The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-12-05
MINNESOTA WORK

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The New State Master Enthusl-
astic Over the Outlook.
An Account Of Grange Field Day a.
Austin. Mimi, Where Grange Pa,
rage Was Witnessed BY 10000 Psople.
And the HGoat" Was There.
National Lecturer n. p. Hull OF
Michigan tells the National Grange
Monthly of what he witnesses Inls
summer in Minnesota at grange neid
d,v. and it is worth reading.
In the course of my grange work,
ba says | have attended many grange
field days, but have never attended
moreS successful one than that he'd at
Austin. Mimi, June II. This field day
was held under the auspices OF the
Mower county Pomona grange. ana
there are affiliated with this Pomona
TWENTY-FIVE subordinate oranges. Inc
exercises opened with parade at II
a. NJ. which was fully three-quasters
of mile long and was preceded ana
followed by brass bands Nineteen OF
t twenty-five oranges had floats rep
rssenting some phase of grange or farm
work.
The Pomona float consisted of two
wagons. with especially wide plat
forms. hitched together and drawn by
six black horses with their harness
wrapped with white bunting. The
floats represented ''Then" and "Now.
rhe platform representing Then" had
on it an old fashioned well curb, sweep
and bucket. a lady washing with an
old fashioned washboard, a dashchurn,
a grain cradle, etc. The Now was
equipped with a gasoline engine belt
ed to shaft To the shaft were belt
ed a modern washing machine. cream
separator barrel churn, corn shelter,
etc. One grange had a beautifully
decorated float drawn by six horses,
hearing ladies' uniformed degree
team. Behind this twenty of the young
members on horseback bore banners.
They were followed by the imitation
of large goat. drawn by two horses
and mounted upon eccentric wheels
Despite the wabbling motion, young
man succeeded in riding this goat. An
other float represented farm home
with house, barn and silo; also fields
laid out with grass and trees growing
thereon.
Space will not permit description
of the many beautiful and comical fea-
lures of this great parade. Fully 10000
people lined the streets OF Austin
watching the parade. About 4,OOO
people attended the afternoon meeting,
which was held in fine park in the
city. The program consisted of music.
short talks and addresses by the state
master. the attorney general of Min
nesota and the lecturer of the national
grange. Austin is the home of G. L.
Rice, master Of the Minnesota state
grange. This magnificent field day
speaks volumes for the hustle and abil-
ity Of Brother Rice and for the loyalty
and enthusiasm Of the many faithful
members of the Order in that locality.
Blind Farmer Who Does Things.
Rufus J. Warren Of South Bridg-
ton, Me-, is blind farmer who sue
cessfully operates seventy-five acre
farm. He keeps a dairy Of ten or
twelve cows, some young stock and
hires all of the usual cropping work Of
the farm. Mr.. Warren's part of the
farm work is to care for the live stock
and the building. He feeds and other
f.wise cares for the live stock without
any assistance whatever. He milks the
cows and climbs into the haymoW and
throws down roughage. Recently Mr..
Warren installed system Of run
ming water from spring into house
and barn. The house overflow is the
barn supply. Another piece of work
done by Mr.. Warren without aid of
any kind was the construction OF
three horse stalls, which have the APP
pearance Of being built by carpenter
who understood the business. Cart
bodies, sled platforms and hayracks
used on the farm are his handiwork.
A hayrack made so that 1t can be
knocked down and stored away In a
small space is one Of his best achieve
ments
oroanixa&;on (soAa Br;eLlv m