The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-20
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.

o..
Mexico City.
mo you want to buy a Volcano? If
SO, come to Mexico and size up
IL Popocatapeu. iou may have to
take your life in your hands on ac-
count OF the Zapatistas and other reb-
els camped near its foot. but you VIII
be moderately safe ut the top. Popo-
catnpetl is the highest smoking volcano
IN the North American Continent and
am told that as soon as matters are
quiet II can be lSsade 10 pay big dlVi-
dends on the PRICE now asked for IT
The old mountain has been FOR sale
off and on for the last twenty-five
years. 1t was bought in 1904 by syn
dictate OF Americans. headed by Cap
tain Charles Holt, of New York. The
consideration was S10,00o,000 in Mex
lean money, and the American com
pany had an authorized capital OF Slo,-
600. 600 in gold The plan was to work
the enormous sulphur resources of the
volcano and at the same time to supply
Ice to Mexico city from the ice fields
which cover the peak. The principal
forests about the base of the mountain
were also TO he converted into beau
tiful park. and an inclined railway 10
the top was TO bring tourists here from
all over the world.
This sale was only half consummated.
The title was disputed and the Mexi-
leans could not deliver the goods After
several years the project was aban-
doned, and the mountain came back To
General Sanchez Ochoa, one of the
great mining engineers of Mexico, who
has owned il these many years. am
told that the Pearson syndicate, backed
by Lord Cowdray, has since considered
2 the purchase. and that It's plans include
cogged railroads not only to the top
( of old "Popo.'' but also TO Ixtaccihuau,
or 1.-The White Woman" that mighty
Iyt iprt untf wi ri
clouds only few miles away.
Popocatapetl itself is live volcano,
or. at best, it Is only sleeping. Since
the time Of Cortez it has had ten
mighty eruptions 1t is the Vesuvius
!, of America, and is liable to break out
fire and lava Its last eruption was
In 1902. but it is still breathing brim-
stone fumes from the great holes in It's
crater. These holes arc from seven to
twelve inches in diameter. and the,
,ooze liquid sulphur. making the crater
~ great birthstone factory.
THE crater of ola Popo IS about {
mile wide at the top and something
like 1000 feet deep. 1t is shaped Xix,
b bell, the diameter at the bottom be
ing one-fourth of a mile. and the floor
whicn is pure sulphur, going down, 1
i said, 1000 feet deeper. The noun
tain is splitting out sulphur at the rat
Il OF more than 10000 tons per annun
& Since the conquest of Mexico more thai
d J0e.000o00 tons have been taken GU
s. Of II. and it is estimated that there
sg:],alf as much more on the floor of tn
crater, running down TO depth o
4 300 1eet.:>
4 RE Supply is far beyond the de
mands Of AZ, the world. and If 1t coul
{ DO narkeG H. represents wealth be
4 I,ual "a lis. s. NJ. of sulphur in tn
Hnite6k .ss;,,c c. Wiiii Europe is perhar
4 i,0c.n q, ~ is ,lss,,r, ~ tons. The most
4 tie Mr, and 81, from Italy. and I
,,eysp,f Waiting the MJfi 1T could be sur
sirs. Roy J6tt sid mean gros
Russts OF Mrs. cbarieg esaY... aaa =.
II. e. Warden gave box par,
Sciarks Opera House on Saturday
TO the picture show 60 elk young
Ghaperoned by: Mira. Y. II. Elder
EnpEie PGwoxs.