The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1882-03-04
A WONDERFUL DOG.



Though lilo Has TO TO Hundreds Ut Feet
Los Angel caIl 1imcs
For years the water question has
been conundrum on the plains Of Ar
IONA and Southern California 1t is
we'll known that some of the land on
the deserts is of the best quality. aud
would produce the best crops in tho
world if rnin would fall @r water were
plentiful enough for irrigation. This
problem has been solved by South
American gentleman who has been tray.
cling over the most Of the world. He
has been in this city for the pust few
days, and Times reporter, learning
through thiro party that he had made
a discovery, called upon him and gath
cred the following facts:
1t seems that the gentleman was tray
cling in Il dry part of South America
shout eighteen months ago, oil alone,
looking for II new range for stock. He
had iourneyed about thirty miles from
water, and was beginning to get used
mp, when he discovered one of those
green spots on the desert that makes
the lonely travellers heart feel light,
On nearer approach, he saw that there
was town Of
SMALL ANIMALS,
Similar to the prairie dog of this conn
try. They had mounds all around the
green spot, and seemed to be very
numerous. When he rode up among
them they all scampered into their
holes, but soon came out again, and be-
came quite tame. He rode up to the
spring, or well, and found it to be an
excellent quality of water.
After quenching his thirst, he began
to look around and investigate the new
camp. The strangest thing that his
attention was called to was the similar
ity of the hole from which the water
flowed TO the holes made by the dogs.
The spring flowed from the entrance of
a mound Just the same rs that in which
the dogs lived, but it was much larger
and ON top was large basin. Noticing
this fact, and knowing that water was a
great distance, he began an investiga-
ton, and came to the conclusion that
the little dogs had
BORED THE WELL.
Acting upon this decision he captured
two of them and started for his ranch.
On arriving there, pen was male in a
dry place and the little fellows put in
it. In few days the work began.
They worked very rapidly, and soon
had hole fifty or sixty feet deep. They
seemed to be able to penetrate the
hardest kind Of soil, as they kept right
on, stopping for nothing. One would
work in the bottom of the hole while
the other brought the dirt to tho top,
On the fifth day they seemed to be ex,
hausted, and he gave them sume water
This stopped work for several days, but
they soon got thirsty and went to work
as hard as ever. On the morning Of
the eighteenth day they both came up
with rush, followed by a
STREAM OF WATER.
How deep they had gone it was impos-
sible to tell, as the hole was not straight
"What kind of looking animals are
they?" asked tho reporter.
very similar TO the common prairie
dog in size and color, only they have a
bony snout. and the claws are much
longer and larger. They soon become
tame, and make nice pets. But will
have several Of them down here in d
few days, and you can take look Al
, them"
, "What do you propose doing?"
, 81 think there is a large country
south OF here that can be utilized witt
, the assistance OF my pet dogs. / fee
| sure that every part of Southern Cali
(; fornia and Arizona can be cultivated
, where tho
LAND Is RICH
! Enough to raise grain. These ANIMAL
will find water if it is within 1000 foe
Of the surface. / know it, because
have tried them"
How is it that nothing has been sal,
about this discovery"
sob, that's all right. have kept j
to myself, and should have done 5,
, now, but my friend hero had given i
away before / saw you, and thought
would tell you the whole story aud asl
you TO say nothing about it, for severa
! reasons. don't want it known until
! Am sure that it will work in this coun
try. II it will work, intend to iinpor
= number to this country and Arizona.
If this animal will do what Capt
Litohfield says it will, Southern Cali
y iornia will be Aourishing oountr
= within few years.