davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
DELTA BOY KILLED BY
AN ACCIDENTAL SHOT
Receives Full Charge of Shot in
Right Thigh-Limb Badly
Lascerated.

Charles Brcatcher, a young man
20 years of age and in the full
vigor of manhood when he awoke
last Sunday morning at his home
in North Delta, was dead at $3.50
that evening and in the care of a
local undetraker for burial. All this
was the result of the accidental dis
charge of a breech- loading shot gun
in the hands of a brother, ~
years old at $50, and there is great
grief in that home today.
The unfortunate young man was
in the yard near his home when
his two younger brothers were pre-
pairing for a hunt. Each of the boys
had a shot gun which wasbeing in
spected and when one of the pair
threw down the breach of his weap-
on, a charge was put off which en-
tered the fleshy part of Charley's
right thigh. badly lascerating and
shattering that member. The wound
ed man was at once taken into
the home and local surgeons were
summoned. The injuries were care
fully examined and ii was thereupon
decided that an amputation of the
.Ignt leg near the body must follow
as the only means of saving the
young mans life and the opera
tion was performed at o clock in
tie afternoon. The young man had
undergone a great shock from the
accident. He had lost a great guam
tity OF blood and was therefore un-
able to withstand the second shock
resulting from the amputation and
IN came as the only relief at
about 6 80 that evening.
The victim of this accidental
shooting was the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. j. w. Breatcher. who came
here from Oklahoma less than
month ago and purchased the old
Archer place in North Delta. The
family comprises father, mother and
eleven children. all residing at the
new home on the north side.
The father. when he heard the
shot and came from the house and
found his eldest son lying prostrate
in a pool of blood. proceeded at
once to take the two guns from the
hands of the other boys and tax
Ing them to a heavy wagon near
by, made short work of reducing
them to splinters.
Funeral services were held at
the home in North Delta at 2:30
monday afternoon. Rev. Anthony
Jacobs of the Baptist church, Of
ficiating. and interment was in the
Delta cemetery.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
GET PEOPLE HERE TO USE
WATER NOW AVAILABLE
Dirtot,r Newell Says it is UP to
The People Here to Bring in
The Settlers.

Director F. H. Newell, head of
the reclamation work of the Unit
ed s'aies government, who with
Supervising Engineer Walter and
Deputy United States Marshall
Ethelbert Ward, left on Wednes-
tday noon for Denver, after spending
a couple of days here looking over
the Uncompahgre project.
In conversation with a represent
ative OF the Enterprise, Mr.. Newell
said: Il have spent two days look
ing over the project here. Ny in
vestigations have included a trip
through the tunnel, where l looked
over the work on the dam being
placed in the Gunnison river, Wis
tit TO the headgate of the big canals
up the river and the big ciphon
which carries the water up on
Franklin mesa. l find everything
in excellent shape. In fact this pro-
Ject possibly shows up better than
any other of the government pro-
jects.
I'VE have brought the water,
continued Mr.. Newell, and now it
is up to you folks to bring in the
peopIe to develop the land. That is
what you need, the people to de-
velop the land. These large tracts
should be cut up into small tracts
so that the maximum results can be
obtained from every acre. You have
great year in the way of crops. APP
parently you have Jared better than
any other section of the country
and there is no reason why you
should not enjoy a rapid growth
in population during the next year
if you are not too greedy. If you
put a price on your land way beyond
reason it will retard your growth.
This is no time for the speculator.
Every resident of the valley should
be more interested in getting peo-
pie here that will produce some
thing, than they are in making a
big pile through speculation.
When asked as to the probable
time of the opening to entry of the
homestead land which still remains
under the project, Mr.. Newell said
that there is too much other land
ur@ecupied and -undeveleped under
the project to be worrying about the
homestead land, and he intimated
that the thing to do at this time
is to develop the land which is now
ready for the plow.
From MIR. Newell it is learned
that sufficient allotment has been
made for the completion of the en-
tire project, with the exception OF
the Ironstone territory. No work
will be done in the Ironstone dis
trict until the government and the
Ironstone people come to some sort
of an agreement.
Mr.. Newell laid particular stress
on the necessity of getting people
here as soon as possible, to use
the water already available.-Mont-
rose Enterprise.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Choice Western Slope Apples
At the Bankers COnventio

