EDITORIAL SECTION.
The Omaha
Sunday
Bee.
PAGES 11 TO 18.
ESTABLISHED JUNE 19, 1871.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORN1XO, PERltUARY 20. 1903.
SIMILE COPY 1'IVE CENTS.
.Second
Week
H
35c
Big Art Alteration Sale
Monday's Dig Specials
Black and White Mounted Sheet Pictures, about f flf
600, to close) out, all one price IUl
Ten ($1.00) Green Trading Stamps.
"Cupid Awake" and "Cupid Asleep" pictures, COs.
we will sell Monday only tmt
Twenty ($2.00) Little Green Stickers. Theao pic
tures are positively $1.00 value.
Dainty Photo Frames, veneer woods, bow knot
ornament at top, with mat and glass complete
Thirty ($3.00) Green Trading Stamps.
'M per cent discount on picture framing.
20 per cent discount Monday only, on artist mate
rials, except Aollch's china colors and llasburg gold,
20. per cent discount on pyrography materials, ex
cept out big special $1.79 outfit
26 per c-mt discount on all framed pictures In our
naileries.
Three Big Bargain Tables of Pictures, values Qfts
up to $5.00, sale price JJ
Forty 01.00) Green Trading Stamps, ,
Watch Bennett's Art Section for the big Spring
Opening.' Alterations commence about March 1st.
Takft advantage of the bargains we offer now they are
money -savers.
CLEAN GOODS, BIO DISCOUNTS. AND EXTHA
LITTLE GREEN STICKERS. Call and soe us Monday.
SECOND FLOOR.
Bennett's Great
China Section
Rare bargains and extra Little Green
Stickers for Monday.
A new 5c section with china trays, salts
and peppers, vases, etc., m
choice J Q
Two (20c) Green Trading Stamps.
A great 25c table of sugar aud creams,
plates, salad and fruit bowls, fa.
cups and saucers, etc., J "lp
choice at mi
Ten ($1.00) Green Trading Stamps
with each piece.
Fine crystal table tumblers, cut bottom,
value $2.00 per dotcn, f g
wUl sell Monday 1IC
Five (50c) Green Trading Stamps with
each one.
Glass water Jug, two-quart
size, pretty pattern and
shape
Five (50c) Green Trading Stamps with
each.
19c
SECOND FLOOR.
MORE FOR THE SMOKER
1 Rlgodon, Porto Rico cigar. OEr
10c PerfectO-shape, thrte for."t
..:.:...3.50
BUck Bess, 1 OB
fifty for t"3.
Thirty ttt) Green Trading- Stamps.
Chauncey Depew, a good 6c 4 Qw
cigar. Hfty for '
40 (14.00) Green Trading Stamps.
Long; Distance, a long-cut An
smoking tobacco, package... w
Boys tvrtd Girls
A simpU plan for mak
ing ' pocket money. Just
distribute the cards.
Every fifteen that come
back to ua means a quar
ter to the distributer.
See the Ad. Man.
!m TPMM Tr
Green Trading Stamps Every Time
OMAHA'S GREATEST
TRADING CENTER
Greatest Because of Its Popularity
) Greatest Because It's Biger Then Any Store
Around
Greatest Because It's the Pleasantest for Shop
ping. Greatest Because of Extra Values
Greatest because It recognizes the Cusp. Buyer's right
to a discount, and gives green trading stamps with nil
purchases In all department all thu time that's Bennett'.
Notice how this great store grows and grows?
Notice the carpenter working day and night since ,
New Years Day?
Notice that extra floor-space at cost of losing tho
huge light well In the center of store has had to be secured?
What does It mean? It meaus that we are determined
to maintain retail leadership around us and .we will!
ltenuett pioneered Omaha's new retail center, and we're
here "with the joods."
Trade where you are best served at Bennett's.
m
m
Photo Developing
and Finishing
Tbe Especially Strong Feature la Ben
nett' Photo Supply Section
Students of the camera, ama
teur and expert, find that it
pays hands-over to bring
their plates to us for develop
ing and finishing.
You save risk of spoiling your
pictures, you get tho work
done inexpensively and
promptly.
Southeast Corner, Main Floor
DRUGS
Prescriptions Filled Right.
Filled as the doctor order. Filled
Iteifectly in quality of ingredients and
make-up. Filled quickly filled tuoiiey
ejaviugly. S. li Corner MuUi Floor.
