The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-01-22
Social Events
Gradatim Club

The Gradatim Club will meet
Jan. %, at p M. at the home of
Mrs. Clyde Thomas. The program
will be in charge of Mrs. p. r.
Davis, who will discuss the history,
industries and political parties of
the Three Guianas.
At the last meeting Of the Gra-
datim Club, Mrs. e. H. Wolf gave
a very interesting discussion on
Venezuela and Bolivia. Venezuela
was first sighted by Columbus, Aug.
1, 1893, and explored by several 9TH
er Spaniards who named the coun-
try Venezuela meaning Little Ven
ice" because of a tribe Of natives
they found living on the shores of
lake Maracaibo, in huts built upon
piles driven into the sand and sur
rounded by water, and the people
went about in canoes. This re-
minded the Spaniards Of Venice.
The country was inhabitated by
Indians and it was here the Spanish
encountered more resistance than
any where else in South America
but finally subdued them, ruling
the country until the year 1913,
when Simon Boliver took up arms
against the Spanish and defeated
the Royalists in 1919. A second de-
feat in 1921 put an end to Spanish
domination in the north of South
America and in 1880 Venezuela de-
clared absolute independence.
The territory that is now Bolivia
was invaded by Pizarro in 1885.
Subdueing the Indians with COM
parative ease the country was rap
idly settled. When the silver
mines were discovered in 1780 the
Indians killed the Spanish author
tiles and drove many of the set
tiers out Of the country.
The contest against Spain for in
dependence began In 1909 and end
ed in 1925 when independence was
achieved: by the aid Of Sucre and
Boliver, for whom the country was
named.
The mining industry of these
countries is source Of great
wealth to them and also to other
countries. Asphalt which has a
hundred applications in daily life,
being the cement that welded to-
gether the stones Of the tower of
Babel-the pitch that sealed the
ark from the waters Of the food
the Egyptians used it in the pre-
servation of their illustrious dead
the paving Of streets-as a cover
for electric cables; for waterproof
-ing-being used in the New York
subway to protect tunnels from
moisture. Forty-eight Thousand
tons of this mineral were shipped
to the United States from. Venezu-
ella in one year.
Bolivia produces one-fourth Of
the total tin output of the world,
and in lower Bolivia is the great
borax lake of Ascotan out Of which
thousands of tons of borax are TAX
en- each year. The Borax chrystal-
Lies, in the water Of the lake and
gathers on the edges. 1t is produced
by certain minerals in the volcanic
soil about it, which bursts up
through the ground.
mlSS NVdhoio" SoSC q 0AoSoSAOA1
on the Highlights Of Ecuador and
Columbia. These two small coun-
tries-C Columbia about ten times as
large as New York, and Ecuador
about the size of the state Of Col
orado, are situated directly on the
equator, the word Ecuador mean
ing equator. The Andes noun
tains running through the center
Of them, their slope to the level OF
the sea coast one one side and to
the Amazon valley on the other
and their nearness to the equator
gives these. two countries every va.
riety Of climate. A traveller needs
but a thermometer and a mule to
find any climate desired within the
compass Of a few leagues. The
Ecuadorian sees all the constella-
tons Of the armament SO nature
has surrounded him with repre-
sentatives Of every family Of plants
and nearly every medicinal plant
known to science. The tague nut
or. vegetable ivory tree, the nuts
from which are made our best
grade Of ivory buttons grows In
Ecuador, the average annual ex.
port being about 10000 tons.
There is also the silk cotton tree
which yields our valuable CONNER
ciaI product known as Kapok. Num-
erous minerals are mined and when