davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
PILOT POINT ss-s-s

R. L. Grover came home from
Liberal, xans., where he has been
working for some time.
John lHiclkcox returned home
Tuesday from Lamar.
r. l. johnson went to Lamar
Monday.
S. l.. Hickcox is staying at Mr..
Cobur,a's this week.
Jim Ice went to Kansas City
Tuesday.
Cyril Grover went 10 the ced'
ars Wednesday,.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21

but if this land isn't worth from
'$25 to so an acre right now
wholly for farming purposes,
then crop production and values
have nothing to do with the ques-
tion.
Meantime we would say to
eastern investors, come here and
investigate for yourselves.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21

Tell your neighbors they will
want the story of old Boston, the
town of thrilling episodes and
tragic events. The notorious
Jenningses helped to build il, and
fate scattered 1t to the ends of
the earth. Story begins with the
new year.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21

We notice by our exchanges
that many places are barring
presents from their Christmas
trees, having the trees only for
candies and nuts and such like
for the littls fellows.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
Pride


The Sheldon boys received
word from Texhoma that their
father was SICK and Wayne left
Immediately. He has not re-
turned at this writing.
Will Mitchell went to Elkhart
Tues day after freight.
I Charlie Carr, Will Masemore
Ind daughter and Claud Hager
Ind wife went to Elkhart Tues.
bay.
Our teacher has thrown the
,Sine school up. We are needing
q teacher, but it seems impossible
u, get one.
Syfkny and Homer YinegsrneF
took some beans to Elkhart We'd
neSday.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21

The Red Cross drive, since or
panized over a week ago, has
rounded up membership of ov-
er 100 members. Good record.
Names next week.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
MooOSeland

Wilmer Bewley and Henry ALL
phin went to Elkhart the last of
the week.
Charles finley was up Sunday
looking after his affairs at his
home place.
Mrs. john Mullen has been
sick the past week.
Albert Harris started to the
cedars Monday.
The Haller Medicine man was
in the neigl,borhood last week.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
Elder

A0ASx
There will be an entertainment
ct Lake View school house Mon
day Eve, December 9th, at 8 p.
m.
@. Collier, Roy Bosley and E.
Bussard made a trip to Lamar
last week.
G. johnson has sold his cattle
and 40 acres including No. 8
Windmill to Fred Bosley.
Why does a resident of Lamar
buy his butterat Elder? Because
he says he can't get any in La
mar.
Four loads of broomcorn pass.
ed through to Elkhart, Uncle
Jimmy Wagner. age II. from Las
Animas county was with them,
and feeling as good as the young
men of the party.
C. Collier killed a fine hog this
xuoak
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
THE 0LD SETTLEMENT
AND THE new SETTLEMENT
OF BAcA COUNTY

