Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-11-12
sroHY or GYP.
The Dog Likes to Pump Water and She
Knows All About 1t. M

The Dog Likes TO Pump Water and She
Knows All About 1t. i
Dog motors are plentiful enough in
Belgium and few other parts of
Europe. but they must surely be con-
coded to be rarity in California.
Many people who have travelled all over
the State say they have never seen any.
But there 10 one at least, and that is
not very far from San Francisco 1t is
on the Swiss ranch on top of tho bill
to the westward of Mill valley, accord
ing to the San Francisco Call. Ii lie in
plain sight from the road, and hum
dreds of people passing that way won
der what 1t is. They may see 1t turn
ing around at good speed, but few
would think that the motive power was
generated by dog. This motor has
been in use for two years, and most
cheap and serviceable machine il has
proved to be. The cost ia trifling, not
the twentieth part OF what a windmill
would cost, and for, the purpose nothing
could be better. Ono dog can easily
pump water for herd of 200 cattle.
And the best of 1t is, some dogs like
the work.
Dog-motors are built on the same
principle as the exercising runs that
are often attached to cages for squirrele
and other small animals. They are
really barrels, made so that the dog can
get in and out at a place near the bot
tom, and as soon as he starts to run on
the inside the barrel slides from under
his feet In this way it rotates as fast
as the dog runs.
The motive power OF the machine is
communicated to the pump by means
of crank that connects with piston
and sucker of ordinary type. Revolv-
ing the motor causes the piston to rise
and fall the same as IL man were
working the handle.
For over year the dog motor on the
hill back of Mill valley has been
operated by dog named Gyp, and she
really likes the work and knows more
about pumping water than half of the
men In the State. When Gyp was first
put into the machine she knew Just
what she had to do. and started in at a
great rate. She ran SO fast that she
would have fallen from exhaustion had
she not been lifted out. But as she
has grown older at the business she has
learned better. But she likes the work
as much as when she started. When
Gyp first started in to pump water she
did not know when to STOP She
pumped and pumped until the tank
ran over all the time. In few weeks,
though, she was taught that all she
was expected to do was to keep the
tank full, and now she doesn't do any
more.
When Gyp is taken to the motor In
the morning she first looks into tho
trough TO see how much it lacks of
being full. She then works accord
ingly, and when she thinks she has
done enough she runs out to take a
look at ii. II tits full she lies down
and rests, and il there is still few
inches remaining she starts in again
and does not stop until tho trough 10
running over.
All the water that Gyp pumps is for
cattle to drink. IT flows directly from
the well into the drinking trough, 30
that they can get it without trouble.
Gyp knows as soon as she sees band
Of steers making for the trough what
they are after, and sho starts In pur,p-
ing 30 as to keep them from en- tying
1t. Her idea seems to be to keep the
trough full. In fact, she is unable to
rest unless she knows that it ia in that
condition. Gyp has to work bard to do
her work. Esch stroke of the pump
brings up about quart of water, and
she has to make about six jumps to do
it; but when she feels like working
nothing stops her, and the pumps
make at least ten strokes minute, or
perhaps 800 gallons of water in ten
hours.
Gyp is the only dog on the ranch
that has ever liked the work Others
have been tried, but il is always
necessary to lock them in to keep them
from jumping the job. Even Gyp's
brothers always had buuiness elsewhere
whenever they thought there was any
pumping to do. There was one, though,
that was good worker. He used to
get so mad at being put in the motor
that he seemed trying to wear it out
for spite. He used to run and run
until the axle fairly smoked. but as
soon as he saw that he couldn't do the
machine any harm he curled up in the