davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21
Squaring
the Circle
With
THE HOOSIER EDITOR

TNHERE happens to be an Al
Il newspaper man in town who is
also a swell fellow. He went to a
party the other evening and some
one showed glass of ale into his
hand.
Calmly strolling over tc a COM
patriot, he gently thrust his full
glass into his friends hand, at the
same time plucking away an empty
one.
I'm on the wagon" he muir
INJURED, but I've got to look like
I'm enjoying myself"
THEN there is the story of the
- gentleman who finally squan-
dered on new automobile after
driving his old one for almost five
years.
He'd been driving around Indian
apolis for almost Is years and he
looked very serene as he steered the
cleaning new vehicle out of the
showrooms and down Meridian-st.
AT a stop-and-go light the new
car stopped. He tried the starter
Jlggled this and that. and did anv
number of things he'd learned over
Is years.
FINALLY, he called the auto dealer.
Qult stepping on the accelerator. "
SAID the dealer, ''it's an automatic
choke and you're flooding the thing ),
The old auto driver went back
mutterlng something about new
tangled ideas"
Well, there's always something to
learn. "
THE boys were talking about
- the floods over East and a pref
ty good story popped out.
1t seems that The Times sent a
photographer down into southern
Indiana by plane during those dis
astrous floods few years ago.
The plane swooped over farm
houses, droned over miles of water
and the photographer click-clicked
away, changing plates on his cam
era all the time.
Finally back to INDIANAPOLIS
came the. plane. Down clambered
the photographer. And just as he
reached terra firma, out of his
hands dropped the precious plates.
Morosely, he sought out a box.
He pumped himself down, cupped
chin in hand and stared wanly
at the shattered plates.
WELL" ventured the pilot
there's no use crying over spilled
milk"
Yeah" retorted the photog-
rapher. II wonder what the citv
editor will say when I crack that
one
What the city editor said is not
printed here for obvious reasons.
CPRING note:
~ The firemen were out TODAY.
looking over the side of the fire.
house.
Probably wondering where to put
the chairs.
CONTRIBUTION from j. S.:
~ Unsigned notes on apartment
doors, like half-heard conversational
sometimes give rise to queer imag-
iningS.
In our building several young la
dies whom I have never seen have
the disturbing habit of pinning little
billetS doux to the characterless face
of their door Usually they read:
Dear Mabel: Get the groceries
from Alice. I have gone to the Ii
brary"; or
Alice: I am staying at Johns for
dinner; be sure to call Mrs. H. be-
fore g.
But this week Mabel, or perhaps
it was Alice or John, for all I know,
left the one which has been there
for four days. 1t is going to make
me force the door if they don't take
it down. 1t reads:
stop for the laundry in the base
ment before you leave. I am getting
the oranges and cake"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21
FROM THE RECORD

D EP. FISH (Rp N. W: stand with Bourke
~ Cochran when he made the statement that "a
second best navy is like second best hand in poker
it is not worth damn"
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21
IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER, ASK THE TINES!

IncIose Scent stamp for reply when
addressing any question Of fact or in
formation to The Indianapolis Times
Washington Service Bureau. 1913 18TH
st. N. W.. Washington. d. C.. Legal and
medical advice can not be given. nor
can extended research be undertaken.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21

! then was right in openly saying
to the world: I'VE have had the
patience for so years, now it is time
to end it,"
What would you do if your next
door neighbor annoyed you daily,
now damaging doors and windows,
now stealing fruits from your
garden and again breaking down
your garage door? Certainly you
would be patient for a time, but
eventually the necessity would arise
to give him good lesson. This is
precisely what Italy and Mussolini
are doing. The war in Abyssi1lia
is an absolute necessity for the safe
ty of Italy's colonies.
Therefore, the Italian invasion of
Ethiopia is not an aggression" OF
an aggressive" war, but a de
fensive" war, which is, according tt
the law of morals and ethics, both
allowable and dutiful.
HOME SCHOOL WORK
is ASSATLED
BY E. Harold Stolkin
Today, in our supposedly civilized
world, youth is confronted with {
new menace-an enemy of better
health, more recreation, and strong.
er bodies. Home work should bs
abandoned, and in it's place a pro.
gram of more activity substituted
If system like this were lnnovatet
am certain there would be fal
better results in our modern system
of education.
Let us glance at these appalling
figures. The average youth spend.
approximately six hours a day II
school. In addition to this he i.
assigned about four hours a day ir
actual study. This allows him two
hours, which is easily taken up By
meals and other necessities.
Thus, from lack of outdoor life
many of our students became stoop.
shouldered and broken down physi-
cally. AS a champion of more
healthful living, and less torturous
hours in the study, I invite compari-
son on my views.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21
The HOosier Forum

disapproue of aOhat you say-and aOiU defend
to the death your right to sag it-Votaire.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21

yX7HILE the floods still are raging, we read estl-
W mates Of property damages.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21
Vagabond
from
Indiana
ERNIE PYLE

