The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-01-06

where beautiful. sweet
scented flowers bloom and tasty vege-
tables for the dinner table mature
while icy winds and jack frost reign
With despotic power on the surface
abovei
Whoever imagined that the soil OF
. dark, damp coal mine-after Its
black treasures Of carbon had been
exhausted to keep factory wheels In
motion and houses warm-could be
utilized for flower raising and truck
gardening?
Il has remained for an enterprising
lndianian-a Hoosier-to at least ex-
pertinent. with q measure Of success,
along Horticultural and horticultural
lines In the bowels Of the earth. at q
depth where sunshine and rain never
penetrate. Frank B. Posey Of Posey-
Vile. Posey county. Indiana, is the
man who rivals Burbank the wizard.
and who has triumphantly realized a
lifelong dream. These names o. city
and county In the extreme south
western corner Of the rich and fertile
Hoosier state. along the north bank
of the Ohio river. stand as the immor-
tai tributes paid to the Posey family
by the hardy pioneers who braved
the scalping redskins" to cultivate
the Indiana wilderness more than a
century ago.
Mr.. Posey is a worthy descendant
of that sire OF mysterious lineage for
whom Posey county and Poseyville
were named. He has won renown on
his own account and accumulated ten
talents by judicious use Of the one
his progenitors beQueathed him-fore-
sight.
The location of the Posey innova-
ton In Horticulture and gardening Is
between Poseyville and Boonville. II
u an abandoned coal mine that had
been given up as seryiceable only for
the habitation of green lizards and
other Shiny denizens Of dark. damp
recesses. During the winter Of 1909
1910 the Posey plants thrived In the
old colliery. Did Mr.. Posey desire
. tulip or a carnstion with which to
add q touch Of nature to the decora-
tions Of bis drawing-room. he merely
went to the lift Of his mine. dscended
and picked the blossom. II his ap.
petite needed q stimulant he brought
up . radish. a green onion or dainty
bunch Of lettuce. sndive or celery,
crips. Juicy and sweeter than any
ever grown In q dollhouse. Does this
seem like an improbabilityi
Origin Of the Mine Garden.
And how did the mine garden come
about? II 10 an interesting little
story. Several years ago Posey, hay
tnG arrived at the conclusion that
Asia Is for the Asiatics and China
for the Chinese" began to wonder II
Indiana should not be to the Hoosiers.
II took him only short time to de-
eide that question for himself.
Then Posey got busy and soon was
hard at work with some laborers. He
cleared away the ruins on the sur.
face. erected frame building over
The shaft and installed heating ap-
paratus. He put In simple ventilating
machinery. constructed a small ele-
vator and descended to complete his
exploration of the mine and begin
the laying out of his garden" Far
below the surface lay the base of the
shaft. enlarged to the size Of perhaps
Q fourth of Q city double lot. Giant
oak and maple timbers. rough hewn.
stood upright. formed a solid wall
q wood around this big room. except
whore the tunnels. whence the coal
had been extracted. branched OF In
several directions. The natural rock
Of the room" was supported with
huge wooden beams to prevent the
fAll Of slats. Away from the shaft
ran the cavsrns. dark a. pitch. for
miles. perhaps. Cross sections. dus
With mathematical precision. led into
rooms 26xl00 tee. In dimsnsioas.