The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-09-01
Number 81

mere IS a SpltHuiu dulOmODlic iudu
all the way from Boston to Prince
town. 1t is built by the state. smooth
and hard, with a foundation of crush
ed rock IS inches deep, covered with
mixture of fine sand and crude petrol
cum which packs down and becomes
as elastic as rubber.
Princetown as you know, is on the
extreme end Of the curved strip Of
land, the southeast part Of Massachu-
setts and by hard riding may be reach
ed from Boston in one day, distance
of 120 miles. Fifteen villages, appar-
emily very interesting, were passed but
regret we did not stop long enough to
learn any thing worth the telling, nor
inquire, except the way TO our distina-
ton, which was not often, for the state
road and sign boards made it quite
plain
A guide told us that the old board
walk on the main street in Princetown
was built with funds from Andrew
Jackson. We learned upon further in
quiry the only justification for such a
yarn was the fact that certain taxes
collected in the town during his ad-
ministration as president were refund
ed and the proceeds devoted to much
needed public improvements, includ-
ing this plank walk
"Old Hickory" gave the Yankees so
much trouble at one time and another
that it is interesting to note this effort
to preserve a tradition of him, and
illustrates the general veneration ac-
corded the man every where, regard
less of the differences existing during
his life.
The ride around the cape is delight
full, exhilirating, and the ocean, bear
ing numerous craft on its bosom, with
the waves breaking against the rocks
close by, most facinating to the land
lubber," especially where the scene
is changing every minute as one speeds
along for miles and miles. Light
houses and life saving stations are
numerous on both coasts of Cape Cod
peninsula, and are built of wood in
order that they can run away to save
their lives when necessary.
Before the government officials un-
derstood the eccentric habits of Cape
Cod gales the light houses were built
of stone, but many of them were un-
dermined by the action of the waves.
Now the lighthouses are built of wood
so when the waves wash away the
bluffs on which they are located roll
lers can be placed under them and they
can be moved back where they will be
safe. The life saving stations are
treated the same way.
Water used to be pumped from the
sea by windmills and dried for the
saft, but the discovery of salt deposits
throughout the country has destroyed
this industry.
A few years ago somebody discov-
cred that the sandy soil in certain por-
tions of the cape is peculiarly adapted
to asparagus and the acreage planted
to it has been increasing annually
until now immense tracts of land that
were considered worthless, are pro-
ducing a large revenue.
Cranberry culture next to summer
boarders, | would say, is the most i'm
portant industry. 1t may be com
fort to some over worked men out
west as we'll as bachelors INDICATED :"
to know that in both of these lines of
business the work is done by women.
This gives the men plenty of time to
mediate on affairs of state gossip and
spin yarns of past experiences.
Very little labor is necessary in the
cultivation of cranberries and the
vines can be made to produce twice
their natural crop by proper attention,
so I was told
When the picking season comes
every woman on the Cape goes to the
cranberry swamps and works from day
light to dark With proper energy and
facile fingers one can pick barrel
day.
The cranberry is natural to the
Cape Reference is made to records
of Massachusetts as early as 1877,
which specify among the gifts to
Charles II, from the Colonists, were
ten barrels of Cranberries from Cape
Cod. Nothing is said about turkeys
in the list, nor whether the king was
contented to apply sugar freely before
taking.
OF late the cranberry crop has be-
come too large to be picked with local
fingers and train loads of women are
brought down from Boston and else
where, Some of them, it is said, make
as much as $500 a day, and besides it
must be a great thing for these peo-
pie from the city to have a few weeks
I