EDITORS NOTE-This rowing reporter
for The Times goes where he plesseS.
when he pleaSes, in search of odd stories
about this and that.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-21
w atch Your Health

quently with malta, or undulent, fe-
yer than does the COW.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
UNIQUE WILD LgFE FOUND
IN WASTE DESERT REGIONS

becomes as hardened as an ordinary
gourd Even should the giant cac-
tus die, the gourd-shaped pocket
remains and may be seen in the
giants skeleton.
Rains Dangerous
Flicker now has a safe home, bar
ring an untimely rain, and the eggs
are laid in the bottom Of the cav
ity. During rains the cactus stores
so much moisture that it OozeS into
the bird caVernS, and neStlingS have
been destroyed by late spring rains.
The distribution of the Gilded
Flicker comedies almost exactly
with the sahuaro They feed on
it's fruit and on insects which come
to its flowers. The Gila Wood
pecker is more versatile in food Sc
lection. They have learned to cap
ture food while on the wing, and
add lizards, ants, beetles and grass
hoppers to their menu. Both birds
are barred on the back with black.
The woodpecker is rather drab,
with a red cap, while the flicker
shows a beautiful golden lining
on wings and tail. Both birds range
out to nearby cottonwood, mesquite
and willow. Having used their
homes, both like to make new ones,
and the old ones are soon tenanted
by other species.
The bird explorer never knows
what he is to find living in an
abandoned woodpecker or flicker
cavity in sahuaro cactus. AS in
other flicker homes, he may find
a screech owl. The Sahuaro Screech
Owl is small only ~ inches in
length; but if it is an Elf Owl you
hold captive as the result of your
exploration, your credulity will be
stretched to believe that this bit of
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

river broke loose and whipped open
channels, destroying months of Ia
bor Finally Boulder dam grew
from a vision to a reality and i'm
-priscned the powerful waters.
How best to handle supervision
Of irrigation waters remained up
permost in the minds of valley
leaders. A private corporation was
tried and proved unsatisfactory.
Government supervision was out of
the question and even control
by an impersonal railway company
was not successful. The answer
was found in pubic ownership
with officials responsible to and
elected by the people. Thus, in
1911, the Imperial Irrigation Dis
trict had its birth.
The district is a municipal en-
terprise with powers similar to
a city's. Over 100 other similar
districts operate in the state under
the California Irrigation District
Act
District affairs are conducted
by a board OF five directors, elect
ed from five divisions, BraWley.
CaleXicO, Imperial Calipatria and
Holtville. Elective officers are
Treasurer and Assessor Collector
The appCintivc chief officers are
secretary, attorney, chief engineer
and general superintendent, bust
ness manager and superintendent
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

Imperial Valley owes its lie to
DR.. Oliver Meredith Wozencraft. If
my man can be called the father
Of Imperial Valley it IS he.
May, 1349, found him attempt
ing to cross the Colorado desert
with several companions, mules
and a pack train. His diary reads:
We were some three days cross
ing the desert The extreme heat
in the daytime compelled US to
seek shelter under our blankets
The heat was so intense that on
the third day two of my men fail
ed. It occurred to me to mount
my patient mule and at a distance
CT some eight miles I reached the
border of the desert and water
with which I filled a bag and
brought it back to them. 1t was
then and there that I first con-
ceiVed the idea of the reclamation
of the desert"
Spent 38 Years
For thirty eight years thereafter.
Dr. WoZencraft spent his time and
energy without reluctance seeking
help, private or governmental, in
bringing about realization of his
dream. In 1859 he obtained all the
state rights to the 1000 square miles
Of Salton Sink. In the fall of the
same year a bill was presented in
Congress to gain governmental con-
sent. The Civil War, however. side
tracked his project in Congress and
it was years later in 1887 that he
next gained a hearing in Wash
ington. He obtained the pledge Of
a congressman to again bring up
the question of reclaiming the
desert, but DR.. Wozencraft's death
ended hopes of this opportunity.
Used Own Fortune
Into the fight to reiuvenate the
desert went all of Wozencraft's
persnola fortune an dhis last sacri-
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
Tiny Cars
Race
For Fans

