Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
;ifeoianttnipstnto
II
1 TkQtyof Jtanif)
By Francis Lynde
CspjrfjH by
Oirits Solknet't 6n
frBCT3W3ryiWEyX(
CHAPTER XXIII Continued.
10
"Great lioavonBl" ho exclaimed. "To
day'B tho day! In tbo hustlo I had for
gotten It, nnd I'll bet old David has
If ho hasn't simply Ignored It. That
nccountii for tho reunion nt tho Metro
polo 1"
"Don't -worry," said Harlan easily.
"Tho hank Iiob none, vanlished, chut up
chop. At tho end of tho ends, I Blip
poao, thoy can mako David pay; hut
they can't very well cinch him for not
mooting hla notoa on tho dot."
"Masalngalo doosn't really owo them
anything that ho can't pay," Broulllard
assorted. "By wiring und writing and
digging up flguroo, wo found that tho
capitalizing stockholder, othorwlso J.
Wosloy Cortwrlght, and possibly
Bchermcrhorn, havo actually Invoatod
fifty-two 'thousand dollars, or, rather,
that amount of Mnsslngnlo'a loan has
boon expended In equipment and pay
rolls. Throo weeks ago tho old man
got tho Binelter uuporlntcndont over
hero from Red Hutto nud nrrauged for
an ndvanco of fifty-two thousand dol
lars on tho oro In stock, tho monoy to
ho paid when tho first train of oro
cars should bo on tho way In. It wna
paid promptly In Now York oxchango,
and Masslngalo Indorsed tho draft ovor
to mo to bo used In tho directors' moot
ing, which was novcr held."
"Go over and llaRh Masslngnlo'n fifty
two thousand dollars nt 'em. Thoy'll
turn looso. I'll bet a yollow cur worth
fifteen cents that thoy'ro wishing thoro
was a train out of this llttlo section of
Shool right now. Hear that!"
Tho crash of nn explosion rattled
tho windows, nnd tho red loom on tho
Jnck'n mountain sldo of tho town
leaped up and bocuiuo a momentary
glnro. Tho full oplrlt of destruction,
of olJcctlo3fl wrock nnd ruin, was
abroad, and Uroulllard turnod to tho
stairway door.
"I'll havo to bo making tho rounds
again," ho Bald. "Tho Greeks nnd Ital
ians aro too oxcltablo to stand much of
this. Tako caro of youraolf; I'll leavo
Qrlf and a dozen of tho trusties to look
after tho nhop."
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Terror
When Uroulllard reached tho side
walk tho uppor avonuo was practically
dCBortcd. But In thp eastern residence
district, and well around to tho north,
zor storm-ccutoro woro markod by tho
Increasing number of (Iras. Uroulllard
stopped and faced toward tho dlBtaut
and lnvlalblo TIraanyonls. A chill au
tumn broozo was Bwooplng down from
tho heights and tho blockading wall of
tho groat dam turned It Into eddies
and dust-pillared whirls dancing In tho
empty Blroot.
Young Grlfllth Bnuntorcd up with hln
Winchester In tho hollow of his arm.
"No," said Uroulllard. "I wnB Just
thinking that a llttlo wind would go a
long way tonight, with thoso crazy
houso-burnors looso on tho town." Then
ho turnod and walked rapidly to tho
government hoadquartors, passed tho
aontry nt tho door of tho mapping
room; and out of tho Ilraproof vault
whoro tho drawings nnd bluo-prlnt
duplicates woro kopt took a small tin
dispatch box.
Ho had opened tho box and had
' transferred a slip of pnpor from It to
tho loathor-covorod pocket Hold book
which BorvHf him for n wallet, when
thoro was a nlir at tho door and Cast
nor hurrlod In, looking loss tho clorgy
, man than tho hard-working poaco of
ficer. "Moro bedlam," ho announced. "I
want Qassman or Hundloy nud twenty
or thirty good nion. Tho mob has gono
from wrecking and burning to murder
ing. 'Poglog' John wns bcaton to death
In front of his saloon n fow mlnutos
ngo. It Is working this way. Thoro
woro throo flreu In tho plaza na I c:nio
through."
