davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

piling the sheaves. AS soon as q wagon
is loaded it is driven to the thresher.
There are two there all the time, and the
sheaves stream continuously into the
threshers from sunrise to sunset.
At the same time there is little river of
grain flowing out. II comes from the
thrcsher through a tin pipe, which has a
flexible end of canvas. This end is placed
in the wagon box and the wheat is not
handled by man from the time 1t leaves the
straw until it reaches the car. Wagon after
wagon comes to the thresher and is filled
with wheat, It's driver carrying it on to the
elevator or up to the platforms. which are
provided at the stations, from where it may
be shoveled into the cars.
The work here, as on most of the Cana
dian farms. is done by contract threshers.
Few farmers own such machines, but there
are contractors who go from farm to farm.
carrying gangs of men with them. They
thresh the wheat at so much per bushel.
They have threshing machines, many of
which come from the United States, and
American traction engines by which they
move their outfit from one farm to an
other Every thresher carries with him
little caboose upon wheels, which consti-
tutes the cooking and eating places of the
men. There Is also a water tank wagon
in which the water for the engine is car
ried. The ordinary threshing outfit re-
quiries a force of about eighteen men who
are hired for the season at wages of about
$50 day. including board The food is
supplied by the thresher, and al that the
farmers need do is to furnish the wagons
to carry away the grain.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

that Mr. Mohler might find the occasion
suspicious to say something definite re-
ghrding the new headquarters building and
It's location, the enlargement of the shops
and the chances for establishing here
factory for the manufacture OF the McKeen
motor cars. But the vice president ignored
his opportunity. He appeared rather fius-
tered when II was demanded that he say
something in response to very elaborate
presentation OF his abilities and virtues,
and he made his speech the shortest of the
evening. Before and afterwards he gave
evidence of enjoying himself thoroughly.
But about the shops and the headquarters
the banqueters drew blanks. Finally GU
rious individuals passed interrogations up
to the head of the table. but these brought
the unsatsfying response that the head
quarters would be built. and built in
Omaha. This was as far as Mr.. Mohler
would commit himself.
Two gentlemen who certainly deserved
places at the tables watched the game
from the sidelines. These were John Steel,
chairman of the banquet committee, and
Commissioner t.. J. McVann. They were
overworkcd and worried captains of the
general good. The congratulations they
received did much to ameliorate whatever
ills they suffered.
To the heart, stomach. mind, sight and
fancy the banquet had clever appeals. To
expunge unnecessary verbiage-it was a
success.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

make a business of preparing the land for
outsiders. and who, later on, do much of
the threshing. The ordinary farmer uses
a gang pillow and from three to half dozen
horses. With three horses he is able to
pillow about two acres per day and with
additional horses more in proportion. Much
OF the work Is performed by traction en-
gines, which haul machine plows so large
that they turn over a strip of sod as wide
as the average city sidewalk at one time.
These plows will make nine burrows in
crossing the field, and will break up as
much as forty acres in one day. Such
work is done by contract, the contractor
charging $3.50 per acre for doing the plow-
ing.
The next process is back-setting; that is
going over the field again and throwing
the burrows in the opposite direction. This
may also be done, by contract, the total
price for blowing, back-settng and seeding
being S.. This means that a man can have
his wheat planted In fields reduced from
the virgin prairie at IS per acre and the
cost of the seed. Indeed, ! have had real
estate agents, who have been trying to sell
me land, offer to take charge of farm
and put II under crop for IS per acre and
the cost of the seed. This is in addition
to the purchase price.
Some of the farmers here, who are anx-
ious to get quick returns, sow wheat the
same year that they break the-soil. Others
pillow the land in the spring and back set
1t In the summer, seeding It during the
following spring. This process insures a
good crop. Those who plant Immediately
upon breaking do not expect TO get much
the first year. Others plant fax for their
first crop and wheat the next year.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Harvest in Canadn.

