davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

now pending or have been entered into
with several Of the governments, and.
based upon them. new loans amounting
to millions OF dollars are ready for use.
1t was to further this movement that
Secretary Knox made his trip to Central
America. He came into contact with the
presidents of the republics and told them
that they ought to observe the obiiga-
which they had entered into through
their representatives. He demanded that
proper economic conditions be establish
ed, and here in Guatemala he practi-
cally told President Cabrera that the cur
rency must be reformed and the financia!
obligations provided for
For the ordinary man to understand
the financial situation in these Central
American republics is not easy. Take
this matter Of Honduras. where a coun-
try about as big as New York, with a
population Of about half a million. owes
$4,000, 600. The loans were made be-
tween 1867 and 1870, and upon them for
forty years no interest has been paid.
The loans, as I have said, are alto
gether about $27, 100000 and fifteen mil
lions Of this bears interest at 10 per cent
per annum. while on over ten millions the
interest rate is between and per cent
The bonds are largely owned in England.
ana the BrltlSn DOnQnOlQerS proposed oil
arrangement about three years ago to
settle on certain conditions. Among these
was one provision that the debt was to
be a lien on the customs, and another
was that the tariffs were to be raised.
They also proposed to bring the chief
railroads under foreign control and to do
other things which would seriously at
feet certain American investments.
To this the United States objected. and
Honduras then asked our State Depart
ment to arrange for q loan. This was
provided for in connection with ]. P.
Morgan & Co. 1t was proposed to settle
with the foreign bondholders at Is cents
on the dollar. and to this they agreed.
The security for the loan was to be the
customs receipts Of the government. and
the loan was to be big enough to settle
the foreign debt, adjust the domestic debt
and to give funds for railroad construc-
ton and other internal improvements as
soon as the country was in condition for
them. The loan was to consist OF bonds.
which were to be sold at SS cents on the
dollar. This arrangement was made at
Washington. but it failed to be ratified
by the Honduran government. and since
then arrangements have been made with
New Orleans bankers who are associated
with the bankers of New York.
One reason for the rejection of the
Morgan proposition was the selling of the
bonds at Ss. which the financiers here
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

sixteen-foot skins with a motor, and Err
nest Archdeacon, who contradicted VIII
bur Wright before he saw him, argue
that whatever be the rate of human prog
ress, 1t cannot increase the power of legs
and arms.
Evidently.
Yet Didier has SKINNED his sixteen
feet.
And Paris is trying.
The Peugeot firm Immediately offered
10000 francs $4,000 for a skim of ten
meters (thirty-three feet.
The contest will come off in February
at the Pare des Princes.
1t will be cIogged undoubtedly by anna
teur constructors. with their rickety and
topheavy inventions.
Quite right. Every one must have a
chance, because this is the momentous
beginning, the deep. heart-prayed hope
of flying Of the humble.
The prize will be carried off almost as
undoubtedly by some very elegant pro-
fessional-built apparatus. Didier skim
med sixteen feet without propeller lt
was a makeshift thing. home-built, whose
wings principally, it would seem, enjoyed
happy set and warping. 1t would be
strange If his flight should not be dou-
bled, once the bike is i'm the air, by the
effort of the pedals shifting to good
propeller.
The great constructors are at work.
They have put cunning specialists devils
ing 1t would be a joke for them-say for
the Gladiator people-to win the Peugeor
s.. 0o0 plus the credit of il.
So they work upon the problem.
What problem?
The problem of a winged bike that will
fly thirty-three feet.
Purely and simply.
Later we shall see.
The later the further.
STERLING HEILIQ.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