"Seo Grlstow at tho commissary and
tell htm I sent you," said tho chlof.
"I'd go with you, but I'm duo nt tho
Mctropolo."
"Good. Thon Miss Amy got word to
you? I was Just about to deliver hor
moBsago."
"MIsb Masslngalo? Whoro Is oho,
.tnd what wan tho mossngo?" domand
od Uroulllard.
"Then you havon't hoard? Tho 'Llt
tlo Susan' la In tho hands of n ehorift's
Pobbo, and David Masslngalo Is undor
urrost on aomo trumpod-up charge
tolltng oro for hla Individual account,
or something tt that Bort. Miss Amy
lid n't go Into particulars, but aha told
me- that Bho had hoard tho sheIff say
It was a penitentiary offonso."
"Hut where Is alio now?" Btormcd
Droulllard.
"Over at tho hotel. I supposed you
knew; you said you woro going thoro."
Uroulllard snatched up tho dlBpatch
box and flung It Into tho fireproof
Whtlo ho wrb locking tho door Castnor
wont in Bcarch of Qrlslow, and when
Utoutllanl faced ubout, another man
etood In tho missionary's place by tho
mapping table. It was Mr. J. Wosley
Cortwrlght.
"I didn't think I'd havo to ask a
favor of roc actfln, Uroulllard, but
-
erea Bays
needs must when tho dovll drives," ho
began, with an attomptcd assumption
of his formor manner. "Wo didn't know
tho newspapers didn't toll us any
thing about this frightful stato of af
fairs, and "
Uroulllard had suddenly lost his do
slro to hurry.
"Sit down, Mr. Cortwrlght," ho said.
"I was Just coming ovor to boo you
to congratulato you and Mr. Schornicr
horn on your return to Mlrnpolla. Wo
havo certainly misted tho mayor, not
to mention tho president of tho com
mon council."
"Of courso yes," wan tho hurried
rojolnder. "Dut that's nil over. You
snld you'd got us, and you did. I don't
bear niallco. If you had given mo ono
moro day I'd havo got you; tho stuff
that would havo broken your neck with
tho Washington pcoplo was all writ
ton nnd ready to put on tho wires. Hut
thnt'o past and gone and tho next
thing is something olso. Thoro la a
lot of monoy and securities locked up
In tho Nlquoia bank vault. Wo'vo como
to clean up, nnd wo brought a fow
pcaco officers along from Red Dutto
for n guard. Tho ralsorablo scoundrols
aro scared stiff; they won't stir out of
tho hotel. Bongrna tolls mo you've got
your forco organized nnd nnncd can't
you lend us fifty or a hundred huskies
to keop tho mob off whllo wo open that
bank vault?"
Droulllard's black oyes snapped, and
tho blood danced In his veins. Tho op
portunity for which ho would havo bar
tered Ormuz troanuro had como to
him was begging him to uso It.
"I certainly can," ho admitted, an
nwcrlng tho eager quontlon nnd empha
sizing tho potontlallty.
"Dut will you7 that's tho point. Wo'll
mnko It worth your whllo. For God's
sake, don't say no, Droulllard I Thoro'a
pretty well up to n million In that
vault, counting odds and ends and
loft-overs. Schormorhorn oughtn't to
havo loft It. I thought ho hnd Bcnso
enough to stay aud seo 11 taken caro
of. But now "
"But now tho mob Is very llkoly to
wreck tho building and. dynnmlto tho
vault, you woro going to oay. I think
it la moro than llkoly, Mr. Cortwrlght,
and I-wondor that It hasn't boon done
boforo this. It would havo been dono
If tho rioters had had any Idea that
you'd loft anything worth taking. And
it would probably wreck you and Mr.
Schormorhorn If It should get hold of
you; you'vo both been burned in offigy
half a dozen times clnco you ran
nwny."
"Oh, good Lord!" nhuddorcd tho
magnate "Mako it two hundred of
your men, nnd lot's hurry. You won't
turn us down on this, Droulllard?"