All delegates to the American
Bankers association convention in
New Orleans this week are enjoy
ing a treat in the way of choice ap-
pies from the Western Slope, and
incidentally, Colorado will get con-
siderable publicity thereby.
In the South fine apples are a
luxury seldom INDUCED in. Colo
RADIO apples selling there at ten
cents each, when in season.
as high as twice that amount later
in the winter.
Realizing this, Secretary Pres
ton T. Slayback of the Colorado
branch of the association has secur-
ed from a friend on the Western
Slope, a dozen boxes of the finest
Jonathan apples obtainable, and
these will be given out at the Colo
RADIO headquarters in New Orleans,
as long as they last. 1t is figured
that the 1900 apples will be dis
tributed in a very few hours and
that many of the southerners'
having tasted the delights of Colo
rado fruit, will not be satisfied un-
til they have learned where they
can procure them. F.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24

Miss Lorena Wade. Paonia' s
pretty apple queen, won out in
hard fought battle for the national
apple queen crown at Denver.
This pleases the Independent be-
cause the crown comes to Delta
county, the banner fruit county of
the world.
The matter of apple queen may
ia a measure be a farce, yet, so
long as it was an institution of
the apple show, we are glad that a
Delta county girl won-glad that
Paonia won.
Other nice and pretty girls who
were contestants, sufferedd disap-
pointment, of course. but these are
matters which cannot be helped,
as the crown is only for one head.
There is SO much strife over the
choosing of a queen and the dis
appointments cover so wide range
and so great a number of friends
of the different contestants. that
il is question If, in future, the
same amount of interest can be
kept up in the apple queen matter,
yet, after all. it has helped to stir
up general interest in the fruit car
nivals.
Whatever else may be said of the
conducting, the results this year are
quite satisfactory for this county.
Miss Wade is pretty girl and
made both a handsome and digni-
fled queen. The advertising bene-
fits resulting from her election will
come to Delta county and particu-
larly to one of its best fruit dis
tricts.
Here's to our apple queen, May
her reign be one of greatest fruit
prosperity to Paonia and Delta
county!
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
YOUNG MOTHER AND BABE
OF TRAIN INCIDENT DEAD
Delta Woman Succumbed to the
Shock Received Crossing Mar
shall Pass.

Last week the Independent re-
ported the finding of little pack
age on the seat of a Rio Grande
passenger coach by the trains crew
as the Marshall pass train pulled
into Sailda and examination later
revealed the contents of that pack
age to be a new born babe, whose
life had gone out either before or
shortly after birth.
The mother was taken i'll as the
train slowly wended its way sky
ward, and persons seated near her
called for a doctor and there hap
pened to be a man of medicine from
Paonia, according to reports and
he responded promptly, but being
unequipped, was unable to do much
for the sufferer.
AT Salida the mother and her
babe were taken to the Rio Grande
hospital, where the mother died
shortly after admission to that in
stitution. and then the question of
identity was solved and appeared in
the columns of the Salida Record
as follows:
Mrs. Flora Della Mowry, of
Delta, aged "a years, died in the
Rio Grande hospital Monday morn
ing as a result of a hemorrhage,
brought on by premature child birth
caused by the high altitude of Mar
shall pass. MIR. and Mrs. Mowry
had resided in Delta only about a
year and were on their way to Tex
as to live A Paonia physician was
on the train but was not prepared
for the emergency and could do
nothing. The remains of the un-
fortunate woman were taken to
local undertaker's parlors and on
Wednesday evening were shipped to
Hyndman, Pa, the former home
of the wife and husband
An Independent reporter has made
every possible effort to locate the
former home of the young couple in
this county. and failed, though it is
said that they resided somewhere
near Austin
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
New City Water System
To BE Completed in n Week

Residents of this city will soon
have every reason to feel assured
of a permanent water supply since
the new reservoir on Garnet mesa
has been completed and is to be
entered into service inside the next
few days.
The pipe line running through
Meeker street and up Third to
Leon. il now nearing completion
and will be ready for use as soon
as the water is turned into the res
ervoir.
By the middle OF next week. the
new centrifugal pump, to be sta
toned at n point near the North
Delta bridge. will be installed, and
this, too, will increase the assur-
ance that our water supply is 20
be permanent and that we will al
ways have water even Mt times ike
the one reported short time since
when n land and rock slide In the
cedars eight or nine miles distant
from the city. caused great damage
to the city pipe line.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
The Nations Coal Production.