Bennetts Great Hardware
Section
The Items In this section are uU'U counties. Every
thing that theory could turu Into practical use for the
li.MiteiiliiR of labor and saving of material can be found
In this section. We but mention n few specials for Mon
dayhot bargains at that and there are others.
Thlrtv (S3.0O) tireen Trading Stamps with No. 8 Q .
1 X Copper Bottom Boiler ZJUC
Thirty ($3.00) Oreeu Trading Stamps with No. 9 AO
I X Copper Bottom Boiler UO
Forty ($4.K) Green Trading Stamys with No. 8 f A A
I X Copper IUin Boiler ....l.TU
Forty ($4.00) (reen Trading Stomps with No. 0 ICQ
1 X Copper Klin Boiler M..leJO
Fifty (5.h) Oreen Trading Stamps with any Qfi
Copper Boiler up from l0
Tweuty (L'.O0) tJreen Trading Stamps with No. 0 40
Ix'Rt iinlity tiulvanlztul Tub T0C
Twenty (2.)0) Green Trading Stamps with No. 1 EL
best quality Galvanized Tub jQC
Thirty t$.'?.00) Green Trading Stamps with No. 2 LA
best quality Galvanized Tubs s...OtC
Thirty ($.1.00) Green Trading Stamps with No. 3
best quality Galvanized Tub ', C
Twenty (Sl'.oo) Green Trading Stamps with 50 f t
Sash Cord Clothesline the best made ...jC
WALL PAPER.
WALL PAPER.
New collection for eaon 19. ready for Inspet tlon. A wMer variety of exclusive papers than has ever
been offered to lmnh i trade.
SPECIALS Foil MONDAY AND TUESDAY.
Wall rnper, In small f n lO-MXl rolls wh'to blanks,
remnants, per roll per roll
All other goods Ht (treat reductions.
DOL1!jE GUKKN TUADING STAMPS IN THIS SALE.
rn 6,000 rolls good silts,
per roll, so and....
THIRD FliOOK.
6c
Sensational Monday Bargains in High Grade Dress fabrics
New Silk.! New Silks!
RAJAH. SILKS The very latest silk fabrics for
mart shirt waist suits, It Is soft with a beau
tiful rich luster, and the much sought after
crash effect which is very stylish, comes in all
the shades of brown, new greens, blues, cadets,
creams and black, 30 inches wide, AA
only yard v...... I.UU
Fa.ricy Silks
Fancy Silk for Shirt Waist Suits, all the pretty
new combinations, there Is a lot of pretty silks
worth to $1.25 per yard Monday,'
at, per yard .'
Black Silks
36-lueh Black Jap Ilabautl. . ) Worth 1.50
80-inch Black Taffetas i ysra, .noo-
30 inch Natural Pongees ... ) day, yard
Record-Breaking Dress Goods Sale
All Previous Effortr IV rfcjyied
', r- The Biijgest .Bar8iiv.Eyent of . Year
: AI these at 60c' a yard. , , ,
88-lnch French- Tweeds' T.'.
88-inch English Ob.ev4otstji.ivv.-.
88-lneff Heather Mrxtnres: .v.";
i 38-inch Fancy Twills...
.18-1 nch Tin Dot Moli'al rs". .'.'.'. :
' SS-tnshT Metallic' Mohairs
38-1ncb Shepherd Checks-. :
All worth 75c' and $1.00 yard.
.'. 85c
$1
All one1
price, only.
50c
All these at 75c a yard,
44-Inch Panama Checks. . ,
46-lnch French Voile..
'4-Mncli Striped Melange..
BS-inch 811k Dot Panama.
4Much Vlgoreaux Twill..
46-ineb Imported Plaids ..
AU worth $1.00 and $1.25 a yard. ,
a. yard
All One Price,
only
75c
a Yard
Record-Breaki nr Sale New Black Dress Goods
38-inch Black Voile All On Price,
38-inch French Albatross I only
38-Inch French Eta mine
38-tnch Pin Iot Tamlse
44-inch All Wool Serge
54 inch Mohair Sicilian
All worth 75c and $1.00 a yard. a Yard
50c
38-in. Silk Dot Panama, worth fl. . 75c
44-in. French Voile, worth $1.25... 75c
44-in. Black Arm ure, worth $1.25. . .85c
44-in. Black Melrose, worth fl.50. 1.00
44-in. Black Melrose, worth $1.75.. 1.25
44-in. Black Prunella, worth $2. . . 1.50
The most complete black goods stock In Omaha.
