on
the grounds?
Aiken: No, for the reason that the
climatic conditions are not favorable,
and also due to the matter Of trans
portation.
Fisher: What was the reason for
the failure of the coffee plantation?
Reasons for Failure.
Aiken: The chief reason for fail
IRE was. due to the expense of pick
ing the coffee; with the price they
had to pay for. labor they could not
compete with the market.
Fisher: Was the failure due to
high cost of picking, or to the lack of
transportation facilities?
Aiken: Well, mostly to high cost
of pickings, as they didn't get as far
as marketing their coffee. But the
expense,of transportation would have
Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-10
DETAILED STORY OF
FISHER HEARING TODAY

Fisher: Well. gentlemen. we will
not wait for the Delegate: Mr.. Ash
ford Il here.
Mr.. Aiken. will you take one OF
these chairs over here?
| understand that you are planning
to 60 away at noon and before you go
i thought we had better take adyan-
tage OF your being. here to ask you
some questions What Is your full
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
III TIT Htzl24RW0 70 cSZ1R7 ZOE M H1az 01q15D5

and travellers each year But the pearl fishery
is so remote from Colombo that not one viskor
in ten thousand ever goes there. ..
The pearl fishery of Ceylon and of India and
the Persian Gulf is of very great antiquity,
and Is thought to be the oldest established
fishery now in existence. The Sinhalese rec
ords, going back to about $50 B. c. indicate
that the fisheries were then well developed,
and there is reason to believe that they flour
ished at least 500 years before. At very
early period the pearls brought the island into
prominence abroad and were in great repute
In Rome at the time of Pliny, who, referring to
Ceylon under the name Of Taprobane wrote
that it was ''the most productive of pearls of
all parts Of the world"
From the most remote period of which there
is any record. it would appear that the pearl
fishery played very important part in the
history of Ceylon, having had more or less.
direct and intimate relations with every i'm
portant aspect of the civilization of the island.
The information available clearly suggests that
from the earliest times the fishery was con-
Quoted In much the same way as in our own
day-the same methods of obtaining the pearl
oysters, of handling the catch on shore, and
Of extracting the pearls
1t is hardly necessary to state that the pearl
oyster of Ceylon, like the pearl oyster of other
lands, Is not an oyster at all. 1t Is more nearly
related to the mussels than to the oysters and
1t differs markedly from the latter In having
byssus, or bundle of tough fibers, by which
It attaches itself to the bottom
There are pearl oysters and pearl oysters.
There are the huge thick-shelled species of the
South Seas, Australia, Philippines and Burma.
that are as large as dinner plates and weigh
to pounds as they come from the water:
there are the small, thn-shelled forms Of Vene-
zuela, japan, Persia and Ceylon that arc only
a few inches in diameter and weigh only few
ounces.
The large pearl oysters produce the mother
of-pearl of commerce. which is so valuable that
the fishery is profitable even when no pearls
are obtained. The smaller mollusks have little
value except for the pearls they yield
The maximum size attained by the Ceylon
pearl oyster is only inches and the shells are
SO thin that they may be crushed between
the fingers Of an average man.
Pearl oysters are found on all parts of the
coast Of Ceylon, but exist in sufficient abund-
ance to support an important fishery only in
the Gulf Of Manaar, which is a large indenta-
ton between Ceylon and India lying imme-
diately south Of the line of giant stepping
stones known as Adams Bridge
The area OF the pearling grounds Is about
500 square miles. The bottom is for the most
part sand, diversified by outcroppings of cal
careous rocks which form fiat or slightly In
clined lodges, on which the pearl oysters grow.
Aggregations of lodges constitute "paars." or
banks, which centuries ago received names
that are still applied. o.
The largest and most important Of these
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
Innractic5 biiity

Thin thing of doing in Rome as tho
Romans do Is not always the beJt
plan, says the Popular Magazine. IL
you don't believe 1t Miss Jane Adams.
the famous sociological worker Of Chi
cago. will tell you story to prove 1t.
Miss Adams knew wealthy wom-
an who delighted in doing works OF
charity, such as sending missionaries
to foreign fields, and on one occasion
she put up the money to send mis-
sionary to the Caroline islands. Soon
after his arrival on the scene of his
activities the religious man sent his
benefactress a photograph Of himself
and his wife.
Whereupon the rich woman wrote
the man Of God letter, suggesting
that his wife, In order to win the con-
fidence of the natives, should throw
away her fine clothes and wear the
costume of the islands. Two months
later she received this answer:
Enclosed is the complete costume
worn by native women. My wife
awaits further word from you before
adopting it."
The native dress consisted of
piece of woven straw, two inches wide
and eight inches long.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
A CHECK To
RHEUMATISM
Dr.. Williams Pink Pills Build Up
the Blood and Overcome
the Rheumatic Poisons.