five feet high above the park lawns?"
Now. remember. boy flew above the
houses of the suburbs and could not turn
back. He tried Logan Square. Do you
hear. Willie? All tired out. he fell into
the trees and broke a leg!''
Thus. in cities. parents will talk, hav-
ing new worry.
The world moves.
The year 1913, just opening. will proba-
bly, see that unexpected marvel. the
to call it,
Flying for the masses.
Flying for boys, Your legs the motor.
X
Unexpectedly, il has come to the front.
Distinguished technicians. like Emman-
uel Anne. declare the winged bike at
hand. 1t may be skinner. but what
Swimming!
An aviette club of rich Paris business
men offers continual prizes.
Far more. in Paris. last month. to win
such a prize of $1,000. a dozen or more
variously devised bicycles with wings
dashed round a track. propelled by hu-
man legs. attempting to quit earth and
skim five yards.
1t was too hard a beginning.
Two of them caught on to the air
with their plane surfaces. rose for an in
slant. struck the earth again. continued
rolling and retired to make improve
ments for trials in the future.
One other so caught on that 1t flew
ten feet. At another trial ii rose twice.
Swimming nine and twelve feet, at a
height of a mans knee. Some say his
shinbone Perhaps it was both. 1t mat
tiers nothing.
The historical character who did X was
Frank Rettich. Remember the name. 1t
will go down the ages with Wilbur
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

America is the richest part of the North
American continent, and its people are
among the poorest of our whole hemi-
sphere. Its mountains have gold. silver
and copper, and its hillsides grow the
best coffee on earth. 1t lies i'm the front
dooryard of the United States, the
worlds greatest market, and it can pro-
duce tropical fruits which would bring in
gold by the millions. Nevertheless the
bulk of its people are paupers. and the
foreign bondholder hangs around it's neck
more heavily than did the Old Man of
the Sea around that of Sindbad the Sailor.
Central America should be the indus
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

Few had seen the skim of Rettich. This
was greater.
In a moment. the machine returned, be-
fore the judges.
do 1 VIM the party asked.
They measured and discussed. and told
him yes. He had accomplished the five
yards of the Peugeot prize. Should an
other make it before evening, the $1,NO
would be split. Otherwise he would take
the entire sum.
He took it.
He was Paul Didier, small, slim, why
man. and something Of an amateur cy-
clist.
Can you do better?" some one asked
him.
LET them offer $1,000 for ten yards"
he said, land / will show your
X x
Wilbur Wright-so Paris thinks-was on
the point of flying or skimming without
motor when he died.
Such is the Partisan belief.
The tradition is that Wilbur, who en-
joys a name like Edison, had returned to
his earlier experiments, supporting cum
ningly made planes upon the air with
far less motive power than Europeans
dreamed of. He flew or skinned, they
now maintain, with power Of legs and
arms.
Will that secret have died with Wilbur
Wright?
Orville, they say, had little confidence.
Yet at this moment another newer rumor
circulates in Paris concerning IAN Ameri-
can aviator who enjoyed his hour or
celebrity" He has invented an "appara-
tus of aviation far in advance of any
thing known.
SHOULD the motor stop accidentally this
new American apparatus can continue to
plane" says the Vie au Grand Air. Paris
technical weekly, giving time for the
pilot TRANQUILITY to choose his spot for
alighting' Given the reputation of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

were entered. Such was the number OF
stenciled entry squares applied for ana
given out. Nearly 100 were brought TO
the vast bicycle track in the Boulogne
suburbs, and some sixty actually started.
Most of them 'alsO ran"
JacQuelin, the old favorite cycling cham
pion. was the greatest disappointment:
With what appeared an ample and well
devised plane surface above his head.
the muscular cycling expert could not
rise into the air an inch. He never quit
the dust.
X
One clumsy-looking yacht" caused
general hilarity. 1t bore down on the
judges, trys'ls, stuns'ls. jibs and awnings
stretched to slide upon the lightest
breeze. and the party at the pedals SEEM
ed to have muscle and gearing to raise
one. When he put on a squirt his whole
front reared like a wild mustang. Whoa.
there! Wild applause The yacht" back
ed off and made another squirt. 1t shot
into the air. turned turtle and fell on its
side with a dull thud. HE has power
full gearing. all the same" they said.
Given the little We really know about
wings-"bearing surfaces" You ought to
call them-this competitor. whose name
is Collot. may reduce his jib and easily
be heard from In the February contest.
There were biplanes.
Their inventors. mostly. had put them
on tricycles. to hold their vaster bear
ing surfaces evenly while rolling on the
ground. They had hoped that this super
ior spread would catch on to the air at
lesser speed-which lesser speed their
"tri-s'' did surely make!
One, furnished with a Wright vertical
rudder in front, had q wooden propeller
in the rear whose ingenious gearing will
be copied. The idea u obvious. II prema-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26
BOYS SORTING GOLD ORE.