OF BACA COUNTY
The old settlement began thir-
ty one years ago. first striking
old Boston, then Minneapolis,
then Villas. then Sp ingfield, then
Carrizo, Brookfield. StoninGton.
Plymouth, Holmes City, Carrizo
Springs. s..I.
A striking feature of all the
old settlements in the whole west
was that an intended town would
be laid out, and the settlers
would then swarm around the
new town.
Thus land within few miles
of all the above old towns was
filed on and great deal Of it
proved up, while beyond those
limits the country was mostly
unpopulated.
Just what that old population
was-is hard to even approximate
at this time. Basine the popula.
ton on the claims of the towns
and their communities would give
several thousapd-anywhere say
from seven thousand to ten thous-
and.
AS an illustration, old Boston
at one time claimed $50. when as
q fact the real population of the
town probably never exceeded
$50. and may have been even
considerably under that number.
If we we're going to venture a
rough guessson the population Of
the county 1t the high-tide Of
that old settlement. we would
say anything up t 5, 5,000lseel
sure at least 1t was conside rably
less than half what it is at the
present time.
Why that settlement came and
why il absqh qhatusated. Is tho e-dae
quandery of the new settlers Of
the county and those coming to
visit, invest, or to investigate.
Very-often the collapse of that
old settlement is at the present
time accounted for on the pre-.
sumption that those old settlers
didn'. come with the intention Of
staying and making this their
homes--w.re here simply to
speculate-to prove up and get
out.
We believe though there is no
foundation for the presumption.
On the contrary, those old set
tiers moved here with their fam
lilies, nearly all of them staked
everything they had on the coun-
try-and nearly all of them left
with nothing.
The why of the failure is about
five fold. In the first place, they
came with the belief that it rains
here on the just and unjust ex-
actly as elsewhere that the Am
erican desert and mostly rainless
west was a myth Of geographers
and the early pioneers crossing
these plains.
In the second place. not one of
those old settlers-and no one
else as a fact, had at that time
ever stopped to presume that
farming could adapt itself to the
rainfall, or that one plant is diff
ferent from another in- rainfall
requirements. a.,
In the third place, they did
not know that new ground in a
dry country is not dependable
didn't know that age to tn ground
properly farmed, would give ad.
ded moisture for the crops.
In the fourth place. not know
ing there is a difference in plants
as to moisture requirements,
the settlers during the first three
tragical years of the coun
try 8 settlement staked their all
on corn, and those years being
on the dry order, the big ears
failed to materialize-often the
stalks ditto-and then they gave
up all hope and pulled their
freight.
In the last place. those ole
first settlers were almost inva
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
Prairie View :. SIS.

Messrs. Hancock, McKinny
and Hennes have just returned
from Texline. where they took
their broomcorn.
Mr.. Bunce is building a rock
house for Claude Preston.
Mr.. Furguson and sons started
for augoton, Kans., last week
with broomcorn for Mr.. Hat.
tash,
Miss Nellie Rihnhard called on
Mrs. Bunee Wednesday,
Ralph Jones is herdine cattle
for Babe Homer this week.
Miss Ethel Craig called on Mrs
Preston last Saturday.
Ralph Preston started for Beav-
er county. Okla, last week.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21
SPRINGFIELD BAcA ovNrY, COLORADO FRIDAY DEC q, 1917


riably afraid to risk the sandy
land, where, as we know now, /
at least on new ground they
would have stool a better chance
than on the hard land soils.
Well, OF the end Of the third
year the settlement was mostly
gone-a few lone and forlorn'
settlers hanging on by the skin
Of their teeth and remaining with
the country.
Then followed the middle ages
of the country's history-every
man knowing every other man
in the county. and the whole.
county neighborhood.
About seventeen years, then
the renaissance-if We may be;
allowed to borrow the term, the.
new migration to the west start,
ing in about 1907.
We have told the why of the
old settlement and Of it's failure
The why of the new settlement
has it's sequel no less than the
why of the old settlem ent; and
indeed upon this sequel is based
the hope and depends the saliva
ton of the country.
The sequel to this new settle ,
n:ent is the study of dry-farmi
methods and dry-farm plants
.nd the promulgation of these
investigations and discoveries.
At the time of our "renais-
sance" there was no questioning
the fact by anybody-practically
at least, that this is a dry coun-
try; but the experiment stations
and q few individual experiments
ors gave out the hope that by
dry methods a living could be
made in the dry west-and this
hope brought the second settle
ment <
The feudal lords who had par
celed out this great county netghs
'6orliood during these &iddie ~.
es among themselves for range
purposes, naturally baked Non
this new settlement, and honest
ly actually believed farming here
to be an impossibility.
Dry farming at that time was
just beginning to be heard OF
here, had never been practiced
in the county, as indeed was
about the case of real farming of
any other kind-consequently
they were all from Missouri on
the farming proposition.
Three years were given to the
first of the new settlers to pull
out-ive years at the uttermo>t.
All though said that s"lne of
them would stay, some putting
it at 50 per cent, some at 25 per
cent, but most OF them at 5 to 10
per cent.
Our readers know the rest of
the story. The maximum five
years elapsed, five years more
have followed suit, and practic-
ally every year has seen an aug
men'a:ion of the settlemen we
had the year before.
There is no longer any ques'
tioning the new settlement, and
no longer any questioning the
agricultural status of the coun-
try.
The only question now is as to
how long land will continue to
sell here for a half or a fourth
of what it in average years will
produce in standard crops, aud
as to what this land is actually
worth.
To close by answering the
question-if in the rain belt a
piece of land is paid for in ten
years BY farming it. Mr.. Farmer
considers he has been a tollerab-
ly prosperous cuss.
Here on old-t time prices crop
values ran upward of ten dollars,
while on up-to-date prices crop
values are running everywhere
from $40, to upwards of SlOO
per acre.
At $40 an acre for crops, on
the bases of ten years to pay
for the farm, would give 500 an
acre as the value of the land.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21

