davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
ToNGANOxIE, Leavenworth Co., Kan,

TONGANOXIE, LeavenwOrth Co., Kan,
March 9TH, 1891.
Yes, l have seen L. L. Polk and
heard him speak at the capital of our
State last fall, and 1 like the looks Of
the man and he gave us a good COM
nonsense, patriotic speech-spoke on
the vital questions of the day.
Seeing in the Topeka Advocate THE
PROGRESSIVE FARMER, L. L. Polk edi-
tor, l think our president of the
National Alliance a good man, and
therefore his being editor of THE FAR
MER it truly must be a good paper. |
want to be a subscriber to THE PRO
GREssIvE FARMER. Enclosed | send
you postal note for 81.
The sooner we do away with the
bloody shirt business the better it will
be for the great common people. l
have been there, and know the effects
of war; but when the battle was over
then I am out of the bloody shirt agi-
tatiOn business. What we want now
in this sO-called United States is
peace and plenty of the worlds goods
to make us comfortable and happy in
our old age. But alas! we are not, as
a rule. in comfortable circumstances.
The power of those who hold the
money-bag to Cypress the people, or, in
other words, the power of money to
Cypress is so great that the great COM
mon people are in rather a d~eplorable
condition. Let the people inform
themselveS-get their eyes open and
they will stand closer together with
the ballot.
l am taking ten Alliance and reform
papers, and aim not to load my enc
mics guns.
We have several Confederate sol
diers in our Alliance, but they are true
blue, as the saying goes. When the
old soldiers of the North and South
work together on this reform business
the load must move, as they will pull
or bust the trace.
+. B. HECK.
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24
THE NATIONAL FARMERS ALL
ANCE AND INDUSTRIAL
UNION.

President-L. L. Polk, North Caro-
lima. Address, 344 D. St., N. W.,
Washington, D. @.
Vice President-B. H. Clover, Cam
bridge, Kansas.
Seccretary-Treasurer-J. H. Turner,
Georgia. Address, 239 North Capitol
gSt., n. w, Washington, D. G.
Lecturer. H. Willetts, Kansas.
EXECUTIVE BOARD.
G. w. Macune, Washington, D. c.
AlOnzo Wardall, Huron, South Da-
kOta.
J. F. Tillman, Palmetto, Tennessee.
JUDICIARY.
R. G. Patty, Macon, Miss.
Isaac McCracken, Ozone, Ark.
A. E. Cole, Fowlerville, Mich.
NATIONAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
The Presidents Of all the State organ
izations with L. L. Polk EC-0ttclO
Chairman
The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-03-24

The Alliance has come to stay. and
politicians may make a note of it.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

phenomenon is reported as occurring
within the current year. AT a few
places along the Arkansas River chance
overflows have scooped out small hollows
below the level of the underfiow waters,
and constant streams flow from these,
commonly but enormously called springs.
In Wallace County, Kan, the first
permanent water OF the Smoky, Just be-
low the embouchure of such n spring fed
affluent, has been used for irrigation
since 1879. Prof. Hicks regards the de-
ve.opment of the water i'm this tertiary
formation as controlling factcr in the
development Of the resources of West
ern Nebraska. Prof. Bailey suggests
similar conditions in Wyoming. And
this is largely true from the Pecos to the
Platte.
Colorado, according to Engineer Won
Diest presents some phases OF under
ground water supply not found else
where. 1t is stated on good authority
that at PIatteyille stream of water
flows audibly thirty feet below the sur.
face in a northwesterly direction, and
where this stream is intercepted by dug
wells the water rises to within five feet OF
the surface.
The South Platte, in Weld and Morgan
Counties, swclls suddenly at several
points, and increases in volume without
visible side flows. Well-diggers state
that everywhere in Northeastern Colo
RADIO water Is found at varying depths,
which by pumping appears to be almost
inexhaustible. A certain Mr.. Williams,
well-digger, says that he never struck
a point in Eastern Colorado where he
could not find water.
In Utah about 1000 bored wells have
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