The most strenuous zine ii the year
comes with the harvest. This is a land Of
short seasons. The crops grow faster than
In the United States and harvest comes on
all al once
Along about the 18th of August these
prairies become golden seas Which rise and
fall under every wind. Each is COM
posed OF grain ready for cutting and all is
ripe at just about the same time.
The farmers now go into their work with
a rush. In many cases the women and
girls join the men and boys in the fields.
Nearly every man has his own harvesting
machinery and the girls often drive the
harvesters to cut the grain. Each harvester
is drawn BY three horses. but the husky
wheat-fed American maiden manages such
a team without trouble. At the same time
thousands of hands have been imported
from the United States and eastern Canada
They have received reduced fares from the
railroads and are sure of work at high
wages from now on until the grain has been
loaded upon the cars, which viii take them
to the great lakes.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Quaint Features Of Life


A. j. Curtiss of Bristol, Conn, CONNER
clal traveller, broke a bone in his right
leg while engaged in the apparently simple
operation of pulling on his boot. This un-
usual occurrence has brought about law
suit In which Mr. Curtiss is the plaintiff
and an accident association the defendant
Mr.. Curtiss declares that no broke his
leg in CRANKY on June TO- 1901, the left
strap to his boot coming of suddenly, by
which his leg was suddenly and violently
wrenched to the right, said wrench caus-
ing fracture of the pubic bone and has
caused him great pain and soreness, which
has continued to the present time" He
says that for more than ffty-two weeks
he has been totally disabled and unable to
attend to his business or any other, and
for much of the time has been confined to
bis bed
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

United states citizens In TINS 6rltiSn noltn-
west. and $1,000 came here last year. All
own farms, and most of them are the prize
farmers of their communities. They have
been cultivating similar lands in Minnesota
and the Dakotas, and have brought their
farm machinery and household effects with
them. They have imported their own horses
and they began breaking the prairie the
moment they landed BY way of illustra-
ton, one American, who came In last
spring, arrived at Saskatoon, more than
800 miles north of the American boundary,
at 10 o'clock one morning. The cars had
hardly stopped before he began jerking his
stuff out, and by o'clock that afternoon
he had three plows at work breaking the
prairie. Many farmers, who arrive in the
spring. live in tents until the first crop is
planted, others knock up rude shacks while
they are blowing and seeding. waiting for
the summer to build their homes. Within
a few months from now the blowing will be
going on all over the wheat belt and the
people will do nothing else until they get
the grain planted.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Commercial Club Banquet Union Pacific General MANAGER Moe

end OF the "U' looking down the rows of
banqueters Behind them a full-sized loo
motive front jutted from masses of Palms.
Every detail OF a modern passenger grey
hound % the road was reproduced and
the headlight shed blaze of glory oye- the
scene The ringing of real locomotive
bell commanded silence when silence vas
wanted and the POSTMASTER shouted "All
aboard" prior to untying the packages OF
wit ard wisdom.
At famous James ]. Hin banquet in
st. Paul. which was reported to have cost
a fabulous sum. n railway track ran down
the center OF the tables and had a dummy
train OF cars urOn it. The Mohler banquet
went this one better in a tiny motor car,
TO. :. an exact miniature of the kind of
cars that have been perfected and MANI
featured at the Omaha shops of the Union
Pacific. under the supervision of w. r. Nc
Keen. superintendent Of motive power aad
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Tobacco and Bead. Fetched Him.
LUCKY pi.covery OF a WIN.

In order to secure some token by which
TO remember a great-aunt to whom she had
been much attached, Mile. Bertha Che
vanne of Paris, young Frenchwoman, at
tended a sale OF the old lady's effects. The
girl was poor and most of the articles were
beyond her purse.
shabby old bOok-a book of devotions-
was, however, put up. Nobody bid for It
except Mile. Chevanne. and she bought IL
for next to nothing. In turning over the
leaves she came across a folded paper. II
was will bequeathing her the whole of her
great-aunts estate, valued at $4,000
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