"No. It 1b no part of our duty to
go nud keop tho mob off whllo you
Droulllard Get Between.
savo your stealings, but wo'll do It.
Aud from tho nolsa thoy aro making
down that way, I'thlnk you aro wlno In
suggesting hasto. But llrst thcro is a
question of common Justlco to ho
sottlod. An hour ago, or ouch a mat
ter, you Bor.V a part of your sheriff's
posso up to uelzo tho 'Llttlo Susan' and
to arrest David Masslngalo "
"U'b it's a Ho!" stammered Cort
wrlght. "Somebody has been trylug to
backcap mo to you!"
Droulllard looked up, frowning.
"You oro a good bit older man than
I nm, Mr. Cortwrlght, and I aha'n't
punch your head. But you'll know why
1 ought to whon I tell you that my In
formant Is Miss Amy Masslngalo.
What hao you dono with old David?"
Tho man who had lost his knack of
bluffing camo down aud stnyod down.
"Ho'b ha's over at tho hotel," ho
stnmmorod.
"Under guard?"
Woll y-yoa."
Droulllard pointed to tho telophouo
on tho wall.
"Go and call up your crowd and get
It horo. Toll Judgo Williams to bring
the Block ho is holding, and Sohor-
nierhorn to bring tho Masslngalo
notea. and your man Jackson to bring
m IIWli
, y iLl
tho stock-book. Wo'll havo a direc
tors' meeting that was called, and
wasn't held, throo woeka ngo."
1 It was a crude llttlo expedient, but
It sufficed. Cortwrlght tramped to tho
J 'phono nnd cursed and sworo at it un
til no naa ma man at the otnor ond oi
tho wlro. Tho man waB tho lawyer,
as It appoared, and Cortwrlght abused
him spitefully.
"You'vo balled It balled It beauti
fully!" ho shouted. "Como over hero
to Droulllard's office and bring Sher
mcrhorn and tho stock and tho notes
and Jackson and tho secretary's hooka
nud Masslngnlo and your Infernal self I
Get a move, and got It quick! Wo
Btand to loso tho wholo loaf because
you had to butt In and svocp up tho
crumbs first!"
When tho procession arrived, ns It
did In nn incredibly Bhort time, Droull
lard laid down tho law.
"Wo don't need those," ho said curt
ly, Indicating tho two doputlos who
cumo to bring David Masalngalo. And
when they wero gone: "Now, gcntlo
men, got to work and do business, and
tho loss tlmo you wasto tho better
chanco there will bo for your bank
salvage. Threo requirements I mako:
you will turn ovor tho stock, putting
Mr. Masslngalo in possession of hla
mine, without Incumbrance; you will
cancel nnd surronder his notes to tho
bank; and you will glvo him a document,-
signed by all of you, acknowl
edging tho payment In full of all
claims, past or pending. Whllo you
nro straightening things out, I'll ring"
up tho yards and rally your guard."
Cortwrlght turned on tho lawyer.
"You hear what Droulllard says; fix
It, and do It suddenly."
It was dono almost beforo Droulllard
had mado Leshlngton, In charge of tho
yards, understand what was wanted.
"Now a noto to your man at tho
mlno to mako him let go without put
ting ub to tho troublo of throwing him
over tho dump," said tho engineer,
whon ho hnd looked over tho stock
transfers, examined tho canceled notea,
nnd read and witnessed tho signatures
ou tho receipt in full.
Cortwrlght nodded to tho lawyer,
and when Williams bcKan to wrlto
again tho king of tho promoters
turned upon Broulllard with a savago
sneer.
"Onco moro you've had your prlco."
ho snarled blttorly. "You and tho old
man havo bilked us out of what we
spent on tho mino. But wo'll call it
an oven break If you'll hurry that gang
of huskies."
