The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-04-26
PILOT

Two weeks ago you published
letter written to me by an old friend
!, in Kansas.
Since then he has written me two
letters in which he explains some
matters of a personal nature which
/ l believe are true in deed and fact.
These letters are nearly as remark
able as the tales in Arabian Nights
Entertainment
But to me the letters are of value
as evidence Of the self reliant char
acter of our American Youth before
the Nation went on the Welfare List.
Let the letter speak for itself, viz:
| Yesterday, April 18th, was the
worst day that ever l went thru in
Kansas. At 2 o'clock it was as dark
as night. If we do not get rain soon
do not know what will become of
this country Do not think that he
buffalo grass is extinct. 1t is the
best grass we have in this country,
but too much of it has been plowed
You ask how got hold of this land?
From the time Father died have
been lucky. When l was rs years
old l had 16 farms at B., which were
paid for and $4,000 in the bank
l then went into the grain bust
ness, bought seat on the Board of
Trade at Kansas City and one at
Houston, Texas. and in less than a
year was broke and owed $4,000.
jumped in when the boom was
on in Houston and tied up $4,000
|, acres just before the big freeze. We
900 in the bank, then the boom broke
and l broke with it. That is how l
have all that Texas land. Could not
sell or mortgage it, so had to hold
it, and now it looks like it is The
best thing l own as oil is found ON it.
But returned to Kansas and opened
up at d. c. at the time the A. T. & S.
Fee r. r. opened up the south and
west countries. The first year
made $1O8,0OO and continued op-
Grating at profit until the war com
minced, when l went into the cattle
business. had 1900 head on
hand when the storm of Dec. Is,
1918, came and l lost LOO head,
worth from $10O TO $3.50 per head;
then the bottom dropped out on cat
tie. The next spring set me back
about 100000 Just getting on my
feet when the present drouth came.
so my life has been up and down,
but with 1t all 1 have had lot OF
fun. But never worry, whether
broke or riding high.
Yes, married to a Miss F. You
knew her father. Fine girl, but W.
did not agree, except on the alimony,
which cost me $4,000. So do not
worry, something will put me on my
feet, Perhaps it will be Texas oil. :"
When the writer settled in Ed
wards Co., Kan, not one percent Of
the land was in cultivation.
1t was primarily a cattle country.
The trails of the extinct buffaloes
were marked in the sod, and yet we
had fierce sand and dust storms.
Often have shoveled the sand which
had blown in under the door and
window castings during the night.
Twice witnessed cyclone. The
first one passed about three miles
north and east. A breaking pillow
left in the furrow by the fleeing
plowman had the steel beam bent
like a fish hook
The second storm was north and
west. | turned my horses loose,
went in the cellar wearing my insur-
ance papers In my shirt. The dust
was so dense that | could not see
thru the windows. One man tied his
horses to the windmill and got In the
cellar. The storm tore the mill
away, killed the horses and took the
house up bodily and 1t dissolved and
was scattered over the prairie. He
was nearly choked by the dust. The
wind took the feathers from chickens
and the hair from rats.
|