The way to get what you want
when you want it is to make
your wants known through the
want columns of the Springfield
Herald.
The Springfield herald., 1917-12-21

The Sunday garage received
this week dozen Fords, sold to
their customers. Good record.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
CHRISTMAS MAIL HAS
SHATTERED RECORDS
Strenuous Times for Postal
Employees, Who Are Working
Day and Night

These are the Strenuous days for the
army Of mailmen. who arc toilng day
and night to hold the onslaught of the
Christmas mail drive. and deliver IT on
Christmas eve. And this is the most
ruthless drive that has ever burst down
on the postofTice.
From all over the country come re-
ports that mail movement records have
been shattered and have been shattered
ever siIce the middle of November. In
addition to the parcels going to the boys
somewhere in America or France or
at sea-" sufficient in themselves to break
the old records, there are the tons and
tons of Government war man ana the
burden that merchants have thrown on
the system by sending express shipments
by parcel post instead of express, bee iuse
of the express congestion. that are tax
ing the postofIicc 10 its limit
And then TO add Il little spice to the
situation the Government has the habit
of upsetting the best laid plans or the
postal authorities by Communicating
whole trains of cars. units of man trans
portation, for war purposes.
Today and tomorrow will mt the
heaviest going. but Assistant General
Praeger says, Unless something goes
amiss all Americas Christmas mail VIII
be at its front door by Christmas eve.
Those whose minds rcvcl in figures VIII
snap at the figures OF the departments 8
work in this city. -Four hundred ana
fifty thousand packages per day come
into the city and about 6OO,OOO go out
BY Monday these figures Will be about
reversed To handle this matter, an
extra force cf 1900 men is re-entorcing
the permansnt force of $500. and there
is a reserve force Of 1900 men who are
ready to go to work on any one OF the
daily shifts. At nine. fNe ana cicNel
o'clock every day long line or men
of all ages appear in front of the time
desk ready to go to work II needeu'
transport the mails one hundred ana
Twenty-Five motor trucks have been hired.
But the downtrodden public comes
in for some credit, for IT Is doing It's
bit to help the postonicc this year SUI
perintendent of Mails Johnson says that
the packages are better wrapped this
year than ever before and that the work
of the department is easier than in
former years and that they are hand
ling the packages quicker But he says
pack your shipments in wooden boxes.
For .pasteboard boxes cant stand the
| gaff and are crushed under the Weight
| of other mail
DO you feel Scrooee-lille symptoms
| creeping over you? Then get in touCl
| with Assistant Postmaster John G. Lis
| ter. He's the man who gets all thu
| Santa Claus mail. and he's got no les
| than 1000 so far and 700 this week. an,
| they're still coming. lie turns thes,
letters over to chiHren's societies o
good hearted citizens with fancy 70
| PLAYING Santa Claus. There's Il Tin,
Tim waiting for you in his files.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
TODAY'S MARRIAGE LICENSES