"Wo'll call It nu oven break whon It
Is one," retorted Droulllard; and after
ho had gathered up tho papers ho took
tho Now York chock from his pocket
book, Indorsed It, and handed it to
Cortwrlght. "That Ts what was spoilt
out of tho hundred thousand dollars
you had Mr. MasBlngalo charged with,
ns nearly as wo can ascertain. Tako
It nnd tako caro of it; It's real monoy."
Ho had turned again to tho telo
phono to hurry Leshlngton, had rung
tho call, und was chuckling grimly
ovor tho collapoo of tho four men nt
tho end of tho mapping tablo aa they
fingered tho slip of monoy paper. Sud
denly It was borno in upon him that
thero wns troublo of como oort at tho
door thcro wero curses, a blow, a mad
rush; thon . . . It was Stephen Mas
slngalo who had fought his way past
tho door-guarding ccntry and stood
blinking nt tho group at tho far end
of tho mapping board.
"You'ro tho noun' dog I'm lookln'
for!" ho raged, singling out Cortwrlght
whon tho dazzlo of tho electrics per
mitted him to nee. "You'll rob nn old
man first, and thon call him a thief
and set tho Bherlff on him, will you ?"
Mnsslngalo's pistol was dropping to
tho firing lovol when Broulllard flung
away tho tolophono onrpleco and got
between. Afterward thoro was a
crash llko a collision of worlds, a
whirling, dancing medley of colored
lights fading away to gray and thon to
darknoss, and tho onglnoor wont down
with tho avenger of wrongs tightly
lockod In his arms.
After tho porlod of darknoss had
passed aud Broulllard opened his oyes
ngaln upon tho world of thlugs ns thoy
nro, ho had a confused Idea that ho
had ovorslopt Bhamofully and that tho
lndulgonco had glvon him a bad head
ache Tho next thought wns that tho head
acho was responsible for a Bet of singu
lar hallucinations. His blanket bunk
in tho steeping shack Boomed to havo
transformed ltsolf into a white bed
with pillows and snowy sheets, and
tho bed was drawn up bosldo an open
window through which ho could look
out, or soorn to look out. upon a vast
soa dimpling in tho brcozo and reflect
ing tho sunshlno so brightly that it
mado his hoadacho a darting agony.
Whon ho turned his faco to oscapo
tho blinding glaro of tho sun on tho
Bea tho hallucinations beenmo sooth
ingly comforting, not 'to Bay ecstatic.
Someone was sitting on tho edgo of
tho bod; a cool hand was laid on his
forohead; and whon ho could again
soo straight ho found himself looking
up Into a pair of violet eyes in which
tho tears woro trombltng.
"You nro Amy and this U that
other world you used to talk about.
Isn't It?" ho asked feebly.
The cool hand sllppod from hl3 foro
hoad to his lips. aB If to warn him
that ho must not talk, and ho wont
through tho motions of kissing it
When It was withdrawn ho broke tho
silent prohibition promptly.
"Tho way to keep mo from talking la
to do It nil yourself; what happcuod
to me last night?"
She shook her head sorrowfully.
"The "last night' you moan was throo
weeks ago. Stevio was trying to shoot
i Mr. Cortwrlght In your office nud you
got between them. Do you romombcr
that?"
"Perfectly." ho ssJd. "But it still
scorns as If it woro only last night.
Whoro am I now? not that It makes
any dlfforonco, so long as I'm with
you."
"You aro at homo our homo; at tho
'Llttlo Susan.- Mr. Leshlngton had
thomon carry you up here, and Mr.
Ford ran a Bpoclal train all tho way
from Denver with tho doctors.
Stovlo's bullet struck you in tho head,
and nnd wo all thought you woro go
ing to die."
"I'm not," ho assorted, In feebly dea
pcrato determination. "I'm going to
She Slipped an Arm Under HlsShoul
. dcr and Ralccd Him.
llvo and get to work and earn a hun
dred thousand dollars, bo I can say,
'Come, llttlo girl' "
Again tho restraining hand wao laid
upon hla lips, and again ho wont
through tho motions of kissing it.
"You mustn't talk!" sho Insisted.
