The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-09-21
LIVE WIRE SPARKS


The time of the year has come again
when the farmers of the lower valley
will be tormented with bands of horses
which stray down from Horse Heaven
to rest their weary eyes, and stuff
their aching ribs on the alfalfa in
our fields and the bluegrass in our
lawns. One old gray pelter, nick
named "The Constable" has kept ev-
eryone along Patriarch's Row on the
lump for two or three weeks, for
werever a gate was left open for three
minutes, the old white reprobate would
get in and make straight for the gar
den. The owner finally led him off a
few days ago, much to the relief OF
the whole neighborhood. ~ -. X
For week past there has been a
band of 16 or Is horses roaming thru
the fields along the oiled road between
Swayze's corner and the railroad, raw
aging gardens, trampling down fields
of alfalfa and leaving ruin wherever
they go. It is safe to say that they
have done over $10O worth of damage
during the week, and possibly double
this amount. This neighborhood is
under herd law, yet the farmers are
so loath to put up stray stock that
they stand the damage and say moth
ing. This policy has resulted in mex
cusable carelessness on the part OF
some of the Horse Heaven ranchers,
and they show complete indifference to
the damage suffered by the valley
farmers thru the depredations of their
herds.
Last fall one of the local farmers
put up horses three times and spent
considerable time and trouble in find
ing out the names Of the owners and
sending them word. In each case, he
told them that if the horses were TAX
en- out promptly, he would make no
charge for his trouble, the damage or
the feed. Two Of the owners came
down, and, instead of coming to the
house, each went to the pasture, took
down the fence, and not only took out
their own stock, but let the farmers
stock out as we'll. The third man
came to the house and borrowed a
new halter which he has never re-
turned.
Another farmer whose garden had
been ruined by band of marauding
/ fuzztails, succeeded in getting word
to the owners, and the next day q
couple of "ladies" appeared on horse
back to take them off. "Well, I'll be
glad to see them co." remarked the
farmer. "Go to H" was the only
answer he received from one Of the
young "ladies."
We could fill all the space allotted
to us with tales Of destruction and
exasperating arrogance, but too much
is enough. The farmers should put
rowing herds Of horses up, and
make the owners pay full damages
before they are released; and, in case
anyone is found taking down fences
to let them out, warrant should be
sworn out for his arrest. A few cases
where the owners had to pay the bills
would soon result in freeing the neigh
borhood from these annual ruinous
depredations.
The Grange-P Parent Teachers fair
at Finley was remarkably success
full exhibition in which the whole COM
munity took an active interest. The
fair was arranged primarily to ex-
hibit the results Of the Boys and Girls
club work, but the whole neighbor-
hood was asked to join in and bring
something made or raised upon the
farm, and the result was an exhibition
of peedlework, cooking, canning, fruit
and vegetables that was not only sur
prising but was truly remarkable. The
display of vegetables attracted the
most attention and proved an eye
>pener to outsiders and to local farm
ers alike, foH it was but two or three
years ago that people believed it inn
possible to raise here three-fourths of
the varieties on display, and the quail
ity, too, was often astonishing.
TIL prizes were distributed among
the boys and girls who had won in the
club work and some of the less am
bilious ones were a little jealous, not
only of the results attained by the
contestants, but of the prizes. The
boys did not enter INTO the work as
generally as did the girls, but it looks
as If they would do so next year.