Evening Star Newspaper, February 24, 1894, Page 20

20 é THE CON THE EVENING ST AR, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1894A-TWENTY PAGES. SULTATION OF WAR. THE GREAT LARAN REBELLION ee eee WRITTEN FOR THE EVENING STAR BY NYM CRINKLE. 2S eas (Copyrighted. 1804.) CHAPTER XI. HE READER MUST go to Laran at the beginning of the last half of the second | year of preparation and endeavor, not only to get a clear’ view of what had been done, but pre- pared to view with astonishment the still | more audacious pro- | jects of this man. Laran was now a| hidden hive of en | ergy. The great sanitarium which lifted its rude but imposing proportions out of the wilderness and poured an almost con- | tinuous stream of black smoke from its thimney stack, held a varying population, | ‘ome of whom were women, and all of | Whom were Hendrick’s agents. Sixteen | miles away was another large house, reach- | ed on the surface by an almost impass- | Able and tortuous road of rocks, but ac- | zessible to all the inmates of the sanitartum tm less than half an hour by underground means and connected by telephone and | telegraph of the latest and nicest adjust- | ment along the same subterranean pas- | tages. : i The shaft from the sanitarium to the labyrinth beneath had been perfected by the most consummate mechanical skill of | Laport, and it was hidden from casual ob- | fervation by the most cunning adjustment | of materials. That end of the house which tovered the descent had cost Hendricks and Laport more thought and ingenuity than all eise. The shaft had been enlarged and fitted with an iron lift down to the nar- tow passage that led from it to the arena. The circular steel cage which fitted into the shaft could be turned round from be- low, so that its iron door that furnished an exit into the passage would be on the opposite side against a solid wall of rock, And the passengers, if enemies, would have to cut their way through a half inch of steel to get into the passage and, when there, would have to walk through in single Gie at the mercy of anybody at the lower bxit, who could pick them off in detail with- out any danger to himself. The exit above Was covered with the hard floor of a room Whose movility was undetectable by any- body who was not aiready aware of the de- vice. In’ addition to this, a steel door had been fitted to tae end of the passage below Where it opened into the vast wora room, because Hendricks thought at times he beard in the room above the sound of the engine and dynamo. A sense of avsolute security was thus abtained when the inmates of the sani- tarium went below. It was physicaily im- bossible for force of any calculable kind to reach them in that direction. The next and obvious consideration to Which Hendricks had directed bis whole energy was the provisioning of the retreat and the securing of a safe and hidden exit (ar removed trom the sanitarium. in car- tying out the first of these precautions he bad managed, with consummate care, dur- ing a period of eight months, to load into the southwestern entrance a vast store} ef material, purchased at Cincinnati, Louis- Wille, St. Louis, ard Memphis, and delivered by boat at the Wasa bayou, where there Was a storehouse and whence the goods Were hauled for the apparent use of the two surface hotels. Uther and smaller streams of supplies were reaching the san- Warum overland continuousiy. It is cai- Gulated that during the eignt months over | eleven hundred thousand dollars were spent for supplies. In the lists of purchases ap- beared two items of unusual import thousand magazine rilles—eighteen ‘and dollars.” They were contracted for lm the cast by a western dealer ostensibly to be soid on the piains and were bought | im three jots. But iney reached tne Wash beyou without attracting attention, for they were shipped in pieces at intervals and put togetner in the Laran works. The ether item was—“tive hundred polished nickel 1 plates” made to order by the Corinth Stee: ¢ and consigned to “bradsnew & Mempms, Venn.” These piates tigurei in the mysterious La- which aftewards caused such con- Ks, during ti © eight months, had } offset the increased | ~ such i security | material inf > show t his ebeyance, a the fi Out of tne Laran « lonal step to Our. ting at this * are several berscns but_ they | exhibit try board- ers. Th y on the lawns, but there rin the air above the h tells of Great volun Four Deputy Sheriffs an States Marshal in Pos: two at Dane mastiffs | sads on r paws asleep on}{ the main entrance. | indication in | ong the trees | sk pe on which it srneath its foun- | at up in the lower do- ted as if with of machinery The struc- ations, built. | pavilion, ive p trie sun light. ‘ 3 of La- little s Ds down} to th 1 H gaze has heen dug out evident using | the cowl But it is when we rotunda that we shall be astonished. This magnificent natural temple is brilliantly lit, and a regiment of men is being drilled on its cleared and almost smocth stone floor- ing. The Devil's Gullet is fenced in by an iron rail—for one morning Miss Endicott Was caught walking on its brink and look- ing over, with horror pictured on her face. She was rescued, and Hendricks ordered the place railed in. From the which here is twenty-eight feet above the solid level, Hendricks and three men are Watching the evolutions of the regiment, which are in some respects wholly unlike anything ever before seen in military tac- tics. The vast spaces beyond the rotunda and quite up to the lake itself are packed high with stores. It looks like a series of end- less ware rooms or monstrous depots, and smells heavily like one of those streets | where all the commodities of man obtrude themselves upon the sidewalks and impede ravel. If we penetrate