chard will yield go pounds to the acre.
which means gross receipts of $40 per
acre per annum.
The loan to Nicaragua is S15O00,O0O
and IL it should be carried out 1t will
result i'm the putting of that country on
a sound basis secured by the customs.
The loan will lead TO stable currency
in a land where the paper money has
heen worth as low cents on
the dollar. It would also bring about a
railroad development backed by Ameri-
can capital, a road having been planned
from Lake Nicaragua to the east coast.
forming i'm connection with that lake a
transcontinental route across Central
America. There is no doubt but that
the interest could be paid by the customs.
which would probably increase through
our management. During the pending
of the treaty the government there put
the customs under Mr. Clifford ID. Ham,
former collector at the port of Manila.
and under his administration the receipts
have almost trebled.
x
At the same time there is much oppo-
sition to the loan. and when Secretary
Knox visited Nicaragua plot was made
to blow up his train as it passed over
a bridge. This was discovered through
the premature explosion of a cartridge
and the dynamite removed. Forty men
were arrested as being connected with
the plot.
AS to the Costa Rican debt, that coun-
try has a better credit than any other of
the Central American republics. and its
finances are more honestly managed. Its
foreign debt in 1910 was about $16,OO0.O0O
of which almost half was arrears of in
terest. The bondholders met together.
l. L. T. 10
tiement which cut down this amount al
most half, and the interest rate was only
4 or 5 per cent.
The Costa Rican resources are very
great. and the republic has revenue at
present of about 81 100000 per annum.
AS to Salvador, it owes nearly eleven
millions. 1t borrowed over seven mil
lions in 1889 to start the railroad
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

Wright and Santos-Dumont. the first
bike-fiyer as humble, but as immense as
the masses.
He did not win the Peugeot prize for
five yards. but the Aviette Club handed
him $3.50 as qualification.
The prize remained open.
~
The news fairly flew through Paris.
Cycling multitudes who remain faithful to
all bike meets, the Partisan working
youth whose Joy is still to scour the
countryside of holidays on their leg
driven wheels" became excited by the
double possibility:
l. Winged bikes had quit the earth!
, A one-thousand-dollar prize was open
to whoever could skim four feet more
than Rettich had actually skinned!
The Peugeot contests at the Pare des
Princes began to be discussed at large.
The Peugeots although they were among
the first automobile makers of France.
have always remained equally foremost
manufacturers of simple bicycles. II
they offer ''aviette" prizes-the name. in
vented by Anne, became popular at once
there must be something In II.
Two weeks remained before the next
contest. In q thousand little garages in
back yards. even city courtyards. anna
teurs began to try to wing their wheels"
Few had special knowledge. What
''plane surface" given the force of the
human leg. will catch on to the air. and
lift a winged bike high enough to skim
sixteen feet before it falls? Few got as
far as propeller.
They asked little else OF engineers and
experts. They we're out to win that
81 600. The rest might wait for later.
At the Pare des Princes 1S0 apparatu0es
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

inventor. it continues, lone must have a
certain faith in these reports. 1t is not
Orville Wright, as might be supposed but
one of his most direct competitors. who
flew in France in the heroic epoch"
who will deny the possibility of this
news says the Paris organ. given the
progress of aerial locomotion?"
Doubtless it means human power, to
keep the heavy aeroplane moving when
the motor stops by accident
X
Why, then, shall not human power
make a light aviette skim over fields
and fences? Pierre Maillard. a state en-
gineer of arts and manufactures, MAX
ing the important aviette report in the
current bulletin of the Touring Club, re-
calls the famous letter of the Wrights
to the Paris Aerophile of December IL,
1905. "At the ordinary speed of BIRDS
wrote Wilbur "a well constructed aero
plane can actually sustain more than
sixty-six pounds per horse power.
year later Ernest Archdeacon. addressing
the Aeronautical Congress of 1906, gave 1t
as a mathematical verify that a Wright
aeroplane could not support fourteen
pounds per horsepower.
The mathematician of Paris were all
wrong from the beginning. Wilbur Wright
gave mere twist TO the wings ana SET
the lot of them flying.
IF we fly nowadays" says the Tour
ing Club report, lit is not due to the per-
lection of motors. 1t is now proved that
with motors of fifteen years ago we
might have flown. What was needed?
knowledge of bearing surfaces. apprO-
pirate propellers and general confidence.
Here the aviette idea takes its start.
Given what We now know of mechanical
flying, it is esteemed to be possible with
that universal motor the muscular force
of man.
There are pessimists in Paris.
Henry Farman, who SO long made only
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

