The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-09-27
GOVERNMENT IRRIGA-
ton INVESTIGATION
IN PROGRESS

The last OF last week John W.
Baughman took three Government
men out to the forks OF the Cimarron
where the proposed Reeves dam site
Is; j. w. Longstreth photographer
and Mr.. Robinson and Mr., Hardy
civil engineers. These men looked
the ground over and upon returning
to Liberal said that they would go
away for instruments and return
soon. They did return soon; in fact,
in two days, bringing with them many
cases of costly and wonderful instru-
ments to work with.
Early Monday morning the instru-
ments, Government men, and the
writer left town in a big Thomas
Flyer, through the courtesy of o. M,
Woods, who drove the big car over
the sand hills, across the river and
safely upon the flats beyond the
stream. Here the party was met by
j. W. Baughman in his big Winton
to which we all transferred, Mr..
Woods going back to Liberal. The
Winton Immediately turned its nose
to the north, and after passing many
miles Of fine crops we saw the black
smoke of the Santa Fe engines hOy-
ering around Satanta, the new town
on the Santa Fe cutoff. The car
slowed up as 1t reached the city lin
its, which we're shown by neat little
white stakes in the ground. Satanta
now boasts of one building, and al
| oh 10 IL, IL
nicely painted. Many of the streets
are not only laid off but are very
nicely graded. The car stopped and
the party went to view the road
which is finished just into the town
site. There isn't much to see; just
black ties, cars, and material. 1t is
like the little siX-year-old Tommy
said of his little sister whom he was
on his first visit to, the morning after
her birth Gee but she smells
newt"
Leaving Satanta we headed for a
prosperous looking farm house for
it was past noon, and sight seeing
makes one hungry. The place proved
to belong to Frank Brown and the
good woman laughed, when Mr.,
Baughman asked the very vital ques-
tion TO all of us, and said that she
would fix us up something If we
would4catch the chickens, peel the
potatoes and take care of the baby.
That was easy and the next minute
business picked up IN the barn yard.
The fowls were caught and the po-
tatoes peeled in short order and one
of the civil engineers, who had baby
of his own at home, took care of the
pretty little three months old baby
1t was not long until Mr.. Brown
called us in to dinner of fried chick
en-, French peas, chicken gravy with
the giblets in, the finest biscuits ever
baked, honey and well brewed Cof-
fee. Feeling more like human be-
ings after dinner we went on to the
dam site. OF course we know very
little about civil engineering, but
when the place was shown us and it
was explained where the dam was to
be, it looks as though wonderful
lake Of water could be stored there,
and the men who know say that ev-
erything is lovely if only the proper
bed for the dam to rest upon can be
found. Upon that depends the great
question as to whether or not we will
have this vast surrounding country
irrigated or not
OF course, the farmers around Sa-
tanta are feeling mighty good over
the new railroad and the dam pro-
kn 10 IOnatnH floc
north of the Seward county line, and
six miles east from the Grant county
line, and is not far, consequently,
from the dam site which is near the
intersection of Haskell, Seward, Ste
yens and Grant counties.
After leaving the surveyors, the
big Winton turned toward the south
and crossed the river and it was not
long until we found the railroad
grade again. 1t veers to the south
west from Satanta for nearly three
miles and then takes up straight
westward course again, and running
close to the Seward county line is
completed to the line Of Grant. The
car stopped as it reached the flats
again and one might look for miles
along the smooth but winding rail-
road bed, along which we're situated
little cities of tents where the grad
ers live. The car then pushed into
farming district of such mighty pro-
portions that the crops are standing
unharyested on account of the lack
of hands. We passed thousands of
acres of broom corn that is standing
in the field untouched; is turning red
and will go to ruin. Many wheat
stacks unthreshed were passed, and
their owners said that they could not
get up threshing crew. They are
paying $500 per day for broom corn
pullers, but can get not one.
At six O'Clock Mr.. Baughman
stopped the engine of the powerful
Winton in front OF his office, having
covered over a hundred miles for the
day. Mr.. Baughman and MIR. Woods
are giving up great deal of their
time, and going to considerable ex-
pense to help this project along and
this shows that they believe in it, anu
are going to work for It.
Think how much better 1t would be
for the country and town If every
knock that goes around, would, in
stead, be just as strong a boost