Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-06-30

"a OIdI 1OpOIlOI OIOFO LIOul nay .
around to Cathar1ne, Is miles and
saw hardly a farm house on the
way, but the road the entire dis
lance was thro one almost contin
uous wheat field, without fences
even; these wheat fields were own
ed by the Russians who lived
IN Catharlne; they have raised
wheat each year for 90 years on
the same land. After the harvest
each summer they pillow the ground
and SOW it in wheat, getting the
crop IN befor October. After that
they have absolutely nothing to do
until the harvest when they 60 out
and harvest their crop. thresh soon
AID haul to market when agreeable,
The Russians have several large
towns; IU the centre of each is
large stone church with a spire &
chime of bells; In the church yard
is the church school and the home
Of the priests and the nuns who
teach the schools; no sidewalks in
the towns; houses are square 1 sto
rY high; doors on the side of the
house or in the rear. none opens
on the street front; windows have
heavy wooden shutters painted red
or green; behind each house is
cow and horse correll; there are
few stores, not more than one or 9
IN town; the women and girls
90 barefooted around HON; and the
men, when not IN the fields, smoke
gossip, 90 to church. observe all
holy days with strlctness, or 90
to Hays city to trade or haul a
load of wheat to market,
The Russian families are thrifty
vlrtuous and happy and they have
made money and are making it;
they refute the statement so often
heard in Kansas that a farmer can
not make money growing wheat
alone-theY have grown nothing
ont wheat % years and are pros
porous; they have enough money
so that, as soon as a farm adioin
ing them is offered for sale they
buy it and they are so nearly indie
pendent that there is on hand in
this county million bushel OF
last years wheat crop which the
farmers are holding for raise in
price The climate is such here
that wheat is often sown as late as
December and threshIng lasts till
Christmas.
One of the leading Russian far
mers told a Star reporter that he
could hire everything done on his
farm, including the blowing and
harvesting and then if be got a u
to 16 bushel yield TO the acre it
cost him only 80 cts a bushel, so
that all he received over 80 cts a
bushel for his wheat was clear pro
nt Anton Merm1s and his boys
together raised 10000 bushels OF
wheat last year and have much
more than that this year. VIM Cor
ham has 1000 acres of wheat in
The harvesting of the wheat crop
Is the most eveEtful time of the
year for the farmers of this county
and for weeks they have been get
ting their machines ready for it
and engaging hands; harvesting Is
in full blast and the header ma
chimes may be seen revolving like
the paddle wheels of Mississippi
steamboat, and the women NAV be
seen in their gay oolored head GOV
ering, working with the men.
The Russian farmer always pre-
pares for harvest by laying IN
liberal supply OF beer and whiskey
which is drunk in moderation by
all the members of the family.
when they first came here they
were all Republicans-the passage
Of the prOhibltorY law in Kansas
made every one of them a demo
GRAFT
One of the largest ranches IN the
county is managed by James Be-.
Ian, near Herzog. He has 5000
acres Of land, 500 of it 10 wheat,
and the rest grazing ground, He.
raises black PoiIed Angus cattle
il connection with his wheat grow
ing He expects a yield of Is to
IS bushel tothe acre The wheat
cr"p this year throughout the coun
" is far ahead of the crops of re
cent years, business Is good, farm
land is selling from Z to $50 an
acre, there are signs of prosperity
on every hand,