davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23

A true-bred merchant is the gen.
tleman in the natiOn.-Defoe.
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
Proof of Good Manners
"Alabama's" Meaning

Alabama is a Greek Indian word
meaning place of rest.
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23

and having an an
cient meaning of
bitter, we will not
despair.
AS one popular
song used to have
| t g NJ ary is a
grand old name"
Even with the
an cient Chinese,
MARI meant the
spirit of mother
hood, as Mary does
today among the
dpyOut millions
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
Nellie

Nellie, as a name, has been much
misused. From the time that Foster
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
|A1lalyziirlg.
| ...YOU..
With the New Science Of Syllabics
By C.. j. COFFMAN
Dean of All the Enumerators
Mary

Although your name starts out with
MAR, meaning TO mark or TO spoil,
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23

They tell us there is nothing new
under the sun and he that discovers
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
Old Newspapers Used
for Clothing Bags

A new use has been found for old
newspapers. They make an excellent
substitute for moth-proof clothing
bags during the summer months, ac-
cording to May Kiethline, assistant
Al club leader and specialist in cloth
ing at South Dakota State college.
She says if clothing is wrapped care
fully in several thicknesses of news
paper, protection is provided at very
small cost. Newspapers make special
ly good moth-proof wrappings because
printers ink is Objectionable to moths.
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
TOHIIIIPS
= Milk
of MagIaesia

Stars and Planets
The stars are fixed in space, while
the planets travel. The difference
is best seen by looking on the plan
cts as other earths, and the stars
as other suns.
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
A Sour.
Stomach

In the same time it takes a dose
of soda to bring little temporary
relief of gas and sour stomach,
Phillips Milk of Magnesia has acid
ity completely checked, and the di-
geStive organs all tranquilized.
Once you have tried this form of
relief you will cease to worry about
your diet and experience a new
freedom in eating.
This pleasant preparation is just
as good for children, too. Use it
whenever coated tongue or fetfd
breath signals need of a sweetener.
Physicians will tell you that every
spoonful of Phillips Milk of Mag
nesia neutralizes many times it's
volume in acid. Get the genuine,
the name Phillips is important
limitations do not act the same!
The Ely miner., 1930-05-23
Plus Elbow Grease

Plus Elbow Grease
When scrubbing all woods or metals,
use a damp but not too wet cloth, as
too much moisture prevents the fric-
tion that is necessary for good re-
suits.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28

much for water on land In cultiva-
ton as would equal his dry or flat
rate, he did not owe any further
flat rate or the wndeveloped Land.
Even these charges would have
kept us out OF trouble, but The
farmers themselves did not prosper
any too well and by 1912 the CON-
pany was carrying about Sl20,OO0.Oo
In delinquent charges on their
books. The company could not col
lee. therefore could not meet its
obligations and a ~receire-ship was
the inevitable result.
we, like every canal company IN
the Valley, except one, went into
the hands Of a receiver. The Mer-
cedes system was the only one that
did not: but they suffered just like
the rest Of us. but their owners
were financially able to carry them
v the crash.
District Formed
Under the receivership II was
practically impossible to operate,
Operation revenue was insufficient
70 meet expenses and the bond
holders trustees refused TO advance
operation expenses. Water was
scarce because the machinery and
canals had been allowed to run
down and there was no money for
raw rolls and fuel. This condition
tceesher with the bandit trouble.
had driven many farmers out OF the
Valley. so that in 1915 We had less
land in cultivation than at any
time since the second year Of our
operation.
Then we formed the district,
Cameron County Water Improve
ment District No. 2 was formed and
voted 100000 If bonds TO take
over and rehabilitate the project,
The bond holders forclosed their
lien and wiped the old company of
the map. The property that 1t had
cost over sl,50000000 to build was
sold TO the District for $3.50. 10000
and the other s24o.0oo.o0 worth OF
bonds were sold for par and put
into improving the property.
The District now has assets OF
s2.20 $500 and only owes $3.50
10000 in bonds, so that in IL years
since the District was formed we
have built up a system with a net
worth OF 81. $50. 90.
Transportation
IN 1907 there was not a road on
the san BeniJo tract. except a few
narrow crooked trails through the
brush. Realizing the need for trans
portation our main canal was
designed as a barge transportation
canal. All bridges over the main
canal had q 20 foot clear span. with
head clearance OF not less than 2
feet above high water. All our main
canal locks we're built TO pass
barges 20 X 60 feet IL size. the barge
system was G used however.
In 1910 Sam Robertson again
had a dream. He realized that lack
Of transportation was retardins
development. 50 he conceived the
building Of the Spider webb" rail-
road system. His idea was 70 build
a system of railroad loops over the
tract. SO that no farm IN the San
Penito tract would be over two miles
from a loading station. Time will
not permit going into the history
Of that project. however in three
years we had built 40 miles Of it on
the San Benito tract. We had the
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28

