davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

How old is the earth? There are
about forty ways of arriving at the
answer. For the most part the an
swers do not agree, observes writ
er in the New York Times.
The best method of estimating
the earth's age seems to be that of
measuring the radioactivity of
rocks. They were with us when a
solid crust was formed. The rate
at which they send forth energy
can be determined. With that to
guide them, geophysicists have de-
cided that the earth is at least two
billion years old.
Before this radioactive method
was developed biologists relied in
part on the saltiness of the ocean
to appraise the earth's age. Salt
was washed out of rocks and car
ried to sea by rivers, ran the argu-
ment. Measure the annual increase
in saltiness and it is easy enough
to find how old the oceans area
step in discovering the age of the
earth.
In this way the biologists decided
that the oceans must be about a
hundred million years old. The an
swer was patiently wrong, because
fossil saltwater fish have been
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
STRAIT GATE
BY RUTH COMFORT MITCHELL
APPLE cENTuR CO..

her luck. Then there were the good
bys, too hurried to be heard. The
women kissed her and Mary Dana
Webster wept happily. Sally Ann
said, "I'm sailing soon, too, Sarah
Lynn. Write me-Paris!"
Sarah Lynn tried to say some
thing to her Uncle Lynn, who had
made this hour; who, sitting still
in his chair for more than half his
lifetime, was the one to give her
wings. ''Uncle Lynn, oh, Uncle
Lynn!"
Vance lie Roy took her elbow in
hard grip and walked her to Jor-
dams plane, lifting his voice over
the din to say this was a great
break, to wish her Happy Landings.
On the ground it was all noise
and confusion and haste, but above
it would be cold and clear and calm,
and it was there she was going with
Gunnar.
They helped her into the cabin
and handed in her bag and arranged
the robes so she could pull them
over her.
eli! Make it snappy! Here they
comet" mechanic called.
Old Pete said, shifting loudly,
"Well. God love you, Ladybug!".
Sarah Lynn fiattened herself and
covered her head, and it was COM
fort to hide, to be still, after the
hubbub of the last hour. She was
dizzy and faint and confused with
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
wNU SERVICE

been too much-the SuddennesS, the
lightning transition from the lassi-
tude of patience and submission and
tolerance to this blaze of joy. Panic
overwhelmed her. She was afraid
to look. Gunnar would not be there;
it would be Conrad Jordan or Vance
lie Roy; she had lived SO long with
remuneration that happiness seemed
an impossible phantom.
But at last she had courage
enough to drop the corner of the
robe she was holding, and she saw
him. Very cautiously and lightly she
lifted herself to a seat, her eyes
still on him, assured and comfort
ed, and fears fell away forever to-
ward the dark earth far below. She
thought of her mother with an up
rush of remorseful tenderness, of
poor, defeated Duncan, of old Pen
ny, fighting like a ioness for her
cub; she remembered her Great
grandmother flight don't want
to go down, Sairy Lynn! want to
keep on going up and up and upl"
Now she would stand and take the
brief steps which separated her
from her lover; she would put her
hand on his shoulder and speak to
him, just as she had done all those
ages ago on the night of Ardine's
prank Matched in the Stewed Prune,
but this time he would not scorn
her. He would make place for her
beside him and she would be always
beside him, and their cold cheeks
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

detach itself from its fellows and
move steadily away.
"Oh, Gunnar, wait for mel" she
gave a desolate cry.
THAT isn't Gunnar, goose!" Sally
Ann said raggedly. "But we'll take
you to him! Come along!"
They were hurrying her down the
driveway, one on each side of her,
another pattering behind.
Miss Pennington's voice said,
"Bless you'll" and then there were
no footsteps following. Sarah Lynn
heard her saying, "Oh, Mr.. Dun
can, I'm so truly sorry, but it's no
use, sir! tell you, it's no use!"
Mary Dana Webster flung words
back over her shoulder, kind words
but final, breathless with her haste,
and there was Duncan's voice, bit
ter and proud and hurt, and then
silence.
Here we are! Uncle Lynn's car
he's here! Get in, Sarah Lynn!"
Her Uncle Lynn's hand, his arm
about her; excited voices, kind, con-
cerned, triumphant; a cloak
wrapped round her, hat pulled
down on her head, things of no i'm
portance whatever.
"Gunnar?" she said as she had
said that day in the meadow after
coming down in the parachute. 81
want Gunnar."
cat the field, lambie. He's with
Conrad Jordan now, and he's flying
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
4pe-Man's Bones Are Called
Genuine by Anatomist.