been sunk into the higher water bearing
stratum of the Salt and Utah lakes re-
gion. These wells rise through small
bore pipes, from one and half to three
inches In diameter, with flow of from
two to five inches above the casing. Evil
dence goes TO show that no diminution
OF pressure has yet occurred.
Geologist Lewis +. Hicks OF Nebraska
offers an intelligent presentation of the
stratigraphical conditions which deter
mine in his field the direction, the flow,
and the pressure of subterranean waters.
Nearly all such waters in Nebraska
shave a tendency TO rise in wells and
fore-holes, and sometimes throw out at
the surface" Prof. Hicks considers the
rainfall the ample source OF his supply
The aggregate volume of sucn precipita-
tion is enormous. IL amounts, he says,
"to more than 100, 600 cubic feet on each
acre, or 5000, 600, 600, 900 of cubic feet
annually for the whole State" The mean
discharge of all the rivers of Nebraska
Is estimated at nearly one-fourth of
this great total. Evaporation and seep-
age absorb the balance However. the
"underflow along the incline bodies OF
porous rocks is undoubtedly n more
important source OF moisture than all
the rivers which enter the State.
The existence Of great levels of this
sheet water has been determined and
demonstrated. Many streams have a
steadier volume in their channels than
the precipitation and their incline war
rant. IL is believed that they are
eroded deep enough to receive a supply
OF this undersheet flow. The water
bearing strata of the State are geologic
ally known as the perma carboniferous.
The youngest rocks OF the stratum are
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

and nearly It's whole volume is In sight.
But the other large rivers flow In chan
neIs excavated In soft material, and are
choked with their own silt TO such an
extent that large part Of the water
percolates through the silt In the chan
mel, or among the sands beneath the al
luvial bottom lands, or spreads even
more widely, entering the porous beds
Tar beyond their immediate vicinity.
The large towns In the Valley Of the
Platte obtain their supply from the un-
derhow filtered through sand and grav-
el, thus becoming as excellent in quality
as IL Is practically inexhaustlble In
quantity. At Fremont fifty "points"
driven within small area, but to differ
ent DEPTHS ranging from so to 90 feet,
furnish abundant water TO the whole
city. The water lies In bed OF sand
and gravel As feet thick beneath 10 feet
OF tenacious clay, which serves both to
exclude surface water and to confine the
underfiow. so that 1t rise nearly TO the
surface. As test OF the capacity Of
this plant 100000 gallons have been
pumped In twenty-four hours.
Some very natural questions as TO the
cost and profit OF artesian wells are an
swered by Col. Edwin s. Nettleton. The
flow OF water from the average Dakota
well Is small when compared with the
carrying capacity of an ordinary irriga-
tion canal, yet by the aid of storage res
ervoirs a well having a flow OF 1000
gallons per minute can be made to serve
over 1,00) acres of land per annum.
This estimate is based on the assumption
that the water can be held In a reservoir
when not being used tor irrigation. and
one-half OF 1t may be lost by evapora-
tion and percolation, and in transport
Ing II, to the field, also assuming that
nine inches I'm depth per annum will be
required In addition TO the rainfall for
the growing and maturing OF crops.
The investigation shows that artesian
wells OF six inches In diameter, and from
500 to 1000 feet deep, cost from $4,000
TO $5,O00-we will say IS, 900, including
reservoir-then we have S5 per acre as
the first cost to provide for irrigation.
The average cost for irrigation from
canals in Colorado is SO. 20 per acre, the
maximum sometimes being as high as
Sl2 per acre. From these estimates 1t
will be seen that the cost of water from
this class OF artesian wells is not excess
sive, especially when we take into con-
sideration the increased value of land
when brought under irrigation. Take
Texas for example: The average price
OF land with means of irrigation, accord
ing to the returns from sever
al hundred inquiries, Is $s.72
per acre. The estimated value OF
the same land is placed at $73. so per
acre, provided Ii can be supplied with
water for irrigation purposes. Accord
ing to these estimates the average in
creased value OF land in the semi-arid
portion OF Texas will be S64.7S. This
rate OF increase will be less In the more
northern portion of the country, but in
no instance will II be less than $40 to SIS
per acre, so that wide margin is left to
cover an excess In the cost of water per
acre or a greater amount OF what is
necessary to serve an acre than is as
sumed in the lbove estimate
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19
station Master and tn. Mobiles.

