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Thursday, Jan. 16, 1913. "On Board the Good Ship Earth" *&* (Copyright, 1913, by Herbert Quick. They say the chameleon feeds on atr, Well, bo do we. And this calls to mind a true story. Once there lived on the good ship Earth —and still lives for aught 1 know —an Englishman named North —Colonel North, "The Nitrate King." Of all the earth-beings who have gained dominion over their fellow-passengers on this great globular Zeppelin, Colonel North once seemed to have the greatest dominion— greater than that of Rockefeller, or Cecil Rhodes of South Africa, or Clive the Conqueror of Hindustan, or the "Gentlemen Adventurers" of the Hudson's company. Greater than the dominion of Genghis Khan of Tartary, Attila the Hun, Alaric the Goth, or Genseric the Vandal. For it seemed at one time as If Colonel North the Nitrate King and his descendants would be able through their ownership of the nitrate beds of Chill to make all their fellow Passengers buy nitrates of them, until the beds should be exhausted—and then all the Passen gers of the good ship Earth—after moving about from one nitrogen . exhausted place to another, and warring and wasting and ravaging as peoples always do when they move—were to starve together for lack of nitrates! What greater deed could a monopolist hope to achieve than to get hold of something which God made for all of vs —who are nil in the same boat remember —sell it to us at starvation prices and lord it over the rest of us; even though at the last we should • use up the supply, and all starve? Truly, a gigantic and charac teristically nineteenth-century conception! The thing the Colonel had cornered was nitrogen for the growth of crops. What is nitrogen? It is one of the ten elements of plant food that must be found by the roots of the plants or they die. And all animal life is based on plant life—-and we Passengers arc ani mals. So there you are! Of these ten elements, only three or four are often scarce in the soil —nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and probably sulphur; and the Colonel had the nitrogen—or so he thought. For though 75 per tent of the air in which every plant grows is nitrogen, the crops cannot u«e it. It is "free" nitrogen, and the crops can't eat it unless it is "fixed" —that is, tied up with Borne other chemical element. There are 75,000,000 pounds of ni trogen in the air which rests on every acre of land; and the crop dies for wnnt of it unless it is "fixed" or tied up with something else in chemical bonds! A soil is in good condition for crops if it possesses two tons of this 75,000,000 pounds per acre —but how to get it? Sdience was in despair. But Colonel North, I suppose,, was in high feather. For in Chili nitrogen has accumulated in the form of nitrates in the soil until that dry region is the great storehouse of the fixed nitrogen of this great airship Earth in which we are all Passengers, going we know not where. Sir William Crookes ♦•put on his black cap and gave out the sentence of science. This was the verdict: A good soil possesses only from 2500 to 10,000 pounds of nitro gen per acre. A good crop takos from this store from 75 to 400 pounds per acre, depending on the crop. Call it 75 so as to scare ourselves as little as possible, and give every acre 10,000 pounds, ■which is twice what we can count upon, and where are we? Why, we can see our way to 134 crops, and a part of another. But there's m Colonel North with his paper title to the nitrate parts of the decks " of the ship God gave us all—how about Colonel North and his nitrate beds? Well, said science, at the present rate of shipments, they will last only a few decades, at most—some said 30 years, some 300 —because nobody knows lust how much Colonel North had. And then? Why then, with that illimitable sea of nitrogen about our heads, we shall all gradually die of starvation! There was no way out of it —human life is based on plant life, and plant life on nitro gen, and the fixed nitrogen supply is approaching exhaustion. So said science through Sir William Crookes. Hut the good farmers of the world always felt that Sir William ■was a bit off. They know that