Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-09-05


the snow, all Of whom are no respect
ers Of person. even tho they should
be governors with new ideas on the
subject Of road building.
However, that road work and road
building are urgently needed, the good
roads day may prove Of some eff
to the fact.
THE OLD BREAKING PLOw.
manson Journal.]
In corner of field or amongst
the rusted and deserted fragments OF
metal around some blacksmith shop
can often be found the remnants Of
an old breaking plow." Did you ev-
er stop to think that old pieces Of
rusted metal and rotten wood, was
the iponeer OF the prairie? 1t was
this discarded piece Of junk that
turned the first furrow of civilization
and made possible the opening Of the
Iowa farm. There is something sacred
to us. about that old plow that does
not relate to any other piece OF ma
chinery because it was the pioneer. The
early settlers realized the Importance
of this piece of machinery. No outfit
for prairie. was complete without the
long slim nosed breaking pillow. 1t took
g. peculiarly shaped machine to go
down into the earth and turn over
those long burrows OF tough sod 1t
had to have a long pointed nose. and
slim moulding board. and the shear
had to be as sharp as razor or the
teams could not pull 1t. The virgin
81 III
leather A furrow would often last the
entire distance across the field without
breaking, unless a gopher knoll was
encountered.
1t is not generally known now-a-
days. that the gophers Of the prair-
les used to live in colonies. Cover
ing the entire prairie, could be
seen these knobs. The sod having
been destroyed. they grew up to
tall weeds. 1t was on these little
mounds that early settlers planted
their garden the first year. owing
to the regular sod being too tough
for vegetables.
There were breaking plows Of all
sizes, the twelve or fourteen inch was
three horse affair. 1t was tough
job even for the three or two yoke
Of cattle. These were usually walk
ing plows. Then there were the big
fellow. with trucks and seat FOR
driver fifteen foot beam and a cut
ting surface of twenty to twenty -four
inches. This machine took four or five
yoke Of cattle and two men. The fur
rows were often half mile long and It
took but few rounds to make an
acre. These big machines "kinked
the sod on the hills and caused IT
to dry out and rot faster than when
laid fat with small plow.
The writer's experience was mostly
with the big pillow. on the old Bacon
farm in Twin Lakes township. 1t
took a good deal Of skill to make
one of these machines work Jus.
right. Every few days the shear had
to be taken to town and sharpened'
and often the smith would get
kink in the blade causing 1t to
dig under" making the pillow run
hard. Then the man at the plo~
handle, not the wheel" had to know
how to take hammer and iron ana
give II the proper shape to make
run right.
The first sod usually brought moth
ing on account OF It being 30 tough.
A little sod corn and pumpkins were
the sole crop. Later fax was so"n ana
proved profitable, but the early settlers
knew nothing Of this crop, and had no
market for it.
Every acre Of these big prairies
was turned over with these big plo"s'
useless and practically unknown to the
late settlers.
If we were a poet, we would sing
the song of the breaking pillow in right
" measured verse. 1t is entitled TO it'
word of praise as much az the golden
grain.
THE LESSON OF THE ZWlLL1NGS.
Nevada Representative
The accident Thursday evening by
which w. P. Zwiliing and his wife
were killed at the Vine street crossing
Of the Northwestern In this city has
attracted wide attention and evoked
more or less comment. The comment
appears to run to the conclusion that
railroad mana2ements owe to the pub
lie more safety than they are paying
and that owners Of autom obiles must
learn to exercise caution and sense IN
the handling Of the same. The conclu-'
sions are doubtless well enough In
themselves and are entitled to be urged
on general principles whenever oppor-
tunity offers: but we do not recog-
nize that they are particularly en-
forced or illustrated by the present
case.
On the contrary, Mr.. Zwilling was
VIGOROUSLY the siowest and most care
full driver Of an automobile in this
community. rarely speeding over fl
teen miles an hour and habitualiy ap.
preaching a railroad crossing on slow
speed. Also the crossing was one to
be counted dangerous. only as any
railroad crossing. particularly OF d
double track railroad, IL so to be
counted. Excepting as the view was
INSTRUCTED by the presence OF trains,
the outlook is clear, both east and
west on the track for one approaching
the crossing from either the north or
the south. There is an electric bell at
the crossing. and the bell was in
working order few minutes at.er the
accident and undoubtedly was 80 at
the time or the accident. crossing
was near the edge OF town and the