Line canal. The other three pumps
viii discharge into either canal. BY
changing the gates IN the fumes
any OF the three viii discharge into
either canal. without interference
with the others.
Our pumping head ranges from
nothing 10 20 feet and averages
about IA feet. We have four gravity
gates, with tunnels under floor OF
plant through which We can take
water when the river Is half full
or above. These gates arc each . \
g. in sire. operated by screw lifts
inside the plant.
In early DAYS We used wood Tor
fuel. but since the wood was al
cut off. we have used OIL for fuel
We have storage for about 81 cars
on oil. The tank carS are unlcaded
az the plant direct into our storage
tanks.
Drainage
we have Q drainage district sep
arate and apart from the Irriga-
ton district. They have and main
tain l46 miles OF drain bitches.
ranging from 4 70 20 foot bottom
width. However the irrigation dis
trict has dug some six O eight
miles Of drain bitches. in addition
70 many miles of borrow pits which
we have improved and deepened.
We are trying TO get all our borrow
pits TO grade so that they will drain.
and in q few more years they viii
all be IN that condition. We work
closely with the drainage district
board and do practically all their
work for them, charging no profit
on the work, realizing that inn
proved drainage tends 10 better ir-
rigat!on conditions. Also the same
man pays the charge for both Jobs
and our charging a profit on drain
age work would only tend TO have
less Of II.
Equipment
THE district owns and operates:
? : Dob = I'd. Bucyrus drag line
dredges.
2 : Ruth dredgeS.
! = s" Suction dredge On river
channeD
10 team grading outfit.
% autos and trucks.
and a machine shop a. the river
plant.
Cost Of Operation
Our flat rate is S2.75 per year
and cur water charge Is $3.50 per
acre per watering. The average
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28

loop south Of town built with three
spur tracks off Of II. one of which
goes to u pump plant making Us
The only plant in the Valley with a
railroad track to the pump house
door.
we had IL IL miles Of track
north Of San Benito. and the other
SIDE Of that loop had the right Of
way cleared and about six miles OF
the grade built when the Frisco
road went into re~ceiverslip In 1914
and stopped the work.
We now have about 10 miles Of
railroad line in this district and 5a
70 40 miles Of paved highway besides
IL to IA miles Of paved streets IN
San Eenito.
Canal System
We hsIs 27S miles OF District
owned and maintained canals
which are kept IN good repair snd
clean. Since 1920 we have not built
a single water delivery gate nor
check OF anything but concrete
construction. We have replaced
practically all fumes with concrete
and all our main road canal cross
ings are concrete inverted syphons.
We have replaced about 1000
water gates with cast iron. water
tight gates. We have about one mile
Of concrete lined canal and four
years ago we adopted the policy OF
cooperation with the land owners
in building underground pipe lines.
II II Is a District owned ditch and
the adjacent owner want It piped
the District pays 3-4ths OF the cost.
II it is a private or community field
ditch we pay Ia Of the cost. Under
this system we have installed about
40 miles OF pipe irrigation lines. IN
sizes from IL" TO "a" diameters
| About half Of this j. in District
bitches and the other half in field
bitches.
Pumping Plant
I'VE started this system in 1907
with l-24" pump. direct connected
10 a Morris vertical steam engine.
A little later we installed a IS
pump steam driven. In 1910 we
installed 2-48' Morris pumps driven
bv a $50 H. P. Cross Compound
Corliss Engine. with rope transmits
sion. This plant is still in operating
condition, although is only used for
emergency. In the past seven years
il has only been run three seasons
and then only n to two weeks 2
season.
"our regular equipment consists
Of:
So Worthington pump driven
BY a o30 H.. p. De Ia Vergne
Semi-Diesel engine, installed
in 1912.
42' Cameron pumps each driv-
en- by q 300 Fl. r. Prce-Rath-
burn type IngerscI-Rand full
Diesel engine. installed IL
1921.
! so" American Well Works
pump driven by a 600 II. P.
De la Vergne Serai-Diesel en-
CINE. installed in 1918.
THE combined capacity OF our
plant is about 745 u. #. per second
we have two main canals leaving
our plant. The High Line canal Is
8 feet higher lift than the Low Line
canal.
THE steam plant discharges only
into the Low Line canal. The co.
pump discharges only into the High
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28
IRRIGATION PASSED THROUGH
HARD TIMES TO PROSPERITY