"You said you'd let me." And when
ho made tho sign of acquiescence, she
wont on: "At first tho doctorn wouldn't
glvo us any hopo at all; thoy said you
might llvo, but you'd you'd novcr
nover remember novcr havo your rea
son again. Dut yesterday " -
"Please!" ho pleaded. "That's more
than onough about mo. I want to know
what happened."
"That night, you mean? All the
things thtit you hnd planned for. Fa
ther got tho mlno back, and Mr. Lesh
lngton and tho others got tho riot
quelled after about half of tho city was
burned."
"Dut Cortwrlght and Schormorhorn
I promised them "
"Mr. Leshlngton carried out your
promiso and helped them got tho
money out of tho bank vault boforo tho
mob sacked tho Nlquoia building and
dynamited If. Dut at tho hotel thoy
woro arrested on tho order of tho bank
oxamincr, and everything wa3 taken
away from them. Wo havon't heard
yet what Is going to bo dono with
them."
"And Gomorrah?" ho asked.
Sho slipped an arm undor hla shoul
ders and raised him so ho could look
out upon tho mountnln-glrt sea dim
pling under tho morning brcezb.
"Thoro Is whoro It wa3," 'sho said
Boborly, "whero it was, and Is not, and
novcr will bo again, thank God! Mr
Leshlngton waited until everybody had
escaped, and then ho Bhut tho wasto
way gates."
Broulllard sank back upon tho pil
lows of comfort and closed hla oyc3.
"Then it'a all up to mo and tho hun
dred thousand," ho whispered. "And
I'll get It . . . honestly this tlmo.".
Tho violet eyes wero smiling when
ho looked into them again.
"Is sho tho ono Incomparnblo cho
worth It. Victor?"
"Her prlco is abovo rubles, as I
told you onco a long tlmo ago."
"You wouldn't let pride a falso
prldo stand In tho way of her happi
ness?" "I havon't any; her lovo has made
mo very humblo and and good, Amy,
dear. Don't laugh: it'a tho only word;
I'm Just hungering and thirsting aftor
righteousness euough to bo half-way
worthy of hor."
"Then I'll toll you something elso
that has happened. Father and Stovle
havo reorganized tho 'Llttlo Susan
Mining company, dividing tho stock
into four equal parts ono for each of
us. You must tako your share. Victor.
It will break father's heart if you don't.
Ho says you got It back for him after
it was hopoleaely loot, and that 1b
truo."
"Kiss mo, Amy, girl, and then gq and
toll your fathor that ho Is a slmplo
hearted old spendthrift, and I lovo him.
And If you could wlro Castnor, and
toll him to bring a llcenso along "
"Oh boy foolish boy!" sho said.
"Walt; when tgai aro woll and strong
again. . . ,'
Dut cho did not mako him watt for
tno urst oi tuo nsuingB; ana aftor a
healing sllonco had fallen to show tho
uoodlossness of spocch between thoso
who hnvo como through darkness Into
light, ho tell asleep again, perhaps to
droam that tho quieting hahd upon hln
forehead wao tho touch of Lovo, augol
of tho bright and shining way, summon
ing him to rise up and go forward as a
soul set freo to meet tho dawr-lng dav
of fruition.
THE END.
Patriotic.
"Is this a good car?" asked tho pros
poctlvo purchaser.
"It Is tho no plus ultra, ma'am," aa
sworod tho cultivated salasman.
"CIi, I don't wish a car of foroigw
mako. I'll have ca American car, o
nouo at all'."
Lower (jdltfoiriiaA
fWt t Cr SrlfilM ft M S;
ia&ffi
FO&A,
2-jCuif.., s.-jt..-WiLfi. ,v ', WA V. w
THEATER
TIIERK have been many rumors
of late that Lower California
would secede from Mextco nnd
become a republic.
Vhkuo notions prevail of what con
stitutes Lower California. 1'hyslcully,
it is a peninsula 700 miles long nnd n
hundred miles or so across from the
Pacific to the gulf. The peninsula Is n
jagged ono with a mountain range
paralleling the Pacific. The sterile
heights are not inviting, nor is the
cactus-covered tableland. Few passes
bisect? the niountuln range. Thero Is
little timber und less water, but the
peninsula Is not all barren waste.