machinery, and with the hearty co-opera-
ton of Mr.. Mohler. These same motor
cars produced sensation in the traffic
world and have made Mr.. McKeen famous
The miniature ran on the sand-ballasted
track by electrical air and carried notes
and carnations between men along the
route 1t was the neatest and most unique
decorative feature
The motor car had one terminus ir a
fourtee history edifce intended to represent
someone's dream of what the new Union
Pacific headquarters building ought to look
like. 1t astonishod and aroused the ad-
miIation of the highest officers of the asys-
tenn who had no suspicion the problem
could be solved SO easily. The towering
structure was brilliantly Illuminated. on
its dome was a rotund, bald-headed figure
operating one eye through a telescope. A
tag affixed said the effigy was Charley
Lane, the assistant general freight agent
of the system, whose name has become
a household word, etc
The building stood at the extremity Of
one end of the ~" At the other was a
replica of the new Union Pacific shops,
complete even to the athletic grounds
which will be laid out for employees. The
motor car stopped here and was turned
for a return journey.
Garlands of green leaves set the single
track off in a proper looking right-of-Way,
and were hung in festoons overhead and
draped around the posts and woodwork.
Red incandescents cleaned among the
green on the table and elsewhere and the
effect was subdued and pretty.
o
And MobIer Said Little.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

There is japanese magazine new one
the "Tagami-Zasshi," which is sort of
periodical complete letter writer. The jap
anese are bad business letter writer's They
have a way OF inditng forty papers of po-
lite oriental hlghfalutin and getting no.
where japanese brewer receives a let
ter beginning, 30. most illustrious maker
Of that most divine of all beverages, deign
to commit to me case" etc. The TIA
gami-Zasshi' is trying to teach the native
to write: Yours of the 10th inst. received
and contents noted" ETC..
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Breaking the Prairie.

The methods Of farming here are differ
ent from those in the settled parts of the
United States. There are millions of acres
of land which have never been touched by
man. The prairie is covered with thick
sod and one must have strong teams and
good plows to turn 1t. The best time for
breaking is in the early spring, when the
earth has been softened by the winter
SHOWS As soon the frost is out the
plows are started and they are kept busy
until the crop is in.
The breaking is done by the farmers who
own the land and by contractors, who
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

Harvesting on the larger farms as pushed
from sunlight to Carli, anu even by twI4isht
and moonlight Thousands Of bushels of
grain must be reaped within week u 50
and little delay may ruin the crop. The
grain must be cut when it Ia just ripe,
and no ripper. If left too loES 1t will hull
in the harvesting II II becomes wet it viii
lose in quality, and an uatimely frost may
ruin it. Take for instance, farm ike that
of Emile J. Meiici;c which had last year
one wheat field containing l,60O acres, from
which came o5,OC0 bushes OF grain, worth
S.c,ot0 and more. That farm is situated
near Dundurn. in Saskatchewan, several
hundred miles nCrth of the American
boundary. 1t is owned b. a Minnesota state
senator who probably got his experience in
the United States. The moment his wheat
was ripe he started dozen harvesters into
II. and worked his machines from day
break to dark until every stalk was cut.
He lad relays Of horses, and he instructed
his men to push them 10 their utmost.
There was no stopping for rest at the end
of the field, but every four hours fresh
teams were put into the harvesters and the
work went on, the machines following each
other over this vast tract. cutting down
scores of acres at one swath. The result
was that the wheat was all harvested in
time, and il brought excellent prices.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
MarketIn. the wheat.

In the eastern part of the United States
the wheat is often stored in granarics, and
the farmers watch the market until the
price is just right, when they haul IL 10 the
station and ship IL. In the new Canada
there are practically no barns or granaries.
The wheat goes direct from the threshers
the elevators, it is sent to the cars
and shipped TO the storage elevators upon
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
One Note of the AFFAIR.