and Landrums old renew his OPP
tons twice before he finally put
over his deal.
This gave MIN about 1900 acres
for the project. Of which he was 70
purchase about 5000 acres. This
project extended from the river 70
an east and west line running
through San Benito and constituted
the first unit Of the san Benifo
system.
sam interested K r Rorscn OF
Jennings, La. in his development,
ard Rowson induced the Haywood
Brothers. also OF Jennings, to come
in with them. In the Spring Of 1907
they formed the San Benito Land
& Water Co, to take Owe these
contracts and develop the project.
The first construction work was
started in December. 1906. John
Dacke and j. L. brewery we're the
first contractors on the Job.
Engineers Named
The first engineers were Q. z.
Moore, c. S. Clark. now OF the State
Board OF Water Engineers, and
Fletcher II. Pratt. and Charlie Todd
was craftsman. ! came 10 the job
in January, 1907. with my grading
outfit. but went TO work first as
engineer TO get the construction
work started. and worked at that
until May. 1907. and then vent with
the Rio Grande Construction Co,
...Ls-A - 80 f1~~-ol f1r -Aa h.-H-
ling Of the construction Of canals.
We soon got strung out in good
share. We had three or four sub
contractors, bought IS teams and a
drag line dredge. and e~levatn1g
grader.
"One might think that in those
DAYS we had no labor troubles. but
We did There were only three or
four great ranches in the district
and the settlements along the Mill
tary road. We got plenty of men
for the outfits near the river; but
for San Benito and north thy
said 1t was too far to go. All labor
ives Sl00 Mexican money. per day
at first: but none OF them wanted
20 drive teams SO ne paid Sl.25 per
Cav for the SINNERS" and S1O0
TO the balance. Right Of way
clearing and gTubbing was all con-
tracted at $500 TO $1,000. American
money per acre We used Mexican
currency and silver money exclus-
lively here for the first year or more.
You may think that those were
the good old days with labor at
SO cents to 62l3 cents per day but
good American engineers only got
$4,000 per month and chow Work
was picking I'D and more engineers
we're needed so Dean Taylor sent
Us the pick OF the Texas University
engineering class Of '07. We got
A. L. Toombs, now in Washington.
.. c, j. Scott Brown. mayor of
San Benito. Sam Householder. now
a renchman at Byers. Texas. H. p.
Griffin OF McAllen and II. II. SUIT
ton. 7 do not know where he IS
row. Later we got Bruce Gentry.
Bill Kraul. L. D. Crawford and
others. We broke in a great bunch
Of young engineers on this job. Some
made good and some did not. Out
Of our young engineers we turned
out foreign missionaries. diplomats,
contractors. railroad officials, ranch
ren and some engineers.
Building the Project
Shortly after forming the San
Renito Land s. Water company. we
began to add to our 1900 acre
project. First We bought about
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28

