Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-05
CLEAR LAKE LAND OWNERS TRY
NEW EXPERIMENT IN
DRAINAGE.
EFFORT TO COAX WATER
DOWN PARTIALLY SUCCEEDS
In Wet Seasons Thing Fails to Take
Excess Moisture RapidIy-Six Hun
dred Head Of Cattle on One Cerre
Gordo County Ranch-C. e. Wilson's
Rural Observ atoms.

Clear Lake, May 5.-Rich Bros. land
an unusual plan for draining part of
farm they own south of Clear Lake.
1t is termed the perpendicular thing
system" Instead of nearly horizontal
lines Of tile there are numerous short
ones extending from the surface
straight downward and instead q the
ordinary natural or artificial stream
of water for the outlet there is a gravel
bed from eight to twenty feet below
the surface OF the drained land. In
stead OF bitches dug by shovels or
d!Ichtng machine holes were made with
a long handled six inch augur. Into
these holes tile were placed and
strong wire fastened to the bottom and
running up the inside secures a pre-
pared cement cap placed at the top
and about a foot under ground TO al
low unrestricted cultivation of the
drained land. Asked as 10 the success
of the plan Mr.. Rich said that while
If underground conditions We're favor
able the plan would work in this case
1t is only partial success The wa
ter is carried away. but too slowly for
a wet season. In this case it was
sought &c drain twenty acres and about
forty holes were sunk and filled with
tile. The great need OF this part of
the country particularly north of Clear
Lake IS drainage Hundreds Of acres
Of land in the form Of small and large
tracts are permitted TO lie unused ex-
cept for pasturage, much OF this only
a part OF the year. When drainage
bitches are run thur this section and
the waste land tiled as has been done
in many other like places in northern
Iowa farms here will be selling as high
as is new the case in the drained Sec
lions.
The public roads of this locality are
worthy of commentator. Two or three
years ago the principal roads leading
to Clear Lake were sraveled for a dis
lance OF three miles from town and
persistent dragging has steadily i'm
proved them since until they are at
present III splendid condition.
One farmer on local mail route be-
l:eves he has better plan than the
man who "a Uses cats alone for a small
grain ration for his stock. He mixes
wheat and oats half and half and sows
/ 1t for feed. He averages about forty
| five bushels per acre Of feed which
ne things is greatly superior to oats
alone.
| One Of the interesting sights in rural
! Cerro Gordo county is TO be found
these days in the pastures Of Lindon
ranch, several miles southwest Of
rown. There are about 500 head Of
cattle there and they bring 10 the
minds Of those who remember the un-
broken prairtes Of Iowa, the great
! herds that formerly were pastured
where high priced farms are found to-
day.
A retired farmer here tells the story
of a former neighbor who once re-
ce!ved a caller al his home. The Wis
| itor was a one-armed man soliciting
pecuniary aid on account If his mis-
fortune. He handed his paper to the
farmer rot noticing that the man nc
| asked for money was also minus al
arm. Il am in the same condition as
! ) JGl sen. Sd1L k!ie ID lIc-, DOi
age to operate this eighty arce farm.
! On q Clear Lake mail route there is 4
man who is doing all the work on a
20-acre farm and is keeping everything
up in good shape too. For severa,
years q man near Garner, in Hancock
county, did mans work on a farm al
tho he had been so unfortunate as &c
lose a leg. Near the town Of Alden, q
young man lost hand IN corr
shredder He had made a payment or
a farm out a short time before the oc-
currence Of the accident and he has
been farming and paying payments
ever SINCE young man neal
Kanawha lost an arm soon after his
marriage but undaunted by the mis-
fortune he rented a farm and is sci
supporting and more. Years a go a rail
road man operated farm nea
Kanawha altho he had lost both leg
in an accident on the road. Near Dow
is farmer who is minus an arm ais
the result of railroad accident. Their
is difference in men when an acct
dent of given kind makes of one
beggar and Of another successful
business man or farmer, and the plucl
or whatever it Is that makes the diff
ference Is a most excellent asset of it
. fortunate posSessor.
c. E. WILSON.
!