Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-06-21
HIS FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH TURNS
CROP MAKER

and moved into Hill City, Kansas, it
might have been expected something
would happen. Anyone who has seen
the Doctor knows that he is a live
wire. Something generally happens
around where the Doctor is. When he
came to Kansas he hrought load of
household goods and ideas. He has
been giving out ideas ever since. 1
don't believe he is a Socialist but he
knows more about Socialism than
most of the critics of that particular
creed. Well he whipped a western
Kansas homestead into submission
He made it buy two or three more
homesteads and then he turned it over
to tenant.
By this time the doctor was getting
old, some past seventy. He moved in
to town to engage in some new bust
ness. In town he had time for think
ing and he soon evolved a scheme of
building a natatorium. We sympath-
lied with the doctor and undertook
to talk him out of this fanciful idea
of his second childhood. They used all
manners of persuasion and logic. The
doctor got his tenacity four years of
arguing with the south wind and the
sun in western Kansas, and in ad-
dition to all this the doctor is some
talker also. So the people went back
to their plows and anvils and Crank
built his natatorium.
Built on Hill
1t is on a little hill toward the east
side of Hill City: It is seni-preten-
tious affair 40 feet wide, 80 feet long
and from to IL feet deep and holds
about 1000 barrels. 1t is heated by
pipes and supplied by continuous run
ming water from well. It has spring
boards, diving boards, dressing rooms
and bathing suits. It is sanitary, reg
ularly inspected and sterilized. And
best of all it is well patronized. 1t is
easily seen that in swimming facili-
ties western Kansas is handicapped.
After cloud burst if one was right
swift of foot one might get to the
creek in time to take swim, but
any delay would be disastrous. But
people like to swim, especially boys,
and there are lots of boys in Western
Kansas. There are quite a few in
Hill City and hundreds of them go to
DIR. Crank's natatorium. Where ever
one goes in he leaves quarter of
dollar, and so the doctor prospers.
He supplied a need and the people
paid him.
To keep the water fresh the doctor
found he would have to let the water
out and refill the pool occasionally.
That would cause quite waste of
water and waste is sin" that is one
of the doctors maxims. Consequently
some means. must be evolved to con-
serve this waste water. The natator-
ium was on hill. The hill sides and
the valley lay on three sides. Water
runs down hill. The plan was COM
plete. A system of irrigation must be
installed at once.
The doctor had often thought of
irrigation in the dry days of Kansas
He had studied the topic enough to
know that in Kansas the sub surface
system was the only plan. Plants of
the harder variety must be used and
the best results would be from beets.
Thousands of barrels of water grad
ually drained into the ground, evenly
over these ten acres, in
time would create a subsoil moisture
of considerable value. Evaporation
could be retarded by dust mulch
and ultimately fruit trees could be
grown at a profit.
His Life Very Busy
The doctor has been very busy He |
is often tired, but the success of his |
plan is inspiring The cherry trees |
have paid good money for the past |
two years Berries are abundant |
Peach trees are coming into bearing |
age. Apples and plums and apricets |
and what not are growing and -four |
ishing. The irrigation plant is auto
matte. The water is a by product, |
the orchard and truck patch are side |
isues but are threatening to super
cede the main issue Last year he
sold hundred of dollars worth Of !
fruit. The Natatorium made him good
money. This year his income in
creaSes.
The doctor il an old man, now past
30 but like very few men, he has
never lost interest in life or men
Any workable plan appeals to him.
Every spring he plants new trees,
Just as if he were only 80. He is
eager for new varieties of trees, new