Hardships Of all kinds have been
overcome by residents OF the Lower
rio Grande Valley. and by the ir-
rioatio1 districts OF this section.
The older districts went through
periods OF trying times. and a
sample OF the development through
The years Is revealed in a history Of
the San Benito irrigation district,
which may be taken as typical,
compiled recently by Frank s.
Robertson. for more than twenty
years It's manager.
Mr.. Robertson Is an outstanding
Irrigation authority in the Valley.
ana has gene through the ups and
Clowns Of the business here.
His description Of the history Is
made all the more interesting be-
ranse Of the fact that his colorful
brother, Col. Sam Robertson, once
sheriff. fighting overseas man. and
engineer, headed the project al san
Benito originally.
Discovered Possibilities
IN 1904" the history starts,
while building the Gulf Coast
railroad INTO the Valley, Sam Rob-
ertson. who had the bridging and
track laying contract. discovered
rat the river bank was the high
eft land in this part Of the VAL
icy. Also that the two old
rrblcas heading near the river and
extending east and northeast across
49, V~~ 1-nvEn~ ENHh
along their banks and the land
sleeping away from them, made
THIS an ideal location for an ir-
rifntion project which would be
1ow ir construction and operation
costs. SO he decided 10 build q
system here.
"Sam was short on cash. but long
on optimism. so he set about 20
ind the means with which to build
n system OF which he would be
proud. and at the same time do a
real service TO posteriiy.
~He entered into contract with
James L. Landrum and wife. the
Hicks heirs. and Drs. Fred and Joe
|Conbes for the lands 70 form the
base OF his project. Ey the terms
Of these contracts he was TO sub
divide the lands into $50 acre
blocks. The respective owners re-
|Served certain parts OF the land.
which was not subdivided but
which was to have irrigation works
built on the reservations as well as
10 each $50 acre subdivision. Sam
was TO purchase each alternate sub
division block at So per acre: but
the owners got irrigations FORKS
built 10 their lands free of cost to
them. In addition 10 the irrigation
works ne also agreed 10 build a
river protecting leVee from Lon
HIS Harrington plant 10 the east
line Of Hicks land ard along their
east line from the river to the
high land on the resaca. and
also a drainage ditch through the
Tow lands between the river and
|resaca.
Subdivision Is Begun
In 1906 he started engineers
making the subdivision and running
levels around each block for
topography. He had contracts for
building the Santa Maria and Mer-
cedes canals and figured on enough
profits from these TO finance his
own project until be could raise
enough capital TO put II over: but
luck was against him. His options
expired. and the D-s. Combes refus-
ed TO renew. However. The Hicks
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28

watering Is one and q half acres
watered to the acre in cultivation.
Our bond tax Is an average OF
90 cents per acre per year. This
pays interest. principal and cost of
assessing and collecting. Our
bonded debt is about $1,000 per acre.
The district proper is about $4,000
acres and we have about 1900 acres
not In the district which We water
under contract"
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28

imals and other material things. will
extract them from the air.
Already a means Of speeding ap
Natures methods has been found.
Carbonic acid extracted from the
air has been converted into meth
ane, OF cola cash. without the in
teTvention Of plant life. From coal
gas many useful products can be OBJ
tanned. Thus our descendants NAV
seek upward into the afr for fuel
and for a large part OF their RAJ
materials. instead Of burrouing into
the ground for them as we do.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28
CHILDREN OF FUTURE MAY
LIVE ON AIR

LONDON. Your grandchildren
may find making a living much
easier than Won have found u for.
according 70 eminent scientists. they
will Get much OF their food. cloth
ing and necessities right out or the
ali.
DR.. Levinstein. presiding al the
Society Of Chemical Industry here
recently. predicted that chemists
will on day short cut Natures
works and. instead Of gaining ne
cessities for life through plants. an
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28
ROYALTY IN ELEVATOR

WATERLOO, lA.-An elevator
operator In an American office
building Is better than being the
10th Baronet OF Mount Wolsely tn
England. 50 believes Sir Reginald
Beatty Wolsely. who left England 33
years ago for America Even though
re IS now eligible for the title, by
virtue Of his cousins death. STR
Reginald. known es plain Dick
here. plans to stay In Waterloo.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1930-12-28
Rates Established

Land sold. but not desiring water
did not pay full water charges for
TOUR wears. For the first wear he
paid IS cents per acre flat rate, the
second year he paid $3.50, the third
ne paid s2.25 and the fourth wear
he began 70 pay $500 per acre
whether he wanted water or not.
If he used water the charge was
q fiat rate OF $500 per acre for the
crop, on cotton. corn and similar
crops. II he made two crops the
same year ID vas 5000 per acre.
For alfalfa sugar cane, sorgham
and trees IL was $500 per acre for
the season. For truck. any number
az crops. r. was $1,000 for the year
However when ever he had paid sc
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-07
Tornado Sidelights