An amusing incident occurred on a
Southern railroad in England in con-
nection with the Duke of Norfolk and
the Marquis of Butte. The duke and
marquis were fellow travellers, and
when the train stopped at - station
q companion joined them in the person
of the station master himself, who was
going for q jaunt some twenty miles
further up the line. The duke and the
station master, who were both diminu-
tive men, and therefore fond of talk,
soon got into conversation, while the
marquis, a tall, robust man, was in
clined to be reticent, until he found his
friend, the duke, up to his ears in con-
versation, when he himself joined, ad-
dressing most of his remarks to the
stranger.
At length the train arrived at B,
and the marquis bid hearty farewell
to the duke, and with kindly adieu
and shake of the hand from the
stranger the marquis quilted the car
riage, while his dispatch box and wraps
were secured, to the surprise of the
station master, by tall, powdered
footman, and the train soon glided
again out of the station. Silence was
not, however, long maintained, the
station master breaking out with the
question. Il wonder who that swell
was ?"
"That." replied his companion, "was
the Marquis OF Butte"
The answer seemed to dumfound
the station master for time, but
presently he exclaimed. "Well, now,
/ do think it kind of him to talk to two
such snobby little chaps as us, don't
you?"
The duke nodded his assent and had
good laugh. When the train drew
up again his grace affably bid his COM
panion "Good-by," and, on alighting
on the platform, was received with the
greatest Difference by throng of
Jesuit priests, this incident again set
ting the station master the task of in
quiry, whoinquisitively asked brother
official who that little bloke was.
That replied the guard, "is the
Duke of Norfolk"
The station master, after this, de-
clared he would never travel first class
again as long as he lived.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

ONE is apt to think that the world
has been pretty well ransacked for ad-
vertising schemes, and that the supply
is liable to run out. Experience proves.
however, that the mind of the inventor
is practically inexhaustible and breaks
out into perennial exhibitions of it's
resources. One of these is the new
toy-gun for posting advertisements.
The gun is used for shooting advertis-
ing arrows into trees, fences, buildings
or any inanimate objects The arrow
is feathered with light cardboard of
various colors bearing in large type
any desired inscription. Two sections
of the cardboard and the resultant
angles are embraced by cross slit
kerf, the rear of the stick being wound
with cord and the point being shar-
pened to increase penetration. The
advertising darts can thus be projected
out of ordinary reach, but just high
enough not to escape the notice of the
passer-by.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

A SHORT distance out from Buens
Vista. CAL, there is cave literally
swarming with spiders of a curious
species of immense size. some having
legs four inches in length and body
as large as that of canary bird. The
cave was discovered in December,
1879, and was often resorted to by the
pioneers, who obtained the webs for
use in place Of thread. Early and late
the cave constantly resounds with q
buzzing noise which is emitted by
the spiders while they are weaving
their nets.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19
whiteHsh and Trout

At the station of the United States
Fish Commission at Alpena, Mich, the
total number of whitefsh eggs collect
ed during the spawning season was
30, ,920,00O. OF this number two en-
ployes of the commission took /, ,920, 900
from Dec. to 6, at Beaver Island,
Lake Michigan. The loss of eggs
during December was only six per cent.
of the total. About one-third of the
eggs we're obtained from fish caught in
gill nets. The temperature of the
water ranged from 33 degrees on Dec.
1st to 32i degrees on the 31st. On the
last day of December there were avail
able for distribution from the station
at Worthwhile: Lake trout eggs, $500
900; brook trout eggs, 10000; Loeb
Leven eggs. 10000; Won Bebr (S.
Jdrio) eggs, 100000.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

The Worcester Spy relates the fol-
lowing incident; among the visitors
at the court house yesterday was a
snow-white pigeon that alighted on the
sill of one of the windows of the clerks
Office. The window was opened and
the bird calmly walked in with all the
confidence of lawyer. He as calmly
walked the whole length of the office,
quietly observing everything. Pretty
soon, as his acquaintance with the of
ficials increased, he perched himself
upon the desks and later on the
shoulders and head of one of the assist
ants. 1t was not decided by the Of
ficials whether he had case to try or
whether he wished to enter a writ.
Anyway, he was placed on a shelf
among the ancient deeds. The win
dow was opened. bat the inner atmos-
phere was more congenial to his excel
lency, so he stayed"
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19
He Knew How.

