The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-12
An Interesting Story Related BY
Western Ranchman.
THE CREATOR HAS DONE WELL
Gasoline Engine Power Solves Problem;
No Fuel Required; Works When
Wind Doesn't Blow.
Especial to The Free Press.I


Redwood Falls. Mimi. April g.
Fred J. Barnes, who arrived in this
city with his father last week, COM
ing from Anheim, California relates
"a very interesting story of the west
which is well worth chronicling.
Mr.. Barnes was a resident of Red
wood county for over thirty years
before moving to California, nearly
three years ago. He is well-known
in this city and has host of friends
who are enjoying his visit and are
reluctant to have him leave so soon
for his return to California where
he is enjoying big success with his
orange ranch. Mr.. Barnes. Sr., will
spend the remainder of his life with
his children in this city. The visit
ing ranchman told a wonderful story
of how the expansive west is being
made to blossom and prosper through
irrigation. He said:
Creator Provided Means. =
"The Creator of heaven and
earth would never have made SO
much desert and seemingly useless
land without providing some means
by which man could utilize it." He
said that thousands of acres of dry
sun baked desert land have been
made green with growing vegetation
through irrigation, "The mighty
mountain with it's snow capped peaks
eternally penetrating the azure
depths, is one source which supplies.
the parched, thirsty, soil with mois-
ture. Another is the deep wells
that penetrate the bowels of the
earth, from which seas of water are
pumped by means of gasoline en-
CINE power. ..
This was a. Problem.
when irrigation was III it's in.
fancy and before the, advent of the
gasoline engine and pumping power
the. western ranchmen were in a
quandary as to how to meet the inn
mense demand for distributing mois-
ture. 1t was well known that the
earth held ample moisture but the
problem Of drawing it to the sur
face was perplexing one because of
the tremendous expense involved.
The wind idea was practical but
the great drawback was the scar
city of wind.
Steam Power Required Fuel.
Steam power was also practical,
but it required fuel and as feul is
all imported from great distances,
it made the proposition entirely too
expensive. Horse power was used
by many and it also had it's dis
couraging features, but when the
gasoline engine pump made it's APP
pearance the difficulty was practical
Falls man told of 5000 gallon
water tank on his California ranch
which he fills in eight minutes by
means of gasoline engine power.
Mr.. Barnes says that his two wells
irrigate his entire ranch. The power
pump when drawing water for this
purpose will keep a trough sixteen
inches wide and five inches deep fill.
ed constantly during the process of
pumping. 20
Big Dam at San Bernardino. ::
"At Bear Valley, in the San Ber-
nardino Mountains, concrete dam
800 feet long and ninety feet high
was furnished last September, after
two years of difficult effort. This
dam forms Bear Lake, which is
about twelve miles long and three
miles wide and is fully 600 feet
above the sea level. -
Water from this lake irrigates. an
immense tract of land after it has
been used for power purposes which
run street cars, illuminate cities and
furnish other electrical energy