The United States Geological Sur
vey has issued its annual coal chart,
showing the production of coal by
states from the year 1914 to 1910.
The figures relate wonderful his
tory of growth. In 1914 a total of
% tons of coal was produced in the
state of Pennsylvania. In 1915 the
percentage of increase was good
but still only SO tons were taken
out. BY 1925 over 100000 tons
were mined in the two states pro-
ducing. In 1850 the figure had de-
veloped to 7,01S,iS1 tons. In 1875
it was 53.2S0.0O0 tons. At the end
of the century it was 269, ,6S4 .027
tons. In 1905 it was 1872, .635
tons. In 1907, which it was suppos-
ed would remain the record year for
some time, the production was 4SO,-
S6S,424 tons, but in 1910 the enor-
nous total was reached OF 5O1,5
S7S short tons, production larger
by far than that of any other coun-
try in the world. So steady has been
the increase in American coal pro
duction that most of the years have
been record breakers. The totai
production since 1914 has been ap-
proximately eight and quarter bill
lion tons.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Leading Delta Stock1nan Sells
Cattle and Range Interest

j. d. Killian. for nearly thirty
years a stockman of Delta, has just
closed deal whereby he transfers
his entire cattle and range inter
ests to w. E. Schoolfield, also a
veteran stockman and former resi-
dent OF this county.
Mr.. Killian did not see proper
to give the consideration but 1t is
understood that the price would be
n large consumer of numerals. He
explained that he sold out merely tt
get n rest and appeared bit mir
fed when asked II he intended TO
20 into humor permanently. Mr..
Killian stated further that he had
retained his ranch interests and
city property and would remain
citizen here.
Mr.. Schoolfield ranged our hills
and valleys some twenty years ago.
hSt later has made Denver his home,
fFollowing his purchase Of the XII
lian cattle and range, himself and
family will again locate in Delta,
where they will be warmly well
coined.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Howe Furniture Creditors Ask
For bankruptcy Proceetiin,

Because of some alleged dissat-
isfaction with the management and
disposition of the assigned stock
of w. ]. Howe, the local furniture
man, number of the creditors have
Joined in a petition which has been
filed in the federal court at Mont
rose, asking that the entire mat
ter be adjudicated in Bankruptcy.
The petition was filed some time
ago and 1t is said that n default be-
ing taken, Federal Judge Robert E.
Lewis has adjudged w. ]. Howe to
be bankrupt and II is expected
that the referee. Walter p. Crosse
of Montrose. will call, meeting of
the creditors within the next few
days. The petition that has been
filed asks that the federal court re-
view the acts of the creditors COM
mittee and that they be required
to file with the referee n full and
complete report OF all money re-
ceived and paid out by them. as
such committee in charge of the
stock in their disposal of same. Geo
stephan, H. ]. Baird and A. II.
Stockham were the Creditors com
mite appointed to dispose of the
stock.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
ALL STARS WIN LAST OF
SEASONS FOOTBALL GAMES
Although Sadly Out of Condition,
Old-Timers Come Back" and
Drub the Youngsters.

