davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
BEAVER AN EXPERT WORKER
Little Animal ExceIs Lumber Jacks as
Tree-Fellers and is Prize
Dam Builder.

1.-The most expert lumber jack is in
ferior to the beaver as a tree-feller. He
cuts down trees in the most scientific
way. He can fell a tree so 1t will fall
toward the pond where he wishes TO
construct his home, thus saving him
self unnecessary work.
AFTER the trees are felled the con-
struction work begins. He works chief
ly by night, for he is nocturnal PROV
Ter. The moon is his lantern, the
quiet of the night his inspiration. his
sharp teeth are his Ratchet and chisel.
and his little paws are his means of
conveyance, his spade, his hammer ami
his trowel. His hard, fiat, hairless
and scaly tail is a propeller when
swimming and a balance when he is
cutting timber. for he stands on his
hind legs while gnawing down trees.
1.-The beaver is a strict vegetarian
and his diet consists chiefly of barks.
tender shoots and water plants. The
trees which furnish the bark he most
likes are the cottonwood. poplar, elm,
willow. birch. aspen and boxelder. The
bark of the oak. ash and hickory he
does not eat.
"To flood low ground. the beavers
sometimes have TO build a dam ex-
.eeding 90 feet in length. They usual |
" lay it out with the curve facing
Upstream. The foundation is built of |
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

cost of only S61.50 against S129.72
per acre. paid for tillable land and IN
the original purchase.
But this added value of S682.2O does
not represent all the benefits which
have come to the farm from the in
PRODUCTION of undertakings. The dis
appearance of the sloughs, and OF the
superfuous water In other places, per-
mits the division of the land into reg
ular, and therefore more easily Gull
tivated fields. Such fields, having now
uniform soil, can be cultivated in
less time, and crop rotations can be ar
ranged to better advantage, than
where the land is broken up by nom
cultivable areas. A dry, loose soil can
be worked more easily than a wet,
sticky soil.
Furthermore, q field which in some
seasons is productive. and in others
non-productive by reason Of excessive
moisture, may be more detrimental 70
the farmers success than swamp
land; for such lands are often plowed,
cultivated, and then the crop
is destroyed by an influx Of water;
whereby not only are they made nom
productive, but labor and seed are
lost. Drainage not only removes the
risk of such losses but improves the
landscape by substituting broad, fully
cultivated areas for such as are dotted
with sloughs, breeding frogs and mos
quitoes and giving forth Ill odors from
dead fish and decaying vegetation 1t
is a first step in good bodybuilding,
and, as a permanent improvement, 1t
the value Of all neighboring
lands. and benefits the entire COM
All Of these benefits are illustrated
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

for the specific purpose Of cultiva-
ton. The 72.S9 acres cost $7.653.45.
Out of this area there was used for
highway purposes, four acres; non
productive land in sloughs, five acres I;
ten acres producing half crop, equal
In non-producive land, to five acres; or
a total of IA non-tillable acres. This
left a tillable area of 50 acres, cost
Ing the state S129.72 per acre. A sys-
tenn of undertaking was introduced,
by which the five acres of non-produc-
tive land in slOughs, and the ten acres
which produced half Il crop, are made
equal in productive qualities TO the
same area of the other tillable land.
The total cultiyable area is thus in
creased from 50 to 90 acres. The re-
turn to the farm, then. is 81, 29T.20. ut
Il cost of $615; or net gain of $6S2-2o.
In other words ten additional acres
have been added to the farm at a
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
Comparison.

"Dr. Isaiah B. Scott, Methodist bish.
op OF Africa" said a Methodist divine
collected in Monrovia great deal OF
valuable chronological matter.
Talking about cannibalism one day,
Bishop Scott declared:
Your cannibal is not wicked. He
eats other people as you and l go TO
church-in order to improve himself
for he has been taught that he will ac-
quire the virtues-the bravery. beauty.
wisdom and what not-of all those
whom he eats"
Bishop Scott chuckled.
"A savage cannibal," he ended. 'is a
sanity chap alongside of civilized
backbiter.'"
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
IMPORTANT MATTER OF LIGHT
ways Fall From the Left Side of
Writer or Worker.