to the hog-back area we shall find that in its passages are stables, and that there are not only horses, but milch cows there, and that the great chasm in the south wall has been converted into a magazine, and has heavy wooden doors across its entrance. The mouth of this chasm, it will be noticed, owing to a turn in the wall, faces directly north. benches of the Laport railway are only two feet above the tops of the wooden doors. Vague rumors were in the air about the Tennessee sanitarium. The secret service of the government was in possession of the facts which set them searching for the man krown as the captaiz., and they had traced him to the Mississippi. Vast quantities of gold had been paid out for goods sent to Laran. One fact elicited another. But in: quiries failed to identify Hendricks with the description given of Kent as he ap- peared on the San Pedro, and the Memphis bank said that he had gold on deposit there prior to the robbery of the Corinth- ian. The moment this sort of inquiry cot into the-papers facts were elicited that could lead to but one conclusion in the end, and events began to point significantly to- ward Laran. No one followed the slow development of public suspicion so carefully as Hendricks. He had the papers forwarded to him under various addresses by Fenning, but it was not till the expiration of the year and a half that he closed the Memphis office and called in Fenning and Miss Laport, be- tween whom appears to have grown up a very strong attachment. Hendricks was too shrewd not to know that the Memphis branch was now the most dangerous out- post. Indeed Fenning had warned him ‘or A Long,Lank Determined Mountaineer some time that his position there was growing untenable, and that he expected every day that their wire would be quietly tapped. This was the-growing crisis of affairs, when, one morning in June, there was a consultation in what Hendricks called his sublibrary. It was a handsomely fitted up room on one side of the rotunda. It was furnished in elaborate style, and four men | were sitting at a large center table, which was heaped with maps and papers. One of the men was Hendricks himself; his eager face was more serious than usual, but he was self-assured and calm. One of the others was Dr. Pellissier. On one side of him sat Fenning, who was studying a rail- road map. On the other sat Gen. Water- son, 2 young and fiery southerner, whom we have seen drilling the regiment. Pel- lissier was smoking a cigarette. Hendricks picked up a letter and read i “There will positively be a strike all along the fine. It is only the preliminary mov ment of a socialistic revolution. The wh country is honeycombed with discontent. All that the er; somebody and the ch: wffering people need is a lead- with the brains, the coura oT to hal all the ele- ments into 2 popular movement.”” . Hendricks laid the letter down. “Gentlemen,” he said, “by next winter I shall be master of the ‘states or their vic. tim. There is jus ” in the treasury T must have a m ore next month.” an you get it?” asked Fenning. Yes, if you carry out my plan. have to spend $100,000 to accomplish our purpose, and in six weeks from that time we shall be shut up here by a siege. It jot till then that we can thoroughiy te our strength and secure <ll the money that we need. Are you prepared for war “It is rather late to ask that question,” said Pellissier. “We are in for conquest equalization of wealth and social justice.” “On the 23d there will be two millions paid over to the First National Bank of St. Mary’s, it be the purchase of the St. plant of iron works by an English syndicat>. We must have that money. Will your men be ready, general?” ey are ready now,” said the general, We could ear! the program tomur. row. I believe y man is anxious to try the novel experiment and win hi dollars.” “The moment the feat is accomplished I thousand will acknowledge that I took money from the monopolists and gave it to the ple. Then we . but we will have a proportion of thing depends our men.” n stop me. A regiment that van- > thin air is a novelty. it what are we to think of an eizhty-pound <un that vanishes it has done its work?” will be a miracl In the first p said the incompre- all. Our fri ning to me a g¢ ¥ do it, and he principle.” Is that what those nickel steel plates were for?” asked Fenning. work id Laport has been n of his invention on a six-inch All three of Hendricks’ companions ex- pressed a strong curiosity to hear what the of the gun was. implicity will astonish you,” s ks. “It gives us a gun of any con ber and two men can tran: rhere. It is constructed on this e. moment a li Ue bell tinkled on board on th side of the room men all looked up at it. It was an ai warning from above. Hendricks » and went to the telephone close at and and listened. Presently he began to repeat a communication: “Four deputy sheriffs and a United States Ise m of the hi through the gate ; | a warrant for the arrest of Hendricks and Fenning Pellissier Mt a fresh cigarette. Where is Miss ? sked in the ‘phone. Hendricks “In her room. ‘Keep your eye on her and let me know if they attempt to take you. Wait a mo- ment.” come to the | Hendricks turned to the men at the table. ! unpainted railway station, | Thej said the | what I can do. I can to New York, march it down Bro e the money out of the Park Bank and cet away before the local | says he has tested | wish Miss Endicott were below,” he Pellissier got up and stretched himself, saying: “You are right.” It was an hour later when fresh word e from the doctor, who had gone above. ‘hese fellows are going to be trouble- some,”" he said, stay. The chief is Marshal Calicot, and I e tray. s he impertinent?” asked Hendricks. “No,” was the answer. “He's as smooth and specious as a diplomat. Two of the others are coarse devuties, but the third I can’t make out. He is a good-looking young fellow with a military air and he and Calicot evidently understand each other.’ Hendricks’ instructions were to this ef- fect: “They will tire themselves out in time. Be cautious, and get Miss Endicott down phere at the first opportunity.” “I suppose we shall) Fenning was piqued. have to be deprived of the lady's society Ull these interlopers go away.” “It looks like it,” replied Hendricks, “but We've got a good deal to do.” The situation was now a very peculiar one. Four officers of the law were quietly waiting within fifty feet of the conspirators, abouts. It was Hendricks’ precipitate matters. He wished above all else not to bring on a conflict with the au- thorities until his plans were all matured. | He felt perfectly safe from force in his re- treat, and he felt reasonably certain that, if the doctor and Mrs. Hendricks were d!s- | creet, the means of communication would ‘not be discovered. He therefore decided to let things take their course above ground /and look after the important matters be- low, feeling pretty sure that the officers would in time grow tired of waiting aim- lessly in the vicinity. And matters below were, indeed, of vital ‘importance to the success of Hendricks’ schemes. Six hugdred men had left the place through the Bayou house during the He Was Rending to Her. week, and four hundred more were to be sent out. This distribution was compara- tively easy so long as he had the use of a boat at the bayou and could distribute the men along the Mississippi. But, even with this advantage, there was a great deal of | detail work. It was resolved to keep a nu- cleus of a hundred men in the place, the rest were repeatedly instructed as to their | future duties, as they left and scattered | over the country. They took nothing away but the clothes they brought with them. | The greatest care was exercised in distrib- uting them. Over a hundred and fifty went | Separately afoot to Memphis, and gave out | that they had been working on the levee at | the bayou. Nearly a hundred went across country eastward into the mountains. It was urgently necessary to get the remain- ing men out before the officers discovered the southwestern exit. It took three days to accomplish this and it soon became apparent tnat Fenning wai more restive than Hendricks. The’ ‘communications were kept up with the ‘sanitarium mainly at night. On the second night Hendricks asked what the situation was and the doctor replied: “Calicot is a guest. He has taken rooms in the north end for himself and the young man whose name is Stocking. He has seen the mails delivered, but they were fortu- nately in the regular bag. He ts walking now on the lawn with Mrs, Hendricks and I take the opportunity ro se down the letters and the most importaat papers. It is well to keep some of them here to make a show.” “Ask him where Miss Laport is," said Fenning, “She is on the balcony.” s she alone?” “No. Stocking fs there. “What is she doing?’ he is in a rocke: something to her.” “Try and get her to the signal room. Fenning is very anxious t» speak to her. Where Miss Endicott?’ “She is in her room. I can’t get her out.” “Has the marshal seen ber?” me: He has been curious about her. I can't get her down without making a scene. “Can't you get the men Hendricks can Stocking is reading away so that communicate with “I thought she did last nizht. I suggested it to her.” “She did not. Tell her I want to hear from he! “Are our men all off the signal room and the following conver- sation took place. “What are you doing with the officers?” “Keeping them in good humor,” What have you learned?” Not much. The principal is a very adzoit man. By some of his attempts to draw me out unawares I faney he has evidence about the Corinthian af- “Ask her,” said Fenning, “if Miss Laport is trying to find out how much the other one knows.” Hend-icks did not ask that question. What he said was: “Does! Miss Laport understand her er?’ “Calicét asked me yesterday,” was the answer, “when she was going away. She ad told Stocking she was soing away in a K or two." nd her down here tonight. Do Her father wishes to see her. ese officers sus- pect the Bayou ho “I don’t think they know of it. pression appears to be 1} and will come back uns into their arms on U Their }m at you are aw:y tasly and fall hewn.” Another day passed. Miss Laport had not been heard from ar 1 it .as not till lete the next night that the doctor Hendricks. “I don’ like the situation her he said. “The ladies if you will permit me to do not appe to be » hurry to of our guests. [ feel 23 if < were In the y. Calicot {8 communivating in some y with the auth: " Hendricks stopped he said, “immediat zh this thi “It is not safe to leave this part of the blishment to the women. You want a man here. I heard Calteot walking through the + night when every bcdy * I don't know what ked Iwm this morning nd he satl tas room so cose it was ike sienna in a cave. This may have am accidental sj eeeh, sail it with a pecallar I he replied, looking me in the eye. uw ities, Tare sure. him. “Come down,” ly. I can’t telk to you ever slept in a cave?” now,I begin to suspect that this is not an officer. Wait, I hear foot- steps overhead.” Hendrick: aited some time and no fresh al coming, he went fo bed. Tt was ». He slept soundly unzil 4 o'clock, he got up, washed himself and went nning was surprised rocker smoking = apartment to wake hi: to si and ting up in a vipe, in his shirt steeves. Hoo,” he said, ‘cou . 0,” replied Fenning. i dont get some sunshine, I shall have permanent in- mn. “Give me one of your ¢ dered Sam to have break get some coffee and go do house and take a ash out doors. it will | ‘ou good t kK to you.” | When he had lit his he vat down and said: nning, you are the coo!»st ran I've got. Let me have your bottom thourht.’ | “I'm aft id Fen- ning, “and the idea of /eing sealed up here makes me restiv “Than':s ankness, Hendricks. idea of treachery. | As to the sealing up, it is impossible. Come and get some strong coifee into you and | then we'll try to get some sunshine. I don't intend you shall be vealed ur | Half an hour later a car was ready, and they got aboard to go to the western en- ance. The ride was a peculiarly ghostly at this ho Here and there an in- ndescent lit up the immediate gulfs, black and fore- oy burr half hour's ride through gigantic shadows and successive strata of odors that tokened stores and the stables. When they arri t the bayou shaft the sleepy sentinel was just being relieved. They went to the signal room, and Hendricks in- ‘quired if his telegram had been received. “Aye, aye, sir," came a cheery voice, a8 nN another world. lit | The moment they stepped from the lift melt the o: id saw the sun- . 4 Fennine. y widen effusive- ness, cried out: “Thank God. He then noticed that Hendricks had his th I for they have come to_ believe he knows more than he will be-| but in entire ignorance of their where- | policy not to repited | and it was a| be- | Powerful field glass over his shoulder. “A dash of action with danger in it will; revive your spirits,” Hendricks said. “We'll | make a reconnoissance. I’m going to take | the captain with us. He's been here over night.” A few minutes later they found four horses, the best the establishment furnish- ed, in waiting, and the captsin turned up, | blinking and growling, but sober. The fourth man of the party was a Tennessee- an, whom Hendricks called Ben—a long, lank, determined mountaineer, with a hatchet face and tangled sand-colored | hair. He had a carbine slung across his shoulder, and he was holding an extra horse with a side saddle and a basket Strapped upon it. Hendricks looked at Fenning and, seeing his surprise, said: “I don't explain because I don’t know myself. We'll be governed by circumstances. I'll tell you more as we go along. Come.” Ben did not know the country any better than did Hendricks. They took to the woods and went north, Hendricks and Fen- ning riding on either side of the captain, and Ben following at some distance behind. It was some time before they reached an open country, and rough as it was they galloped away and soon left Ben far out of ou are going to the Laran house,” said Fenning, who had recovered his spirits. “Yes,” replied Hendricks. “Have you divined the rest?” “No.” “Wait, I hardly know mysel: It was 10 o'clock when the party, having toiled slowly up a long acclivity, came out upon a wooded brow of the hill looking eastward. It was a magnificent stretch of country, and it was radiant with the morn- ing light. Hendricks dismounted and looked through his glass. “If you follow the top of that stone ledge to the second green line of hills, and look between those two rounded knolls, just under that white cloud that hangs down like a teat, you will see the Laran chim- ney." And Hendricks handed the glass to Fenning. “Yes, I can see it,” far is it?” “Approximately four miles and a half. We can get within a pistol shot of the house from this direction. I know every turn in the way. We'll wait here for Ben, get a bite and a drink, take the extra horse and leave him here to wait for us. It was 11 o'clock before Ben came up, and the captain was the most impatient of the party,but Hendricks beguiled the time in telling Fenning some of his earlier expe- riences in the place, and Fenning’s remark as the narrative ‘ended was: “Well, T wouldn’t doubt that woman, either. But you never can tell what a woman will do.” At half-past 11 Hendricks and Fenning, with the captain between them, set off in the direction of the Laran house, Hen- dricks leading the extra horse, This part of the way was by most difficult of any. As th a nded into the valley they had to skirt a primeval morass, its pools inhabited by millions of water-fowl. But Hendricks’ knowledge of the country enabled him to pick his way through the labyrinth, and about 2 o'clock | he said, as he reached an almost impen- | etrable covert and dismounted, “Do you know where you are?” pe looked about him and shook his But the captain recognized Damning his eyes, and Endicott had times. «, 59 has Miss Endicott,” said Hendricks, ‘and now that you are here I hope she will come again. Hendricks fastened his horse and beck- oned to Fenning, who stepped aside out of sight of the captain. A few paces away and covered with brambles there was a smooch crown of rock. Hendricks parted the brush, xot down on his knees and searched a moment with his hands. He then took a small stick and dug the dead leaves out of a depr the rock and put his ear to the spot. said Fenning. “How I odds the the place. he remarked that he been there a hundred “Just listen there a moment,” he said | enning as he got up. What 1s it?” asked Fenning, who had put his ear down to the hole, “It's the dynamo running underneath, It's directly under our feet. J bored that hole nearly two years ago to see how thick the crust was. In all I made about fifty of them, but Laport stopped most of them because they leaked. “We are then within 200 feet of the | house," said Fenning, with astonishment. “We are within twenty feet of the steel fence. You can touch it if you fo through that brush; so speak softiy.” It is ths wild- est spot in the neighborhood, and to reach us the inmates must come rouad from the entrance. There is a corner of road visible from that opening. I'm Boing to ask you to watch it, while I give the cap- tain his instructions.” Fenning