when they planted clover, beans, vetch, peanuts, or any other leguminous—that is pod-bearing—crop, and plowed it under, the soil seemed richer in nitrogen afterwards. Science said that that couldn't be. "For," said science, "all the nitrogen the legume gets, it gets from the soil, and you can't get any more by plowing back what you've just taken out! Moreover, the scientists "proved" by experiment that the pod-bearers don't secrete nitrogen from the air. ». "liut," said the good farmer, scratching his head, "it IS richer, for all that!" "Nonsense!" said science. And then the most wonderful discovery of agricultural science convinced the wise men that the farmer was right. Science found that on the roots of these leguminous plants are little knobs like tiny potatoes, and in the knobs, millions upon millions of little plants called bacteria, so small as to be invisible to the naked eye. We used to think they were disease-galls! Suddenly through the pa tient researches of science, the mistakes of science were corrected; and we were informed that these bacteria, unlike the big plants, have the power to take free nitrogen out of the air in the ground, and fix it so the other plants can get it! Science threw up its hat. We needn't starve for lack of nitro gen! Colonel North's descendants can't look forward to the time ■when the other Passengers on the good ship Earth will come crawl- Ing on their bellies, begging nitrates, supplicating for the privilege of living on board a while longer. We can get our nitrogen out of the air. When God started to build a world, he started from the bot ' torn. When the first plants were evolved, they had to be plants •which could get nitrogen from the air, because there was none in the rocks. The first plants were one-celled plants which could do this. When the clover began business the bacteria came around and asked the privilege of building houses in which to live on the clover roots. "Certainly," said the clover. "Rut you've got to pay rent." "All right," said the bacteria. "We'll furnish the nitrogen, If you'll look out for the other taltle board, and the matter of lodg ing. Is it a go?' "It's a go!' said the legume; and they have been partners ever since, each living on the other, and all taking nitrogen out of the air for themselves and other plants. In the crust of the earth there is only a trace of nitrogen, and all there is, so far as I know, is in the soil. I suppose that all of it which is in the soil has been taken from the air by the bacteria and fungi—Colonel North's and all the rest. If these tiny, tiny pas sengers had not come aboard millions of years before us, we could never have come into being. Despise not the day of small things. The basis of all life is the life which is too 6mall to be seen by the microscope. I often wonder what we should have done about North's monop oly, if Crookes had not been mistaken. Would the other Passengers have recognized his paper title to the power to starve them? I wonder! The courts, of course, would have stood up for Colonel North! Compare Our $475 Player Piano With Anything Under $600 Offered Elsewhere There is just one way to prove this state ment—come in and see and hear this $475 Player. We can write pages of description, but all we might say would not convince you half as quickly as to see and hear this instrument yourself. We want you to come in. You will not be disappointed. Do not feel that we expect you to purchase—we want you to hear and appreciate this Player Piano whether you intend to buy or not. ShermaniMay & Go. Mrlnwßjr and Other Planoa—Apollo aad Ccelllaa Playe* Plaaoa—Victor Talking Machines—sheet Mnale and Musical Merchaadlae. 928-930 C Street, Tacoma Getting Food Out of the Atmosphere See tmorrow's Times for announcement of the next Article in this great series. ELY'S PRETTY YOUNG WIDOW REFUSES $800 A WEEK WITH FLYERS BLANC HK ELY. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. IC.