The well-known fact that, when
using the eyes for any near work, the
illumination should come from the left
side rather than the right, is often dis
regarded.
Let anyone who considers the matter
Of little Importance once demonstrate
TO himself the difference and he will
never forget IL. Take q pencil and pa
per and try to write while in such a
position that the light will fall from
the right side.
The shadow of the hand or pencil
or both is thrown on the paper in such
a way as partly TO cover the characters
one is making. This necessitates a
closer viewpoint and a conscious strain
on the eyes. Now let the position of the
writer be reversed so that the light
falls from the left side.
He VIII notice that the shadows fall
away from the work ne is doing. and
leave the field unobscured. In making
the change he cannot help but notice
the feeling of ease that Immediately is
experienced by the eyes.
This applies TO any other kind OF
near work in which the fingers act IN
der the guidance of the eyes. This fact
should be remembered in planning
schoolrooms, workrooms, offices and
any places where steady, close work is
to be performed.
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

wettest and most difficult to handle,
and it is necessary that construction
be carried on during the wettest sea-
sons. Consequently, the contractor
should base his calculations as to time
and methods on the worst conditions.
To let a contract to the lowest bid
der" regardless of his experience or
equipment, is often to invite serious
disappointment and loss.
Delays, especially, are expensive 10
landowners, for not only is money in
vested In incomplete work, but often
times a failure to have the ditch COM
plete at the time fixed means the loss
of a crop. In the drainage of swamp
land. which cannot be plowed until
after the work is completed. it means
a delay Of one or more years before
the cultivation will be a paying invest
ment. With scarcely an exception,
where losses have accrued TO agricul-
tural interests through the delay of a
year in the construction of proposed
drainage works, these losses have been
greater than the cost of the improve
ments. The attempt TO save one or
two cents on the cubic yard for ditch
ing, or on the rod for tile trenches, by
giving the job to a poorly-equipped
man, often becomes an expensive pro-
ceeding. Better pay more to a COM
petent man, and be sure of a good
job, completed ION time"
The kind, size and completeness Of
the drainage works needed in a given
locality, the methods of doing the work
and adjusting the costs, must be de-
termined by the local conditions. What
is good practice In one place may
not be practical in another. The char
acter of the ground, surface slopes,
crops raised, and value of land, all
have a bearing on the subject. in
any locality the first consideration is
an outlet or channel by which the wa
ter may be carried away. In some
localities nature has provided such an
outlet. In others, it may be necessary
for several landowners to band tOgeth-
er and construct a channel, of suf-
ficient size and depth to serve as the |
ludl4 outlet OI q utlWOEh u UTILITIES
which will give relief during wet |
years. In many parts of the state, |
where such outlets naturally exist or
are already completed, crops have suf-
tered from an excess Of water in the l
vicinity, for the reason that |
the water from the cultivated fields |
could not readily escape. Consequent
y, for complete drainage, it is neces-
'ary to have, on the individual farm,
/ thorough system for collecting the
water as it falls and carrying it to the
main outlet.
Unless the ground is very fiat, the
ocation of proposed drains can be
,est determined when the ground is
rec from vegetable growths. A heavy
,rowth of crops or weeds may cause
ow places to look high and high places
ow. A field freshly plowed or sown
s in the best condition for locating
ines of drainage. If such a field is
Immediately after a heavy
ain, there viii be little danger of
making a mistake in locating the lines.
these are at once marked out by a
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

A FARM PROFITABLY TILED.
On this eo-acre field three systems of
tile drainage were necessary. This
shows the advantage with which two
neiehbors can cooperate in putting
in a line of tile. An obstacle SO
trivial as line fence should not be
permitted to prevent economical
drainage. The owner of this land
says that tile pays for itself every
year and that 5000 expended on tile
has raised the value of the go acres
$1,000.
face-drains is not, therefore, lost, even
when it is intended to later introduce
an underdrainage system
The individual farmer with small
means should first select the area the
filing of which will drain the most
land at the least expense. In q rolling
country, where sufficient fall can be
had for outlets near the surface, or
without expensive open bitches, small
tiles can be used around the sides of
drainage areas outletting on a hillside
or at the edge of a slough. This
method often improves large tracts at
small cost, and as the improved lands
increase in productiveness, funds will
be supplied by which the tile lines
can be extended, connected, and the
expensive mains finally put in. This
method has been used in many of the
hest tiled countries In some instances
it has been twenty years from the lay
ing of the first laterals to the compile
ton of the last main.
Immediately after construction. pro-
vision should be made for annual
4 drainage improve
ment. properly carried out and main
will add its initial cost to the
value of the land and pay dividend
on the original investment.
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