The high school football team
picked up a game with some Delta
veterans Tuesday afternoon. The
vets were out of practice and con-
dition but proved too heavy a bunch
for the highs, the score resulting
22 to 0 in favor of the vets.
Following is the lineup:
All Stars-Angell C, Blaine l. G,
Raber /. l.. Peterson /. e., Rose r.
g., Cook T. t, Wilson r. e., Parker
q. b., l.. Conklin f. b., R. Conklin r.
h., Kennedy /. h. Average weight
200 pounds.
High school-vickery l. e., Grif-
fifth /. t.. Angel /. G., Conway c.,
Howry T. G., Obergfell T. t, Arthur
r. c., Blackburn q. b., Cook f. b.,
Beckley r. h, Claybaugh l. h.
The gridiron battle was hotly con-
tested, both teams putting up fast
play.
Ross Conklin came from the field
considerably bruised about the head
and face, and his father jocularly
remarked that he looked like a
sausage machine Immediately after
hard grind. There was nothing
serious about his injuries, however,
and he is in his place at the fruit
companys office as usual.
There wasn't a single moment
when the high school boys could
reach the goal, although making two
or three very good runs.
The Independent suggests that
the Delta big boys who have fin
ished college and are located here
permanently, organize a prize clever
next season and challenge all
comers.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Former Sheriff of County
Back on u Short Wis

Chapman S. Gibbs. a former well
known resident of this city and
sheriff of Delta county for two
terms, came in last Friday morning
from Whittier, California. to look
after business matters a few days.
and incidentally visit with his many
old-time friends.
Mr.. Gibbs disposed of his prop
erty interests in Delta about three
years ago and removed with his
family to Whittier, where he be-
came manager of a big euca4yp-
tbs plantation. He remained at the
head of that enterprise until about
a year ago. when he resigned and
is now residing in the town OF
Whittier, where he owns fine ap-
partment house.
Mr.. Gibbs is looking hale and
hearty and reports his family as en-
joying the very best of health. He
notes the many substantial business
blocks that have been erected in
Delta since his departure and re
marks that he always knew this
little Western Slope city would forge
forward just as it has.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Settlers May Relinquish Part.

projects who find that they have.
projects who find they have TAX
en- more land than they can meet
the various charges on may relin-
auish part of it and have the pay
ments already made credited to the
retained part. according. to decis-
ion by Secretary Fisher. The set
tier may relinquish a second tract
II he still finds himself overburden-
ed. but the minimum area he may
hold is ten acres.
II has been pointed out in Wash
ington that experience has shown,
that the forty and eighty acre tracts
were in many cases too large for
cultivation by man of moderate
means. The secretary's purpose Is
to promote the intense cultivation
of land for which the government
has furnished water supply and
to enable deserving settlers to re
tain a part of their present hold
ings, which otherwise might be lost
through cancellation for non-payment
OF charges.
Several days ago the secretary
ruled that no steps would be taken
before March 15.1912. to enforce
forfeiture for failure of settlers to
make payments on the entries and
water right applications. Some
months ago an order was issued ex-
tending from March 10, last to Dec
ember 1, the time in which these
payments should be made. Now the
.,o,rotarv hnu further extended 1t,
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Mountain States Telephone Co.
In Role of Good Samarita

In Role of Good Samaritan.
There is at least one honest cor
poration.
Ask Deputy Treasurer John Nc
Kinney of Mesa county, what he
thinks about the Mountain States
Telephone and Telegraph company
and he'll tell you they pay their
honest depts, despite the kicks from
all quarters regarding the dishonesty
of corporations.
Through the several calculations
and addings of the taxes to be paid
by the telephone company for this
year, which was handled by nearly
a dozen different employees of the
court house, an error of s4SI "a
in the taxes of the corporation crept
in. The company was given re-
ceipt in full, which would stand le-
gally. When E. ]. Richards. of the
public relations department. heard
of the error and learned that Mesa
county had received nearly $500
less than due it, he jumped in an
automobile and made flying trip to
Grand junction yesterday afternoon
from Delta.
Despite his receipt showing that
the taxes had been paid in full, he
gave n check to Deputy Treasurer
Mckinney covering the s497.S1.,Mr,
Richards will return to his head
quarters in Denver tomorrow
Grand Junction News Wednesday.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Exhibits From Delta and
Mesa Taken to st.

The large displays of prize win
ming apples at the National apple
show in Denver from Delta and
Mesa counties, were taken to St.
Joseph, Missouri, the first of the
present week, where they will be
in competition with fruit displays
from all over the Middle West. as
well as the Southern and Western
fruit growing sections at the Nation
al horticultural congress, which
convenes on the 2Srd of this month
and continues for a week.
Harry Richardson of Delta is in
charge of the exhibits and he ex-
poets to bring home with him many
blue ribbons and other evidences of
prize winning fruit for both coun-
ties. He expects to show" those
people in the big mule state what
our soil will do in the hands OF
experienced fruit growers.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
Death of John +. Unger.

