Underwood & Underwood, Geography

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Underwood & Underwood was started by Bert and Elmer Underwood of Ottawa, Kansas. In time, their company became the world's largest producer of stereo cards. In 1920, Underwood & Underwood's stereo card business was taken over by Keystone, but the two brothers continued as a major seller of news photographs. The port picture has some damage to the back of the card, but here's what's still there. "11194. Geography-Maracaibo is located on the western shore of Lake Maracaibo and has the best harbor on the coast, which can be used by the largest steamers, when once the sandbars at the entrance are cleaned out. A small American steamer runs between Curacao and Maracaibo three times a month and a great deal of trade is carried on through this port, though La Guyara, which is the seaport for Caracas, has most of the commerce. Products and Industries-Transportation.-Because of it's location in the centere of a region where coffee, rice, tobacco, cocoa, cotton and indigo are produced this city exports a great deal of each of them. The bags upon our right are to be shipped to New York and probably contain the famous Maracaibo coffee which has become so popular in recent years. The empty bags are on the cars to our left, which run down the length of the pier, making shipping an easier (damaged) South American ports. (damaged) here to other parts of (damaged) the third important commercial city in the country has about 40,000 inhabitants. It is Spanish built and surrounded by beautiful coconut groves. Refer again to this view when considering Political, Social, and Economic History of America, Agriculture, Child Life, Biography. Then in a box with translations in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian, the title of the card, "Loading steamer for United States, Maracaibo, Venezuela." The card with the reed rafts, "9052. Geography.- The Irrawaddy, as it flows through the Delta region, is crowded with rafts such as this, which we meet a few miles above Rangoon. Industries.-Lumbering.-Can you realize that it is perhaps seven years since some of these teakwood loge were first girdled and set aside for the market? Teakwood is so heavy that it sinks unless it is rafted beneath a bamboo float, as we see it here. It is three years after girdling before a teakwood tree is seasoned enough for felling. Even then, after it is cut, the "jungle wallah" has to wait for an opportune flood to transport it down the nearest creek. Often the creek falls as rapidly as it rose and then elephants and buffaloes are called upon to rescue the stranded logs and drag them across country to another and larger waterway. Transportation.-This unwieldy craft has been passed by many types of boats on it's 900 mile trip down from the forests of Bhamo-by modern steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, cargo barges, curiously rigged native sailing craft, saucy little sampans, and sturdy paddy boats. People and Homes.-These are merry Burmese lads, despite the fact that they have doubtless undergone the painful operations of being tattooed in a gorgeous interlaced pattern from their wrists to their knees. Their father sitting under his quite serviceable veranda wears a very feminine looking Psyche knot on top of his head. Rafts are usually crowded with thatched huts like the two we see here. Refer again to this view when considering Zone Life, History, Races of Mankind, Child Life, Manual Training, Home Economics. And the the translations of the card's title, "Timber raft coming down the Irrawaddy River, Burma." And finally, the picture of the Chinese Junk, "4376. Geography.-To the north, directly beyond the swelling sails of this primitive craft, lies Manchuria. Port Arthur is rather to the west and Korea lies to the east. Physiography.-Manchuria, between Mongolia and Korea, is far from being the barren country we have imagined it to be. It is much like Canada in climate and resources through it's 370,000 square miles of area. Transportation.-Here is a typical Chinese junk, not so common now since Manchuria has about 1,600 miles of railways under Russian and Japanese control and many modern steamers ploughing her waters. The junk is a large, flat-bottomed, high-sterned vessel with square bows. It has two masts which stand at different angles and give the craft a generally dissipated air. The sails are mere squares of rough cloth fastened to stout spars at either end and stiffened with bamboo poles. History.-China, Japan and Russia have long contended and are still contending for supremacy in Manchuria. Manchuria has been the scene of Japan's two recent wars, and despite the terms of the Portsmouth Treaty of 1905, it is far from being under Chinese control. By the terms of the treaty Russia was allowed to occupy northern Manchuria and Japan southern Manchuria. But each country was to so arrange her interests that she could evacuate Manchuria by April, 1907. Both have taken advantage of the permission to maintain a large number of armed guards over their respective railway interests, and Manchuria is still a bone of contention, though ostensibly given over to China." And then the translations of the card's title, "Chinese junk under full sail on the Yellow Sea."