to acquire more acres, under the false
idea that his prosperity will be de-
noted by the amount of land in his
possession. He does not realize that
one acre of thoroughly-drained land
may bring him greater income, with
half the labor and expense of cultiva
ton, than two acres of the undrained
land; or that it could be acquired at
one-third to one-half the cost of the
newly-bought acre. This extra land
is purchased with the idea that land
values will rise. AS the real value of
land is regulated by its improvements
and productiveness, the landowner
whose only object is to acquire more
acres, rather than to improve the land
already In his possession, is an "un-
desirable citizen" as he expects to be
the gamer through his neighbours i'm
provements.
The idea Is popular, especially
among the owners of wet lands, that
the removal of surplus water by drain
age would be of great benefit to the
state or community at large. While
this is true to a certain extent, and
while wet lands belonging to the pub
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
DIAGRAM OF A LINE OF LEVELS.

poles, four or five feet long by an
inch or two thick. These they lay
crosswise. filing all crevices with mud.
The beaver digs up mud with his
fore feet, then holds it close TO his
breast with his fore legs. swims TO
where he has started his dam, and,
having deposited it in its proper place.
beats the mud down with his paws
not with his tail as has been believed"
st. Nicholas.
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
ACTRESS TELLS SECRET.

A well known actress gives the follow
ing recipe for gray hair: To half pint OF
water add 1 o. Bay Rum, small box Of
Barbo Compound, and 4 OF. of glycerine-
Any druggist can put this up OF you can
mix 1t at home at very little cost Full
directions for making and use come in
each box of Barbo Compound. 1t will
gradually darhen streaked, faded gray
hair, and make it soft and glossy. It Will
not color the scalp. is not sticky or
greasy, and does not rub on Adv.
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
loo Severe.

Doctor-Your husband needs some
good exercise TO restore him.
Mrs. X-Like playing golf7
Doetor-More violent than that.
Mrs. X-I have it I'll send him
down to make a few purchases at the
bargain counter during the rush hours,
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

If time is money that of some men
must be lead nickels.
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

Some men are unable to think when
drunk OF To talk when sober.
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
BY JOHN T. STEWART, c. E. Agri
cultural Engineer, University of
Minnesota
Minnesota

[ is not an uncommon
thing for a landowner to
fight a drainage assess
ment, on land which has
a market value of from
$50 to $50 per acre, and
at almost the same time
buy another tract of
similar land, at the mar
ket price. His desire is
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12
They Must Ask Tor n.

Co-Well, Ed, why don't you kiss
me?
Ed was in doubt
Co-Why not give me the benefit Of
it?
Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-01-12

GRADE LATH METHOD.
parallel
at the
nayb be fxedb trench
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
Danger In Raw Pork.

There is considerable danger In eat
ing pork or pork products raw or not
thoroughly cooked. The disease fre-
quently resulting is called trichlnosls.
1t is caused by certain round worms,
microscopic In size, that often infest
the flesh Of hogs.
OF 100000 hog carcasses micro
scopically Inspected by federal inspec-
tors In eight years, about one in every
thirty-nine contained these worms. or
about 1.2OO American cases Of trichinO-
sis, 255 came from eating raw sausage
and 213 from raw Nam.
In q community in Wisconsin last
fear Fl cases developed in FIVE fami-
les and three deaths resulted from
eating sausage that was only slightly
booked. These round worms diesat a
temperature Of 40. 80 thorough cook
Ing does away with possible danger.
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
MORE THAN HE COULD STAND
Absence Of properties" Caused Actor
to Leave the "BalIy Rotten Show"
In Hurry

