The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-08-15
SPEAKING ABOUT
SHOCK TROOPS

The bunch that went out with Burl
Carr Thursday to his farm two miles
east of town went over the top with a
bang and carried every trench in
sight. The boys, eleven of them,
shocked so acres in two hours and a
half and were good and mad because
Carr refused to let them work any
longer. The fact of the matter is
Carr had several binders going but
the boys were too swift for them and
they could not cut down the grain fast
enough to keep that bunch going. Burl
is tickled almost to death at the show
ing his shock troops made. He said:
II have associated with that bunch
for years, and never knew until yes
terday that any of the bunch could
work, but they fooled me, will never
libel them again. Charley X. Otto
started to 60 out on dead run but
after he got started he slowed up on
account of the barrage thrown by l..
S. B. Richie who objected to having
anybody go over the top ahead of him.
Charley makes good all right so long
as some fellow hands him the shocks.
Richie worked like a pointer pup,
with no thought of the morrow and
covered a lot of ground and incident
ally put up shocking lot of grain.
Jim Buttree was tower of strength
among the boys and his scientific
handling of the shocks was remark
able. They claim he persisted in
setting up every other shock head
down until Art Bonhus informed him
he had farmed all his life and knew
burned well that when he farmed it
the shocks were all placed with the
tops turned up. Jack Fearing said
that even if he did use razor most
of the time he could show some OF
the ginks how to 60 some in a grain
field and he did. He said any man
who started an argument either politi-
cally or otherwise, would get touch
of the razor which he had taken along
for an emergency. DR.. Roberts was
there. Who would ever accuse doc
Of work. Well we are going to now.
Carr says he was the bulwark Of the
bunch. He had been so used to pull
ing wisdom teeth and molars that his
dexterous wrist movement came into
play right and he put those shocks
into place in fine shape. Ben Pfusch
was thinking how to stretch bank bal
ances and his ledger showed that he
had considerable to the good at the
end of the run. C. K. Hills is rather
quiet, mild individual, and to look at
him you would not imagine that work
was in his line, but when he stripped
for action there was none better in
that bunch and he showed less fatigue
than any of them. N. A. Burch was
regarded by most of the bunch as
man who would quit after few min
utes run on account of no previous ex-
perience in farming and his high
ideals about work, but say, the way
he waded into that field of grain
would have made Gen. Foch sit up and
take notice and probably result in the
general demanding N. O.'s immediate
induction into the army-he was all
to the good and made great record.
Fred jacobson and Art Bonhus, both
unmarried, but with high hopes and
bright prospects, wanted an oppor-
tunity to show what they could do for
the moral effect the advertising would
have with the ladies, so they did re-
markably fine work and we think
can push the washing machine and
baby cabs correctly when their time
comes. OF course Mr.. Carr being boss
did not exert himself very much only
to retire out of sight occasionally to
kick himself with glee at the way
those guys were working their heads
off for him. The boys shocked so
acres in two hours and half and Mr..
Carr wants us to say that he never
had such good service in his life be-
fore and he recommends the bunch to
any farmer who wants his grain put
into shock in fast time. Seriously
now, these men are doing some great
work, giving great service, and with
all these differences of opinion, poll
tically and otherwise, we believe they
are setting a MIGHTY fine example
Of community spirit.