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
"Australopithecus Transvaalensis,"
the ape-man whose remains were
recently discovered by DR.. Robert
Broom in Sterkfontein caves, is the
genuine missing link" in the opin-
ion of Prof. w. K. Gregory, Ameri-
can anatomist, who has come to
South Africa to study it.
'The expression missing link is
an inaccurate one today, because
DR.. Broom of the Transyaal muse
UNI has found tit is no longer
missing " said Professor Gregory.
He added:
81 can already say without fear
of contradiction that this form of
Australopithecus combines in one in
dividual features previously known
in both apes and men.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
Oceans Age Put at Half Billion Years;
Experts Cite Saltiness as Time Gauge

found which are much older. Forced
to revise their estimates, the meas
urers of the oceans saltiness raised
their figures to 350,000,000 years
after making new chemical analy-
ses. But even this was too low.
Drs. A. C. Spencer and K. j.
Murata of the United States Geolog-
ical survey have attacked this prob
lem anew. They find that some
salt is removed by the silt that is
carried down to the sea and that the
salt in the silt is not easily dis
solved. Hence saltiness is not a
true indication of the oceans age.
Making the proper allowance, they
arrive at a new figure for the age
of the ocean. 1t is 100000, 900 to
7OO,0oO,OOO years. Geophysicists who
use the radioactivity of rocks as
their clock will regard this revision
as still too low.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

trucks and buses ride the streets.
GAS a matter of bookkeeping,
however, the record shows that
Uncle Sam has paid well for his
place in Puerto Rico. Millions of
American dollars have been spent in
sanitation. education, relief, and
other public works for this land
which has been harassed by many
natural and man-made problems.
''For years the island had a bad
reputation among economists, de-
spite natural wealth. There are far
too many people to support-nearly
100000 in an area only about 100
miles long and 35 miles across. By
decreasing the death rate, the Unit
ed States has intensified the prob
lem of feeding them.
son the other hand, according to
Governor Winship's official report
for 1887, that year saw considerable
progress and improvement"
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

would touch, and he would turn
his head and kiss her; the queer,
dark Dana girl, the Ladybug, flying
away in the night!
AS she had delayed to look at
him through terror that he might
not be there, so now she dallied with
the rapture of the impending mo-
ment, her heart hammering, until
her gaze which had not left him for
an instant began to evaluate the
change she saw. 1t was Gunnar
Thorwald, Norwegian ace, who held
the stick, but it might well have
been another, for the proud carriage
of the head was missing, the stern
set of the squared shoulders, the
hard certainty, the harsh young ar
rogance were gone. His chin was on
his breast, and he sat slumped in
his seat, and in every lean line was
a hurt so deep, so lonely, so intol-
cradle that there were quick tears
of tenderness in her eyes as she rose
and went forward to comfort him.
1.-THE ENID
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

to Los Angeles tonight. He thinks
Conrad's going with him, but he
isn't. You are, Sarah Lynn!" Mary
Dana Webster was crying. "You
are!"
"Yes," she said contentedly.
"When will I see him?"
"At the field. But we'll be there
first. I told Conrad to give us a
good margin of time" Lynn Dana
told her.
Sarah Lynn said suddenly, "Pen-
ny! Didn't Penny come? I didn't
say good-by to PENNY"
Don't you worry about Pennyl"
her cousin said robustly. ''I'n take
care of Penny!"
''I'n bring her over to you, by
and by, if you like" Sally Ann
promised. "And I'll bring Light
ming, too"
They were all promising things:
they would see her mother, they
would see her father, they would
talk to Duncan, they would take
care of old Penny; there was abso-
lutely nothing for her to worry
about.
But the numbness was going out
of Sarah Lynn's head and heart,
and she knew how silly she was
requiting long devotion; behind her
was shock and grief and wounded
pride, and she was wrung with re-
morse, but before her was Gunnar,
and she had no choice.
"Gunnar?" she said ag ain.
"When-''
"Almost there, Sarah Lynn!"
Then they were at the field, and
Vance LIE Roy was handing her out
of the car, grinning, and the me-
chanics were crowding up, and Old
Pete was gulping and blowing his
noise.
"Well, God love you, Ladybug!
You're sight for sore eyes!"
"Where is Gunnar?"
"Not here yet, Miss, nor Mr.. Jor-
dan, but the ships warmed up for
'em. Well, now, will you be stow
ing away again?"
Sarah Lynn laughed aloud. eyes!
I'll stow away, Pete! Help mel"
That was the perfect way. Then
she would not have to see him first
before them all; their first moment
would be their own.
The drama of it caught their fam
cy. They were all laughing, skur-
rying about, bringing robes from the
car, carrying the bag, shaking her
hand, patting her shoulder, wishing
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
49, 900, 900 Wheat Acres
Forecast as '39-'4O Need