trial empire of the North American con-
tinent. and its population as rich as any
on the face of the globe. Look at 1t! The
country begins at Mexico and runs to the
Isthmus Of Panama. 1t skirts the Pacific
ocean for a distance as great as from
New York to Detroit, and it's extreme width
is as far as from Washington city to Bos-
ton. 1t has SO much land that, in the
words Of John Barrett, our great special
list on all things concerning Latin Ameri-
ca. IF 1t could be lifted up and laid down
on our Atlantic states it would cover all
of New England and leave enough over
to make a blanket sufficient to tuck in
New York. Pennsylvania and New Jer-
sey." AS to the individual republics,
Honduras is almost big as Pennsyl-
vania. Guatemala almost the size of
Mississippi, Nicaragua is equal to New
York and Costa RIGA to Vermont and
New Hampshire combined. while Salvador
is about the size of New Jersey.
This territory has population which is
fast crowding four millions. Here in
Guatemala We have eighteen hundred
thousand. Salvador has more than mill
lion. Honduras over five hundred thou
sand and Costa Rica and Nicaragua have,
respectively, four hundred and five hun
dred thousand. The only country that
is at all thickly peopled is Salvador. Our
New England and middle Atlantic states
are about equal in size to Central Amer
lea. They had at the last census popu-
1ation Of 81 100000 and there is no doubt
but that Central America could support
ten millions or SO more than it has.
And now let me give you some idea Of
the mighty debt load which hangs from
Central Americas neck. The money was
borrowed for railroads and other devel-
opments. but the most of il has gone into
the pockets of. the officials. and today
there is hardly a government here which
is not hOneycOmbed with corruption and
bribery.
The debts are enormous. Here in Qua
temala the gold loans have run high into
the millions. They amounted to more
than $14,OOO.OOO in 1908. The local cur
rency is now worth 6 cents on the dollar.
and one American dollar is equal to
eighteen of the dollars of Guatemala.
In Honduras the situation is worse. That
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

say was a very fair deal and more than
is usually paid for Central American
bonds.
The question as to the payment Of any
debt depends on the assets of the debtor.
/ am told here that Honduras has re-
sources which will enable 1t to pay any
debt Of this kind it might contract. If
the customs receipts be properly ham
lutions the country will develop rapidly,
and. with funds for internal Improvements
and railroads. will soon be about the rich
est of all Central American republics.
mahogany and dye woods. and it has
great agricultural possibilities. Cacao,
cotton, sugar cane. coffee. tobacco
and other tropical and sub-tropical prod
ucts can be grown on the lowlands, while
farther up there are immense pastures fit
for grazing. With rapid transit to New
Orleans. there is no reason why Hon.
duras should not be one of the fruit gar
dens of the United States. The banana
is said to grow wild in all parts of 1t be-
low three thousand feet. and the banana
shipments now average about a million
dollars a year.
There are good coffee lands throughout
the hill country at attitudes of about
lower down are sugar lands SO connected
with mountain streams that their re-
fineries could be run with water power.
AS to mines. Americans are largely in
terested in them in different parts of
Honduras. and some of the mineral prop
critics are valuable. Altogether. seven
hundred mines of various kinds have been
denounced. and there are placer deposits
in the beds of the rivers from which the
native women are taking gold. washing it
out through a sieve. The Rosario mine.
not far from the capital. has been oper-
ated for over thirty years, and from 1t
alone has come gold and silver to the
amount of SIG. Co., 600. Honduras has rich
deposits Of lead, copper. and also of iron,
zinc nickel and coal.
The possibilities of Nicaragua are
equally good. That country has an area
of forty-nine thousand square miles. and
the greater part Of this is good land. The
mountains contain large deposits Of gold
and silver, and more than five hundred
gold mines are registered in the bureau
of statistics Of the republic. American
and English companies have secured
mining concessions, and, as 1t is now. the
principal mines on the west coast are In
the hands of English capitalists. There
are rich placer mines on the Atlantic
SLOPE and also quartz mines and gold
bearing reefs. I was told in Costa RIGA
that if conditions can be made safe i'm
Nicaragua it's mineral deposits will be
rapidly opened and that much American
capital is now ready for Investment there.
Nicaragua has great timber resources.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

