Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1908-11-10
ATTRACTED LARGE CROWD
Many Farmers and Fruit Growers
Visited Southern Pacific's
Demonstration Train.

The visit or the Southern racine
demonstration train to Dallas, Friday,
called out an enormous crowd OF the
people of this city and the surround
ing country. and number Of people
from Salt Greek and Falls City and
the farming country about those
places also came to Dallas to take
advantage of the opportunity offered
for taking a short comprehensive
course in advanced farming methods.
Aside from a few unsatisfactory
features-such as the cold, foggy
weather, and the uncomfortable mob
of school children, who, while unable
to profit by the demonstration, sue
ceeded in interfering considerably
with many grown people who were
both able and anxious to profit by it
the hours stop of the train in Dallas
proved most profitable and pleasant to
the farmers and fruit growers who
were present and was beyond doubt,
an event of great importance, which
will have broad and lasting influence
for the improvement of farming
methods in this district.
The demonstrators wasted not a
single minute, but began their work
almost the instant that the train was
brought to a standstill and from that
time until the train left for Inde-
pendence there was something doing
every minute.
A short time was consumed just
after the train arrived, in brief
addresses from the door of one Of the
coaches, by the demonstrators who
had charge of the train, outlining
their work and its purposes and
extending an invitation to the people
to come through the cars, examine
the exhibits and ask as many ques-
tions as they desired. Immediately
after the close Of these addresses, the
train was thrown open and the crowd
began to swarm about the entrance al
the rear Of the line Of cars and to file
through the train, examing and dis
cussing the exhibits and plying the
demonstrators with numberless ques-
tions.
The completeness and comprehen-
siveness OF the exhibits was something
little short OF marvellous. Agriculture
the growing of grains and grasses
and the practical application OF the
latest improved farm machinery
horticulture in its various phases
budding, grating, planting and frui
packing; dairying carried through
all it's processes, milking, separating
testing and churning. Never did ar
agricultural exhibit give a more
perfect outline or one more easily
grasped, of modern farming methods
in their every detail. The only ex
pressed regret on the part OF the people
who were present when the trair
finally left for Independence, was tina
it could not have stayed full day.
The members OF the faculty wer'
exceedingly courteous in listening t.
and answering all questions and it Il
doubtful if any one visited the trail
who did not come away with fund o
new ideas which will bear fruit in th
form of a more general and persisten
effort on the part Of all, to bring tn
farming methods up to the highes
standard of efficiency. 1t is probabl
that an effort on the part OF tn
farmers of this neighborhood will b
made to arrange for another visit o
the train to this city next year, in cas-
the Southern Pacific Company decide
to put it on the road once more.