The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-11-02
FROM THE FAR WEST.
Frank Eldridge Writrs Interestingly of
That Country.

:. that | did not say why | went MOI
what | was doing
Now. to the first question, will say
that | did not come here for my
health. as | had good health in the
east and could he with my life long
friends. | came on strictly business
proposition, and my opinion now is
that | will, at some future time return
to Missouri.
What am doing? For one thing
! am trying to learn the country.
When | came here last March the
rainy season had just ended, and
since then we have had no rain until
last week 1t begins to rain here in
September or Octorber and We have
rains until about April LIST, for the
! balance Of the wear no rains The
soil is very sandy and holds moisture.
The winters are very mild | am told
and planting is done during the rainy
! season. For water, during the dry
season immense irrigating bitches are
| dug from the mountain streams GO
miles east of here From these main
| bitches, branch bitches are cut and
from these are cut the farm bitches.
| The system can better be described
! to an eastern school boy by saving
that it resembles a river and all its
tributaries, but with the water run
ming the other way. The water Is
turned into the farm bitches by a
system of gates and is run over the
land. One good watering of the land
in May insures a crop. The farmers
are charged S1.25 per acre for this
water, rather expensive, but no water,
no crop. so all are anxious to pay
for the water. These bitches are dug
and managed by immense corpora
tons, who incorporate and issue
bonds on the principle Of railroads.
find here, as in theeaSt. some 7. h
people and some poor ones. My OBJ
servation is that Il man who has to
depend on his daily toll for his bread
and butter is better of in Missouri
than he is here. The average farm
hands here get no more per month
and have to furnish their own bed
ding and sleep in the barn or out
buildings. This Is the rule but OF
course there are exceptions, and any
day you can see going along thepub-
lie road men witha roll OF blankets
a. large ~ their body strapped upon
their backs There is plenty O; money
here for investment. Lots of land is !
rented here The owner gets one
fourth the crop and pays his taxes.
the renter gets the rest and pays all |
expenses of seed and irrigation.
We see very little paper money-aH !
gold and silver Ii man wants paper
money he has to 20 TO a bank. and
have them save il for him asst comes
in, or send to n national depository
for it.
There are some very large fields here
which are sOwn mostly to wheat
Very little corn is raised In these
large wheat fields the grain is har-
vested by an immense machine that
is drawn by from thirty-twO to forty
horses. This machine cuts and
threshes the grain ut the same time
and the sacks OF grain are dropped
out on the ground to be gathered up
at leisure by the owner. The ground
and also the atmosphere is SO dry
that the wheat is not damaged by
being handled this way Small fields
are handled by header and
threshed for the stalks. Ibid not see
this summer a reaper like those used
in the east.
In hauling grain to market and
also in freighting it up into the noun
tains. the idea seems to be to save
men labor by using surplus of
horses. Two and three wagons are
hitched together by a short tongue
and in front are hitched from four to
six span of horses or mules, one man
only goes alone with the outfit. The
old timers drive with one line. and
have their head team broke SO that
by the driver giving a steady pull on
the line the team will turn one way
and by giving quick jerk on the
liRe they viii turn the other way.
They use very heavy wagons here.
and on some that go up into the
[ have seem wagon boxes
that the sides are a. high as the ami
m N ga rrrs n l.ir..rr. -