COLUMBUS, OHIO.-Seeding and
harvesting of 100000 acres in
wheat will fulfill the United States
domestic, export and carry-over re-
quirements for the crop year 1882
40, the Ohio State university bureau
of rural economics forecasts in a
bulletin.
The bureaus year ahead predic-
ton was compiled as the Agricul-
tural Adjustment administration an
nounced a national allotment of
55, 100000 wheat acres for 1904.
The Ohio State bureau estimated
the nations wheat production needs
at 583 100000 bushels for 1939-4O.
This figure was based on a carry
over of 367, 900, 900 bushels from
1938-39, 100000, 900 bushels for con-
sumption, 100, 000,00 bushels for ex-
port and 10000, 900 bushels for car
ry-over into 1940-41.
For the year 1938-39, the bureau
predicted the volume of United
States wheat exports would fall be-
low an estimated total of 81, 0O0, 900
bushels shipped outside the country
during the last IL months.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
Picturesque Spanish Isle
Under American Flag
Is Odd Mixture.

WASHINGTON. = Another eco
lumbus Park joined the long list
of similar place names in the West
ern world when Puerto Rico recent
ly opened its Parque Colon, near
Aguadilla on the northwest coast Of
the island.
Marking the site where Columbus
himself is believed to have stopped
in 1893, to replenish his failing
water supply, simple cross Ito be
replaced later by more imposing
monument) calls attention to the
fact that Puerto Rico is the only
U. S. territory which can lay claim
to having sheltered the great ex-
plorer.
From the standpoint of historic
association and scenic beauty"
points out the National Geographic
society puerto Rico has charm as
well as many more tangible attrac-
tons for the visitor.
Drowned Mountain Top.
ga fragment of a drowned noun
tain chain, that may once have been
part of the South American main
land, the island has been called
the Switzerland of the West In
dies. Nearly 1000 feet up, at the
summit of its highest peaks, one
may see both the Atlantic ocean
and the Caribbean sea, with a hint
of the Virgin islands to the east.
Good motor roads wind easily over
the hills, along which travellers look
down on a semi-jungle panorama
of wild breadfruit and mango trees,
of palms and West Indian cotton
woods, of matched huts in little
clearings, pineapple plantations,
fields of grazing herds, and smok-
ing sugar mills that stretch brick
fingers to the sky.
SIN Puerto Rico nature splashes
color with lavish hand. Rows of
famboyant trees make a scarlet
archway of certain roads, white
blossoms of coffee plantations send
faint perfume on the tropic breeze,
and everywhere there is the lush
green of rain-drenched forests.
delicate orchids found in Puerto
Rican mountains delight the botan-
list. For the adventurous there is
a challenge in the mountains un-
explored caves, almost concealed
by overhanging jungle growth. SUM-
worshipers find Puerto Rico another
winter playground. Medicinal
springs at Coamo are praised by
health seekers as a Fountain of
Youth, missed by Ponce de Leon.
Rather ironically, it was Ponce
de Leon who, in 1903, following the
discovery of the island by Column
bus more than decade before,
founded it's first settlement near San
Juan. From there he later sailed
on heart-breaking search for his
squandered youth.
San Juan Odd Mixture
To-day, under the Stars and
Stripes, Puerto Rico's capital at San
Juan is an odd mixture of early
Spanish and late-American life.
"a walled city of the Con-
quistadores, she still preserves
many of the old Notifications. There
is San Cristobal fort, with its ghost
stories, and MORO Castle, that re-
sisted attack from English, Dutch,
French, and American fleets, as
well as from pirates and buc-
cancers.
"Under Fortaleza, built in 1889
and used since as the ruling COVER
nor's mansion, Spanish doubloons
and other plumber were once stored.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
Italians Biggest Group
Of Aliens in London

LONDON.-There are approx
mately 100000 foreigners in Lon
don. Of these the Italians repre-
sent the largest number. About 49,
900 Italians dwell in the Soho area,
while there is another Italian group
in Saffron hill district.
The next largest foreign colony in
the city is the French. There are
more than 10000 of them, and they
live in every part of the town. If
the number of German and Austrian
refugees are included, the German
colony might be considered the sec
ond largest. The population of the
German colony is between 5000 and
10000.
Although American citizens are
rarely regarded as foreigners in
London, their numbers make them
the fourth largest foreign colony.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
Puerto Rico Has Color, Charm
And Much of Historic Interest

