The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-10-13
1t Is Equipped With All the
City Conveniences.
Watermains, Gas, Sewerage,
Everything for Comfort.
Early Day Reminder Is 1.-The
Old Oaken Buckle"
MINNEAPOLIS SUNDAY JOURNAL

Vernon Center, Oct. Oh. o. ThOmp-
son of the town of Ceresco, who has a
modern farmhouse, leads the progress
siye farmers of Blue Earth county. His
homestead is seven miles from the near
est town, yet the ordinary inconven-
fences of farm life are almost unknown.
Mr.. Thompson is one of the earliest
settlers of the county and as a boy
attended the log schoolhouse that is one
of the memories of the district. His
first improvement beyond a large house
and comfortable barns was a windmill
and water plant. The latter consists of
a large tank at sufficient elevation to
TO the house, barns and across the road
to the patsure trough. Hot and cold
water can be drawn in the kitchen and
in the barns the cold is near at hand for
the cattle.
The wooden walks were next taken up
and cement walks laid around the house
and outer buildings. The lawn was en-
closed by picket fence which entailed
the trouble of opening the gate; so in
the interest of greater ease, the younger
son trained his dog to perform this duty
by pat of his paw on the latch.
The comfort of the earlier improve
ments and the prosperous outcome of a
wheat crop led to further advancement.
Last year the oil lamps and dim Ian
terms We're doomed when a gas plant was
installed. The gas is formed by forcing
air through gasoline; in the cellar is the
airometcr, an air tank telescoped into
waterseal case, which is filled daily by
a few minutes work at the air pump.
This is surmounted by a tray containing
several hundred pounds of sand, which
supplies the necessary pressure. A pipe
leads out of the air tank through the
cellar wall to a cemented pit, in which
the carbonator and supply of gasolene
are safely buried. The supply barrel
and carbOnatOr are connected by nee
die point valve which feeds the gasolene
to the carbonator in proper quantities.
This little valve is so great labor
saving device that it is the treasure of
the plant. Its use was introduced for
the first time at Mr. Thompson's and
was the idea of George Wilder, who in
stalled the plant. Mr. Wilder and Mr..
Thompson watched and worked over it
for some months before they succeeded
in regulating it to the twenty-five lights.
1t has worked satisfactorily now for
six months and consequently the pit is
visited only thrice in year, when the
supply barrel is refilled. The new mode
Vt lighting requires three barrels of gas
olene year for lights and range, to two
and half barrels of kerosene, merely
for lights under the old way.
The working of the plant is extreme
ly simple. When a gas jet is turned
on a draught is created by the release
of the air under pressure of the sand,
this air is forced through the pipe, be-
tween two perforated glass plates, into
the carbonator where the real gasmak-
ing begins. As the liquid bubbles and is
cvaporated by the air, the supply valve
begins to work and replaces in the car
bonator the exhausted gasolene A ",I'
pipe leads the gas from the carbOnator
TO the house lights, range and three
outdoor lamps. One of the lamps is
placed outside the stable door i'm such a
position that it sends its rays down the
stall row, and when the door beyond is
open lights the stanchion row more
brightly than the banished lanterns
One of the picturesque reminders of
earlier days is an ''old oaken bucket"
well near the side door But in this case
the well is cistern and the crank winds
up buckets of soft water to be heated
in the range tank for the bathroom.
The distance of the estate from a sta
ton is a matter of little account. for
the rural delivery passes the door daily
and most of the neighbors, the twin cit
les. and stations along the line, can be
called up over the desk phone. At pres
ent Mr.. Thompson's home is the most
comfortable in the township, but he is
planning to make it more so by steam
heating. His two sons, one of whom has
taken a course at the state agricultural
college, intend to remain farmers and
both enter heartily into their fathers
improvements.
The editor of The Ely Miner is deter
mined to be cheerful under all circum-
- L.