Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-05-09

not provide food and shelter for
their stock in winter 80 in case it
should be needed, which could be
done with little trouble or expense.
It makes me heart sick to know of
tbis suffering in such storms, and
if 1 could have my way about it,
there would he . law passed to
punish these heartless people who
keep more stock than they prepare
food and shelter for; but I fear it
will be some time before woman
can have the power to do very
much on this or any other Law, ow-
Ing largely to the fckleness of the
opposition; for instance, at the
meeting of the last Legislature, at
Topeka, like the King Of france,
the suffrage bill marched up the
hill, and then marched down again.
The women we're working for a
bill granting them the right to vote
for Presidential Electors. The bill
went through the Senate without
much opposition. The ladies were
feeling first rate--when suddenly
the Senate reconsidered it's action
and in about half an hour reversed
itself, and those who voted for it,
turned around and voted against
it! See?
Each farmer hers owns from a
quarter section to several sections
of land, which is worth from $l.25
up to $500 per acre. The earlier
settlers built sod houses, contain
ing from one to three rooms. The
sod is turned up with pillow in
strips about four inches thick for
the walls, and laid up to about 8.
feet high, then the rafters are put
up, covered with boards, then q
layer of tar paper, then again
layer of sod, the grass side down
against the paper. Many ofthem
were tied down at each corner
with wire, on account of high wind.
From the outside they look rathe,
picturesque, but are said to be very
warm aud comfortable. l have
only been in one, and wouldn't
have known it had not noticed
the outside. On many farms where
the more pretentious frame hous-
es stands there may be seen lit
tie distance from it, tumbled
down mass of sod, their first house.
Many houses and barns are now
built of Magnesia rock, which wher
first dug from the quarry, is SO sof.
that it can be cut any desired size
or shape with an ordinary wood
saw. This rock liz cut into blocks
like ice, and very nice looking
house is the result.
Good water il obtained a depth
of from ITO to 40 feet, and here
at Oakley every one has wind mills
and a large tank, from which the
garden and lawns are watered, and
many of the farmers have artificial
ponds close by, supplied with
water by the windmill. From the
tanks the garden is watered du-
ring summer, to make sure of a
crop of vegetables, and answers
for an ice pond in winter. / heard
of one farmer who thinks he has
solved the drought problem. he
plants potatoes, corn and onions
together; the onions bring tears
to the eyes of the potatoes in such
quantities that the roots of the
corn are kept moist and a big crop
is raised.
The wolf, jack rabbit and the
prairie dog are the only wild ami
mails left on the plains, of which
all are too numerous. 1 have been
told by people who live out here
on ranches, who have seen as ma
ny as Is and 20 wolves in q drove.
They are very bold, and will go
into door yards in day time and
catch poultry if no one is in sight.
One day last fall about a dozen
men gathered for days hunt
and brought in ninety-six jack
rabbits. 1t is said the prairie dog,
owl and rattle-snake all live to-
gether. 1 know the two former
do but have never seen a snake
in their town, but there are lots
of rattle-snakes on the prairies.
Many times we have driven out to
the dog-towns, taking Don with
US. He thought he could easily
catch one but they are always I'M
der the ground before he gets to