The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-01-01
had gone, to induce the Indians t.
return to the United States.


It is extremely doubtful whether a
building was ever completed within
the time specified in the contract,
hence it is not surprising that the
new Jail in course of construction for
Yellowstone county will not be ready
to turn over to the commissioners on
the date provided in the articles. But
as work is now progressing the delay
promises to be short one. Just who
is responsible for the breach OF con-
tract is not very clear. The men
who erected the building proper say
the ..jail people" are to blame be-
cause they did not have the iron work
here in time, something the other fel:
lows say is not exactly true. How
hasten matters and the men they sent
out to put the cages in place are not
losing any time.
0The new jail is going to be great
improvement on the one it supplants.
It will not only be larger, but it will
be safer and have several convent
ences and betterments sadly lacking
in the old. Among other things it
will have a bathroom and the jailer's
office will not be repetition of the
little cubby hole that did service in
that direction in times gone by. The
ground floor is of stone and cement,
while the upper one will have steel
joists and plates for base, with
top layer OF cement, a combination
supposedly able to resist all efforts OF
the inmates to dig out, while at the
same time making it fireproof. Each
of the two floors is divided into two
rooms, well lighted and airy. The
cages will occupy the center and be-
sides affording a safe place in which
to confine criminals will also be roomy
enough to enable them to take the
needed exercise. In about two weeks
the Jail will be ready for occupancy.
The United States agricultural de-
partment comes the nearest to pater-
nalism of any branch of the govern
ment, in that it is continually telling
the people what to do and conducting
experiments for their benefit. One OF
"Uncle Jim's" efforts in the paternal-
istic direction is bulletin giving
hints for the guidance of buyers OF
dressed poultry. If the directions it
contains are carefully followed it will
be almost impossible for any design
ing dealer to palm of the remains OF
an old lord of the barnyafd for those
Of a sprightly young dude that was
not permitted to advance beyond the
stage of adolescence, neither can he
sell the body of the mother of count
less families for mere pullet that
never warmed a setting of eggs into
life. Here are some of the bits of
advice the department gives on the
important subject:
A we'll rounded form, with neat, COM
pact legs, and no sharp, bony angles
on the breast are distinguishing marks
that should be looked for by the in-
tending purchaser. Then, the skin
favorite with most people, and free
from blotches or pin feathers. II
the skin looks tight and drawn, the
bird has probably been scalded be-
fore plucking. The flesh should be
neither flabby nor stiff, but should
give evenly and gently when pressed
by the fingers. Those who are guided
by the amount of resistance given by
the breast bone of fowl in attempt
ing to arrive at the probable age of a
bird must be cautious, for occasional
~ dealers, the tricky ones, break the
bone. The feet are also a good in
dex to- the fowls age. In young
bird. they are soft and smooth, be-
coming hard sad tough ", I age.
In a young fowl the claws are short
and sharp, characteristics they lose
as they grow older. Turkeys up to
a year old have black feet, which
grow pink up to three years and then
gradually turn gray and dull. In a
fresh bird the feet feel moist, soft and
timber, and = dressed with the head
on the eyes look bright and full,
shrinking as the meat grows stale,
when the feet become hard and dry.
Cold storage birds are to be distin-
guished from fresh ones by squeezed
look, with the wings and legs press
ed against the body, even if they have
been unpacked for some time