New Cotton Goods
A .beautiful assortment of novelty crash Bour
ettes. Fancy Voiles and Suitings, - '
at 20c. 15c and 2C
EMBROIDERED TI8SUES, MAKETTA SILKS,
MERCERIZED PANAMAS, MOHAIRS,
' LUSTER NOVELTY VOILES yard CJfC
j9arl)onn Organdies, JSllk . Eollonrif s, Sllk Mous-
sellnes; Silk Organdies,, will go at, ; Z J?
jier yard, 75c, 60c and JC
. ,r ,,'' v'-;. ' " -r ''.' ' - - " .'-;'',;,'
Table Linens- ;
Mercerised Table Linensflne and heaVy,
regular 50e quality, "Monday, yard.'.
Mercerized Table Damask extra fine ,
75c quality, Monday1, yard ,
' Imported Ginghams
Very finest French Ginghams, shirt. walut
patterns, worth 00c, Monday only, each.
Curtain Swiss
3d and 40 Inch fine Curtain Swiss, dota and floral
patterns, worth up to 20c yard
Monday, per yard ...... 12C
29c
50c
69c
Specials in the Cloak Room
New Silk Coats
A 27-inch loose silk coat, very full leg mutton
sleeves aud broad shoulders, fancy silk
braid trimming, easily worth 4 QP
$6.93 Monday nfJJ
New Covert Jackets
The swell "Corset Coat" always poptilar In
fine covert, heavy satin lining, fine shoulder,
new sleeve, worth twelve dollars O AC
and fifty cents Monday, at jJrJ
Extra Special on Wrappers
Monday we will put on sale another lot of
those fleeced wrappers, made to sell at 98c,
. fl.25 and $1.50, while the ' - ' COA
'lot lasts, . f JOt
, v ; . New Spring Waists
Monday we will place on sale an'clegant line
pj Brilliantine Wulsts; with solid bos pleated
front, and pleats stitched at top to form
yoke, large new sleeves, in blue, brown, .black
and white, an elegant value at
$3.50, extra special Monday,1 tft . .
Embroidery Sals
Thousands of pieces very pretty new embroid
eries in Swiss, nainsook aud ITamburgs. in
sertions to match, special for Mou- Ll
day, yard, 12Jc, 10c, 7c, 5c and. .... . .aC
Double Green Trading Stamps on all embroideries.
Bennett's Sinclair Millinery Section.
THE WORD "SINCLAIR" STANDS FOR EXCLFSIVKXESR AN
EXCLUSIVKNKSS CARRIED TO THE TOIXT OF FERFHCTION
AT BENNETT'S.
MONDAY WE MAKE AN EARLY SFRIXO SHOWING OF STREET
HATS. FOLIAGE DATS and HATS JUD2 0 F FLOWCRS FORUET-ME-N'OTS,
JUNE ROSES. VIOLETS. BLUETTES, ETC.
THIS NEW POLO TURBAN HATS, THE RARE PARISIAN
TRODLCT OF THE SEASON HAS CREATED A Fl'RORE IN FASH
ION CENTERS. I'ARIS. I.OXDOX AND NEW YORK, COMES IN
CHIFFON'S, MALINES AND STRAWS SEE IT!
SEE THE WINDOWS VISIT THE NEW MILLtNERY SECTION
-LARGEST AND MOST ELABORATELY ARRANGED IN THE
WEST. Second floor.
Two Snaps in Men's
Clothing- Section MONDAY.
Men's Outing Flannel Night
Robes, regular value Htif
$1.50, our price Monday. I
Hoys' Shirts, your choice of any
in stock Monday
for
Fifty ($5.00) Green TrndlUR Stamps.
y : 50c
BENNETT'S GREAT
GROCERY
Money savins specials for thu econom
ical housekeeper.
Koity (W.Ub Ureen Trading Stamps
with sack Uxcelulor Flour mm
Twenty (I&00) Oreen Trading Stamps with
pound package Bennett's OU.
