Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-09-28
Letter From The West.
Valparaiso, Ind,

my IT'D anu SlOIt VlSlt W tHS ioi'S'
West. Having then been there for only
so short time, could not give YOU a
full account regarding the natural phe,,
nomena and an estimate OF the West and
its people. But since that time | have
had the pleasure and opportunity to see
and study the characteristics OF the most
productive part of the West, OF Its peo-
Ole and natural phenomena.
had then Just hired by the month TO
the afore- mentioned Farmer JACOBS.
by whom was employed until the 18th
OF August, when | got anxious to Journey
TO the Dakotas in search OF wealth, eX-
perience and other systems OF farming.
The farmer had treated me so well dur
ing my stay that hated to leave nm.
He begged me to stay until it was time
TO begin my course in Me University.
But 90 must, and trust TO fate whether
or not should receive good treatment
and employment. :.
went back to Omaha, Nebraska, dis
tant thirty-three miles, and while there
took stroll over that city. When ! was
there before, the city was full OF ou!ns
and tramps who were returning IN DIS
appointment from Kansas, where they
had sought work but could find none.
Naturally, then came to the conclusion
that Omaha was city of buns and Nth;
however, on due investigation ! found
Omaha to be city Of growth and pros
perity. The buns had all departed, TOT
the North and other places OF employ
ment and Omaha bids fair to rival some
OF the great cities of the East. Doubtless
she will some day be the greatest COM
mercial city in the United States, since
she is the center of shipments between
the East and West From Omaha went
TO Watertown, South Dakota, a distance
of about three hundred miles, where /
stopped off to help threSh. stayed
around there about two weeks and then
went across the southeastern corner OF
North Dakota, through Minnesota, WIS,
consin and Illinois, back to Chicago, ana
thence over to Valparaiso, Ind.
In Nebraska the crops were toleraoly
fair in the southeastern part, while in the
north and western part they were very
moor. In South Dakota the crops were
very, very poor. We threshed wheat
there which averaged as low as one halt
a bushel per acre. Twas worth my
whole trip to realize how such wheat
really looked. would pitch one shock
of bundles onto the wagon and then get
ON and drive the horses in a trot to the
next, which could be seen in the dis
lance. We had TO hurry in order. TO get
around over the fields and keep the ma
chine going. In North Dakota the wheat
crops in some parts was very good,
while in others if was not worth harvest
ing. Minnesota, despite the fact that the
drought and hot winds prevailed, has a
fairly good crop of wheat and corn. Hill,
nois, Wisconsin and Indiana all have good
crops of corn, but they do not raise much
wheat. =,
While in Nebraska, saw wild wolf
in search OF food. He was very brave
and cunning. ! also saw and killed a
rattleSnake while pitching wheat there.
He coied up and ratified until had pitch,
ed the last sheaf, then seeing me stand
and look at him, started to crawl away,
but for victory's sake | mashed his head
with my fork. The gopher is a great
nuisance of that western section. He is
as large as our ground squirrel, and gen.
orally piles up heap of dirt over his den
that would fill half bushel measure. In
the Dakotas the sea gullS cover the fields
in vast flocks, and make the ground re-
semble white snow. They arevery ben
efcial to the farmer in that they gather up
the angle worm, and they are said to have
the finest feathers of any bird in existence
There and in most ofthe adjoining States
the prairie chickens abound in large num-
bers, and furnish much sport and good
meat for the keen-sighted and steady
aimd huntSman.
The people of the West are good,
friendly and honest type of American Cit.
liens. They believe in fair deal, and
will not stand back and allow other peo-
pie to treat them unfairly. The stories
OF their wildnesS and treachery Is delu-
sion. Truly they have been wild in the
past, but today they are settled class.
They have the best system OF economic
farming that could be devised, and the
East can learn much from her western
neighborS in this line.
The West is a very windy place. This,
in itself, will always prevent her from
competing with the calm East in the pro-
ductlon Of fruit. This season was the
dryest and hottest ever witnessed in that
section since the year 1874. Many farnl-
erS informed me that they had gone deep
ly in the hole, yet they seemed not dis
couraged, for they think if they get a
good Season next year they can come
out all right. All through the West, es-
pecially in Minnesota, the people are
making great efforts to perfect as nearly
as possible their school systems. In
Minnesota saw the practicability of the
consolidated school system manifested.
There the child is hauled to good school
where he can now enjoy the same ad-
vantageS that the city child has hereto
fore enjoyed. Why do not the country
people of West Virginia rise in their
might and command that they have the
same opportunities opened for their
children that the cities and townships
have for theirs ? The power is in their
hands.
have had many experiences and have
seen many new things which will be a
benefit in later life, during my stay in the
West. On my return to Indiana, thought
that should experience cumming or
beating the passenger train from st. Paul
to Chicago. had just succeeded in
bribing the brakeman for mere trifle to
let me ride one hundred and fifty miles
on the other side of st. Paul. So now |
should try riding between the mail-train
during the night, and freight it during the
day. succeeded, with eleven associate
beaters, in riding to Madison, Wiscon-
sin, where we were met by the city po-
lice of that place and invited to spend
about thirty days in little dingy cell,
prepared for the safe keeping of all such
travellers. Twas about three O'Clock in
the morning and there were only two po-
lice, one on each side Of the tender.
Nine of our party were between the ten
der and mail Car, while two were upon
the tender. was standing in the center
of the nine with four on each side, conse-
quently was the last to get oft. saw
each police standing with his five men,
who went TO the police as though they
belonged to them. studied awhile
whether wanted any Jail experience,
and concluded that though had never
seen within the bars of Jail, still | would
not accept such experience at this time.
| plunged down beneath the cars, the po-
~ n H,,k