Yet. when attention was turned from gas
tronomic exercises to processes OF the mind
still. small tone was sounded presently
and its echo never died away. 1t reminded
one of that voice the Virginian used when
Trampas called him name and the Vir-
ginian assured him that he must smile
when 1t became necessary for him to en-
ploy that particular word. More than one
OF the speakers struck the note. 1t had
meaning cleft clear and deep and 1t was
understood by all those sitting around the
board 1t signified courteousiy. even gently.
that railroads are much loved, but they
must be good II they would not suffer pun
ishment 1t wasn't a warning-merely
message.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

larger farms several drills follow one an
other over the fields. The drill plants the
seed and covers it, and after this the
farmer lays off until the harvest.
He may now break up or back-set other
lands for the next year, or may build his
house, make fences or undertake other
general farm improvements.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Sowing the wheat.

The old picture of the farmer going over
the plowed ground sowing the grain broad
cast is not TO be seen in Canada. All grain
here is planted with drills. The ordinary
drill is pulled by .three horses, and on the
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Canadian Elevator system.


These elevators are largely owned by
companies which buy, ship and store
wheat. One company will own thirty or
forty elevators located at different points,
and it's agents will make summer and win
ter rates of storage and sale. The number
of elevators Is rapidly increasing. 1t has
doubled within the past five years, and
new buildings are going up every day. All
these elevators are under government SUI
pervision. Each has a license, and It Is
inspected regularly by the warehouse com
sold in Canada has to pass through such
inspection II must be weighed under the
government weighmaster. and all grain
put into vessels has TO be passed upon by
the govern ment This is to maintain the
high standard of western Canadian wheat.
These elevator companies will hold the
farmers wheat and sell II as he orders or
they will gree to handle II on commission
and get what they think is the highest
price II the wheat Is shpped on the train
the railroads will charge In the neighbor-
hood of q cents for hauling n hundred
pounds OO0 miles. ard It can he token
down the great lakes by water n thousand
miles farther for about cents rer hushel.
The elevator companies are much cTiti-
clsed by the farmers who claim that they
delay the shipment of wheat in order to
increase storage charges. The wheat be-
gins to come to the elevators about Sen
TENDER !, and the elevators are pretty we'll
CONTINUED on Page Seven.)
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Unique ana Artistic Decorations.

The decorations were very appropriate
and distinctive. The tables were arranged
in the shape of very much elongated
letter ~" which obviously was ft as re-
CARDS the Union Pacific. The guest toast
master and speakers sat at the lotion
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

Alleging that his wife Kicked him vita
pair of French heel boots, always kept
three revolvers in her possession with
which she occasionally threatened To shoot
him. hit him on the head with hammer.
and presided over the dinner table with
a revolver in her lap" Charles Schroeder
of Chicago filed an answer to the writ for
divorce begun by his wife, Mrs. Alma
Schroeder
The suit for divorce is the sequel TO q
"St. joe marriage which took place a year
ago last June. ---
According to Schroeder, while he lived
with his bride he was in constant fear Of
his life. While she frowned constantly upon
him and said little caustic things that tend
to arouse mans wrath Schroeder over
looked these until he discovered that his
wife had three large revolvers. Then, he
says, he began to take notice" ana dis
covered that. while at the dinner table.
she held a revolver in her lap with which
she threatened him while he ate.
Then he says that last January she
kicked him with her French heel boots"
and on the same day hit him on the head
with a "claw hammer"
The couple separated November 80, 1906
Tobacco and Beads Fetched Him.
Beads and tobacco are the open sesame
to the affection of the savage. The Com
monwealth Secretary for External Affairs
has been visiting British New Guinea e nd
among the curios with which he returned
to Melbourne was gorgeous hsaddrcss
made of the feathers of birds of para lise
the many-colored plumage of parrots aud
various other of the brilliant birds OF that
region. all securely sewn together end
bound with beautiful shells. Two axes
and a pocketknife was at first offered for
the treasure. but the Papuan owner sT.ok
his head. A strip of calico was added
with the like result; but the owners eye
glistened at the sight of n string of heads
and plug Of tobacco. and the bargain
was clinched.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21

the great lakes. Throughout the wheat re-
gion there are now more than thousand
elevators. There are several at every sta
ton; they stand out on the landscape
marking the value of the wheat districts
surrounding. There 800 different sta
tons, which have such granaries, and al
together they have a storage capacity of
80, 10000 bushels. This is outside the great
eleva' RS at Fort William and Fort Arthur
at the head of Lake Superior, which Will
hold something like 10000, 900 bushels more
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Copyright 1906.