Capitol Coffee
Twenty (fc.OO) Oreen Trading Afin
(Stamps with pound Tea '. WW
Thirty (.oui Green Trading Stamps
with pound Candied Peel 4SiOW
Thirty (3.u Oreen Trading Stamps with
. ton cans. Bolid pack . 4
tomatois , Mf
Thirty ($3.00) Oreen Tiading Stamps ff
with ten cans I X I. Corn tUU
Twenty (SlOO) Oreen Trading Stamps Q
with can Diamond S Fruit..- OV
Ten (11.00) Qreen Trading Stamp - Qr
with can Omar Peaches (av?W
Ten (11.00) Green Tradliig Jguunps . fQr
with can Oirtar Pears..".... :... IOC-
Ten (tl.uo) Green Trading 8tamps with
- pound can Bennett's Special 'y Ac
Baking Powder v.. k..,i..,....',iW
Ten $1.00) Oreen Trading Stamps with
three packages Bennett's ' . OK
Capitol Mincemeat... J
Ten (tl.OO) Green Trading Stamps lOln
with Can Imported Sardine;.'... .. "IS
Ten ($1.00) . Green Trading - Stamps with
pound full cream New York Ofr
chees
Ten (1.0( Oreen Trsdlng Stamps with
dozen large German 'Jill 10r
Pickles lV
Early Juno Peas. Qc
per can w
Three cans , g5C
'''''''''CANDIES
Ooorge Washington's Hatchet, 'If,
to . close out, each ,w
Twenty (J.'.OO) Oreen Trading Stamps with
pound box Bennett's Special On
Chocolate Creams "u"
Furniture, Carpets, Draperies
Enameled Iron Beds
Most attractive line In the city,
Specially priced for Monday sell
ing. 12.25 Talue, ueut pattern, ilnisheJ
with bard ottk enamel, JP
at l.tJ
5.25 value, continuous post, artistic
. r....,....:........3.9S
17.00 value, hoary pillars, oloso
..?.!.. ......5.75
f 10.00 value, contluuous post, all
Jfi.combniaUon. j J
s $12.00 value, beautiful design, with
. tras spindles, -head and foot end,
finished in two colors, g 95
$10.60 value, massive pillars with
extra neavy niuntf,
brass trimmed, at. .
sis value, m-ln. contfn- a m
nous poet, brass scrolls, IlL SI I
, head and foot ends, at W
12.50
Clearance of all odd Parlor
Pieces, Divans, Corner
CKcvirs and Parlor Seats
$4.oo parlor sent, mahogany finished
frame, spring scat; upholstered
with velvet, 1 95
$12.00 corner clinir, nmhotrany fin
ished frnme, sprlnjt seat covered
with French tapestry, 5
$16.00 divan, mahogany finished
frame covered with ' Q CIV
best tapestry, at. . . . . . . O J U
Specials in Carpets
25 rolls all-wool extra super ingrain
carpets, regular price TSty special,
.d!f:r.,.....:,.V..59c
20 best nmssels rugs, sl7 9x10-6,
beautiful patterns to select from.
special, Monday, If OR
1.98
each
75 very fine Smyrna rugs,
36x72 In., patterns of all
kinds and colors, .Monday.
25 cocoa mats, 16x24,
special
Cocoa and Wire Mats
45c
30 wire milts, 10x24,
special
65c
Hemstitched Swiss Ourtnlns
for bed rooms, per pair....
DRAPERIES
98c
Nottingham Wee Curtains, worth IS,
special Monday,
pair I.U J
A large line of Rope and Bamboo Por
tieres, JuHt what you want for
spring and summer, up from....M'
Window Shades, at, tQc
ench 2fc nnd 1W
See our lino of Sewing Machines.
FEATURES OF MEXICAN LIFE
Observatisni of an Omaha. Traveler is the
Seighboring fiepublio.
COMMON CUSTOMS JAR NORTHERN VISITOR
DeTelosmest of Plantations Kpe
' lilted by American Capital--Waara,
C'ost and Methods
. el Mvlas; Noted.
' Boeaklna Of ths etlquetts of tha Maxi
ma people: a rtcs they ars very court
sous, impactful and obliging, but I could
not help but notice one- thine tmonut even
th batUr class .Of Mexicans that to an
American Is shocking. Whlls we wera hav
ing dinner at dna of tha most prominent
hotels In Vera Cms I noticed at a table
opposite us an old -woman,. 'about 70 year
eld, with wblta hair and a very roflnd face,
dressed la blaalt silk gown- with a black
laoe mantilla draped over her head and
ahouldera . U a plotureaque manner, evi
dently In the company of her son. They
had aearly flnlshed, having drank their
wine,, which la the custom, when they were
served with coffee. The. young man then
took out his cigarette oaae. passed It to his
mother, and each smoked about halt a
dweu cigarette and drank two or threo
small cups of coffee one cup would be am
ple for von the heavtoat coffee drinker of
Omaha, as It is exceedingly strong. I also
at another time saw a well dreaied Mexican
woman ad her daughter eating dinner
with both elbows u?on the table.