took his place at the orening, and almost immediately said: “There's somebody now.” Hendricks quickly used his glass, “It's Mrs. Hendricks and Calicot,” he said. They are going for a ride, and will beep to the road. There’s only’ three of them | left, and one of them is probably on the balcony. We have got to wait.” This was the hardest part of all. One whole hour passed, and the captain swore that four had passed, but Hendric re- peated injunction was: “Have patience and keep silent.” It must have been when, tn a moment of silence, ali three of them heard a twig snap, and Hendricks and Fenning put hands on “heir revolvers. The next instant the green leaves were parted by a pair of white hands, and an equally white face looked suddenly in vpon them, and its eyes rested upon the captain with a look of dreamy hopelessaess and terror. “Miss Endicott,” exclaimed Fenning be- | tween his teeth. | Hendricks, with a motion, bade him te | silent. ‘The girl stepped into the center of the ries space, her eyes still fixed on the cap- tain. “What have you done with him?’ she sal You are to go to him,” said Hendricks. “There is your horse. Get upon it.” Yes," she said. “I must x0.” “Get upon the horse,” repeated Hen- dricks, imperatively, a he ok her hand. ely. “Quick, now he said to Fenning, “we must xet away ‘What would you do asked Fen .. “I would conceal our retreat,” answered Hendricks, in a_ hoarse whisper. (To be continued.) cies ote Figuring the Population. From the Buffalo Express. A determined-looking man came striding | into the editorial room. He held a bit of | paper between the thumb and first finger of | his right hand. “I am looking for the man | who takes care of the statistics,” he said, sternly. | The figure manipulator was at his desk, ————————————————SS 7 these remains the teeth of sharks, many of which must have been as much as eighty or ninety feet long, are conspicuous. ‘There are also numerous bones of species of land animals long ago extinct. BEDS OF PHOSPHATE They Are Wonderfully Rich and | quanuties of these phosphate pebbles ase S = 4 found in the beds of some streams, having Extensive in Florida, QVER A HUNDRED MINES OPENED in gravel bars, which are composed almost wholly of them very often. Being very hard and heavy, they have formed accumu- lations, while other debris has been sifted out and floated away. Such river deposits yield a large part of the present phospnate output of Florida. Peace river is the rich- est locality for that sort of water mining ail the way from Bartow to Charlotte harbor. Other phosphate-producing streams are the Alafia, Manatee and Caloosa- hatchee rivers. Mining for Phosphates. The mining is conducted by scows. Each scow has an engine on board and a pipe which extends to the bottom of the stream. Through the pipe the gravel is sucked up and, being brought aboard, passes over revolving sieves. The refuse of clay and sand, being finer than the phosphate peb- bles, passes through the sieves and is thrown away. The pebbles are dropped into a lighter alongside, which, when it is filled, is towed to market by a tug. One- half of the phosphate thus obtained from the Caloosahatchee river is composed of casts of molluscan shells, which are so perfect as to show even the beaks of the bivalves and the markings of the univalves, In some streams of western Florida the bulk of the phosphate deposit is composed of bones—largely those of mastodons, me- gatheriums, elephants, manatees, muskrats and horses. They are all transformed into Pure phosphate of ime COA s ‘p to thirteen years ago nobody had ever 1857, are already PrO- | wissined that there were any phosphates ducing vast satieaee in Florida. Boulders of the material as big One hundred end six mines for getting out} as flour barrels were frequently us: as s parts | Underpinning for houses, while smaller he stan) eae ae ore i Cchoued that | OBE were employed in the constraction, of chimneys and sugar furnaces and as paving 133,000,000 tons of it are actually in sight. | for sandy sidewalks. In the ruins of the hate deposits of Florida are the | old brick chimneys of the winter quarters eka pepe ary Though science has |of Gen. Andrew Jackson, fragments of the Enough to Fertilize the Farms of the Whole World. AN ENGLISH SYNDICATE Written for The Evening Star. N EXPERT, SENT by the geological sur- vey, starts from Washington this week for Florida. His errand is to try and find out something definite about ihe origin of the phos- phate deposits of that state, which, though only dug tor the market since devoted some attention to studying them, no satisfactory theory as to their formation has, as yet, been formed. The most gen- erally accepted notion on the subject is that the existence of this valuable fertil- izer in such immense beds is due to sca birds of a prehistoric epoch. The part which they took, however, is supposed to have been secondary. ' Ages ago what is now Florida was under water. On the bottom and swimming about were multitudes of mollusks and other crea- tures with shells. The shells which they left behind them when they died formed banks of lime. Eventually a great area of. these banks was uplifted above the surface of the ocean. Upon them sea fowl of var- jous species made their home, breedmg there and depositing their droppings for century after century. Rains poured down upon the banks, ¢is- solving the droppings and causing the ma- nure to infiltrate the shelly substance. Bird Manure contains a great percentage of phosphoric acid. This acid transformed the imy material into phosphate of lime. Of course, this work was: only accomplished through a vast duration of time. How it was performed can be imagined by anybody who has seen the immense rookeries of pelicans and other