There are regions In which the wealth .
of tropical vegetation is riotous, and
there arc great stretches of land
.which, by means of Irrigation, can be
undo the sources of productive ugrl
nilture, writes Chnrles M. Pepper, In
he Washington Star.
It is tho coast, however, thnt Is of
'hlef International importance. This
vns charted h Admiral Dewey when
lo wus Captain Dewey. It has nlso
leoii charted by other officers 'of the
Jultcd States navy, and Its character
sties are not unknown to the Japanese
invy. There are few good harbors
ither on the Paclilc side or on that of
he gulf, nnd that Is another reason
vhlch makes those that do exist of
inch international importance.
A wealth of romantic tradition clus
ers around tho peninsula. It has been
ailed "the mother of California." Cor
ez sent exploring parties thero after
Donrls and gold. The Jesuit fathers es
abllshcd themselves, and all flic ro
ituncc of the mission days is due to
.hem.
Porflrlo Diaz gave Lower California
he best government It ever had, which
svas that of u benevolent, but Iron
landed, military dictatorship. The
nenlnsuln wns constituted Into a ter
ritory, which It otlll Is, und was dl
ridetl into two districts for administra
tive purposes. The headquarters of the
northern district are at Enscnada, not
very far from San Diego, with which
steamship communications nre main
tained. The hendquarters of the-lower
district are at La Paz on tho gulf.
Resources of the Territory.
Tho bulk of the population Is in the
southern part of the peninsula. The
total number of inhabitants Is said to
be between thirty und thirty-five thou
sand, of whom possibly three-fourths
arc in the south.
Undor the Diaz policy of encouraging
foreign capital to develop the material
resources of Mexico, n marked progress
was observed in Lower California. The
.old mines proved to be largely legen
dary, but there are several productive
sliver mines operated by American
capital.
Lower California Is ono of the
world's principal sources of copper
production. The great mino known ns
Santa Rosalie. Is sltunted near tlje gulf
const. It Is controlled by the French
branch of tho Rothschild family, and
tho majority of tho foreigners' there
are Frenchmen. Santa Rosalia ha
been described ns a'French municipal
Ity in a SpiMiish nnd Indian environ
ment. The pearl fisheries of the gulf at one
time were quite valuable, ujthpugh the
reports of the revenues which the
Spanish crown derived from them
were, ns usual, wildly exaggerated.
The center of tho pearl llshlng Indus
try Is at La Paz. It has dwindled n
good deal In recent years,' but Is still
a source of revenue to the government
The agricultural resources Of the
peninsula never have been systematic
ally exploited. This is partly becauoa
It only could be done on a scale requir
ing a largo amount of capital and part
ly because of tho political uncertain
ties. The country Itself Is not such ns
to Invite many colonists from tho
United States, though there havo been
n few ndventurous spirits who took
their chances. What Is needed in or
der to insure colonization is Irrigation.
Magdalena Bay and La Paz.
Attention has been centered on the
proper interest of the United States
In Lower Cnllfornla through the Mag
dalena bay Incident. Thnt was a case
in which Washington could not afford
to view the International situation with
unconcern.
Nnval officers know tho harbor as
ono of the tlnost In the world, Just as
tho old-tlmo New Bedford whalers
know It. They know that tho United
States, in due regard for Its own
rights, never could acquiesce In nny
Hnangoment by which any Asiatic
power, or, for thnt matter, a European
I AJri.lli-hJ Vmi MtrWV -W.-' 'r ' vr-T. WW1WSWry f9n --xww WvTV7 .W 1
(rawer, would bo allowed to convert i estates In appreciation or ma uisttn
Magdnlon hay Into a iirvbI .station, j gulshed sorvlcos to this country ns ad
For thst reason thay, (lerhtips. woro jutnnt to General Washington during
auspicious 'of the nature of the pro-' the Revolutionary war.