Rheumatism de6es any treatment
that docs not build up and purify
the blood. The poisons of rheumatism
arc in the blood and it is only through
the blood that the disease can be fought
successfully.
Unless the blood is weak and impure,
rheumatism cannot get a foothold.
When it does the thin and impure
blood is not strong enough to overcome
the poisons alone. Unjust be strength
ened and purified. DR.. Williams Pink
Pills for Pale People are the best blood
building medicine you can take. They
make new blood with every dose and
promptly check further progress OF the
disease. They make the blood SO pure
and strong that not the least trace OF
rheumatism remains.
Mr.. A. Hamann, a farmer on r. F.
D. No. 2, Eldridge, Iowa, says:
used DR.. Williams Pink Pills for
Pale People for indigestion and rheu-
matism from which suffered for over
six years. As these attacks came on
every spring, think they were caused
by impure blood. The rheumatism
was always more severe in my ankles
and knees and especially in my arms,
when had been husking corn or work.
ing hard. The pains were so severe
that could hardly sleep at night. I
used liniments of many kinds, but they
didn't do more than drive the pain to
some other part of the body and / did
not get any relief from the doctors
medicine.
"When I read about Dr. Williams
Pink Pills for Pale People in our weekly
paper made up my mind to try a
medicine that had actually cured some
one else. A few boxes cured me and /
think SO much of the pills that l keep
them in the house to use as tonic. My
wife finds them strengthening and we
think the pills are the best medicine for
the blood"
DR.. Williams Pink Pills for Pale
People are the blood's greatest aid in
overcoming rheumatism, headaches,
anemia, chlorosis, and after-efects of
the grip and fevers.
A valuable booklet, "Diseases of the
Blood" will be sent upon request. ~.
DIR. Williams Pink Pills are sold by
all druggists, or will be sent, postpaid,
on receipt of price, so cents per box;
six boxes, $3.50, by the DR.. Williams
Medicine Co., Schenectady, N. Y.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

grounds is Cheval Paar, lying from 9 to 10
miles offshore at depth of 5 to S1a fathoms,
and extending about 6k miles from north to
south and " miles from east to west.
Probably the most remarkable feature Of the
Ceylon pearl fisheries is the extreme uncertain
ty of the supply Of pearl-bearing oysters, SO
that from early times, and doubtless from the
very beginning, the fisheries have been most
unreliable and Intermittent.
1t is matter of record that during the nine
teenth century there were only 36 years when
fishing was possible. Mentioning only the
longer periods of cessation, it may be noted
that there were no fisheries in the years 1921
to 1925, in 1888 to 1854, in 1864 to 1873, and in
1892 to 1900.
1t was this last long series of recurring fail
ures that induced the Ceylon government to
secure the services Of eminent English
biologist for comprehensive investigation of
the pearl-oyster grounds and Of the causes for
the disastrous failures. The result was that
great deal was made known concerning the
conditions of life of the pearl oyster and for
the first time Information was afforded the
government by which the industry might be
placed on stable basis. Forthwith, in spite
Of vigorous protest, the government leased
the pearl fishery to private syndicate and re.
tired from the business from which it had been
obtaining large but not steady income.
AS We study the life of the Ceylon pearl
oyster, two points of transcendent Importance
are disclosed: ~ The mollusk is prolific to
incalculable degree, and (2) it Is subject
to an overwhelming mortality, which at times
completely nullif1es its productiveness.
The numbers of oysters produced are abso-
lutely beyond comprehension. few years
ago, on one paar five miles long and two miles
wide, small pearl oysters were ascertaned to
be present to the number of 5000 per square
yard, in places forming layer over the bottom
nine inches deep; one diver, who was down
only 80 seconds, brought up 1925 young oysters
by actual count. This condition of the grounds
was determined in November by the govern
ment inspectors; In December of the same
year no oysters whatever were found-all had
disappeared as II by magic On another bank
known as the Periya Paar, scientific experts in
the year 1902 estimated the number of young
insecure was their existence that on inspection
a few months later 1t was found that all had
been swept away
This destruction is due to a variety of
causes, but principally to two: physical agen-
cies, such as the burying Of the oysters by
sand, which are ordinary responsible for only
to per cent of the mortality; and animals
particularly fishes of which various kinds and
sizes feed largely on the pearl oysters and are
so charged with fully 80 per cent of all the
losses to which the young and full-grown mol
lusks are subject.
Up to few years ago. and for more than
a century before, the British officials in Ceylon
had absolute control Of the fishery, and de-
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