William Sawyer, I'LL Carlton ST.. and Mary
McCleruon. 1910 Carlton st.
Charles +. Grover, 233 T.. Wcstmoreland st.
and Florence Hoffman. 5712 Walker St
sylvester, TS3 y. Preston ST.
Earl ". Tulon. League Island, and Edna l..
Kehl. i7l9 TTaverford ave.
Harrison Stpinmetz. 1888 ST Luke St. and
Mary \. Webb, ia35 Bouvler st.
Lewis Brown, 22lG kimball st. and Matte
Farley. 22l6 Kimball ST.
Jacob Bcnnett; laa Pemberton st., and
jerome %,'' $ 'S' Marcus. s7as N isth s"" ST., and
Selma y. Kohn 1928 y. 18th st.
Mitchell B. Goodwin. 1a0S Reed St, and
Beatrice Cohen. New York city.
Samuel Coles. 1898 Ogden ST.. and Edna
Renstcn. 1872 Naudain g. q. ,.,--,-- -.
and Ernestine Spaulding. 2lis lseminGer st.
H@ri'S ahd caroline Np Tons 3425 81. Richmond % St. ST.
William X. Kraus. Camp Grcenn. y. G.. and
Helen NJ; Beyer. ,l2s7 Thurman st,
clara Elliott. zoos st. Bernard st.
Robert Nice. Rivel. 332 Preston st, and
Henrietta Leopold. 332 Preston at.
James T.. Tocus. Baltimore. Nd. and Fran
,,., IS 7. G2opGr' seiptim9rc Md; Nd q, and
Florence Stel Glenolden. Pa.
Irwin a. Thomas. Jr.. 132s kingsossinG ave.
and Elma Il. Gross. 532S ElnGscssing ave
Richard +. Groomes Ir.. 1898 \. Alder St,
and Irene Parker; l1s0 y, Alder 81.
James Robinson. 1874 y, HOLLYWOOD ST., an'
Fred Toomar. l533 Montrose St. and DAISY
1 Pichard. 1888 Montrosc st.
| Lewis Tippcrt. ISIS l,atona st, and Heller
Marshall. 1i5 y. 5Sth st.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
sing aAMERICA" IN ALL
HOMES CHRTSTMASDAY
Superintendent CARRIER Sug-
= gests 8 O'clock as Universal
Hour for National Anthem

Dr. John Il. CARRIER. superintendent OF
schools. has sent a message to the prin-
pals of all Philadelphia public SCHOOLS.
designed to inculcate patriotism in the
homes Of the pupils. lie urges that the
children be requested to have America
sung II. their homes at o'clock on
Christmas morning.
The letter 70 the principals Is as fol-
lows: at has been suggested that there
would be a great unifyng and cncrgiz-
ing patriotic service by family groups
In the ettire country joining in the sing
ing Of America at o'clock on Christ
mas morning. II the plan appeals to you
ask the pupils Of your school to carry
the massage and the purpose into their
homes"
Discussing the plan, Doctor CARRIER
said
"In the midst of rejoicing on the day
that Christ brought into the world the
message. Peace on earth. good viii
toward men, the plan suggested will
prove n fitting reminder of the fact that
the nation and the world are engaged in
the greatest and most horrible war in
history In every neighborhood the
strains of the antbeln will rise stimuli
taneously. from many homes. The pub
lie schools stand for patriotism at all
times and we are striving to bring this
to the pupils in every way"
The Inspection of the textbooks. which
constitutes the second examination for
the purpose of eliminating "kultur." Will
be continued today.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
'DRAFTEES' NEGLECT
CAUSES COMPLAINT
Local Board Reports That
Many Questionnaires Return
Improperly Sworn To

