The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-09-08

crete work has been put in to last u !
lifetime. A system of economy on the
part of the commissioners was no.
ticed in the building of these culverts.
In many places where there were two
or three Culverts, the creeks were
turned to permanent Culyert and the
two unnecessary culverts were taken
out. The concrete Culverts are made
of reinforced concrete and are much
better than either steel or wood.
eve are now using less lumber than
at any time previous say the com.
missioners.
Farmers Help Road Move.
Farmers have taken a helping hand
in the good roads work and are busy
moving down the weeds along their
property abutting the public road. II
is reported that the commissioners will
NOW these weeds themselves unless
the farmers take hand in the work.
The two steel bridges between Nor.
folk and the county poor farm were in
spected and 1t is believed these
bridges will last many years. The
bridge across Battle creek is a beau.
tiful structure. The side walls are
built of reinforced concrete where be.
fore common planks were used. These
planks had to be replaced yearly.
For seven miles west Of Norfolk on
the Battle Creek road all board cul.
verts will be replaced by concrete be.
fore winter.
The county poor farm under the
foremanship of Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson
and under the direction of the county
commissioners is more than paying
for itself.
Have Made New Land.
The farm is of 100 acres and when
purchased most of it was almost a
swamp. The cost was about $40 per
acre and today it is worth more than
500 per acre. This is the result of
the present county boards work in
tearing up the old thing system in the
$4,000 feet of swampy land and relay
ing the thing under an engineers sur.
vey and plan. The ground which some
time ago was so DOGGY and swampy
that person could not safely walk
over it, is now dry and is being plowed
up. BY fall there will be about ten
acres of land ready for working.
There is some belief that there is
oil in some parts of this farm. Sheriff
c. S. Smith, who met the inspecting
party at the opening of the thing,
pointed out the fact to Mr.. Parish that
he believed he could trace large guam
titles of oil floating on top of the clear
cool water which is drained from un-
derneath the farms ground into the
outlet in the public road. Mr.. Parish
believed the oil good and the commits.
sioners declare they have not yet DIS.
covered how much oil there really is,
but they concede there must be oil
somewhere in the vicinity. -
The ground on the tiled section,
which covers about seventy.five acres,
is rich, black loan and is very deep
Some parts are rich enough for celery
growing. Commissioner Sunderman
estimates 100 bushels to the acre for
corn on this land.
Raise Cattle There.
The farm is making a great Roadway
under the commissioners direction and
in few days a carload of fat cattle
| raised on this farm will be shipped to
| the South Omaha market for sale. Fat
hogs ready for market were inspected
| and the barns were found in splendid
condition. Four colts raised on this
farm as the result of the sale of a
worn out team and the purchase of
two mares show they are ready for
county work.
One of the features of the farm Is
the great apple orchard where hun
dreds of bushels of apples are burden
ing the limbs to their utmost capacity.
Never before in the history of the farm
has the apple crop been so great. A
cider mill has been installed in the
orchard and the cider flows from the
| mill into the barrels which will mean
| money to the county.
Mrs. Johnson, who is complimented
as being one of the neatest housekeep-
ers in the county, escorted the inspect
| ors through the farm house and though
many people have gloomy idea of a
county poor farm, their minds would
SiSuIiy ShdhSC d Slliupst lHIOuS
| Mrs. Johnson's house. The building is
a two-story structure. Entering the
| front door the commissioners found
themselves in spacious hallway neat
| ly decorated with pictures and adorn-
ed with beautiful ferns and flowers.
On either side of the hallway are spa
cious rooms. On the north side is a
sitting room used for summer and
warm days, while on the south side is
the winter sitting room and dining
room where the county family spend
! the idle moments, finding it warmer
on this side of the large house. On
| the upper floor are the rooms of those
who depend upon the county for their
living. This floor has very coy and
home-like appearance. Each room is
finished in neat oil painting, and to
| keep each room sanitary little furni-
ture besides the necessary bedroom
furniture is allowed.
| Billy Pringle is There.
| In one room facing the east Grandpa
Pringle of Norfolk, 105 years old, was
| found repairing a few records of his
music machine, by which he has made
his living at Norfolk depots for many