| Show FIGHT FIG fOR RICH PRIZE Of DISERT Bands of Armed Men Meli Arrayed for Possession of Valuable Potash Deposits Recently Discovered Near Death Valley DIPLOMATIC FORCES ARE BUSY AT WASHINGTON Germany and Great Britain Seek to Retain Monopoly on Production While Americans Expect to Control Market Special to The Herald n. n S C QAN AX X PRA FRANCISCO CISCO Dec 22 Down Down I i i 1 the lonely Mojave desert in San Bernardino county count hard by the entrance to Death valley a 3 bitter fight is about to be waged between bands ban s of armed men wen for possession of the richest stake in the history of California mining the mining the newly discovered creel ered potash and borax deposits of Searles lake X Not ot even in the the- thrilling romantic bistor history of bonanza days in the west when a adventurers and claim jumpers harassed the mining camps and fought fought- for tho the prize of gold is there therea a ii parallel of the daring attempt about to be made in these civilized c ed days to grab literally from the holders of this vast at desert wealth a a. share that willbe will willbe willbe be worth millions if it the scheme is successful Thirty men equipped with rifles tines and revolvers re will leave le vo Los Angeles to tomorrow tomorrow tomorroW to- to morrow via Ja Mojave o for the p potash tash sink v which will be lC the scene of oi at attack attack at- at tack teck on the present resent owners o nors of or the property They were recruited as a fighters fIghters brave determined men inca who arc are prepared to take any risk to gain th the object for tor which the tho raid Is being n made de nai namely ely th the physical possession of placer r acres of ot tho lake Itself La Lav Force Forc p. p Opposed to them will be 00 five tl deputy deput United States Slates marshals fifteen en Burns detectives and a dozen or more deputy sheriffs some of whom were sworn orn In yesterday to help defend the claims from the invaders This guard heavily armed is now divided between the only two passes leading Into the region and no matter which approach is ItS chosen chos n tho the Jumpers claim will be met and turned back The authority of o the defenders defend rs is the United States circuit c court urt Tho The at attackers attackers nt- nt are arc without tho the law entirely B By an order of ot the court anyone anona who willfully invades the property is guilty gunt of contempt of the federal court Because of ot the vast ast prize this fact has not deterred those who have planned and are now about to execute the raid It will be a battle of ot force not law a for tor tho the millions that lie within the great re t salt alt sink Unlimited There are acres in the Crystal marsh possessing unlimited quantities of potash borax and soda sufficient to glut the markets of tho the world Hitherto Hither Hither- to Germany German has controlled tho the potash Industry of the globe and since Ince the discovery discover dis dis- dis California California Califor Califor- In n cover covery of the tho rich deposits nia the German syndicate has set Its diplomatic agents in Washington to working out a plan that will enable it to gain g-aln control of the new nov competitive fI field ld I With this cn end in view pressure has haa been brought upon the President and the cabinet to thwart a a. bill in Congre Congress s that seeks to place perpetual control contral I Continued on Page Pasc r y Column 6 G. FIGHT T FOR RICH PRIZE OF DESERT Bands of Armed Men Battle for Claims in Potash Field Reid A Continued from Page One of the potash mines In American com corn panics England also Iso Is Interested as tho Foreign Mines lInes D Development company compau of or London Is now In possession of or the property rue Tho developments at Washington WashIngton Wash ash ashin in ington ton which point to to international complications of ot broad broa significance tend rather to complicate the contest that Is 18 Imminent at the lake Inke low It Is a three cornered battle On Onono one ono side Is tho the Foreign 1 Mines Development Devel el company of oC En England the greatest great grent- est cst mining organization In the world 1 The foremost opponents of or tho the English Eng Eng- lish Ush capitalists ls are arc tho the German ers The Tho second faction comprises an nn official of tho Standard 1 Oil company compan t tand and C. C E. E Dolbear an original locator of or th the tho salt lake halce claims The Tho third circle of oC contestants comprises comprises com corn prizes a II number of or men wh 1 forcibly obtained claims at the lake and who Vho must perfect these claims b by performing perform perform- ing their assessment C work before the i close of 1912 nt at Washington At Washington pressure has been brou brought ht on executive officials and on Congress to promulgate legislation that would forever bar a foreign corporation corporation corporation corpora corpora- tion front from possessing possessIng- American potash fields Germany now the sole producer er or of oC potash quietly but thoroughly through h British channels Is opP opposing American governmental o action realising realis In ing that tho the le legislation would en end for for- or- or over the tho ambitions of or certain German producers to control the worlds world's potash potash potash pot pot- ash On the other hand a 3 number o of California men among amon them E E. II It Merrill Mer Mer- rill nh head of oC tho the lubricating oils de department do- do of oC the tho Standard Oil compan stockholders s cr-s of or tho the Trona company compin C C. E. E D who relocated the tile Searles lake six years n ago o. o and antl Frank M. M r. r Smith known as Borax Smith who whose o c Death valley holdings s arc aro threatened with possible depreciation elation would d desire to tn prevent German control con eon hoping either to share in the holders profits with the tho present through h pos c of stock or r through purchase Colonel Merrill holds an op option option op- op tion on tho the Trona company compan to J. J purchase the plant at This company will he be a n corporation formed either In ip Calif California Califor 01 am nia or Nc Nevada a and In spite of ot the rep rep- v lion of Interested persons at Washington practically under American Ameri can an control Cowl CON of Production 1 Cut Coincident with the potash in lu tr tHo the situation assumed a new now an nn Invention lr of John IT TT Hornof Horn Horn- Reduction Gas soy oy of tho the General Uv Jh lU 4 41 H 1 Wall all all street street t New York of oC n a method for obtaining pr precipitation of oC nit nil the tho salts alt in the tho tn Vast ast t sink from rom the tho brine Instead of or from the tho l 1 a heretofore Through h this Invention tho co cost t of pro pro- ro was WM cut to almost nothing Brine pumped from th tile tho l lok bk reduced Into It its salts enabled tho Trona Ti-ona corn com pan pails panto to do n a away with the C co cOstly work worx or of I 1 tho h he salt to lo tilt tile re reduction re- re work worl I It t was WI this 0 that ed Borax Smith to lon abandon his lake lako claims years vears ngn for tho more accessible deposits In Death vu T Te Test t f machinery of the n new Invention In IP If Parried guards at the works ni nl ht tiny |
