La Junta tribune., 1913-03-08

Swink and the others In the ROCKY
Ford neighborhood and urged them
r TO pay more attention to the proper
shipping Of the stuff lie built up
fair trade IN Denver and the big
idea took possession OF him that II
enough OF these melons could be
grown to supply the country there
would be great fortune In the mar
ketiug Of them He began work on
swlnk and his neisHborhood and
made a deaf with them 10 handle all
their produce. Then De started east
10 Introduce the fruit.
There vas another man. too. who
had the same foresight That was
Mar c. Wetzl. president Of the
Western Game and Produce company.
OF St Louis. The two men got Rocky
Ford seed aud began experiments
With view OF raising the Rocky
Ford melon In all parts Of the coun-
Try Wetzel had an idea that he
could raise Rocky Ford melons for
every month In the year. lie es.
tabHshcd small agricultural stations
for growing toe melons o. iar south
as Mexico City and as far north as
winnipeg Woods WAS not 50 rad
lcal tie went out 90 the Coahulia
valley in California and al place
called ludo. vhirn is l-o feet BE-
low the level OF the sra, started a
arr" melon farm OHor- followed
mis- example Hs had figured b. all
uut Hr brought THE t,ed from
Rocky Ford sank art'aian wells.
and knew that by i-ritafion of the
root he would have good growth
through the intense and continuous
sunshine lu that suukor valley But
he overlooked one 'hi1v They have
wind storms iu th,t n,. hoic and ne
bad nothing To protect tis melons
from the sand drifts Instead Of a
tremendous crop. an :hai was gath.
cred in the whole vali,g Was twelve
carloads
Defeat only spurrcd Woods on to
greater effort From the Coahiila
valley he turned to the Imperial val
ley. He go, farmers IN that section
interested and they had decided sue.
cess lie stirred up arriculturists
In Florida. In the Carolinas. IN G-or.
gia. In Texas. At the same time he
did his very best TO control the mar.
keting of all the can,iloupc crop. He
kept the price up and regulated sup
plies in very clever way As an
organizer he demonstrated that he
had rare ability
When the production end Vas In
good shape. Woods went 10 Chicago
and established himself at No i2i
South Water street Iic worked ur
tremendous business aud hc made
money hand over fist 4, IL doubt
ful II any one produce man or fruit
man IN this country starting from
HAAA|sAFHH AAAln H'HNf AiAfAAf' AAAhNf AAFAA
} progress or larger profits lie wa
lavish sprndcr 10 had 'ir
horn gamblers love for lewelry an,
As wealth poured in upon him h'
sprinklcd himself with diamonds
. They used 10 call him the Ice trus
in Chicago he even riyaled "Dia
, mond" Jim Brady When Ne had nj
- his gems abroad he Was worth $50
p 600 just as he stood
But with bis cStrNagances h
=, bad cnol head Tor business ~
{ health vas not amy too good. but hi
nervous energy VAS Euat iic ah
: "a the Rocky Ford melon morning
3 noon and night Although a., Wrot
y "a letter like that ~ sChoolboy d
Z The primary grade. be- had bette
;. grasp Of essentials than most ooI
= ieee men Prosperity did not briu
! happiness to him. 10 had mnrri-
% while In the Rocky mountain cour
Try and had several children. bu
|. in Chicago he broke loose from wlf
and fumily. and there was diyorc,
" Moods was lavish. He gave 5000
, Ia his wife. settled $4,000 year o
J. her. and then he got married I
: another woman.
Apparently the second marriag
was happy For two or thrc. year
+" everything went ON swimmingi, |,
Woods s'ill prospcrcd. loaded hin
Z self with more jc~.lry.. spent a
L freely M ne desired. but sudd.ni
he decided that he had done ahou
as much busincss as he should. n
q Was only about 20. lie weighed les
than 100 pounds. and was n bit III
. I'd. So. he drew $500. 900 out Of hi
!. business. turned tho management {
i affairs over To one of hk employee
4 and. thereafter. gave more time I