John F. Unger, rs years of age,
died at the home of his daughter
Mrs. J. w. Kuhnley. in North Delta
at 4 o'clock last Friday evening from
the infirmities attendant upon old
age, and was laid to rest in Delta
cemetery at . o'clock Sunday after
noon. following funeral services at
the home, conducted by Rev. j. IL.
Swift. pastor of the Christian
church.
Deceased leaves three daughters
Mrs. ]. II. Kuhnley. Mrs. ii. Il,
lsensee and Mrs. J. II. Burns. all
residents of North Delta. to mourn
his demise. The aged man came
to this city about year ago to be
with his daughters during his re-
naming days.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24

Mrs. C. S. Crooks, wife of Judge
Crooks died at the family home in
North Delta. Wednesday night. at
11:45 O'Clock. of tuberculosis. The
funeral was held yesterday.
Judge and Mrs. Crooks came here
last spring from Mt. Vernon. Mis-
souri,. in the hope of benefitting
Mrs. Crooks health. The husband.
c. S. Crooks. was probate judge OF
his county in Missouri. The family
were former neighbors and friends
of w. A Davis.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24
AGED PIONEER OF CITY
DIES BY HIS OWN HAND
Pioneer Citizen and Civil War Vet
eran Grows Weary of the
Struggle of Life.

Sylvester huntington, sixty-seven
years or age, a veteran of the civil
war and pioneer resident of this
city, was found dead in his bed
in the Hixson rooming house on
Meeker street at Z O'Clock Tuesday
evening by a roommate who had
gone to the room to call him to sup
per.
huntington came to the Hixson
house on Sunday morning from his
home in West Delta. He reported
that he had had trouble with his
family and would not return to
them.
Arrangements were made with
Rooert Irickle and John Martin,
two old-time acquaintance, for him
to share a room with them, and
there was no thought at that time,
of him choosing to end his life.
The death was reported to proper
authorities and that evening an in
QUESTION conducted by L. A. Hick,
comprising w. A. Shepherd, L. A.
Cook, Bert n. Crawford, ]. D. Dill
lard W. E Fleetwood and A l..
Gerst, resulted in a verdict that
huntington came to his end by his
own hand and that carbolic acid
was used for the purpose.
/ At the hearing it was shown that
/ he had suffered no great pain in
his dying moments. He had taken
an ounce vial of carbolic acid pur-
chased at a local drug store at
about l O'Clock that day after get
ting a bottle of cough syrup, and
diluted the acid with water to such
an extent as to avoid the usual
burns and consequent pains. He was
! lying on the bed in a perfectly nat
ural position and looked as though
enjoying an afternoon nap. Several
sound shakings failed to wake him,
however, and it then became known
that this was his last long slumber
and that there was no waking.
John Hixson, owner of the room
ing house testified that huntington
had talked of making way with him
self shortly after coming to the
house, and that he, Hixson, had
talked against the plan and that
Huntington had seemed to coincide
with his views.
Mrs huntington stated that she
and her husband had had some
words Sunday morning but there
was no trouble of such nature as
to prompt him to suicide. He had
been in poor health for some years
past and it is likely that this had
much to do with his act.
Sylvester huntington came to
Delta in 1881 and has been a resi-
dent of this city ever since. He
was a veteran of the civil war and
member of the local Post G. A.
r. He leaves to mourn his demise,
wife and ten children. One daugh-
ter resides in Ell Paso. Texas, one
in Roosevelt. Utah, one in Hotch-
kiss. Mrs. Wills and a son, Os-
car huntington, in Escalante canon,
and the others live with the family
in West Delta.
Funeral services We're held in
Whites chapel in the undertaking
parlors at 10 o'clock yesterday
morning and burial was in Delta
cemetery.
The Delta independent., 1911-11-24

The city council will hold an ad-
journed meeting on December list.
Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-10-11

II you are not under discipline
you are not amounting to much.