Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-07
BiLHB HAY.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN S0UPTONG,
cHEwLoNG AND 0FFALsTR0NG.
characteristics of Some of the Blends
Our Erratic Correspondent Still
in the Foothills.

Our Erratic Correspondent Still
in the Foothills.
| Especial CORRESPONDENCE of the SUNDAY UNION
now sit down and take my pen in hand
to rite you thease few lines to let yu
no that am vel and the foxes ar the
same so far as no ov and hope this viii
find yu ingoying the same Blessing.
During the last two weeks of the merry
month of August have been very
busy. 1 have added at least one
ounce of oleaginous matter to my bulk,
and have taken on still more of that rare
and beautiful mahogany brown, which the
same is indigenous to pianos, meerschaum
pipes, cobblers' ale and the man who
abideth long in the sunlight among the
foothills in the summertime. At present
l am enjoying the medicinal virtues of a
mineral spring, and have so nearly recov-
cred from the effects of brain-fag, leg-fag,
eye-fag and other Tags and faggots that
am contemplating speedy return to the
ranks of that great army of prophets and
soothsayers, wherein the merest private
holds the rank of devil, and the highest
post of honor is directly beneath the
kindly eye of good st. Peter.
The mineral spring referred to is to be
found at the ranch of Major Magonigul,
| fifteen miles west of Nevada City, and not
far from the Yuba river. 1t was discov-
cred by T. S. Stark, brother of John
Stark, the 'Hero of Donner Lake." nearly
thirty years ago, and has acquired local
reputation as certain cure for such little
ailments as torpid liver, indigestion,
shaken nerves, habitual headaches, rheu-
matism, and SO on.
Major Magonigal has never made any
effort to attract attention to his spring,
but the water is as free as the wind that
blows, and any tired, nerve-ridden slave
may pitch his tent under the oaks and
drink until he finds it necessary to put a
few barrel-hoops over and around his per-
son.
The Major does not intend to throw his
ranch open to the public as summer re-
sort for torpid livers who have remarka-
bly, untorpid small boys. When it comes
" ClldSlHS tnC nCus, tQlhCyc, SCCoC3 pigs
COWS and horses, climbing fruit trees, get
ting the collie, tearing down fences, bring
ing in hornets nests, stoning toads and
cultivating snakes, the Major will do those
things himself, and if he hurts himself it
will be his own hurting. He does not
wish to be called cynic, or an migrate, or
anything. mean and despicable, but he says
he can raise ali the small boys he needs on
the farm himself After this, those peo-
pie who visit the Majors spring during
the summer will please leave their small
boys at home, or deposit them at their
banks.
do not wish any one to infer that this
letter is a puff for Major John Magonigal.
1t is not. Major John Magonigal does not
care tinker's reservoir whether those
who have torpid livers bring them to his
spring or not, as he is not running hotel,
but stock ranch, he might not care to
have large delegation of the elite, bong
tong, and SO on, representing whole world
of indigestion, gout, leprosy and ct cetera
camped around his house and frying their
bacon in his front yard. But the water
which comes out of the earth at that place
is good. 1t has never been subjected to
chemical analysis, but has slight flavor
similar to that of the soda springs in Sierra
valley. Numerous cures have been per-
formed by this water, and many who have
arrived at the ranch in skeptical and
critical condition have gone away rejoic-
ing
One day an old gentleman who had
cork leg, and was accompanied by man
who had an awful pain in hisshirt, arrived
at the Majors and called for water. A
large tea-kettle, containing three gallons
of the fluid, was placed before them on a
table. They sat down, one on either side,
lit their pipes, and did not cease drinking
until they had entirely emptied the kettle.
And then, because the man with the pain
would not go Immediately for another
kettle of water the cripple beat him Sc
vereIy with his cork leg, chased him seven
miles away into the hills, and is now doing
duty as veteran messenger boy in Los
Angeles.
While rejuvenating at Major Magoni-
gals ranch, Professor Bourne, aided and
abetted by four men and a boy, arrived
with a patent double-actioD, selt-cocking
hay press, and, having come to anchor
alonside one of the Majors haystacks, pre-
pared for action. / had neverseen patent
hay press at work, so | went down and OBJ
served the fracas.
When | was small boy, and lived on a
ranch, the old-fashioned hay press was in
vogue, and bales of hay five feet long, four
feet wide and three feet thick, and weigh
ing anywhere from 175 to $50 pounds, were
fashionable.
Hay-baling was then what one might
call 'an experience" The hay press was
a tall affair, with hugh wheel, heavy
chains, and a fuller like the keel of ship.
1t was set alongside the spot where the hay
was stacked each year, and was not moved
until new one was needed Into this
long box a nan was put, and it was his
duty to "tromp" the hay which another
man dumped upon his head from the stack.
When the press lad been well filled with
hay the "tromper" came out, the fuller was
dropped, two stout horses were hitched to
the rope which was wound around the big
wheel, and then, while one man stood by
with a stick to "spragrthe business at the
proper moment, the war began. When
ever there was bale under pressure all
the neighbors knew it. There was fear
full screeching and yelling, swapping and
popping, groaning and cursing and pray
ing. The team was always stopped
Just "leetle too soeu,n and chain
always broke and larruped around pro-
miseuously just when the sprag was about
to be put in place. Everybody got hot
and dusty and when the lcst bsle came out
with a sodden, malignant, stubborn thump,
and was weighed, tagged and piled away,
there was sigh of relief that made the
the clouds scatter in the heavens.
Hay-baling under the oId-fashioned way
of proceeding was always task of weeks.
But now it is task of days, and it is a
glorious sight TO see Professor Bourne and
his fellow artists put the grass under
pressure and rattle out the solid little
bales that weigh as much as the old-style
man-killers
Professor Bourne and his men began
with twenty-ton stack of oat hay early
one morning, and were just two days at
work upon it, although they drank great
deal of mineral water, ate half ton of
grapes, a bushel OF figs and pears and
stopped occasionally TO slaughter mouse
or two. But, judging the sport from what
/ saw / do not think | would enjoy it,
ovo,, &c ka~- b,isrrr 10 ,ft u,bof ~ ,,sad IN.