A typical American workin gman.
quite Drowned by the sun, muscular,
intelligent and smiling. stood upon a
platform of boards supported by bar
rels in front of the porch of an apart
men thouse just off Fifth avenue cary
ing gargoyle from block of brown
stone. He was American, because he
could work while he talked, was master
of his plans, his tools and himself, wore
clothes that fitted him, and replied
courteously to the many questions of
an interested group Of bystanders.
The block of stone from which he was
evolving a face was supported by a
pillar of poll ished Scotch granite, and
was part of a somewhat impressive
entrance of an expensive pile OF stone
and mortar, but neither the fact that
he could not afford TO spoil his job, nor
that his studio was in the open air and
his performance free to all critics,
seemed to trouble him. He hammered.
smiled and talked, and the chips flew
all around the human circle.
"Yes," he said, Il carry the pattern
in my head. (Chip, chip What is
this to beP A Venus. tChip.) Yes.
a Haytian Venus would not be bad
one. (Chip, chip This is Portland
stone, the best there is for cutting and
the best in the world for builders, any
way. (Chip.) How do 1 keep from
making a wrong cut and spelling the
stone? That's my trade, sir; that's
knowing how to do IL. /"
Thus he went on chipping at the
stone, cutting deep cash here and
hammering off great chunk of the
sandstone there, seemingly reckless of
the havoc he was making, but smiling
away until, between his mallet and
craving stone, he seemed to have
transferred his smile to the face that
began to CLEAN from the rough brown
surface of the rock.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

supply OF the great plains The investi-
cation shows the existence OF an artesian
basin In the Dakotas, known as the
James River Valley Basin, which is
tapped by about 140 wells, scattering all
over territory Of 400 miles or more In
length from north TO south, and from
forty to fifty miles in width. In this
area. says the Globe Democrat, the pres
ent flowing wells in North and South
Dakota are confined. Failures TO
find flowing water by rock. bored
wells have occurred along the
eastern line of the valley. This line, or
the dividing line between the James
River and the Red River OF the North.
probably marks the eastern boundary of
this great basin. West of this line, In
the Dakotas, borings for artesian waters
have been successful when made deep
enough TO penetrate the water-bearing
stratum-the Dakota sand rock. This
sand rock, which underlies the James
River Valley. is composed of very soft,
porous whitish sand of unknown thick
ness. 1t has been penetrated eighty feet
with drill without reaching its lower
bed. 1t is so soft that the drill pene-
trates 1t In many localities by its own
weight 1t lies from 600 TO 1,S0O feet
below the surface of the country.
Colonel Nettleton, the irrigation en-
gineer, says: 81 think am safe in say
ing that the Dakota artesian basin is the
largest and strongest yet discovered in
the United States, or even in the whole
world. There are some wells of very
large diameter that discharge more
water than some of the Dakota wells,
but when the size OF the bore is taken
into account the Dakota wells not only
yield greater amount but maintain
flow very nearly that which is due to the
hydrostatic pressure less the resistance
caused by the friction of the water
through the pipe. Some artesian wells
will show considerable pressure when
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

The lace factories Of Kursk and Or.
ley are receiving more orders from
France than they can fill. At the late
exhibition in Paris the Russian lace
was bought with avidity by the French
ladies. Since then that lace has be-
come fashionable throughout France.
The Russian lace manufacturers in
dulge In the hope that the demand for
their ware will steadily increase; they
accordingly enlarge their workshops
and engage as many iaborers as they
can get.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

DIR. KELLNER, director of cellulose
factory, says the hes
Echo, has succeeded in materially re-
ducing the cost of that article. His
method is to put the shredded wool
into lead-lined boilers, with per
cent. solution of common salt, which is
electrolyzed for three and one-half
hours, the nascent chlorine bleaching
the wool fiber to a snow-white silky
substance. The operation is conducted
at temperature of 1876 to 12S degrees,
and paper made from the product is of
a particularly fine texture.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

QUEEN VIoToRIA's family circle now
numbers fifty living descendants. in
cluding sons and daughters, grandsons
and granddaughters, great grandsons
and great granddaughters. Besides
these she has four sons-in-law, five
grandsons-in-law, and one granddaugh-
ter-in-law. The Queen has lost one
son, one daughter, five grandsons, one
great-grandson, and one son-in-law. II
these we're living her family circle
would number seventy-four.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