In Mexloo tho laws prescribe with great
minuteness the way books and - accounts
should be kept, and a severe penalty Is In
rileted for their violation. The books pre
scribed as being absolutely necessary In
the course- of mercantile bookkeeping shall
be bound, lined, paged and stamped with
the proper stamps In the manner provided
by law, and must be kept In tho Spanish
language. One bookkeeper told .me that
last summer he had a certain form of book
which he wanted to use. lie sent It to the
government for approval, and because It did
not exactly comply with the rules they re
fused to approve and stamp It, and It took
Hourly four months before he could get It
allowod, the result being that his business
was greatly handicapped. Of course, the In
tention of the law undoubtedly is to pre
vent Irregularities,' but to us Americans it
Is very Impracticable to say the, least.
...
C'araaseal a Fata Stasia, a
i hi Wide of Mexico City and a few leading
i.kl..lu In IhA amallnv tnt-m hrMil la un
known, sa wheat and rye are not raised In
Muxlco; but they have a substitute called
the toi-yila. This is served at every meal
and forms the principal part of a meal. It
Is a round thin cake prepared from maiae.
For this- purpose It Is nnrt parboiled ta
cleaaaa and softea tha grain and then
crushed Into a paste on a flat stone with a
stonu Implement not unlike a rolling pin,
then worked with the hands Into a thin
pancake. Near nt hand they have a small
charcoal pr wood Ire under a flat, smooth
plat of Iron, stone or earthenware, on
which these cakes are baked, first on one
side and then on the other, the baking
being a sort of a toasting carried just so
fnr ns not -to brown the tortilla, which is
served hot. Sometimes they roll them up
and place Inside of them chile, which Is red
pepper and meat, and It Is then called chile
concarne. Usually they take the tortilla
nnd wrap It In the shape of a spoon and
with it take up the beans, meat, rice and
irravy; thereby taking the place of knife,
fork and spoon. They do not sit around a
table, but all squat down on the ground In a
rirclo and est out of one. big pan.
We left Mexico Pity via the Interoceanto
railway for Vera Cruz, and the next morn
ing, long before sunrise, on looking Out of
the car window to my right, I saw upon the
horizon a large, light cone-shaped object,
extending sortie distance Into the sky, and
upon closer Inspection I discovered It was
Mount Orlsaba, some forty miles away. It
gradually grew brighter and blighter as
the day dawned, and as we had then passed
Julipa and being at nearly sea leva! it was
Indeed a grand spectacle. And now for the
first time I was In the tropics, where I
could see growing in Its native state fields
of coffee, vanilla, chocolate. . also the
banana, oocoanut, orange and lemon. The
air was much warmer than In Mexico City,
In fact - like our average June morning.
Within two hours we reached Vera Crus,
where we saw Mexican life and customs In
nil their glory.
A City with History.
Vera Crus Is the chief seaport of tbe re
public, where Herman Cortes landed on
Qood Friday, 151$, subsequently scuttling
his ships and thus committing his followers
to the comjueet of Mexico. Without re
lating many Incidents I wish to give one
which shows how slowly Mexicans trans
act their business. Tha street car which
stood In front of tho station was a little
old-fashioned affair, with two long seats
and canopy top. A taam of donkeys was
hitched to It,, a native Mexican boy driv
ing. He had a cow's horn in his hand
which he used as a whistle, to which people
paid no attention. And another young boy
collected the fares, charging extra for our
baggage. It, took about thirty minutes to
go to the hotel, a distance we could easily
have walked In ten. We hadn't gone more
than a block when a mule team was hitched
to a. cart backed up against the sidewalk,
where some merchandise was being un
loaded, and their heads and shoulders ex
tended over the car track. The driver
tooted his horn and made all kinds of
demonstrations In order to 'get the driver
of the mules to turn his animals to one
side, and only after five minutes' parley
ing sucrex-ded In clearing the track. The
same thing happened In the next block,
but not suooeedlng in getting the driver
of that team to allow him to pass, he un
hitched his donkeys and hitched them to
the rear of the car and drove back over
another street. He had gone but a. short
distance when he met a car coming In the
opposite direction on the same track, bo
he had to switch again.- This ho did four
times before he reached the plaxa, where
tho hotel was located. To see that driver
tooting his horn all the tlmo when no one
heeded was really amusing. .
