Gilpin observer., 1920-06-03

Walking 457 miles a year to get wa
ter for her family's use is the record
of one New Mexico woman, as revealed
by a survey of farm home conditions
made not long ago by the United
States department of agriculture and
the state extension service. In addi-
ton to carrying 30 tons of water,
which Is minimum for family of six
to use In year, she did all the house
work and helped with the field work
and care Of the live stock. Here is the
story she tells:
I'VE live on a farm Of 800 acres To-
Gated one and quarter miles from
small town. We have no automobile,
but use horses and wagons as n means
of transportation to town or elsewhere.
We live In six-rOOm house which is
lighted by lamps and heated by stoves.
1 have no labOr-saving devices, except
built-in kitchen cabinet or cupboard,
sewing machine and washing ma
chine run by hand power.
There are six members in the fam
lily. including two children between ten
and sixteen and two under ten years
of age. During harvest, silO filling, or
thrashing we have eight extra helpers.
have no help in the house except that
of three children in carrying wood and
coal and running errands. During the
first six months of 1910 five members
of the family were Ill in bed total OF
twenty-three days.
Why Farmers Wives Grow Old Early.
do tbA nd Cos
the entire family, make my own outer
garments and part of the children's
clothing, and bake all my own bread.
The water for household purposes
must be carried a distance of 400 feet,
and this is one of my daily tasks us
well as the care of 80 chickens. The
eggs from this flock are marketed at
the nearest store and the money Is
used for general housekeeping pur-
poses.
~ help with the milking of 80 cows
and wash the milk pals and separator.
The cream is sold and used for general
housekeeping expenses. During eight
months in the year help with the
farm work, care for the vegetable gar
den and help care for the live stock.
"In the summer rise at five O'Clock
and my working day ends at 0 80 p. M,
with no time free. In winter the day
begins at 6 n. IN. and lasts until 8 p. m,
with no time off. work on an aver
age of fifteen and n half hours day,
three hundred and sixty-five days in
the year, with not even my noon hour
free"
C,prx tl AL 1n1 out hx,O
New Mexico farm women, and about
one-half Of them reported water
brought by hand from distance Of
300 to 400 feet. The average was Al
feet. In over 90 per cent OF the cases
the housewives did the carrying
One gallon of water with bucket
weighs at least s1s pounds. One wom-
an who lived on n farm and carried
wnter for n family of five, which sta
tistics show to be the size Of the aver
age American family, reports that It
takes six pals of water for the ordi-
nary day. and she has counted many
times the 10 pals required for the fam
fly washing. Six pals OF water 1856
days In the year make 2.19O pals; 16
pals for the washing. 80 weeks In the
year. make 800 pals, or total of 3,022
pals of water for family of five In n
year. Taking this as the usual amount
of water used. and the Al feet as the
average distance carried, the distance
Travelled In one year Is SO miles.
Woman Carries Water 457 Miles.
Besides travelling this distance she
must bear the weight of the water.
Ordinary pals contain from 21a to 3
gallons; 3,O22 pals Of on gallons will
equal 1865 gallons. Using Sh pounds
which Is II low estimate. as the weight
of one gallon of water and the con.
tniner, Mrs. Average Farmer In New
Mexico carries In one year CAPT.
pounds or 32.1 tons. This is not all.
for the water she carries Into the
house must all be carried out again.
SO she lifts another 1921 tons In car
rylng II ont, which makes o. tons car.
ried In n yenr.
But That's Only One Item.
The woman who bears children and
cares for them. their father md the
hired man. cooks for them. does the
washing. ironing and family sewing.
does the housecleaning. cares for the
chickens. weeds the garden. travels
miles about ap lnconvenicnt kitchen