The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-04-28
FROM CALIFORNIA

To the Free Press and Friends:
Through the kindness of a friend /
We have had the pleasure of reading /
your paper for several years
l assure 1 have read of your
progress with the deepest interest as
it was our home town for fifteen
years and most of our children were
born in Buckeye neighborhood. The
tenth, a girl born IN Missouri, and
one daughter born here, where we
have lived for over eight years.
Have noticed the development of
the Experiment Station, and the Nor
nal School with an erollment of 500.
When we first went to Hays, the
soldiers were still there. Had the
pleasure of riding over the grounds
four years agoswhile there on short
visit. 1t seemed almost impossible to
recognize it as the old Fort.
Also notice that you are going to
nave nice new depot and new rail
road.
We never have known what it was
to have splendid bread as you have,
and as we were able to have there
We were able to get the hard wheat
-four at our mill in Springfield, Mo-,
and did so all the time after we had
found it until we came here. The
first few times l made bread here it
was almost impossible to eat it, but
have learned, as others have, to make
fair bread. You have many things to
be thankful for that we did not ap-
preciate while there. A splendid
healthy climate, with no malarial mos
quitos, and none of the tiny gnats
that from about the 10th of May,
until the 4th of July, make life al
most unbearable for US during the
day. You should appreciate the rains
/ drought the summer, when you get
them. Here we have only irrigation
through the summer and after it is
over, such disagreeable odor. Not
ike the sweet pure smell after an
electric rain storm. We very seldom
see lightning and hear thunder, some
times wish we could have one here
for a change.
We can see Mount Lason which
mas been in eruption for over two
! year. Sometimes can see the smoke
going out of the crater and at times
the whole northern horizon is smoky.
At times we can see Mount Shasta,
/ which apears to US as an immense
/ straw stack.
/ Most of the large farmers use en-
gines here to do their farm wok.r
i Keep them going night and day-use
oil. The Standard has station about
]
| loads a day and have three men and
a boy employed. They are putting
/ in thousands of acre of rice, about
two miles west of US and also in other
directions. They say it averages about
| fifty sacks to the acre. 1t is sell
! ling for little over $3.50 but was as
/, low as S1.65 People fattening their
hogs turkeys and chickens on it. The
small farms have mostly gone into
pruns and amends as they can make
more The fruit is a beautiful sight.
Trees loaded until they have to be
prOpped up.
| They store their grain here in ware
| house until they are full then they
hall it and put it along the river
where they load it on the boats for
shipment. Sometimes it will be along
the river for a month.
| Why have you dropped the Buck
eye news?
So many strangers have come to
your town since we left.
Mr.. Nickles and Mr.. Wann we trad
| treated nicely. Traded with the
present Mr.. Nichles father, when he
had just little store room and so full
there was hardly room to move IN.
Have always found nice people
wherever we have been.
! The 18th of last July, our home
with everything IN it was burned to
the ground, while we were away. We
came back IN time to see it all In
flames. Had left no fire in the house
and it viii never be known how 1t was
started. Our nearest neighbor who
was IN speaking distance not seeing 1t
In time to save anything. Everyone
was kind and helped US out in so many
ways The carpenters dropped every
thing and in a month from the time
we were In our new home. Not as
good as the first but comfortable. Am
sending you few. pictures of our
country. VIII be fifty years of age
May the 18th, and should love to have
card or letter on that day from all
the friends there that haven't forgot
ten me. l never shall froget them
Respectfully,
Il Clara NJ. McQuoid-