—Mrs. Blanche Ely, beau tiful young widow of Eugene Ely, the aviator who was killed a little over a year ago, today refused an offer of $800 a week to ride aloft with a troupe of professional aviators now showing in California. Manager Del Hart made Ely's young widow the offer believing that her exception al beauty and the interest attached to her as the widow of the intrepid Ely would justify the big salary of fered. The offer as made througth the parents of Mrs. Ely, who live in this city, and it was not considered. $>^<$<&s><S><S><£<s><s<s><s>s><B><S><B>e><S>,s><£(s><3>,g)<j>,s,<£ < g, < § )< £ ( 3 > <S ><> ♦ <5> -S> This is the day after. <s> <S> Every train and boat from Olympia is today bringing a ♦ -$> weary lot of Tacomans tired out from the strenuous celebra- ♦ ♦tion at the inauguration of Governor Lister yesterday. 3> <S> Many came home last night on a special train that left -*> <$> Olympia about midnight. <j> <J> <s><S><s><S><s><S><J><»<3><s><s><S><s><S><S)<}<S><j><S><s><j>^><?>^><j><j.<j>^.^ >^,<j,<5 > RUNAWAY WIFE CAUGHT WITH ALLEGED MURDERER IN PORTLAND PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 1C. — On a charge of robbing postof fices, John Torgerson is today being held here awaiting the ac tion of government postal offi cials. According to the officials, Torgerson has confessed to ron bing four postofrkes, three rail road stations and eight stores, In southern Oregon between Decem ber 27 and January 8. Mrs. Arthur Dietz of Vienna, Cal., who, with her two children, STAY EXECUTION OF ALLEN GANG RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 16. — Governor Mann this afternoon gave Floyd and Claude Allen, Hillsville mountaineers, another respite. They were to have been electrocuted at dawn tomorrow. In a statement this afternoon the governor announced he had set February 1 as the date for hearing arguments and pleas for commutation of the death sen tence. YOUR SOUR, GASSY, UPSET STOMACH WILL FEEL FINE N FIVE MINUTES. "Really does" put bad stomachs in order —"really does" over come indigestion, dyspepsia, gas, heartburn and sourness In five minutes — that — just that — makes Pape's Diapepsin the largest selling stomach regulator in the world. If what you eat ferments into stubborn lumps, you belch gas and eructate sour undigested food and acid; head is dizzy and aches; breath foul; tongue coated; your insides filled with bile and indigestible waste, remember the moment Diapepsin comes in contact with the stomach all such dis tress vanishes. It's truly astonishing—almost marvelous, and th« joy is Its harmlessness. 1 DIAPEPSIH I KM II MAKES DISORDERED STOMACHS | :§&ski2->^\ fTWpf |a If FEEL. FINE IN FIVE MINUTES. I .■J^Mfcy^^X^KTl^^^ HfJ7 CURES INDICESTION. DYSPEPSIA, I.^j^^^WXC^^^^n LARGE 30 CENT CASE-ANY DItUG STORE. >10mB*WtW mr THE TACOBiA TIMES. were with Toraerson at Rosenurg when he was arrested, is alleged to have stated that Torgerson was responsible for the death of .lames Miller, a ranch hand w'io was shot to death at Vienna De cember 4. Mrs. Deitz' husband is now un der arrest at Vienna charged with complicity in the killing of Mil ler. Mrs. Dietz left her husband to accompany Torgerson. CITY TO PRINT ORDINANCES The city is getting ready to republish city ordinances and old ordinances are to be largely re vised. Yesterday nearly a dozen of the old ordinances were introduced to be repassed after being brought up to date. It will cost probably $2,500 to publish the book, but the city will get part of it back selling copies to lawyers. - ■ I 111 I "': " I lIIHH^HBB I B^r^^^^ B ■■1 ' - fIHiBBBHI 111 I ■■ MH I Bl B 111 II fit■ Ef H llii ■ I I 111 JiALE ' I II II I B I II wf%lwlmii w B BB B^ B H 881 Bl^^^" Ob Bb VJIHwOf I SUPREMACY ■ IN VALUE GIVING | It christoffersen co. I§M MONSTER FIRE SALE I il 925 So. C Street I The Onslaught Has Been Terrible! But We Refill the Vacated Ranks With New, Better and B More Tempting Bargains. ■ §1 FRIDAY and SATURDAY I Will prove interesting days for all in need of Coats, Suits and Underwear; also a special cut in B all lines of Dresses. Counters piled full with offerings each and every day. ■ ■1 | Down goes the prices. Out goes the goods, at yours, anxious to please 9 %[ Patch AlT^^^^mx^^^ Fancy I 2ZJI 925 C ST.TACOMA.WASH. L_Z^_ I e> <• •> THEATRICAL <• (> <J •> Taeoma — Tomorrow and <! «> balance of week, African •• »> Lion Hunt pictures. >? » 4 i> Princess —All week, with 4 •> matinee Sunday and Wed- 3 