Imperial Valley residents always
thrill tC the hum and roar OF
speeding auto racers. This year
will be no exception, for some OF
the top pilots Of western dirt
tracks will enter the racing pro-
gram at the county fair next Sun
day ON the Imperial track, re-
putedly the best dirt oval in the
west. .,
The list of drivers signed up with
AAA officials includes many Ia
nous names.
Cars, pilots, pit men and mech
anics already are arriving at I'M
perlal to tune up for the speed
events with the lightning-fast, one
man racers. Though small, the
cars have sacrificed weight for
speed and minimum wind resist
ence. These streamlined speeders
create almost as much exhaust as
the cid Bitten Benz of Barney
Oldlield days.
The Arizona racing association
will furnish most Of the cars for
the midget auto races Sunday,
March is, final day of the fair.
Imperial County will furnish most
OF the others. Local midget fans
have built several racers that will
make their bow to big time speed
ing en- the new tiny oval now be-
ing put in condition.
Beth tracks have undergone the
most careful process of packing by
experts who have already won re-
noWn in creating fine racing sur
face at Imperial Hugh Oakley
road foreman for the Imperial dis
trict, has been handling the work
in conjunction with Secretary
Manager d V. Stewart who is we'll
up On track conditioning.
Admission to the grounds will be
SOC on the first racing day. All,
other days admission is 25 cents
for adults.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
CANAL PROJECT NEARLY HALF COMPLETED
Asparagus One of
Imperial Valleys
Two-SeaSOn Crops

Asparagus is another of Imperial
Valleys tWo-a-season crops. The
shipments are sent to market in
specially designed crates filled
with damp moss to keep the Con-
tents clean and fresh for the con-
sumers. More than 1900 acres IN
the valley arc devoted to this
crop alone.
Another crop fer which the val
ley is famous is cabbage. This is
strictly a mid-winter product and
hence finds little competition on
the markets. It's crispness and un-
usual flavor make it a favorite
among housewives. Nearly 1000
acres are devoted to it.
Cucumbers occupy a compare
lively small space in the winter
garden but are nonetheless of a
high quality. Most popular are
the ones grown during the winter
for spring consumption.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

Of The five districts
Imperial Valley Includes approx
612000 Acres Included
imately $4,000 acres Of land under
cultivation. The district serves all
this land, owned and operated pri-
Vately. Water is brought in from
Colorado river through an intrt-
cate canal system that has a total
Of over 25OO miles Of mains and
laterals. These soon Will be fed
by the great All-American canal.
The district is operated at cost
and its assessments are based upon
rate Of S. per $100 valuation IF
land. For the purpose Of assess
ments, the maximum valuation
placed on ranch lands is $3.50 an
acre, which makes the maximum
annual assessment for irrigation
service $3.50 an acre. A great deal
of alfalfa land is assessed at $10O
an acre or less. Assessments in
clude water TO every acre OF land
in the district There is a delivery
gate charge Of 25 cents per day
during these days when water IS
actually delivered to ranches.
Farmers provide their own bitches
for transporting the water through
out the fields Delivery is main
tanned on a "A hour basis every
day in the year Orders placed up
to 4 o'clock p. m. on one day re-
suit in delivery the next morning.
The district has a difficult JOB
in seeing that thousands of farms
get water, as much as they Waur.
when they want it.
The district is The biggest in
S titution Of its kind in the world
does more cleaning of canals and
delivers mere water than any oJh-
cr.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

Birds in the desert? Ridiculous
saws the uninformed. And yet there
are birds, in variety, in Imperial
Valleys back yards. Your first
thought is of the buzzard, that om-
inous bird that always can be seen
wheeling and turning, doing airy
miracles OF flight that no man
made bird can ever hope to equal
But beyond the buzzard are scores
III others.
Near Imperial Valley is an eX-
ample of bird ingenuity in dealing
with natural resources. Along the
Colorado river, just above Laguna
dam, is the states most cOnspicu-
GUS stand of giant cactus, whose
columns rise to 35 feet or more,
writes Helen S. Pratt in Westways
Even in a photograph, cavities in
them are noticeable. For these, the
Gila Woodpecker and Gilded Flick
er are responsible. Flickers love to
chisel and the Gilded Flicker has
discovered that he can eXcavate for
himself a perfect shelter from sun,
wind and reptile.
First. amid the thorns on the
spiny column, he secures a foothold
which will afford a leverage. He
isys out a circular entrance 2l2
inches in diameter, and with his
beak chips away the cactus surface.
He tunnels in horizontally, and
then begins to dig downward He
works until he has a pouch-shaped
cavity, perhaps a foot deep The
newly-cut surface takes time to
heal over and seal away the juices,
so the flicker creates his dug-outs
sontstimes a year in advance. If a
different hole-nesting bird moves
into one of them first, he cheerfully
makes another. The nest surface
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

