The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-09-05
M|NOT STORES TO
CLOSE AT 3 P. N.
Business Houses Arrange to Close at
That Hour Thursday and Friday
Whole City to Get Out Into
Harvest Fields.

this week in order to give every able
bodied man in Minot an opportunity
to get out into the harvest fields and
shock grain.
On Sunday, a general call has been
made for shockers from the city to go
to the country and clean up the shock
ing wherever any work appears to be
needed
owners of cars will constitute them
selves captains of the various squads
and each shocker will be given a reg
lstration card. By means of these
cards it will be possible to separate
the "sheep from the goats"
Secretary Hobein has received S..
Q. S. calls from many localities Many
farmers say it is simply impossible to
hire shockers at any price and an ap-
peal has been made to the residents
OF Mlnot and surrounding towns. Mr..
Holbeln yesterday had list of farm
ers having 5000 acres in the aggre-
gate to be shocked and this does not
begin to cover the many thousands of
acres of grain that lies out on the
ground.
Farmers should not be backward in
calling for the shock troops in the
various villages and cities of the
northwest. Mr.. Holbein will do his
level best to see that the workers are
sent out. j. A. Roell, who is in d.
rect charge of the Minot workers, has
sent many squads out into the fields.
Last week, on an average, hundred
Mlnot men were out in the fields each
day, but this number ought to be
many times as large. If Minot cit
liens could only realize the serious
problem which now confronts the
farmer, not one would hesitate in get
ting out into the field, a goodly por-
ton at least of every day that is fit
for work. Grain must be shocked
very soon, for it is subject to great
damage by reason Of rain unless the
bundles can be shocked very soon
afterwards.
The grain seemed to ripen all at
once and farmers simply had to get
into the fields and cut it to keep it
from Smelling out. Commissioner
Hennessy from Berthold informs the
Independent that one farmer who has
tlve quarters of crop, has been cut
ting with two binders for weeks, let
ting the bundles lie where they fell,
trusting to luck that rains might not
ruin his entire crop. He is still cut
ting, but has done no shocking. This
is but one incident.
In the vicinity of Minot perhaps
half of the graf that has been cut has
been shocked. A few days hard work
on the part of our citizens will place
this grain where it is safe for the
present. Minot has never been known
to fail in anything that it has gone
after vet, and can be depended upon
to make good now
The parties gong out into the fields
ask no pay, except what the farmer
desires to give and even then; the
money is turned over to the Red
Cross. So far, where money has been
given for the work, settlement has
been made on the basis of 2 cents per
acre, which is not unreasonable. But
regardless Of whether one is paid for
the work or not, the citizens of the
towns realize that the work must be
done by someone Farmers sons
have been called to war and there are
few men looking for work. The farm
ers have their hands more than full
and the work that the town folks do
is fully appreciated.
It is the better plan to take your
lunches with you. Farmers wives are
usually overworked at this time of the
year and each one can easily throw
few sandwiches and a pickle or two
into shoe box and eat when he gets
around to it. Of course. no one is
expected to pass up a fried chicken
Ivy 4b,
farmers wives should cook for them.
Many businessmen have been MAX
ing the practice of working until 8
o'clock each day, then journeying out
into the fields and shocking until dark
j. F. Mcclure has had charge of
shocking 300 acres for James Scofeld
a short distance south of town and
has been doing this with crew Of
businessmen evenings, getting alons
very nicely.
James Scofeld estimates that the
farmers have about 80 per cent of the
grain cut and about SO per cent of it in
the shock. He states that grain lying
on the ground soon gathers dampess
and then should little rain come, it
will sprout quickly, unless it is
shocked Immediately That is why it
is so urgent that the grain be shock
ed at once.
Mr.. Scofield has about 1850 acres
Of grain Of all kinds this year. He has
been cutting with eleven binders and
has about 1900 acres down that
is not shocked. He has good crew
at work and the work is proceeding
quite satisfactorily.
Mr.. Scofeld believes that the farm
ers will be able to get their threshing
done as more laborers are expected to
visit this section of the state and be-
sides the farmers can exchange work
Plans are being made by the Minot
merchants to close their stores at a
o'clock every afternoon and it is be-
lieved that the shocking will be wound
up in a short time
RESOLUTIONS.
Whereas, the members of the Ward
County Bar Association believe that
every effort of all citizens Of the