It's coffee is Of the finest quality and there
are extensive lands which could be de-
voted to sugar. The present product OF
the plantations is already more than a
million dollars a year and the biggest
sugar estate Of Central America is lOcat-
ed there. There are also extensive
banana plantations, the fruit going to
New Orleans. while quite large area is
devoted to the raising of cacaO. the in
dustry being subsidized by the govern
ment. At present the output is con-
sumed in the country, selling at from
20 to 70 cents per pound. The average
yield per tree is two pounds, and an Or
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

THEY Amount to Tens
i of Millions, But Can Be
Compromised at a Few Cents
on the Dollar-Honduras and
It's Interest Debt of Eighty
five Millions-The Nicaragua
Loan and the Customs
Something About the Obliga-
tons of Costa Rica and Sal
vador Where Uncle Sam
Comes In-Dollars Versus
Bullets.
Copyright, 1912. by Frank q. Carpen:erD
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

y THIS my last
letter from Cen
trail America l
shall deal with
business conditions
and the POSSIBLE
ties of the com
tries il they can be
placed upon d
S Ound financial
basis. The present
situation is alb
normal. G. e n t r a ]
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

VIII Drag Mdut q SHUT CUT IItW ONcI
Harper's woods Then mamma. fiinging
up her arms in protest. Will cry: Father.
do you hear IT.? Jimny's been flying high
again.
In cities, boys will tease their parents
20 rent them a little garage in the OUT
skirts.
VIII you promise never to attempt to
jump the river? will you just skim
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

OUNTRY boys will
skim over fields
a n d fe nc e s I o
school.
In the evening,
mamma, s e ei n z
Jimmy home so
early, will ask:
III o w did yo u
com e?"-w | I h a
worried intuition.
And the boy, all
proud and guilty.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26

ture. The moment the aviette's wheels
quit earth the effect of the pedals is
thrown automatically on the aerial pro-
peller. Only. it was not that biplane's day
for quitting earth. 1t made me think of
Delagrange or Farman in the good old
days, when they spent entire days career
ing around a parade ground-on their
wheels!
Winged bikes!
They darted down the track in quick
succession, dozens. Slim racing frames.
with wings of every shape. Wings Of all
sizes, wings high. wings low.
Hurrah. He's quit earth! He's skim
med ten inches! Mark it. No. 1877. He
has stopped, down there, exhausted.
putting. He says he knows that is wrong
with his machine. he will improve 1t.
Bravo. No. 100! A clean skim Of two
feet. Mark it. mark it!
All. la, la! No. IS. your wings are wob-
bling!
Mostly amateur construction. 1t was
wonderful that they should dream Of
flying. wonderful and beautiful, oh,
rickety, makeshift devices.
Then, suddenly, a 1.-the bike with
phenomenally small wings, slightly warp
ed, and curiously pitched. and trebly
braced, fitted toward us. Just before the
judges stand. at a speed of about twenty
two miles per hour, the rider, with sud-
den jerk from the hips, lifted his front
up, rearing. then his back, as kicking,
and the -with-winss was skimming
in the air! 1t SKINNED the sixteen feet
mans knees. 1t struck the track and
rolled on.
It was an imposing sight. historical. az
founding! ..-a.-5s4.-