might be just another Joint of his
angular perch. From his cultural
calls, no one would guess there was
a bird about His call seems more
like toad than bird. Thus he
adapts house, dress and voice to a
reptilian environment.
The Rock Wren is not confined
to deserts. It is at home i'm any
arid and rocky locality On a re-
cent foU-day trip in the desert,
camp was made in a small side
canyon. opposite a great rock wall
A small brOWn-and-W white bird was
discovered repeatedly entering a
creyice about half way up the cliff.
With eight-pOWer binoculars, the
Rock Wren was identified. She
carries into her Granny grasses and
rootlets, and paves the entrance
with bits Of rock and pebbles. One
theory for this, is that am enemy
thus cannot make a silent ap-
praoch! The pebbles serve as a
burglar alarm
Orioles, those black-and-gold
beauties which bring exotic joy
Wherever they go, have learned TO
be basket-makers, and to sew, with
yucca and palm fibre. The Scott
Orioles choose the Joshuas as a
home, but the Arizona Hooded
Oriole follows the Washmgtonia-
the fan palms-eyen to our cities.
Are there no regular Open-top
nests used in the desert? Yes,
can think of one cup. and two saul.
cer-shaped cradles of the desert
That little black-and cray beauty
the Desert Sparrow places a deep
cup low in a Lycium, or Desert
Thorn, a compact and densely leafy
low shrub.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

social welfare. and independence.
When the hardy pioneers Of
other years answered the call
Come to the Colorado Desert
they found a desolate, barren
waste. They also found that water
transformed it into paradise.
Naturally enough, their single.
guiding thought was to insure
their water supply This constant
struggle to definitely and COM
pletely insure a year-in, year-out
source Of water runs as a revealing
thread through all the intricacies
cf the valleys stormy history.
Strong Passions
To an outsider. the vehemence
valley residents display toward all
public questions, their strong pas
sions in all political encounters,
may appear unnecessarily violent
But in early valley history lies the
key. The men who made Imperial
Valley fought long and hard, tooth
and nail, to make the valley safe
for their families, their farms and
future generations They fought
for water, that one battle which
meant death to lose. That battle
is nearly won.
Out of the ceaseless controversy
was born the Imperial Irrigation
District.
Realizing the vital necessity Of
ccnquering the Colorado river, the
early pioneers battled and almost
lost Time after time the giant
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06

fluff in the hollow Of your hand,
can be an owl at all. Warbler
size, is what the books say. Though
she may puff up her feathers and
look bigger, her length will not eX-
ceed 6l3 inches
In the lesser cacti and through
out the mesquite belt" we notice
bulky spherical structures which
seem to be nests, for birds diSap-
pear, into them. There is an open
ing on one side: they are well
matched, and located in cactus or
some spiny shrub or thorn tree for
further protection.
Beautiful Nest
A beautiful nest of this type is
made by the Verdin, cousin of the
familiar buSh-tit. Verdins are tiny
and pale grey, except the top of the
head, which is powdered with gold
dust. The nest that I saw being
constructed was placed in catclaW-
slender, but armed with stout,
curved spines. The material was
chiefly smooth gray thorns, and
the globular form was Established.
The little male builds a nest too.
1t is smaller than the cradle nest,
and not lined so thickly.
What of the Wrens of this region?
Their names are Rock Wren and
Cactus Wren, and these names give
lis clew to their habits. The Gao
tuS Wren is a much larger bird than
the House Wren, and more mottled.
They build up a tremendous shelter
of grasses, and shredded weeds
football shape, open at one end, and
placed lengthwise in chOlla cactus,
which seizes and holds it. AS the
bird perches out on a dead mottled
stalk of this same plant, his own
spolLed phlmage coneeals him. He
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
Farm Homes Will
Get Electric Power