BY the Associated Press.
DALLAS, Tex, May Eight mem
bers of a Mexican family of nine were
killed when the tornado that struck the
Runge- Nordheim community swooped
down suddenly on their little hut.
A colored baby was wrenched from
it's mothers arms at Frost by the
cyclonic winds and has not been found
by searchers. The mother said she
chung to the baby with all her strength
and could not account for the prank
of the wind in releasing her hold.
Fire drill practiced by children in the
Frost School under training of their
teachers probably saved their lives.
Seventy-five little boys and girls
marched from their school building
when the storm cloud was seen APP
preaching. They went a short distance
away and at the command of their
teachers lay fiat along the plowed
rows. The building was splintered by
the hurricane.
The wind picked out Randolph Field
the new west Point of the air" near
San Antonio, as a likely target and
the life of a workman was snuffed out
A score of men working on the bar
racks there we're injured. Seven build
ings were damaged. Capt. A. W. Parker
construction quartermaster at the field.
said the material damage was negli-
gible.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-07
FISHERMEN TO GET
AID OVER THE AIR
Prominent Anglers to Talk in
BroadcaSt-Best Fishing
Places to Be Revealed.

The fish are running. Thousands of
Wsshlngtonians are Furnishing their
rods, untangling their lines, polishing
their flies, cleaning up their creels and
dreaming dreams of the great long
fnny game in the waters of the Poto-
mac and the Chesapeake Bay. The days
OF real sport are at hand.
That the ambitions of fishermen of the
District and nearby States may be fur
thered, The Evening Star will go on the
air tomorrow afternoon at o'clock in
series OF talks to be broadcast each
week at this time by some of the lead
ing apostles of the piscatorial art. These
broadcaSts are expected to play an i'm
portant part in the plans of all fisher
men In this area and in a general way
promote the sport which has so many
ardent followers. The broadcasts are
made possible through the courtesy Of
station WMAL, the facilities of which
station will be used during the Sum-
mer in sending out these programs.
Inaugurating the broadcasting tomor-
row afternoon, Commissioner Henry
O'Malley of the United States Bureau
of Fisheries will tell the anglers just
what his bureau has done and is doing
for better and bigger fish.
DR.. M. Darcy Magee, president OF
the Washington, D. c., Chapter of the
Izaak Walton League of America, will
be the second speaker next week, and
following him week later. will be Paul
G. Redding, chief of the Biological Sur
vey; Deputy Commissioner Lewis Rad
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-07

Cliffe Of the Bureau of Fisheries. Those
who will be heard later are Mrs. Julius
Kahn, Representative from California:
Edward C. Kemper, who is known as
the father of bass legislation for the
District of Columbia; Judge William S.
Snow, a member of the Virginia Com
mission on Game and Inland Fisheries,
and Glen c. Leach, chief of the di-
vision of fish culture of the Bureau OF
Fisheries.
Arrangements are being made to have
members of the House and Senate who
have taken prominent part in legts-
lative piscatorial affairs and also DIS
trict anal Government officials who are
we'll known anglers and who have, in
some degree, part in the work Of
conservation of fish or the pollution Of
streams, broadcast during the Summer
months.
The star through its Rod and Stream
column also will give the latest in
formation from nearby fishing grounds,
both in salt and fresh water.
Arrangements have been completed
to get the latest information relative to
fishing conditions at Annapolis, Sea-
side Park, formerly Chesapeake Beach;
SolomonS Island, Eastern Shore, Bene-
dict, Point Lookout, Wachapreague, Va.
and Rock Point, Md. On July 1 when
the season Tor bass opens IN Maryland
and Virginia the condition of the Po-
tomac and Shenandoah Rivers will be
printed daily as in the past for the
Small-mouth bass anglers.
To further aid the anglers in their
selection of week end trips the high
and low tides at the principal salt water
fishing grounds will be published In
The Star each Friday under the head
ing of Anglers Guide.
Be sure to tune in on Station WMAL
tomorrow afternoon at S o'clock and
hear just what's doing in the fishing
world.