The milkmen bring their milk to the city
in four-gallon cans, some having them tied
to each side of. a donkey, others have an
ordinary yoko over their shoulders, with a
can hanging from each end. Tho orna
mental and shade tree of Vera Crus Is the
nut palm. Another notlceablo thing ob
served In Vera Crus. as well as all Mexican
cltlus, is the peddling of Mexican lottery
tickets by boys, girls, men and women at
all hours of the day.
Tropical Plantations.
Our next visit was to several planta
tions south and east of Vera Crux, where
we could see all varieties of tropical fruits
grow. The tropical lands of Mexloo ex
tend like a vast horseshoe from a ' few
miles to 160 from the Qulf of Mexico. The
Pacific side with its arid climate, and on
account of Its Inaccessibility at pres
ent Is not to be thought of by the
American settler. On the Atlantic slope
killing frosts occur every few years as
far south as Tuxpan, which is about 150
miles north of Vera Crus. The greatest
American population is sltusted on the
Isthmus of Tchuantepeo. It Is a most ex
cellent country with many ; advantages.
Here the Sierra Madra range Is but 800
feet above the sea level, and being nearest
the Parlflo coast there is a large area of
fertile tropical land between the mountains
and the gulf, and it Is in that locality that
we visited several plantations.
At an old Inland town called Tux tepee,
about six miles from the railroad, in the
state of Oaxaca we stopped at the hotel
where we were told President Juares was
when he proclaimed that all the churches
In the republic would be confiscated by the
government.
Our party of six engaged a native Mex
ican to furnish us saddle horses and started
out to visit the different plantations. The
first plantation we visited was the Sun
Sllveria plantation about five miles east of
Tuxtepec, owned by New York and Penn
sylvania capitalists. The manager, E., K.
Banner, gave us much Information con
cerning developments on his place. He
said they employed between fiuO and SOO
common laborers st B0 cents per day. It
was what he called contract labor, it
being furnished by employment agencies,
the laborer agreeing In wrltlug to sell his
time for six months or a year as the case
might be, and should he In the meantime
shirk or run away he Is immediately ar
rested by tha rurato and remains In jail
until he concludes to go back to his em
ployer. For every ten laltorers he has a
rarbo, or straw hose, who reoeiras 3 a
month aad , for every sixty or seventy
men he has a foreman, who Is paid $50 por
month; then he has a superintendent, who
Is over the different camps, whose head
quarters are at the main camp. On this
plantation there are about 3,000 acres
planted In rubber from one to three years
old. Mr. Banner recently sent to South
America for 6,000 para rubber seeds, which
he claims produces a greater quantity and
finer quality than the native rubber trco
of Mexico. He further stated that the com
pany Intended planting 10,000 acres In rub
ber and that it would be six or seven
years before they began receiving substan
tial returns from their plantation, as the
rubber tree has to be at least I years old
before It can be tapped. They raise-considerable
corn and have at this time sev
eral thousand bushels stored for sale.
We Inquired too prices in Mexican money
of various commodities, and here are some
of them:
Pork, 76 cents. for IH pounds; lard, $14
for 38 pounds; butter, 11.50 per pound; corn,
15 for 400 ears; rice, 10 cents per pound;
beans, SI. 75 for 26 pounds; beef, 20 to 40
cents per pound; eggs. 6 cents each. He sold
the cooks are up at 1 o'clock In the morn
ing making tortillas, that he himself was
up at 8 o'clock and gll the help was up at
4 o'clock and ready to start Into the field
at daybreak. H was just then receiving a
carload of machinery which he Intended
using In an ice plant. Everything Is run
on systematic and scientific principles. Of
course it Is sn expensive proposition, but
when once the rubber trees are yielding
rubber, and with the price of rubber ad
vancing. It will be better than nine-tenths
of our producing gold mines.
Home Comforts Oat of Slant.
