Evening star., 1900-08-07
WINDMILLS IN NEBRASKA,
State Has Them Now About as PIenti-
fully Holland Ever Did.
From the Chicago Record.

From the Chicago Record.
Windmills are getting to be as thick in
Nebraska as in Holland. There is at least
one at every farm house TO pump water;
often another at the barnyard, and some
times several others at the different corrals
or feeding places for cattle In the towns
clusters of windmills rise above the roofs
and give quaint and picturesque appear
ance to the landscape. They differ from
the Dutch windmills, however. They are
open wheels Of wood, while in Holland the
wheels are usually made of canvas fasten-
ed to long arms which revolve very slowly
and In a dignified way appropriate to the
Dutch character. The Nebraska w;ndmills
whirl with great energy at the slightest
provocation, illustrative of the character
of many citizens of this state, and some
of them creak and croak in a most melan-
choly manner like other citizens that
might be described. People who live in the
neighborhood soon get used to this dis
agreeable noise. and do not mind II any
more than the Industrious and progressive
elements mind the croaking of the mis-
fortunists."
One of the first questions that troubled
the settlers in the state was the lack Of
good water. In early times the travellers
on the overland trails had regular stopping
places at springs and streams and buffalo
holes. Sometimes there was a long stretch
of prairie between them, and during the
deal of trouble and suffering. The soil in
certain sections abSorbs the rainfall like
a sponge The Platte river often disap-
pears entirely al intervals and leaves its
bed as dry a bone while the water fol-
lows an underground channel. But Ne
braska should not be judged entirely by
external appearances in this or in many
other particulars. There is always plenty
of water under the deep rich loan which
produces the corn and the other crops-an
inexhaustible supply. that can be obtained
by digging or boring in any section of the
state. 1t took a long time to discover this,
like other hidden blessings of nature, but
its value was appreciated all the more
when it became known. Sometimes they
do not have to go down more than twenty
five feet, but sixty feet is the overage
depth of good wells. The water is pure,
cold, and always plentiful The common
practice is to erect tank and keep 1t
full by a windmill, which works pump
whenever there is the slightest breeze. The
cattle understand the arrangement, and
whenever they are thirsty they start for the
nearest windmill. where they always find
an abundance of good water.
These artificial sources OF supply are
never polluted, and the cattle escape the
diseases that are often produced by drink
ing surface water. 1t costs $40 to bore
we'll, and the windmill, tank and attach
ments can be put up for $50 or $50 more.
Irrigation begins about the longitude OF
the town of McCook and a considerable
area of what was formerly cattle pasture
is now under cultivation. Companies have
been formed to build irrigating canals,
some with local capital, but most of them
with money from Lincoln, Omaha and Dem
yer. There is a good deal of Chicago money
invested in irrigation bitches, which have
proved to be profitable as well as secure
Investments. At b yard, in the north
western part of the state, a ditch eighteen
miles long, which takes Its water from the
Platte river and is capable of supplying
1b,OOO or 10000 acres, has been built by the
farmers themselves. without money or
stock or bonds. 1t did not cost a dollar in
cash Every shovelful of earth was ham
died by the men who own It, A co-opera-
tive partnership was formed and each
member undertook to complete certain
section of the canal. Some dug mile,
others half a mile, and some not more than
a quarter of a mile, and their interests in
the property are rated accordingly. They
are now organized into a company, with
manager who receives a monthly salary
for looking after Its affairs. The primary
object Of the enterprise was to irrigate
their own farms. but they are now selling
water at the very low rate of 20 cents an
acre for the season an inducement FOR peo-
pie to take up the adjoining lands and
build their own connecting bitches. The
result has been to increase the value o
farm property in a remarkable manner, for
wherever water can be obtained by irri-
CATION, the crops are always sure and
plentiful.
This is beyond the corn belt, but wheat
will run forty-f1ve and fifty bushels to the
acre, oats seventy and eighty bushels, and