A
IN L.f mS
posed land and Ionization scheme
around Mugdnlena Jmy.
Thi' investigation inndo by the state
department under the direction of Sec
retary Knox did not disclose that any
foreign government was directly In
terested In the project. A full report
was made to the senate on the subject.
Neertheless, the ionate thought It
wise to pass the resolution Introduced
by Senator Lodge, which was In sub
stance a declaration that the United
States would regard tho establishment
of nny foreign power at JIagdalenu
bay as nn unfriendly act. This was a
notice to Mexico, us well ns to Europe
and Asia.
Magdalena bay Itself Is thoroughly
known to the American navy. When
President Roosevelt started tho Amer
ican fleet around the world, Porllrio
Diaz seized the opportunity to show
his friendship for the United States nud
to demonstrate that ho had no fears of
ulterior purposes on our part. He ex
tended the hospitality of Magdalena
bay as a naval station for three years.
La Paz, which Is on the gulf, has
been used ns u coaling station by the
United States. The station is not far
from the old cove which was tho ren
dezvous of the Dutch pirates in the
clays when the Gulf of California was
known as the Sea of Cortez.
La Paz is actually the metropolis of
Lower California. The United States
maintains n consulate there, and there
used to be a small American colony
engaged in business. There were nlso
some adventurous Americans who did
not know Just why they wero there.
Should the mllitnrj; leaders of what
exists of the Mexican army In Lower
California decide to set up a dictator
ship and call it a republic, La Paz
would be the center of u good denl of
interesting news. But there would also
bo Interesting news from Ensenadn, on
the Pacific coast, which Is much nearer
to American territory and with which
communication is much easier.
KOVEL A STRATEGIC CENTER
Junction Point for Several Railways
and Capital of Rich Agri
cultural District.
Kovel, a town of 30,000 pcoplo nt the
beginning of the war, owes Its im
mense strategic Importance to the fact
that It Is the junction point for rail
roads which radiate, like the spokes
from the hub of a wheel, In fh-e di
rections". To the northwest, 77 miles
distant, is the strongly fortified city
of Brest-Lltovsk, over whose posses
sion there was a terrific struggle
when the Germans wero folding the
Russians bnpk through Poland after tho
first; Slav drive early In the war, says
a National Geographic society bulletin.
To the southeast, Si miles cwny, is
Itovno, a fortress with a population of
10,000 nt tho outbreak of the war nnd
nt that time the headquarters of the
Eleventh Russian army corps. Lublin,
with 05,000 inhabitants, is 100 miles
due west, on the railroad running to
Warsaw, 200 miles away. Then to tho
south Is VIndiuilr-Volynski, 35 miles
distant, rind to tho cast runs the line
which passes through Sarnl on Its
way to Kiev.
In addition to these railway connec
tions, Kovel Is situated on the banks
eft' the Turlya, one of tho tributaries
of the Prlpet river, whose extensive
marshes lie to the north where forests
cover the land. In the neighborhood
1 of Kovel, however, agriculture Is well
developed nnd nt the beginning of tho
war,; fully one-fourth of the land con
tiguous to the city was devoted to tho
production of cereal crops. Tho pens
nnt farmers In the district of which
Kovel Is the capital, like those of Vol
hynia generally, nro more fortunate
than tho peasants in most of tho Rus
sian provinces, for hero they own
nearly 50 per cent of the lnnd.
West of Kovel Is tho famous battle
field of Dubtenkn, on the banks of the
Bug and ten miles south of Dorochusk,
a town on the Lublin-Kovel railroad.
It was here that Kosciusko, at tho
head of -1,000 men with ten cannons,
offered n heroic resistance to 1S.000
Russians with 00 guns. After holding
the superior force In check for five
days, the "hero of Dublenka" retired
unmolestod to Warsaw. This brilliant
achievement took plnce Just nine yenrs
after n grateful American congress
had offered Its public thanks to this
Polish artillery officer, conferred upon
him tho rank of a brigadier general,
extended hint the privileges of Ameri
can cltizonBhlp. and given him Inn tied
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