nesday, the Princess players <? > In "In Mizzoura." <$ -> <$ $> Empress—All week, aft- 4 •> ernoon and evening, six <? •> vaudeville acts. $ •> <$ •> Pantages— All week, aft- <? > ernoon and evening, six <• •> vaudeville acts. 4 •> « AT THE TACOMA An impression seems to prevail pretty generally that the Paul J. Itainey African expedition motion pictures which will be shown at the Taeoma t,heater four days starting Thursday, pursued lions to their lairs without guns or rifles, depending alone on their American dogs. But such was not the case. Mr. Rainey used bear hounds to trail the beasts and then unleashed a pack or Airedale terrierß upon them and when the battle had proceeded sufficiently far, he dispatched the quarry with a bullet. The dogs gave the lion the fight of their lives, but in no instance was the battle allowed to progress suffi ciently far to ascertain whether or uot the dogß could kill the li.i. unaided. 1 AT THE EMPRESS f •—' • Most character women, as the stage i-.-ilis them, must use much makeup. One of the most widely known women who plays such parts boasts of using a quart of grease paint a season. M'lss Marie Stoddard, who is ap pearing this week at the Empress, 1b an exception. With just a touch here and there of makeup. Miss Stoddard changes herself froni a handsome society woman to a dowdy country girl. She is doing this thrice daily and there are many who believe tliere are two women in her act. The secret Is facial expression, she says. By twisting her hair and putting on her comedy dress, and "working her face" as she calls It, she becomes a typical backwoods girl. "Makeup Is not altogether nec essary," she explains. "Facial expression is everything, and grease paints are only Intended to counteract the high lights of tb« stage." $400,000 IS STOLEN CHICAGO, Jan. 16. —ltol>l>ery of a satchel containg stock which claimed to have a face value of $400,000 was reported to the po lice today by W. D. Wade, presi dent of the Australian Marten Fibres, limited. Wade said the satchel had been stolen from him at the Northwestern depot, where he had just arrived rrom St. Paul. PLANNING MORE IMPROVEMENTS Counting the big 11th street bridge, which is not yet quite done, there were improvements on at the first of this year amount ing to $1,000,000 in Taooma. The weather has been such the big paving jobs in the South End have not yet been finished. COOK HAS PLAN County Assessor C. A. Cook is out with the annual wail from the county assessors in this county against the method of assessing railway property. The plan is admittedly bad, but it is up to the legislature to change it. FOUR DAYS, STARTING TODAY Matinees Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Return Engagement—The Motion Picture Sensation of the World. Paul J. Eainey's African Hunt New facts about one of the great est hunting trips of modern times Prices 25c and 50c. Iteservcd Seats PRINCESS THEATER MAIN 7700 THIS WKKK "IN MIZZOURI" Bargain Matinees Wednesday and Saturday, 10c and 25c. Evening Prices, 20c, 3Oc and sOc. EMPRESS NICK'S HOIXKU SKATING GIRLS —Other Big 8. & C. Acts—t ■ BIG HI 1,1, TODAY ALICE TEDDY i Melnotte lianolo Troupe - B—OTHKR I KATIUKS—B BANKERS TRUST BANK SHOWS BIG INCREASE At the annual meeting Tuesday of the Hunkers Trust company stockholders, reports showed nn increase in deposits in five years from $200,000 to $1,100,0H0. A new hoard of directors was elect ed as follows: W. C. Wheeler, 0. P. Danaher, Harry Welty, W. PRINCESS ™ I I IIIUL.UU Phone Main 7760 THE HOME OF HIGH-CLASS STOCK C. L. Richards Presents The Princess Stock Company In In Mizzouri Augustus Thomas' Funny Character Play Staged Under Direction of Wm. H. Dills NEXT WEEK McCutcheon's Charming Romance "Beverly of Graustark" Beautiful Costumes and Scenery First Costume Play Presented by Princess" Stock Company in 51 Weeks. ■\y LARGE AUGMENTED CAST Prices Do Not Change. Bargain Matinees Sunday, Wednesday and Sat > urday, 10c, 25c. Evenings, ; 20c, 30c, 50c ■ PAGE THREE. C. Davle, C. W. Morrlll and J. F. Murphy. Officials: W. C. Wheeler, president; R. E. liorgan, vice president; Harry Welty, cashier and secretary. C. H. Grlnnell, vice president; George B. Burke, manager.