marine water, fowl which exist to this day in Florida. ecumulation of droppings at such frequently astonishing. In this rmed_ the deposits of guano on off the coast of Peru. The 2 as much as 100 feet deep composed of the excreta of penguins, and other Ss, together with the ex- ¥ remains of seals, sea imals. Ancient Peruvian al offense to kill a_sin- ed on the islands. Most been nearly stripped of 25 lizing material Not Altogether Cert Unfortunately, this pictureaque theory as to the ocigin of the phosphate deposits is not indorsed by all geologists. There is no doubt of the fact that the beds of lime were formed by molhisks and other creatures with shells, some little and some big. whith left their houses behind them when they died. But it is believed by some authorities that the phosphoric acid was derived fro the ocean, which holds much of it in solu- tion. Certain species uf mollusks whose shells are found in the beds secrete phos- phate of lime themselves and may thus have aided in the work. ‘The truth is that this ts one of the puzzles of geology. Nobody Xnows how the de- posits were formed. It is certain that ata comparatively tecent period the lime banks sank beneath the sea, from which they sub- sequently emerged again. Thus they were covered over with several feet in thickness of the sand which is the characteristic sur- face soil of Florida. The beds of the so- called “rock phosphate,” which extend over hundreds of square miles, are located by driving a long iron rod with 2 sharp point down through the sand to the stratum of lime beneath. This stratum of solid stuff forms a layer that is as much as fifty feet thick fu places. it is covered with from two to twenty feet of sand. Over a great t of the state one cannot dig far without coming to the rock phosphate. After :ts presence has been ascertained beneath «a given area of surface soil, the latter is cleared away, and the phosphate of lime is quarried out with blast, pick and shovel. It is dried in kilns and is then shipped to Baltimore and other northern ports. On its arrival it is ground fine and treated with suiphuric acid. The powder thus prepared is mixed with’ vari- ous fertilizing materials, sucn as nitrates, oz bones, horns, blood and such refuse from packing works. The final product, pulver- ized and perfectly desiccated, it not at all offensive to the nostrils, The best phosphate naterial contains as much as eighty per cent of phosphate of lime. The latter in eomposition closely re- sembles bone that has been deprived of its organic matter. Human bones, fur exam- ple, have fifty-seven rer cent of phosphate of lime and thirty-three per cent of cnimal matter. It was only ‘n "843 that the Duke of Richmond, incidentally to some experi- ments, discovered for the first time that the value of bones as a fertilizer was due not to their gelatine or fatty matter, as had been supposed, but to their phosphoric acid, It was this discovery which first excited in- terest in phosphates. Phosphoric acid is one of +h most © it C 2 elemexts sential to vezetable growth. It en- | ters lazgely Into the composition ot piants. Seeds are more than half made of it. A cow at pasture during one samme will take away from the land pounds of it in and the determined-iooking man was es-| corted thither by the office boy. The man | took a long look at the bit of paper he held | in his hand, and then asked: “What is the population of the city of Buffalo?” | ‘The statistician told him that it was some- | thing in the neighborhood of 3: “Huh!” grunted the visitor, expressively. i} Then he took another look ‘at the bit of | paper and asked: “Are the officers of the | Buffalo Street Railway Company reliable | men?” “That is their reputation,” answered the man at the desk. “If they put out figures, them figures is likely to be all straight and right?” | “Certainly.” seemed to be the determined-looking man’s cue. He danced around the room for a while, uttering strange sounds, and then You fellows that make figures sel of fools! asked the statistician, mildly. “How ? ye use you are. You the pepulation of Buffalo is a measly .000, I kin prove that the population of ffalo is 'w in the millions. You in’ about boomin’ the town an’ a an’ when you git a chanst you jist lay right down lik» a lot of | chickens with the pip an’ let figgers what seme other man made go for right with ou.”* *eWhat do you mean?” “I mean that I have here in my hand the | report of the street railway. It says they carried 40, 11 people last year, an’ T | want to know if that there don’t prove that | the population of Buifalo is 4 1? | That’s what it does, and you chumps sit aroun’ and say it’s only 325,000,"" y dear sir,” started . “you are laboring under “[ ain’t laborin’ under nothin’ of the sort,” broke in the determined-looking man. “I got the figgers here, an’ I kin prove what Bui folks is alw: he statis. But.” began the statistician again. The | determined-looking man would not let him continue. “Don’t but me,” he shouted. “it's as plain as the nose on your face. If the folks wasn’t here, the street railway couldn't carry them, could it? That's the population of this town, and don’t you for- get it! London or none’of the rest of them villages is in it. Three hundred and twen- ty thousand! You make me tired. millions is the correct figger, an’ you want to get a meve on an’ let the people know about it. e are livin’ in the metropolis of the world. I got the fiegers to show for jit, an’ I'm the only one that’s onto it. Tell | the people about it, an’, when it comes | time, I hain’t t no objections to their | buildin’ a monument for me for makin’ the | great news known.” |. And while the statistician | his breath, the rowed a few s catching determined-looking man bor- old