Ancient churches, before whose al
tars mailed soldiers of the Spanish
king once knelt, yet hear the
prayers of the faithful. Grilled WIN
dows, open plazas, and stiff Spanish
conventions and Spanish amuse-
ments (including the cockfght) re-
mind the visitor that it was only 40
years ago, at the close of the Span
ish-American war, that Puerto Rico
was coded to the United States.
"Yet Yankee influence steadily
gains ground. American jazz fills
the air, and American automobiles,
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
LOGIsTs UNCOVER POLYTECHNIC OF MEsOPOTAMIAN KINGS

northwestern Mesopotamia, now
within the borders of Syria-French
psychologists have dug up several
thousand letters. They are letters
received by King Zimri-Lim of Mari
in the course of 33 years, from
about 1890 B. c.
Zimri-Lim corresponded with
kings all over Mesopotamia-which
was the Europe" of the early civil
liked world. And the letters reveal
a political situation as complex as
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

that of today, with kings big and lit
tie, from Hammurabi down, franti-
cally pulling wires for power. In
the end, Hammurabi swallowed
most of them.
This royal correspondence is a
discovery that Bible scholars call
vastly important for history. Little
has been known about this era in
Mesopotamia, which was the time
of Abraham and other Biblical pa
triarchs. But here, at last, are his
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

Suppose the history of our present
era should somehow be lost, and
scholars of the future suddenly dis
cover Signor Mussolini's office
files. They would be awed and
thrilled to read of international ri
varies and maneuvering of rulers.
An era of ancient history has been
brought to light in exactly this way
through new discoveries in a city
most people have never heard of.
In this ruined city called Marin
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22

toric documents written in that day
and age.
Commenting enthusiastically on
the find, Prof. w. F. Albright of the
Johns Hopkins university cites chap
ter IA of Genesis, with its reference
to battle of four kings against five.
Future attempts to fit this chapter,
which is packed with political
events, into Asiatic history will be
profoundly affected by King Zimri'
Inns correspondence.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
Foghorn Record Set,
81 Consecutive Hours

BOSTON.-A 222-year-old rec
ord has been broken. During re-
cent storms, Keeper Maurice
Babcock of Boston light, at the
entrance to the harbor, had to
sound his foghorn for 81 consecu-
tive hours-the longest period in
the lights history.
s'The continuous noise got on
our nerves and almost drove us
crazy" said Babcock.
The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-09-22
Shotguns Used in World War

A comparatively large quantity OF
shotguns fixed for attachment of
bayonets were in the hands of the
American expeditionary forces dur
ing the World war, but their use
was very limited. They were nor
mally used by guards.
The Washington times., 1938-05-21

A broad-shouldered husky, whose
sturdy right arm broke the West.
ern Conference Shotput yesterday
and who led the qualifierS in the
discus and broad jump as well,
Watson bids fair to repeat his
triple winning performance Of
1887.
Watson's f1ashy performances
in the preliminaries stood far
above any exhibitions turned in
by the remaining competitors and
enabled the wolverines to lead in
the number of qualifiers, IL men
to be exact.
But along with Watson there
came another to stand on the
brink of fame. None other than
Bob Lewis. of Ohio State, who
swept the field in qualifying at
tempts for the 100 and 220-yard
dashes. Chunky Bob reeled off
the 100 in 9.6 and the 220 in
pit, and only sudden reversalS Of
form from his opponents today
can prevent him from cleaning up
in the daShes.
However, Watson's Shotput heave
of 81 feet 111a inches was the
outstanding performance of the
preliminarieS and under pressure
The Washington times., 1938-05-21
Dozen u. S. Golfers Seek
British Amateur Title
Field Reduced;
Play Starts
Monday
BY THOMAS G. WATSON