1t 1906. by Frank G. Carpenter)
Saskatchewan, Jan.
1S.-(Special Correspondence of
The Bee.)-I want to tell you how
Americans farm in Canada. There
are something like 10000 ex-
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
Among the Threshers.

I have seen considerable threshing during
my trip through Canada. The work is
done by steam and in riding through the
country last fall one was seldom out of
sight Of the smoke and the noise Of the
threshing machine.
The business is interesting. Let us visit
farm ard see how il is done. The field
which we enter contains a thousand acres.
II is spotted with wheat shocks, or stocks.
as they are called here. Each stock con-
sists Of a half dozen or more sheaves. stood
upon end. with others on top so arranged
as to shed the rain In this form tie stocks
are thrown on the wagon, to b. carried
direct TO the thresher. There ara a halt
dozen teams moving over the fold gather
ing them up. Men stand on the wagons
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21


Isl Il banquet given Tuesday night by
k2lA members of the Commercial club
I0HGI TO The vice president and gen
49, eral manager of the Union Pa
cine railway was extraordinary In the
first place 1t was unusual I'm these days of
rate regulation warfare. the equal taxation
slogan and the dlatribes concerning
bates and determinations alleged to favor
the big shipper and certain localities. Ne
braska and Omaha are not a bit behind
the rest OF the country in the somewhat
feversh discussion of these topics, bus the
Tuesday night banquet was proof OF the
sanity Of state and city, and Illustration
OF the fact that they know where to draw
the line between personal animosity and
the questions at issue.
A. L. Mohler stands at the head os the
largest corporate interest that makes
Omaha It's base OF operations. He repre-
sents here the highest authority OF one
of the greatest railroads in the United
States ani the greatest entering Omaha.
lis caree" Las been one OF those happy
ones in which promotion and additional
distinction and responsibilities came c!nono-
logically
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-21
ranquet r;,u,eI Lons Ago.


Whon Mir. Mon or was given his present
post. ii business mcl CT tie city, rccog-
nlzing Is lr..tlye local prominence and
havln cen cle to harmonious relations
between the city and the railroad. proposed
to tcpdcr Linn tie conpiinentu banquet
which ~us given ltSt week. At that time
the now genera IIt1ISe- was not at all
well ..aoNn he.". IL was informed os the
desi n Its MY ,ownspeOple and ,et it
be understood tuat he would prefer to
have Tie junction postponed Indefinitely
because 81! recent bereavement in his
family to Geltn of "A daughter
In conf Lance 10 this request the Com
mercial Cub laid tie banquet idea on the
shelf Wh'l X was taken down again Mr.
No - hul been created vice president
as "tl a. enc al mana e.. of tie Union
PtC~ al e.. aad Lad become one OF the
intt .Cp..u men in Omaha in a purely
l'cis ....-. way. 1t was for the latter reason
mo. ha. anythihs else, perhaps that
tic hn lHct NAB seized upon with pecu-
La 3D.,
II 80. slut committee was appointed
to rJund NJ diners so as to make sure OF a
Guod tridtcc This prccaution proved al
ttgtthc. unnecessary. Acceptances came
10 the tf'ice OF tie secretary In numbers
wholly unexpected. Up to the last minute
the cC5s ittee In charge was at its wits
end dev.sing extra room at the tables. Not
a few mtn classed among the most promi-
nent In tie city in n business and profess
Eional way were delibera tely, though re-
Eieifuily, turned away. Tho capacity of
the Commercial club kitchen and catering
service were taxed to their utmost. but
Pryor, the famed steward of the club, made
good