Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-08-26
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
SATURDAY. AUGUST Is 1882.



Wells, Stone a. Co.'s Farms in G,ad-
win Farming ON Large
ScaIe-WOnderfai Results In Three
Years
Gladwin Record.
On the 18th of September 1879, Thomas
hester, the king lumberman of Saginaw
commenced the work of clearing farm
on the Sugar in Gladwin township. One
year from that time 300 acres had been
cleared, 200 of which were under crops the
first season. The farm was in charge of w
II. Young, at that time superintendent
of the drive on the Sugar, and the work of
clearing was done at intervals between
driving logs which usual occupied two
days of the week. The farm is located
on section 3, town 1871 west,and section 81
town 20, l west, the buildings are on the
former section. In the following spring
Stone, hester & Co. commenced clearing
on section .. town 20, l west, under
charge of VIM. Butts. foreman, who is
still at the helm, and the close of the
season had about 100 acres ready for the
pillow. In January last the above proper
ty and appearances passed into the
hand of Messrs. A. A. Wright,C. w. Wells
and f. c. Stone, comprising the firm of
Wells, Stone q Co. of Saginaw.
The lower farm or
FARM NO. ONE
comprises about $50 acres of cleared
land, in an excellent condition, and re-
markably free from StumpS, and horse
power machinery has been used in har-
vesting ever since the first crop. The
advantages for clearing farm here
could scarcely be more favorable, being
an on old burning and windfall and the
stumps being easily removed. The soil
varies from gravelly loan to IA heavy
clay, and cannot be beat for grain rails
ing. The surface is rolling and excel
lently situated for natural drainage.
The buildings on this have heretofore
been outlined in the Record, but many
of our readers will no doubt be interest
ed in description of the present time,
The most notable is the mammoth barn,
but the other buildings are such as
wOvld be a credit in old farming cOun-
tries, viz: a neat house painted white,
30X40 with addition 20x20, and root
house 24x30, 10 feet high on inside, n
barn 40x60, blacksmith shop, sleeping
camps for men, etc.;-the mammoth
barn heretofore alluded to, is probably
the.
LARGEST FRAME BARN IN THE WORLD.
If there is anything to match it we
have yet to learn of it. The main part
of the barn is LOG feet long, wing on
the west side is 80 feet long, both being
90 feet wide. The structure is three
stories high, with 16 feet posts to each
story, and is 70 feet high from base to
apex of roof. There were used in its
construction about 100000 feet of lum-
Der and $4,000 shingles, also 1856 main
posts Is feet long and 800 braces. The
first two stories of the barn are built
under bank of the Little Sugar, so that
a drive way leads Through the third
floor of the building. The drive way is
Is feet wide. and the bank being V
shaped, wagon may be driven into the
wing or main building and out at the
opposite side. By a neat arrangement
hay and grain are passed from the up
per stories through funnel to the low
er story, which will be used for stable.
1t is estimated that the barn will con-
tain 720 tons of hay under the beams.
The lumber and shingles in the build
ing were sawed at Achill, and at the
usual prices for lumber and work, it will
be readily seen that the cost of this build
ing would easily amount to $4,000. 1t is
well worth a trip to the farm TO take
view of this barn.
Besides these vast improvements, un-
der the bank of the Little Sugar, and in
striking comparison, is the hut Of
pioneer trapper, which a few years ago
was the only building that graced the
spot.
In short visit to the farm this week
we were kindly received by Mr.. and Mrs.
o. B. HOlcOmb, late of Saginaw county,
the genial host and hostess of the farm.
Mr.. HolcOmb conducted us about the
farm and we took view of
THE CROPS,
which were in frst-class condition,
consisting of the following: One hun
dred and seventy tons of hay, which has
been cut and put in the barn in excel
lent shape, .140 acres of Russian white
Oats-heads foot in length and well
filled,-13 acres of potatoes, II acres
wheat, and about 10 acres of garden, the
latter of which in care of our old friend
George N. English, the veteran gardener,
is especially worthy of mention. There
are growing in the garden 5000 cabbage
plants, large quantities of onions. beets
(all of which beat alp, and vegetables of
various kinds, all in a thrifty condition,
and which show the result of skill and
labor in their production. Mr.. English
and we editor measured the six cham
piOn cabbages, mentioned in the Record
last week, and found they had increased
from an aggregate of $50 inches from
tip to tip of the largest leaves to the fol-
lowing dimentiOns:
measuring g in. each ....................I5 s
III .s.....................lO
Total ANN. .........................;