TROON, Ayrshire, Scotland,
May 81 Q.N.S)-Twelve Ameri-
can entrants will tee off here Mon.
day in the British amateur golf
championship in what promises to
be one Of the most bitterly-fought
contests in years.
Today the American contestants
had their last day Of intensive
practice over the course in prep
aration for the tournament. The
course will be closed tomorrow.
FIELD REDUCED
A large number of the contest
ants scratched, including Bruen,
the Irish "boy wonder" .
A tightening up of the rules gov.
erning entry has had the result
of reducing the field to 241-a
number less cumbersome than in
previous years: In addition to the
Americans, overseas challengers in
clude entrants from Australia,
Canada, South Africa, India, Cey-
lon, France, Germany and China.
With the exception of Don Moe
and Ohm Beck, the British cap
tain, all members of both the Brit
iSh and American Walker Cup
teams have entered, but the draw
has favored the British more gen.
erously than the invaders.
Eight Of the British team are
generously spread over the whole
draw and no two have to meet in
the first round.
CIVIL WAR" ~
In contrast, the American cup
entrants will start slaughtering
each other almost from the out.
set. Charles Kocsis, Marvin
Ward, Johnny Goodman, Ray Bill
lows. Reynold Smith and the non
playing skipper, Francis Ouimet,
are all in the second quarter of
the draw, while either Charles
Yates or Johnny Fischer, drawn
together in the third quarter,
must go out right away. So if
there is to be an all-American
final, Fischer will figure in it,
unless of course, it is Yates.
Britain, however, despite the ad.
vantage of the draw is none too
sanguine. Three previous Ameri-
can Walker teams have visited
these shores to q go through the
gestures of playing to retain the
cup which seems permanently
theirs, and have taken back the
coveted amateur trophy in ad.
dition.
The Washington times., 1938-05-21
Injury May Force Sdrron to Quit

punches. That, briefly, was the
story of the fight. Lou could never
land his highly-publicized knockout
blows because Sarron wouldn't let
him.
Gevinson made a strong rally in
the ninth when he parlayed a
couple of dynamite left hooks
which buckled Sarron's knees. To
many it appeared Lou would take
the fight if he rallied in the tenth
but after a fast start his right eye
suffered q deep cash and Gevinson
was through. He fought the round
out on his courage, looking through
a film Of blood-but he did stick.
Matt Twomey, Gevinson's man.
ager, said after the fight his boy
wanted a return bout with Sarron
but at is rounds. It is Twomey's
contention that Sarron was weak
ening in the later rounds.
SCALZO STEALS SHOW
Ordinarily we would save our
raves" for the Steve Mamakos-
Battling Burroughs fight, which
was a real brawl. Stevie did nobly
and took the play away from his
tough opponent and breezed to vic
tory.
AS we say. we would have given
more space to that fight, but the
standout of the card was Petey
Scalzo, who scored the evenings
only knockout by stopping George
Carlo in the fifth.
Referee Ray Bowen stopped the
bout to save the courageous Carlo
The Washington times., 1938-05-21
Tech NINE TOPS
ANACOSTIA AS
DICK Wine STARS
BY PAUL BEACH

Displaying strategy that would
have done credit to military field
marshal, Coach Bruce Kessler sent
Dick Wine to the mound for his
Tech aggregation yesterday
against Anacostia's Indians and
his judgement was verified when
the lowly Redskins were walloped,
6-1.
The Trainer pitching ace, who
was converted from a third base
man into a hurler last week, let
the proteges of Coach ROLAND
Lund down with only four safe
ties, while his teammates were
pounding the combined offerings
of Tennessee" Clark and Bur-
roughs for IA hits.
The whole story of the game Is
told in the fact that the AnacoS.
tianS were unable to stem the tide
of power that Mckinley displayed
at the plate. Both teams played
heads-up ball, and the losers would
have found themselves on the
short end of a much larger score
had they been less cool and capa-
BILE in the face of adversely.
The Indians lone tally came In
the fifth when Scott doubled, stole
second and scored on an infield
out. Tech scored in the fourth
when Curtis singled, stole second
and scored on Fields single, again
in the fifth with three runs and
wound up with two more tallieS
in the eighth.
Curtis, Wine and Fields were
outstanding for the winners. while
Clark, who struck out six and only
walked two, and Scott were the
Indian stars.
The Washington times., 1938-05-21
Upset
Lee, I-3 ShOrt-ender,
Thr1shes Krieger

NEW YORK, May 81 QN.s).
Glen Lee had the wise men Of
Broadway spinning on their ears
today because, at better than 81
odds, he gave Solly Krieger the
thraShing of his life in Madison
Square Garden.
1t was an astounding upset in
view of Krieger's great knockout
record and his No. 2 challenger
rating among the middleweights.
They gave the decision to the
Edison Neb0 fighter at the end
of 10 rounds and there was no
cause for a squawk. Lee won
with plenty of rounds to spare.
Krieger received one of the most
savage gatherings seen in local
rings in years. He left the ring
with his lips cut, his eyes puffed
and cut and the entire left side
of his b6dy as raw as beef as a
result of Lees right-hand drives
to the ribs.