From there wa visited a large tract of
land owned by Nebraska - and Missouri
parties, called the La Joya tract, and which
adjoins the Sllveria plantation. Thin ia
similarly situated, but at present unde
veloped. At this plugs wa stopped st the
house of a native Mexican over night and
had supper, breakfast and dinner, ail of
which, meals were the same tortillas, rice,
beans and coffee. I never In my life put
In. a more uncomfortable . night. Just Im
agine sleeping on . palm slats about four
Inches wide, with nothing spread oyer them,
not even palm leaves. I used my overcoat
for a ptUow; however, that alone might
not have been so bad bad not' the wood
ticks pestered us almost ' to death. We
spent an entire day trumping through trop
ica) forests which at times sttemed almost
Impenetrable owing to the dense under
growth of vines nnd bushes. Tho trees con
sist of both hard and soft-lumber,, much of
It being very valuable. As to the iuallty
and condition of the soil In nearly all this
nounlry it is exceedingly rich and product
tlve. being of a very dark alluvial nature.
There is just enough sand In It to make It
work easily. It is of 'a general undulating!
character, so that lf drains nicely. It Is
full of fresh water Atrcams which have
their source in the mountains and are tilled
with nsh. I had expected to nnd smfkea
and reptiles of different kinds In the fir-
ests, but, strange enough, I never saw one.
There are. however, alligators galore fur
ther down .In the streams near the gulf.
The natives raise three crops of corn in one
year without apparently any care or culti
vation, as nature does so' much in that
country which wa in the north hove to
supply .by labor.
.Northern Capital Coming In.
As tho rainfall Is very heavy the grass
grows in abundance every day in the year,
and cuttle, horses and hogs can be raised
and fattened ready for market at little or
no cost, thereby enabling one to get quick
returns, ad the prices I quoted above in
dicate. .The' northern capitalists are com
ing In and buying large tracts and develop
ing fine plantations and are erecting large,
modern sugar factories.
I also visited a sugar plantation st
Motzorongo, which was likewise run on
business principles. They, have several
hundred employes; have a large factory,
with a capacity of 900 tons of cane dally.
They have six miles of i-foot gauge tram
road of forty-pound steel, and have a
string of flat cars and a locomotive for
transporting the cane to the factory. They
also .buy the cane of the small farmers
at ft per ton at the factory, which, on 9
per cent extraction, yields . ISO pounds of
sugar, which, aTTVi cents per pound, pro
duces a handsome profit. The sugar cane,
after the Juice has been extraoted, is
called bagasse and this furnished sufficient
fuel to run the boilers for the entire plant.
Tho manager Informed me that their store
house, where all the employes buy their
clothing and provisions, shows a handsome
profit every month. Through natural curi
osity, I Inquired whether there were any
men who came Into that country many
years ago with limited means who today
are wealthy,' and was given the following
information: - , -
Condido Fernandes eame there fourteen
years ago, worked as a foreman - on a
plantation at $40 per month the first year,
and today Is the owner of a tobacco planta
tion producing $75.00u a year, with coffee as
a side Issue, from which ho receives 110.
000 a year. Manual Fernandes Peon Ave
years ago bought a ranch on credit; today
ho owns It, unincumbered, with a large
bank account. This is also a tobacco
plantation. Juan Medina cultivates forty
acres, and, in company with hU three suns,
last year produced Ave successive crops
two of corn, one of beans, one of tobacco
and: a crop of tobacco seed.
Joaquin Xlmenes, from 228 rubber trees,
sold S"0 pounds of rubber In 1 !.'. The trees
were from k jo 20 years old. Three hundred
rubber trees can be grown to the acre.
The rubber is ' worth SO cents per pouud
and' tha cost of harvesting Is lut over S
cents.
Wayside Scenes.
Ftom Cordoba I returned to Mexico" City!