which fishing "a to be allowed, (3) of specify
ing the number of boats on each area ana the
number of days that are to be devoted TO the
fishery, and % of making an official Vaiua-
ton Of the prospective pearls IN order tnat inc
fishery may be advertised.
News that fishery is to be held travels as
by wireless telegraphy throughout Ceylon'
India and other parts of the east, and at the
prescribed time 10000 to $4,000 people gather
in few days on a strip of desert sand, with
the Persian Gulf on one side and the jungle
on the other, at a point convenient to the
pearloyster grounds.
It can readily be understood that the pearl
town is a place of intense activity from the
moment the government agent opens the fish
cry The extensive business connected with
the mere existence of the people would alone
be sufficient to give great hustle and life; but
added to this are the special Industries de-
pendent on the various phases Of the pearl
fishery.
AS soon as the fishery is over, the entire
place seems to dissolve in a day as IL by magic.
the people hurry to their homes, the pearl town
lapses again into a solitary sandy waste, and
the beasts of the jungle take possession.
Marichchukaddi may spring into being the
next season, but may remain nonresident for
many years
There Is no particular style Of vessel spe-
cialy required in the pearl fishery, and con-
SoQuenty we QnQ a great diversity Vi TlSS,
depending largely on the regions from which
the divers come: narrow single-masted canoes
with an outrigger, square-sterned 1uggers.
large sailing lighters, three-masted canoes.
and clumsy doneys. Some of the larger YES
sells carry IS men, of whom about half are
actual divers. and the average crew of the en-
tire fleet is 80 to 35 men.
Owing to the boisterous seas and strong
winds of this region. the fishery can be con-
al MI of fau oLs I'm
March and April, when the northeast monsoon
has waned and the southwest monsoon has not
begun. The fishery is thus Of briefer dura-
ton than any other pearl fishery of import
ance and is characterized by strenuousness
that Is quite foreign to the east.
The fishing boats start for the grounds soon
after midnight, so as to be ready for work
soon as daylight comes, about 6 a.. m They
take positions about the government vessel
moored over the particular ground selected,
anchor, and remain actively engaged until
nonn when the entire fleet sets sail and starts
for the shore. AS there is a crowd Of pearl
merchants eagerly awaiting an opportunity to
speculate there Is considerable rivalry among
the diving boats in the matter Of reaching land
and discharging their catch as soon as pos
sible, and consequently one witnesses some
wild scenes of excitement when the oysters are
being unloaded In the surf and the natives are
rushing into the kottus with their catch
Except for loin cloth, the divers are naked.
Their fingers are covered by flexible leather
shields to protect them from the rough corals
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
ZZEsRs4RZEtJ LOOK
IKE RIp4ULI4LZ CRENS

termined when a fishery
should occur and what
grounds should be opened
to the divers. This deter
mination was based on an
examination of the various
grounds in the November
preceding a fishery, and a
preparatory inspection OF
the particular grounds Sc
lected in the following Feb
ruary. The advance inspec-
ton of the oyster beds on
which 1t is proposed to per-
init the divers to work is
for the purpose (D Of as
certaining the approximate
number of pearl oysters
that may be taken, (2) OF
marking the areas on
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
FOR EVERY FAMILY
MEDICINE CHEST

To the head OF every family the
health of it's different members is
most important, and the value of an
agreeable laxative that is certain In
its effect is appreciated. One of the
most popular remedies IN the family
medicine chest Is combination OF
simple laxative herbs with pepsin that
is known to druggists and physicians
as DR.. Caldwell's Syrup Pepsin. This
preparation is mild and gentle In rs
action on the bowels, yet positive in
its effect. A dose Of Syrup pepsin at
night means relief next morning,
while its tonic properties tone up and
strengthen the muscles of stomach,
liver and bowels so that these organs
are able in short time TO again per.
form their natural functions without
help. ...
Druggists everywhere sell DIR. Cald.
wells Syrup Pepsin in soc and $1.00
bottles. If you have never tried this
simple, inexpensive, yet effective
remedy, write to DR.. w. B. Caldwell,
POI Washington ST., Monticello, Ill.,
and ask for sample bottle. DR.. Cald.
well will be glad to send 1t without
any expense to you whatever.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

wonderful profusion and variety of
precious stones; if such surrounding
waters did not yield the most re-
splendent pearls
Ceylon has long been celebrated for
Its sapphires, rubies, cat's-eyes, moon
stones, opals, amethysts, carbuncles,
and emeralds; but none of these, nor
all Of them combined, have given to
The island the fame and the romantic
setting that have been conferred on
1t by the product of the limpid waters
that battle its coral strands and sandy
beaches. The poetic name of Ceylon
today is "The Pearl on India's Brow"
Colombo, the principal city of mod
ern Ceylon, is stopping place for all
the steamers plying between Europe
and Asia and Australia, and is there
fore visited by thousands of tourists
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

