Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1883-09-07
THE GENIUU OF THE 31OCN-
TAlNS.
An Odd Character Of the Sierra
Range.

An Odd Character Of the Sierrs
Range.
About q mile and a half above
above Woodford's Station. in the
big canyon which leads to Hope
Valley, lives a thrifty German
named Msrk, some times called
Dutch Charley" who keeps the
toll house. He has cultivated =
few acres of ground alongside the
road and his log cabin lies at the
foot Of the rocks which tower above
him nesrly if not quite q thousand
feet high. With very rude ma
terials A. his command his taste for
| beauty and invention has led him
| to surround himself with not only
the convsnisnces Of life, but many
of it's aesthetic Injuries. He has q
reservoir of water up On the hillside
and runs system of water works
sill over his cabin and grounds. A
faucet which provides cold spring
water runs into his kitchen, and in
the front yard fountain of four
jets throws its pearly streams into
the air. He can sit at his door
step and turn ths fountain off or
on. Next the fountain is q beauti-
full bower of vines with a round
table inside on which . German
novel always lies open, and here
he employs his leisure hours read
ing. In the front yard is also g
| fish pond stocked with carp and
trout and a piece Of bread or Q
worm cast upon the surface brings
! half a dozen fish to the top who
lash the water into foam battling
| for the booty. Some Of these trout
weigh four or five pounds and there
| are over a hundred in the reservoir.
At the lower end of his field he has
invented . scarecrow which runs
by the motive power Of q small
windmill, which rings . cow bell
at intervals and causss q curious
little figure to gesticulste with its
long arms. This continuance also
serves to measure the velocity Of
the wind, the number Of times the
bell tolls in an hour serving A. .
basis for the calculation. The old
gates arc made of rustic wood and
cut ont with an ADJ, have springs
and catches which cause them to
shut automatically, and the old
grind stone can be run by water
power. he has . complete system
of irrigation for his beautiful
fewer and vegetable garden and
can sit on his front stoop and di-
rect the dow Of water to any spot
desired. In the rear is . black
smith shop, . rude, ungainly affair,
with bellows made from coyste
skins, but it fans the Goals just a.
fisrcaly - . more elaborate con-
trivancs, and the old German dees
excellent work with it. When
tramps. waJfsrers and impecunseus
men come to tho gate with tale OF
misfortune sad hard luck he lets
them pass free and gives them beds
and meals to boot. Oftsntimes his
| simple good nature is imposed upon
and he has at times harberei some
pretty tough characters under tho
mistaken idea that he WAS dis
pensing charity. The toll gate
itself is worth patenting. A long
beam lies athwart the road about
four feet from the ground and is
counter. balanced at one end. The
simply pull . string, liberates the
lighter end and it rises in the air
several feet. giving the team a
chance to 60 under. He then pulls
it back to its original position. This
simple contrivance is recommended
to all toll gate keepers as labor
and time saving piece of machinery.
Hs lives alone, his dog, books and
garden being his only companions.
The Funeral Of David Rain.