Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-01-03
COMES DOOR. EAT IF HE DID,

while the bonds have not been sold, prob
ably from distrust of Eastern capital in
Western investments. The consequence
is that the farmers who did this work
upon the ditch are a great deal worse off
than if they had not gone out there at all.
The crops of the last two years have been
total failures, and in nine years we have
had but three crops. The limit of our
bond issue having been reached we are
left helpless for funds of any kind. Men
and women sometimes drive in here for
twenty-five miles for relief which we are
unable to give, Farmers who have lived
in the county for years and have sunk
their capital here trying to raise crops
come to me with tears in their eyes and
ask for food. There is not a stream of
water in Perkins County nor living
spring. Wells run from 60 to 200 feet,
the majority being from about 100 to 200
feet deep. The soil. if watered, raises
good crops; il not, it bakes into solid
mass. The roads and much of the prai-
ries resemble asphalt, so hard packed and
smooth are they"
AS result of these conditions many
of the settlers have left the country, and
a traveller through the county describes
the situation graphically:
On every hand the bare country spread
itself Not n shrub, not tree met the
sight; no creeks, no rivers, no sign of
anything which would give moisture or
produce hay. The rolling swells of the
table land are covered with the shot,
crisp brown gass, but nothing above ankle
high shows itself, except a dead and de-
serted tree claim on the right side. But
little stock could be seen, though what
was there was in good condition. few
deserted sod huts and frame houses were
seen, and there were signs, here and
there, that some habitations had been
taken down and removed with the other
goods of the owners when they left.
In some cases farm implements were
seen in the fields, and at q distance sub
stantial granaries stood just as their own
ers had left them. One farmer / talked
WITH who had come to this town for re-
lief, said, with tears in his eyes: II never
applied for help before and / never
thought to, but when a fellow has lost
all his crops for two years, and has had
his team and cows taken away on account
Of board while working on the ditch, he
cant see his family starve. I'm not above
saying that there isn't thing in the
house but little -four and about peck
of potatoes that was left of the last lot
they gave me credit for at the store.
''I'm no worse off than my neighbors."
he continued; "but the honest truth is
that we're all mighty near starvation.
They're all good, industrious men, and
have worked night and day. some of
them, to try and get crop. Since June
IA last not a drop of rain fell on my place
except q light shower too late in the fall
1t stood 106 and 10S in the shade. I'm
told, several days in succession in June.
and then the hot winds did the rest.
tell you there is going to be starvation all
over the county in a few weeks. The
farmers are on their last row, and unless
help comes i'm few days l don't know
what'll happen" 1t is not too much to
say that his case is well nigh typical of
the farmers throughout the county.
On Sunday a visit to the house of one
of the settlers revealed the farmer dress
ing jack rabbit he had killed.
"I'll hang this fellow out to freeze to-
night" he said, "and I'll live high for q
day or two"
"Well, you manage to keep the wolf
| from the door," I asked.
mo wolf ever comes to my door," said
the sand hills philosopher; I'D eat him
II he did"
1t is said on good authority that in a
drive of thirty miles in any direction from
Grant ten tons Of fodder could not be
found.
The situation in Hayes and Hitchcock
Counties is but little better than in Per-
kins. County Commissioner Rhodes, OF
Hayes County. gives the following de-
tails of dcstitutibn and suffering in his
district:
~ tell you the situation is about as bad
as it can be- We have raised no crops
I no. sir. none l speak from bitter expert
ence, for you can sec for yourself that
there wasn't an ear of corn on one of
those stalks. Even the stalks are not
any too good fodder. And am no worse
than my neighbors. The stock has been
driven out Of the country and sold for
whateVer IL Could brin0. Gown brought