Humorous recollections of slip in
stage business turning thrilling eli
max into comlcaI sight is told in E..
H. Sothern's book, as shown in the dra-
matte department of the Sunday Post
and that brings to mind the funny ex-
perience of Taylor Holmes, the young
farce comedian remembered In 1.-THE
Third Party" and "His Majesty Bunker
Bean"
1t was when Holmes was with q
stock company in Newark, N. j. The
who was playing in stock to tide him
over the summer financially, and he
was unaccustomed to the free and easy
way of doing without things used in
the play.
The regular stock actors made no
complaint when props were missing,
but improvised us best they could.
The opening night in "Ticket Of
Leave Man." as Jack Dalton (the
heavy) and Melter Moss (Taylor
Holmes) were supposed to be kidnap-
ng Bob Briefly to churchyard,
Holmes said to the heavy in the wings
just before their entrance:
Don't ask me for the light. Cut the
line"
"Why should I cut my lines?" de-
manded the heavy with all his dignity.
"You'll have to cut them," insisted
Holmes. II haven't any lantern to give
you"
''My word, what a bally rotten show"
said the heavy. "Tm not accustomed
to this sort of thing" as he stalked on
the stage.
All his lines fled-excepting the one
he should have forgotten. He looked
blankly at Holmes, suffered and stam-
mered, then thundered:
'MOss, give me the glim!'
II can't gif you no glim; I amt got
no glim," said Holmes. But the, heavy
was now past cOmprehending.
''MOss, give me the glim-give me
the glim - he shrieked.
II amt got no glim. Didn't 1 tell
you not to ask for the glim? You
don't need no glim; it's light enough
for your dirty work." said Holmes,
frantically trying to ad lib and set the
heavy straight in the scene.
The heavy gave Holmes one disgust
ed look; snOrted as he threw up his
hands, and said: "Good night, this is
awful. cannot stand it, I'm not used
to it," and stalked off the stage, leav-
ing the audience bowling with glee.
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
Big Collection Of Brains.

The brain collection of the United
States National museum, which has
lately received valuable additions rep
resenting. the higher apes, was started
l3 years ago by Ales Hrdlicka, and
now contains about 1,5OO human and
animal brains. OF these 223 are hui
man, including 95 Of whites and 1913 of
other races. and 348 belong to the goril-
las, chimpanzees, Orangs, gibbons,
balloons and other primates. The num-
ber Of adult anthropoids. though it en-
braces only single adult chimpanzee,
is believed to exceed that of all other
known collections. Besides those of the
primates, the collection now has the
brains Of 1856 carnivOres and cetaceans,
so insectivores, 268 ungulates or hoofed
animals, 81 rodents, AZ edentates or
tOOthless animals and marsupials, or
pouch-bearers, and 2S7 birds and rep
tiles.
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
GIVE AID TO
BELGIUM AND sERviA

When the United States is enjoy
ing an exceeding era Of prosperity,
Is it not we'll for those who have
reaped fortunes by others misfortun-
es, to study we'll the condition of the
Belgium, Ser,ia and Montenegro who
have had their country invaded by
the stronger powers and SO devastat-
ed by war; that their people no long
er have the means Of gaining a live
lihood? eo
America has RESPONDED freely to
the aid of the stricken Belgians, but
Servia and Montenegro are in a like
condition. These countries have been
overrun and held by Austrian and
German troops who appropriate what
ever they wish to their own use. leav-
ing the people Of these stricken coun-
tries entirely destitute.
We are at peace with all the world
Our factories are all running on dou-
large profits on every species of pro-
duction, and our bank vaults nearly
bursting with boarded wealth. We
are country of 1OO,OOO,OOO people
and few dollars from each would
alleviate much of this foreign suffer
ing. Let us look upon these people
as human and intelligent beings, and
organize relief soie les in every state
to relieve their sufferings to such a
degree that depopulation by starva-
tion may be abated.
In the years preceding the Span
fsh-Ameroan war, when General
Weyler was starving the Cubans into
submission, the United States gave
liberally, and afterwards interviewed
to stop the desti.ution. Why not let
us be as patriotic with those who are
suffering in foreign climes and need
our support, as we were to the con-
centrado in Cuba?
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
Survivors Of Great Tragedies.