The fair banjcist has struck a new
fad which she proposes to pursue until
her instrument is all aglow with fiut-
tering souvenirs. Each one of the
silken ribbons displays at one end the
monogram of the giver, sometimes en-
broidered and sometimes stamped in
gold. These are frequently presented
by the young bellies masculine friends,
thus reversing the order of things
the young woman wearing her admir-
er's colors. 1t is pathetic to watch the
embarrassment of the color-blind young
man when he discovers that he has
presented his lady love with ribbon
as green as the Emerald Isle under
the impression that it was a divine
blue, which is so symbolic of fidelity.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

BEDS are quite an innovation in
Russia, and many well-to-do houses
are still unprovided with them. Peas
ants sleep on the tops of their ovens
middle-class people and servants roll
themselves up in sheepskins and lie
down near stoves; soldiers rest upon
wooden cots without bedding; and it
is only within the last few years that
students in state schools have been al
lowed beds.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

II PROPOSE to diel" said q man as he
entered Sacramento saloon. "Give
me glass of beer in which to take
poison!" 1t was handed him, his
money dropped into the till, and the
barkeeper watched him as he sprinkled
in strychnine and drank it off, to die
two hours later.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

A LONDON magazine states that be-
fore 1910 there were no granite pave
ments in that city. Wood pavements
were used in 1889. Asphalt, which
now covers so much of London, was
not used until 1869, fifteen years after
it was first laid down in Paris. Some
years ago, it was found by observations
of the number of falling horses that
horse might be expected to travel 1872
miles on granite, 191 on asphalt. and
446 on wood without falling. In wet
weather granite is nearly as safe as
wood when dry. Asphalt is decidedly
the mosU risky OF all, Tor even wnen
dry the estimate of an increased dis
tance is no more than 223 miles, and
when damp and wet, 125 and 1872 miles
are set down as limit.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

The national powder mill at st.
Medard-en-Jalle, in France, has re-
Gently been lighted by incandescent
lamps, and it is believed to be the first
mill of its class on the Continent to
use electric lighting.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

A PHILADELPHIA cable-car, turning
a street curve, iolted the "bang" off
the forehead of stylish lady and flung
it on the newspaper of gentleman
who was reading of scalping incident
somewhere West.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

II that . sounding Of 400 feet failed 10
-touch bottom Others are known 20
be Of great depth. Az least three Of
these pools have been formed within the
past ten years by sudden caving-in Of
the surface Of the ground. disclosing a
deep body OF water where there was be-
fore dry prairie or sand hills One such
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

trunk for many Connecticut streams
and few from Long Island. In these
circumstances the supply Of fresh
water for the Sound river would have
been 20 great that salt water would
have barely passed the entrance of the
Sound.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

EDoUARD DErAILLE's great military
picture, the finest he has ever painted,
depicting a charge of the Fourth
French Hussars in 1907, and called
~Vive PEmpereur is soon to be ex-
hibited in this country.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

r LABoUcHERE says that woman who
stands IN car is a nuisance. The
truth of this remark will come home to
every man who has been made uncom-
Portable in his seat by the eyes of
woman clinging to car-strap.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

HENRY WILLIAMS gave hack-driver
81 to take him to the depot in Savan-
nah in advance of the bus, and he got
there just in time to be run over by
horse, smashed under bill board and
trampled on by a drove of mules.
When the bus came rolling up he was
rolled off to hospital.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

The Earl of Devon became bank
rupt in 1872, owing 50, 500, 900, most of
which was "on honor" or for racing
obligations. He paid about half cent
on dollar and didn't lose much rest
over the balance. AS he is dead now
L. --~t;en+ araditnrs- may strike hal
ance and call it square.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

JUMPING claims in Idaho is danger
Gus business. A man at Wallace
named Harris found three men putting
up cabin on a lot owned by him. They
refused to leave, whereupon he got his
gun, shot two of them dead and dan
gerously wounded the third
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

A New YORK club recently gave q
dinner to all the principal freaks in the
dime museums. Living skeletons, fat
women, turtle boys, contortionists,
magnetic women, Chinese giants, calf
headed boys, three-armed and four
legged both dined and danced with
their hosts until very late honr.
Crawford avalanche., 1891-03-19

HE report OF the
artesian well In
yestigatIon makes
a volume of 400
pages. A field Of
Inquiry, heretofore
Ia n to c h o d is
IoDened up by the
IGovernment The
Iresults are most I'm
lterestlng. Il h O y
lestablish m a n v
" aluab Bile facts,
hitherto unknown.
rs TO the extent and
character OF the un-
dQrOr0und Va n ta r