papers and disappeared. | single | him an Englishman, turned up at the De- | official experts could teil him. | chemist in the employ of a British sy: (tensive areas of phosphate lands in | product, and, if it wa: veal and milk. Accordingly, the soil must be continually resupptied with it. Thus it <t atiention should ve been excited abroad by the discovery of phosphate deposits in Florida, Geergia, orth and South Carolina. In ‘the last. named state, which, us a producer, zanks next after Florida, there ar present thirty mines in operation. Small’ mines have been opened in varlous othe> parts of the country. An English Syndicate. Only the other day a howling swell with a eyeglass, whoge accent proclaimed is not surprising that < I partment of Agriculture here with a request for some information about American phos- phate deposits. It present! he Knew more on the subject than the He was a dicate which had sec ured options on e: the south. His orders w t> to close the bargains. It was asked if he had made any purchases as yet. “Yes, he said, “a few—about 100,000 acres, per- The fact is,” Americans are nopolies, don’t you know, that we thonght we had better hurry up and secure some of the lands before ‘you gobbled them. Of he explained, “that you course, over in England we are quite de- | pendent on phosphates for making the soil fertile price, and we should not like to be entirely at the mercy of you Yankees.” “But,” inquired one of the department experts, “are you not trying to set up a monopoly of your ow “Not at all, my dear sir,” he replied. “I beg you to believe that we intend nothing of the sort. You must understand that our syndicate includes a great number of gentlemen—in fact, several hundred ‘and- holders, don't you know. It is our interest to keep the price of phosphates down, in order that our tenants may buy them. If they become too dear, the tenants would be economical in emplqying them, and the land would become” impoverished. That would be a great source of loss, don’t you know.” In the middle part of Florida hundreds cf miles of soil are underlaid with a stratum many feet thick of pebbles of phosphate. It is supposed that these are fragments of what was originally a rock formation of phosphate of lime, such as hes been al- jready descritied. By the action of water jthe rock became disintegrated, and the | same agency has worn the pebbles to shapes |of more or less roundness. Mixed in with | them are discovered great numbers of the teeth and bones of various animals. Among ° appeared that | analyze the | found satisfactory, | ch awful fellows for mo- , We have got to have them at any | valuable substance contained in the clay can still be seen. In the winter of 1881 Capt. J. Francis Le Raron, while survey- ing Peace river, discovered the wealth in the pebbles. He was in command of a detachment of the engineer corps of the army. Fully appreciating the scientific as well as commercial importance of the find. he shipped nine barrels and boxes of the phosphate to Prof. Raird of the Smithsonian Institution. Nevertheless, he was not able to induce anybody to invest money in the mines. One capitalist refused to pay for a large area of rich territory as much cash as the same individual sub- sequently gave for a single mine. In 1887 Col. T. S. Morehead, after ex- amining the gravels of Peace river, estab- Ushed the industry which has since become so vast a source of profit. Last year a French syndicate invested more than half a million dollars in Florida phosphate lands. This resource has mad? the railways of that state profitable and has even built many of them. The available supply ts well nigh inexhaustible and promises to bring enormous wealth to the flowery penin- 4 sula. RENE BACHE. —79“-—-— One Man’s Way of Giving Mensages. From the New York Tribune. The average New York man has his own views regarding the suburban native. A lawyer and his wife, who live in this city, decided to spend last Sunday evening with their sister in Westchester county. They had promised to go out on a certain train, when the sleigh was to be waiting for them at the station. On the day when they were to start the New Yorkers, seeing that they could not go by that train, tried to telephone to the Westchester county house. Something was wrong, however, with the Westchester tele- phone, and so the lawyer called up the sta- tion agent, who keeps a stable, is post- master, road commissioner and everything else, “Will you send word to Mr. S—,” he asked, “not to send to the 2:40 train, but to have the sleigh at the station for the 4 o'clock train?” The stable keeper, &c., promised that he would and that ended the conversation. When the lawyer and his wife stepped off the train they found a brother-in-law wait- ing for them who looked as if he had a grievance “Why in the world dian't you send me word that you were going to wait over a train?” he asked. “I have been freezing around here for an hour and a half.” “Why, didn’t J-——, the agent, tell you?” “Not a word from J—." So they took the complacent agent, &c., to nd this is the way he explained ‘ou see,at first I was going to send over, and then I thought to myself, your coach- man would come over for the ) train and I could tell him. Then he could go back and tell you.” “Well, but you did not say a word to me when you saw that Iand not the coachman, had com “Well, what was the use? As long as you were here there was noguse sending you back to your house to tell your own self something, was there? So I didn’t bother you.” ‘The Lott-Toole Burglar Alarm. From Puck. Mr. Howson Lott and his neichbor, Mr. Gardner Toole, connect their houses by a wire, so that either can call the other in case of burglars. Pet) aD The same evening Mr. Toole, while ex- Plaining the idea to some visitors, unwit- tingly pulls the wire. | | Mr. Lott, who had retired, promptly re- sponds to the summons. Mr. Lott's sudden appearance at Mr. Toole’s house causes sur nd amuse- ment. oo He—-“Didn’t you see aay? I saw you twice. She—“I_ never notic dition.” —Puck. RAILROADS. PENNSYLVANIA PALROAD. STATION oo +4 orl a we: fect. Junuary 11:05 A.M. PENNSYLVANIA " fED.