Widespread failure OF drafted mon
to have their qucstionnaircs sworn To
was revealed today IN complaints made
by local draft boards.
Local Draft Board No 2s with head
quarters at the Twenty-siNth and York
streets police station, has received only
one QUESTIONABLE properly sworn to out
of twenty-five that have been returned,
according to Harry Nde. secretary. The
men have 1lcd In the questions and
signed the paper he said, but the
notary's seal is missing. Much work
and confusion results, because the
Missionaries must be remailed TO the
signers. The regulations provide that
the documents must be sworn to in the
pretence Of notary or draft official
Attorney General Francis skunk
Brown has written to President Judge
McMichael. Of Court Of Common Pleas
No. 3, asking him to call at once upon
all the lawyers in the county to tender
their services TO the legal advisory
boards. This. the Attorney General
writes, ir necessary TO make the draft
n success. because the work of the at
torncys on the legal advisory boards
has So exceeded expectations that some
have asked the help of the state De
partmeut Similar letters will be for
warded to all the Jud1es Of the orphans
and Common Pleas Courts,
Commander j. IL Reid, In charge Of
navy recruiting for the eastern dis
trict. and stationed at the headquarters
at 1915 Arch street. is communicating
with all of the draft boards In this city
to the effect that selected mon may stll
be enlisted in the navy provided they
do not come within the current quota.
Tho refusal OF one board to give let
tcrs Of release to men who wished to
enlist led TO an order from Inspector
Grady of the Navy Department that
the facts be explained TO the local draft
officials,
Apprentice seamen to fill the compile
ment of 125, this citys quota, and 25S
fremen. principally for the new de-
stroyers are earnestly wanted by the
navy recruiting officers.
Col G. n II. Hatfield, in charge Of
army recruiting in this city at 1898
Arch street. has been ordered 10 enroll
several hundred negro applicants for
stevedore regiments, to he enlisted at
Fort Jay.
Drafted men drilling with the DrcXc
Biddle Philadelphia military trainin.
corps at the armory. Thirty-sccon,
street and Lancaster avenue, presentct
their drillmaster, Sergeant Major MolloN
L. M. e.. with s2O gold piece and
S5 box Of cigars
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
BANDITS SHOOT MAN,
PLUMBER TWO STORES
Girl Robbers Also Take Part in
Work of Auto
Thieves
SUSPECT NOTED CROOK
Police Searching for Daring High
wayman as Leader of
Thieves

Two robhcrics Of stores IN widely sepa-
rated sections of the city and the shoot
ing Of "A man who attempted to prevent
the theft of his automobile mark renewed
activity on the nart of motor bandits in
Philadelphia. accidentally. the appear
aucc Of girl bandits in daring raids on
stores dealing In feminine apparel has
injected new feature into the bar dlt
situation which has i'm no way lCsscncf
the worries of the police.
Tho theory that the moro serious of
the robbcrios is the work of one of the
most notorious hghwaymcn i'm the coun-
try is entertained by the police. who are
making a persistent search for the man
whom they suspect The robbcrics last
night were part OF chain of similar
occurrences that began a little more
than three weeks ago.
The victim Of the punplay Of the
bandit Is Russell Whitman nineteen
years old. Of 2Sli West Susquchauua
avenue while in a store at 1903 Ger
mautown avenue. Whitman saw three
men tampering with his car. which was
standing outside lie rushed ou' ana
one Of tho mon fired at him with a
revolver at short range, the bullet taxi
ing effect in the left arm. lie was
taken to St Iul,c's Hospital
Late last night the police of the
Eighth and jefferson street station
found nm abandoned motorcar near
tho station. which is believed to have
been the one used by the bandits. They
believe that all the robbcries except
those perpetratcd by the girls was the
work of the same men.
The first Of tho robbcries was that
Of the oyster shop of John J. Connor
Typarfy-thir1 and Federal streets Com
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
EXPERT SHOWS WHY
SOLDIERS LACK GUNS
Ordnance Officers Ignorant of
First Principles of
2 Manufacturing
USE ANCIENT MACHINES
Editors Testimony Speeds Up De-
mand for Ministry Of Mu-
nitions
WASHINGTON. Dec. 20.