James Boyle, who had so remarkable
an escape from the fate of all others
aboard the ill-fated Connemara and Re-
triever. will take a place among the
sole survivors of great tragedies. When
the French mail steamer General
Chanzy went on the rocks, off north
west Minorca, six years ago, one man,
Marcel Badez. was the only survivor
of 15S passengers and crew, and nu-
merOus other instances are on record
of wrecked vessels from which sOli-
tary survivor lived to tell the tale.
Possibly the two most remarkable
cases of a single man escaping from an
overwhelming disaster are those of
Doctor BrydOne, who alone reached
safety of the 3,4S0 soldiers and 10000
camp followers who set out on the re-
treat from Cabul in 1912; and of ne
gro prisoner, confined In an under
ground cell at st. Pierre, who alone
out of the 10000 inhabitants survived
the destruction Of the city by the erup-
tiOn of Mont Pelee in April, 1902.
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
INVITE CAPITAL TO COLORADO

The election being over we hear
nothing more about cur great pros
perity being only temporary and
brought about by war conditions.
This is as 1t should be. We are now
entering year that bids fair to be
the most prosperous one in our ma
tion's history, and all classes should
lay aside their political prejudice and
assist in promoting our states In
dustries.
Colorado has been gifted by nature
with more than her share of natural
wealth that lies buried beneath the
surface, in not only her many variety
of minerals, but in her great fields
of many shades Of fine marble, now
being sought by many Of the eastern
states for the building of their or
namental public buildings. Govern
ment geological experts report that
our state contains more coal than
any state in the union, with but a
small proportion of its territory open
ed as yet.
Not only our state, but the whole
west is raIidly fillirg with popula-
tfcn, that will necessitate the open
ing Of the great coal and iron mines
for the manufacture of wares for
home and foreign consumption, and
when that day arrives. Colorado's
pure atmosphere of which we are SO
proud, will blend with the smoke
from the many blast furnaces and
coke ovens that will be located at
intervals at the foot of the mountain
ranges.
The wealth Of the east. produced
from our present prosperity. will seek
channels for investment. and it will
naturally turn to our great storehous
of hidden wealth Of all kinds, and
join US In their more speedy develop.
ment.
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
FALLS HEAVIEST ON FARMER
Modern Warfare Said to Make Great.
est Claim on Those Who Are
Tillers Of the Soil.

Investigators having in view the IN
terest of the farmer as class make
claim to the discovery that modern
warfare bears heaviest upon the tillers
Sf the soil and not, as popularity sup
posed, upon the factory hand. In the
trenches on the French front 60 per
cent of the soldiers are small farm
ers and only 12 per cent are industrial
workers. This is due to the fact that
the newer weapons, the Quick-firing
cannon, the machine guns, the maga-
zine rifle, the gigantic howitzer and
the bomb thrOwers demand highly or
ganized and efficient factories. So do
the drafts for clothing, steel helmets,
concentrated foods and other supplies.
1t takes several active and expert
workers at home to maintain one sol
der in the field. The farms can be
cared for by the old men, the women
and the children. Therefore the army
organizers are seizing the farmers and
exempting the more valuable factory
employees, both statements, of course,
being relative.
What is true Of France in this re-
spect Is equally applicable to England
and Russia and the other allies Of the
progressive type. The extent of the
exemption in England alone is shown
by the recent announcement that con-
scription would be applied to men fit
for military duty excused previously
to perform other work. This draft, it
was said. would produce 1,250O0O SOL
diers. Agricultural leaders, possessed
Of these rather astonishing facts, are
beginning to spread the information
among their followers as part of
propaganda against militarism. Quick
and forceful protest may be expect
ed, as the American farmer is not
prone to keeping silent when his in
terests and his own skin are imperiled.
Cincinnati ENQUIRER,
Gilpin observer., 1917-01-11
oner, $1,000 to Save boa.

Just how big place dog may take
in ones affections was demonstrated
strongly when Miss X. e. Henesey of
this city lost Yorkshire terrier, York
Sunshine Girl. The little terrier
weighed only couple of pounds, but
its owner would not have sold it for
anything. There was swinging door
between the rooms in Miss Henesey's
apartment. and the dog was caught IN
it as it slammed. Knowing that there
was no veterinarian near by, Miss
Henesey called physician, who hap
pened to be high-priced specialist.
When he saw what the case was he
said he was no veterinarian.
Here's check for $1,000" she said
"You have no objection to earning that,
md IL you can save her it Is. yours"
The dog had broken neck, how
ever, and was beyond saving.-New
York Herald. ..,...-~.