To Imperial Valley, the All-Am-
erlcan canal means far more than
an assured Watersupply. It means
electric energy for every farm
home in the valley. With low
priced power generated at various
YTCpS along the canal route. this
objective is foreSeen within the
next few years.
AT least four points along the
canal route power units will be
established. The first is at Pilot
Knob, where there is a difference
of approximately SIS feet between
the canal water level and the river.
Surplus water will be dropped 81
this point to create power. Three
power drops will be located be-
tween the sand hills and Calexico.
Two will have a head Of 26 feet,
another Of 47 feet A drop near
the Ash canal will have a drop of
20 feet.
10000 Horsepower
A capacity of 10000 horsepower
is anticipated from the units. Dur
ing the early years Cr develop
ment, however, production will
probably be less.
Imperial, Yuma and Coachella
valleys, part of Lower California
and San Diego territory will form
the market for this vast power
supply. No doubt exists but what
the power possibilities of the ALI
American canal will prove cf trem-
endous value. Through the years
the value will increase so that the
canal will not only bring untold
benefits to a large section but will
itself create a source Of revenue
which will in a large measure re-
pay the cost of construction.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
WOZENCRAFT TRUE
VALLEY FATHER

aca was the family home in San
Francisco
Though Dr Wozencraft died ap-
paIentlv unsuccessful in his great
task. his name deserves a high
place among the early pioneers Of
Imperial valley. lie began the
first fuGrOW.
Imperial Valley press., 1936-03-06
Valleys Health Is GOOD
Despite Transient Problem.

fufeal Vailay's health status is
aausullg GOOD for t6is season Of
5ha year said Dr.. Warren f. Fox,
county health officer. The winter
season is particularly bad on ac-
count ol the large number Of tran
sieats and mizratosg laborers who
add lhe.r list Of ailments to those
o. IT, permanent residents, he
said.
40 major outbreaks or epidemics
occurred during the winter and the
severe influenza epidemic preva-
Ieai in o.her parts of the country
did not reach Imperial Valley Fox
said. The type Of influenza in the
valley was mild and the cases we're
scattered over O. vide area and not
confined 10 one section. The per-
eentaae OF young adults who had
influenza this year was larger
than normal. he pointed out. The
peak Of the maiady is past, he said.
Scattered Cases
Ihene We're. a few scattered cases
Of dipa,hcria and several cases Of
pneumonia but none of a serious
tspe. There have been no recent
cases of diphtheria, he said. and
no deaths. Diphtheria immuniza-
tions sill are being given at the
county health Office every Thurs
day afternoon and on other days
b. appointment with Dr. Fox.
No new spinal meningitis cases
Aere reported and none died this
winter as a result of the disease.
There were only three cases re-
ported Or. Fox said. There also
were q Few cases of a mild form o.
scarlet fever.
In preparation for the summer,
zG0 typhoid vaccinations already
have been given. Typhoid is more
prevalent in MAY, June, July, and
Auaast Dr. Fox said. Judging from
a record kept from 1926 to 1885.
Typhoid vaccinations were offer
ed in the schools at Ogilby, An
drade W.nterhaVen, Bard. and La
gupa with the parents urged to
take TIE serum along with the
children. The serum also has been
given in Magnolia, inland, North
End. Westmorland and Trifolium
schools during recent weeks and
at Mulberry school some time ago.
In the last two months more than
1000 persons have taken the COM
nlete serum series. The drive was
concentrated in the north end Of
the valley because the largest per-
cen'agc Of typhoid cases occur in
that section. according to Dr. Fox.
Sanitary Conditions
Concentration on the sanitary
conditions in the area between La
guna and Imperial dams now is
underway and regular trips are
made to check deVelomentS. Com
plete sewage systems including
large septic tanks and filters basins
are being installed by the contrac-
tors and by the reclamation serV-
ice
Care also is being taken to have
the commissary department equip
ped with sanitary facilities. Mod
en- kitchens. health examinations
for all the food handlers and ster-
ilized dishes are among the pre-
cautions taken at the camps.
Public Enemy No. is the care
less cougher in the opinion of DR..
Fox. RE alludes to the person who
dee not have the habit Of covering
The mouth and nose while cough
in. especially in a public place.
The careless cougher can scat
ter more germs III public gath
eng place than can be stamped
oat in long time. Diseases Of all
kinds may be broadcast throughout
lna community, DR.. Fox said, dis
eases moro severe than common
colds.
parents should assist the teach