and that In free country they ought
to be at liberty to call on strangers
to attest their signatures rather than
on friends who know them and might
babble, 1t would seem reasonable that
legislatures should at least establish
some presumption of validity In favor
OF Wills executed under more formal
conditions. Let the formalitfes-the
safeguards-be as elaborate as those
who frame our laws deem necessary.
II they have the popular Anglo Saxon
prejudice against the notary as rou-
tine functionary who might become an
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
CRPX1YG Rf4I OycZLR5
NL7O GDEIHXzE1XT KOTTOS


and shells. In order to facilitate the
descent, each diver employs a fiat,
oval stone, weighing 80 to so pounds.
The stone is perforated at one end to
receive rope, and close to the stone
a kind of stirrup is made in the rope
to accommodate the Divers foot. The
stone is suspended at depth OF to b
feet below the surface by means OF
cord attached to an outrigger.
When ready to desceh1, the diver
places one foot on the stone, the oth-
er on the rim of a rope basket attach
ed to rope, initiates his lungs, zoos
ems the slip-knot holding the stone
and sinks rapidly to the bottom.
There he at once disengages his foot
and quickly crawls over the BOTTOM
tearing loose all the oysters he can
reach and putting them in the basket.
When near the limit of his endurance
he gives a signal with the basket rope
and is quickly hauled up by the
watchful attendant, or "manduck'
with whom the diver is provided. The
helper has meanwhile pulled up and
secured the diving stone, and when
the basket is hauled in he culls the
catch from the miscellaneous refuse
that is attached to the oysters.
The divers usually operate in pairs,
with a common attendant and diving
stone. The descents occur at inter
walls of five mr. six minutes, The best
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
WILL MAKING roo CARELESS
e Decreased ~ the Formalitles
Were More Elaborate.

Hcw haphazard the Preparations for
the making of a win In this country
are. apt to be. Whom does the aver
age lawyer invite to attest the solemn
disposition Of his clients. estate? His
stenographer, some student In the Of
fee. or casual acquaintance on the
saEse floor; wholly unfamiliar with the
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

easy tool, 1t would be simple matter
to require also the affldavit Of physi-
clans or even Of a Judge after careful
Interrogation as a condition precedent
to the erection Of rampant between
testators and their greedy kin.
Surely our society needs some such
protection. The blackmal and extor-
ton current here are practically un-
known In foreign countries where the
notarial system. Of attestatipn prevails.
II 1t were the law that will carefully
executed under prescribed forms
should have the~rresumption Of valid
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

testator, II not mere birds of passage;
whose faculties, perfunctoriiy eIer-
cised, can recall nothing but the hazy
fact Of signature when tested subse-
quently on the witness stand.
Why. In connection with one Of the
most serious of human affairs, should
We disdain the use OF ceremonials
which would give an inherent proba-
tive force to our action? writer In
Scribner's asks. II 1t be argued that
dying testators cannot always procure
the attendance Of an official whose af-
fidayit and seal would carry weight,
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
What Every Woman Knows.

A Cleveland school teacher writes
that she asked her class what was the
difference between the expressions, "a
while" and. "a tive" Nobody seemed
to have any idsas on the subject.
Finally the light Of intelligence was
seen to shine in the eyes of one little
boy, and the teacher called upon him
to save the intellectual honor Of the
class.
81 know, teacher" he cried eagerly.
when papa says he's going out for a
while, mamma says she knows he's
going out for time!"
That's one way of looking at It.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

ity, and could be set aside only by
convincing testimony, we should have
taken long step toward checking the
crying abuse Of speculative attacks en-
wills. Assuming also-though this is
not yet settled-that there may be in
herent difficulties, either of law or
propriety. in the way of probate be-
fore death, the present situation might
be further improved by imposing some
restraint on the action of distant rela
tives.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
HAVING Fun.

The brilliant wit of the bar looked
at the moon-faced farm laborer and
winked at his friends and whispered,
Now. We'll have some fun"
Have you been married?" he be-
gan.
"Yee-es." stammered the laborer,
once"
Whom did you marry"
"A w-w-woman, sir"
Come. my good man, Of course 1t
was a woman. Did you ever hear OF
any one marrying q man."
"Ye-e-es, sir; my sister did"
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10
Revenge is Sweet.

"The drinks is on me" said the little
man with the greasy vest. "Im feelin'
good and l don't care what happens"
"What'smatter?" said the barkeep.
Birthday"
NO." replied the little man. Il
took my wife down to the river to the
Echo rocks and she's so durn mad
she's speechless. For the first time in
her life she didn't get in the last
word Here's to the echo."-Cincin-
natl ENQUIRER
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-10

To remove nicotine from the teeth
dlsinfect the mouth and purify the
breath after smoking, Paxtine is a
boon to all. At druggists. Csc box
or sent postpaid on receipt of price by
The Paxton Toilet Co.. Boston. Mass