—Pullman Drawitg and State Room, Slecping, Dining, Smok- ing and Observation Cars Harrisburg te Gaicage, Vincinnati, Indianapolis and Cleveland lor Car to Harrisburg. 1G "AAC Fast LINE —For Pittsburg, Parlor ‘ars to Pit) 398 PM. CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS EXPIESS man Rufet Parlor Car to a ing and Dining Cars, Harrisbarg to Toa, Cincionati and Chi 7:10 WESTERN ing Cars to Chies _ Dining Car to Chicago. 7:10 PM. SOUTHWI ‘N_ EXPRESS. Sleeping Car to St. Louis and Sleeping and Cars Harrisburg to Cincinnati. 10:40 PM. PACIFIC i b. 7:50 A.M. “for Kane’ Niagara Falls daily, 11:05 A.M. for Will vt Sunday. For 7:10 P.M. for Will Magara Falls daily, ing ‘Car Washington 10:40 P.M. for Erie, Batalo daily, 15, 4:20, Pbiladelphia ouly, Fast a ed 2:01 and 5:40 P.M. daily. and 3:15 P.M. daily. on For Baltimore, 6:25, 7:20, 7-50, 5 ited), 4: os — .< 20, 4:36, M. Pennsylvania avenue and streets, where orders can ‘Ticket of to SPENCER, F. W. 4 a oltetbEs i; HUIDEKOPER “AND edu Save Alt trains 4-7 ieee. Senger Stat 8:00 a.m. ~ ae at Deaville with | Gherieston vis Columbia and at Greensbore | Sleeper for Augusta, also carries | Buffet ‘Sleeper New’ York ‘to ret connection is made | gomery and New A 4:45 p.mu.—Daily for Chariots | mei ations, and ‘through “trate, “tet SSE | Re i aoe 4 eros tie | ekx “VWalSTRULED Liste | Of Pullman Vestiiuled Sieepers ‘aud’ Tuns over the NEW SHORT LINE ia ta, Savannah, J and ing car, Cuariotte’ to Jacksouville, Pulluatl Sleeper New “York to New Orleoe | Atianta and Moni ‘ew York to ia Salisbury, amd "Warhtagten ar Birminguaia. ” Dining “Car Greeubore’ te Mowe 241 TRAINS ON WASKINGTON AND OBIO DIVIS-| = sy ne et 9:10 am. 4:35 p.m, i. for Row . and 6: except Sun: | for’ Herndon. and ‘iutermeain's turcing, arrive W: daily, fron, Round Mill. Sunlsy, from Herndon oaly. rotigh ses Div i ‘Sunday, and S340 a.m. daiiy frou: Chariottese tic 8 kets, Sleen Car reser information fernished at ofices, Sil and. 1300 Pee avenue, and at Passenger Station, Pennsylvania | Railroad, Washington, D.C. WwW. Be wa LENORE. AND ‘Ou10 | . HDL IN EFFECT NOV. i Leave Washingion from station corse at” New For Coicage na? Srenne and © st. ‘or Chicago and Northwest, Vestibaled Limited express trains 11:30 an, S13 pam For Cincinnati, St. "Louis and express 112240, Vestibuled Limited *3:80 p.m, ht 115 3 Sleeping Cars through. For Luray, 3:30 p.m. daily. For Baltimore, ‘week da: 15 (8:00, 45 minutes), 49 cuinutesy a E 05, 1.200, 45 minutes), 3:25, 4:81," x5:00, 9-50, 10:00, x11:30, 11°25 p.m. For Aunapolis, 7:15 and 8.30 | pm. Sundays, 3:30 «. r For Frederik, 11:30 p.m. For Hagerstown, [112 For Bord aud way pois For Gaithe *10.00 am., 1130 p Wastington Junction and way points, °10:00 | 13 pu. Express trains stopping @t prin- / cipal stations only. '4:30, 15:30 p.m. ROYAL BLUE LINE For ww : ADELPHIA. ‘ For uiladelplida, New York, Boston and. the 3:30, 8200 ¢ . ex. Sup. Dining 00 Dining Cari, (8:00 ‘Dining Can, w (11-30 pan Sleeping “Car, open at” 20: e'elock). uffet Parlor Cars on all day trains. re ie City, 10:00 a.m, and 12:00 geen 00 nog ly. | Sunday only. am, CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RaILWarY, Schedule in effect November 30, 1893. Trains leave daily from Union station (B. an@ P.), 6th and B sts. rough the grandest scenery im America with the handsomest aad most complete solid train serv- ice West fom Washington. 2:00 . P. ag my and St. Louts Special”’—Solid Ve vu New! upped, Elec- tric-lighted, Steam-heated' ‘Train. finest Sleeping cars Washington to Cincinnati, Indian- apolis ard St. Louis without change. Dining car from Maysville serving bredkfast. Arrives Cincin- nati, 7-55 a m.; Indianapois, 11:30 a.m., and Chi- cago, 5:15 p.m.; St. Louis, 7:30 pa i110 Pal. DAILY—The famous “F. F. V. Lim- Ited. A solit vestibuled trai, with dining car Pullman sleepers for Cincinnati, la 2 Lowisville, without change; arti nc 7:30 a.m., 0 Indianapolis, 11:20 p.m.; Chicago. it. Louis, 7:45 @.m., connecting in Union depot. 6:30 p.m.; Lexington, p.m; Mine. DAILY—Express for Charlottesville, Waynesboro’, Staunton and princi- pal Virginia points; daily, except Sunday, for Rich- 4. = Paliman locations end 4 eS scure of. fices, 513 and 1421 Penneylvania aver Pum, 00 P.M. 0 = ; POTOMAC RIVER BOATS. “NEW PALACE mk H ‘Dall wharves as far down as Maddox creek, i Alex. GEV. O. CARPENTER, Gea. STFAMER MATTANO For Mattox Creck and intermediate landings from 7th sizeet wharf every SUNDAY, TUBS DAY and THURSDAY at 7 o'clock a.m. Pas- ‘anger and freight rates the lowest. For in- forwation apply G. L. SHERIFF, Coal Omes, B25 Pa. ave. D.W. tel6-3m WASHINGTON 5 From fe19-tt c hh wt. ferry wharf, Wakeseld on MUNDAXS. ~WEDNES Steamer DaY URDAYS at 7 a.m. 5 and to- NDATS. Ste schedule ‘3 and SUNDAYS. «See schedule. _ © Wo nwiey” ‘Geo'l Manager. NORFOLK AND WASHINGTON STEAMBOAT CO. 7 INE RETWEEN WASHINGTON, D, sgorgod PORKTRESS MONROE and Ge NORPOLK. Va. | ‘The new and powerful Iron Palace Steamers. | WASHINGTON AND NORPOLK-—SovuTH BOUND, rn THUKSD. 430-t¢ j_ leave Washington daily at 7 p.m. from foot of Th st. wharf. arrive at Fortress Monroe at 6: a.m. next Arrive at Norfolk at 7:30 | where railroad con south and southwest etious are made for all points NORTH BOUND, Leave Norfolk daily at 6:10 p.m. Teave Fortress Monroe a 10 pm. Ar e at Washington at 619, 1351 and 1421 Pen INO. CALLAHAN,