Ordnance officers without apprecia-
tion of first principles of manufacturing
are handicapped with machinery fifty
years old at the Springfield Government
Arsenal.
with this testimony. Fred II tolNin.
editor of the American MaChinst, told
the Senate military probers today that
an expert production engineer ought to
he placed in charge of American mu-
nitions manufacture lie gave "A strong
impetus to the movement for United
States Minister of Munitions.
Criticizing army heads for spending
"too much time on nonessentials.' Col.
vim declared their failure to decide on
small details kept worl<men idle in
rifle factories In one shop be photo.
graphed worimen playing checkers on
August ..
at was some weeks after that before
rifle orders were received by that fac.
tory" said Colvin 81 was told cond-
tions were the same in other factories.
The Government later had TO pay the
cost of holding these men while orders
were awaited"
Colvin spent fifteen weeks in Spring
field Arsenal a year ago. \ letter he
sent TO Secretary of War Baker outlining
methods OF speeding production was
turned over TO Chief Of Ordnance Gro.
zier, who wrote Coivin sharply, criticiz-
ing him for suggesting that army ord
nance men didn't know their business
The fact is" declared Colvin, 'mii-
tary men there do as well as could be
expected with antiquated equipment and
small training They haven'tany appre-
citation of the first principles or manu-
featuring. Then they have machines
that are fifty years old.
Insistence on unnecessary Interchange
ability of parts is slowing up rife pro
duction, increasing cost and wasting ma
terials, Colvin declared. Bayonet blades
are rejected on variation of one-siN'
teenth of an inch from the standard.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
and forced Connor and RoKrrs 10 stand
with their backs TO the wall while
confederate went through the cash reg

with their backs TO the wall while a
confederate went through the cash reg
lister.
The loot consisted of s3s taken from
the cash register and s2 taken from
Rogers.
After this robbery, the car containing
'te bandits, which was driven by n me-
gro chauffeur. went over the rcnnsyl-
Nana railroad crossing at Twcnty-hfth
aud oxford streets pursued by the police
Tho bandits dashed in front of an APP
proaching freight train, which cut off the
police and citizens following.
Later the drugstore of II. Wayne Dar-
ragh, at Eleventh and Montgomery ave-
nuc, was robbed by men believed TO
have been the same ones who robbed
the oyster house. \ number Of women
wore in tho store at the time and wit.
messed the hold-ur. Thirty dollars was
/ obtained.
/ The girl motor bandits Nctmizcd 2
store on South street, tal:!cs II fur picC,
/ and walking ont of tho store and into
| the automobile before they could be ap
pretended. There is nothing to connect
| them with the other robberics committed
| at later hour
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
Licensed at ElktOn to We'd

FLKTON, Md, Dec. 20.-Marriage IL
censes were issued here today to Frank
Walker and Margaret Burns, Edward
Robinson and Mamie Montgomery,
Henry Large and Grace Hughes. all of
Philadelphia: william. Green. Lynn,
Mass. and Ella II. Rutlett Philadelphia ;
Warren w Edwards and Anna cunR4ng-
ham. Bridgeport. Conn. : Aaron Gold
stein, Atlantic City. and Esther Abel,
Washington: Daniel j. Goodheart and
Margaret T. Platt. PhoeuiXVille; Leroy
Short and Margaret Wooleysan. cecil.
ton. Md. William r. Kley and Rose
anna Roemhildt. Baltimore. Md. Will
liam L. Hendrix, Baltimore, and May
Lewis, Scranton. and George Ford
Townsend, and Margaret Regner, Osessa,
1Del
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-20
N. \. TEACHERS oUsTkb
Stormy Session Precedes Order.
instructors Will Appeal

NEW YORK. DEG. go.--After de-
bate which lasted fully three hours,
during which many bitter charges were
made against Dr. John L. Tildsley and
John whalen, chairman Of the inves-
tigating committee. the Board of Edu-
cation has voted to dismiss from public