Shortly after leaving Orlxaba, which is at
the foot of the mountains,'- perhaps the
grandest and most Imposing scenery in the
wofld ro'mtuences. The line runs up an ln
cllna oC 4 per ceal aad over Innumerable
curves, causing an ever varying panorama
of lovely, scenery, now between solid walls
of rock, now through a tunnel ut whoso
month you pass over a chasm spanned by a
hridrn which it appears almost Impossible
to have built, and passing along the edges
of perpendicular precipices which almost
appall one. It la a constant climb until you
reach Koperansa, which Is over H.OOO feet
at.ove sea' level. The scenery in wonderful
snd enchanting. On looking to the rlKht In
the distance Is the great snow cono of Orl
saba. While at Tuxtepeo had occasion to visit
a typical Mexican home of one of hs
wealthy merchants. It was a one-story
stone rquare house. We entered through a
big portal, with massive wooden gates,
adorned with handsome knockers and locks,
into an entrywny laid with stone. The gar
den opened out in front of us, which con
tained palms, orange and banana trees. The
living rooms are to the right and left. I
was told that there were five servants In
this home who each receive tl per month
nnd board. There was also one man ser
vant. Wo were ushcrvd Into the sitting
room Immediately to the left of the entry
way, where we met the gentleman of the
house. The room was about twenty-two feet
square and about twelve feet high. The
chairs, about ten In number, were arranged
In two rows facing each other about four
feet apart. They wero made of mahogany
and upholstered. On the walls hung a few
old Spanish and Mexican paintings. Tho
other furnishing consisted of a largo por
table wardrobe, a lounge and a center
table. All the floors (n tho house were
stons and tile, snd excepting the kitchen
floor were covered with Mexican nigs. The
dining room was furnished with two old
carvpd sidohoards, one at each end, with
the glassware and dishes promiscuously ar
ranged thereon. Then there was a large
round musslve table, with cane chairs. In
the bedroom there were two single beds,
each having bedding about two feet thick
and draped with the usual mosquito dra
pery. There was a sctireity of bric-a-brac
such as la usually seen In tho American
home snd tbe house looked very plain.
W. S. HELLER.
OUR LETTER BOX.
Valnable Bustle Lost.
"I.OHt Home-made hustle; liberal rewurd.
CM Locust, Kansas City, Kan."
Mrs. Frank H. Khpdn, who Inserted the
foregoing advertlxemant In a Kanxas City
paper, explained that it Is just un ordinary
home-made bustle, "flut it is worth ubout
$500," suid Mrs. Tthodt "for 1 had sewed up
In It a diamond ring, a diamond stud, a dia
mond nnd turquoise ring and a moonstone
ring. They were Jewels belonging to my
mother and mWif. and -will, we thought
WC had found a safe plate for them.
"I was shopping, and might have lost it
in a store. In a rur or on the street. It has
probably been thrown into n trash can or
kicked Into a gutter. No out; would think
of picking up a thing of that kind, ordt
,nri(y. The Jewels had been In their hiding
place more than a year."
The) KqaMable Controversy.
OMAHA, Fob. 25. 1905,-To the Editor of
The Bee; So much sensational matter has
been published qf late concerning the
Kquitat)lt Lifn Assurance Society of the
TTnlted States I wish you would publish the
enclosed letter to me from President James
W. Alexander. This Is the essence of the
whole matter snd it Is right that our
friends lit Omaha and Nebraska should be
in possession of the exact truth...
H. V. NEBLY.
Manager for Nebraska.
V
NEW YORK, Feb. Iff, 1805. H. P; Neely,
Esq., Omaha, Neb: Dear Sir It is well
for you to know that many of the rumors
published about the recent Equitable con
troversy are incomct. Tluve -rumors are
the natural result of tha publicity which
has occurred, contrary to my wishes snd
my best efforts, in a matter which Is of
such great interest to so many different
people. The most Important fact, Vnd tha
one which Is of the greatest Interest to the
agency force, la that at Its- meeting on
Thursday last the board of directors unani
mously adopted tho following resolutions!
Resolved, That In . the opinion of th
hoard the policyholders should be give
the right to vote for directors and that
steps he taken for carrying this principle
into effect at the earliest possible moment.
Resolved, That Valentino P. Snyder,
James W. Alexunder, James If. Hyde,
(!ae K. Tarbell. Cornelius N. Bliss,' T. Dm
Witt Cuyler and Chauncey M. Depew be
appointed a committee to arrange the de
tails for carrying the step into execution,
and In connection therewith the settlement
of the. allied question of indemnlflqatlon of
stockholders, and report to the board at a
meeting to be called by the chairman for
the purpose, at the request of the com.
rnltttf ; not later, however, than Wednes
day. .April 12, 1905.
This committee will proceed with ail
reasonable expedition to solve the legal
und practical questions Involved In this
great change. The present movement lias
been for the purpose of preserving through
all future time the strength snd prosperity
of the society by putting the voting power
for directors where it belongs namely, In
the binomial owners of thu company, the
policyholders.
All the officers of the society were re
elected at the same meeting of the board
and the business of the society will now
be carried forward with greater vigor snd
determination than ever. ' The mutusllia
tlon of the society removes the one great
oosiacie in inn way or your constant
progress and should give a tremendous
impulse to the business and I congrstulate
you on the present situation and upon the
opportunity to Incressu the prosperity of
the company by putting forth your best
efforts. JAMES W. ALEXANDER.
President. I