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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 1901)
V ''!' " S- ' ' IV b farming 1. 000 On a Marvelous Crystal Plain, Where 140 Is a Common Temperature Where the Overflowing Colorado Rluar Onoe Formed Salton Sea the Subsiding Waters Hauo Loft an Apparently Inexhaustible Supply of Salt 'The Commodity Is Plowed Up, Hoed and Gathered Into Glistening Pyramids to bs Dried, Cleaned and Shipped Only Indians and Japanese Can Work There. ON 1-3 of the most curious pieces of real estate in cxlstenco In now tho subject of u suit ly the government to rccocr tho property. It la u milt farm one thousand acres of solid salt, which Is plowed and hoed and hilled up like no much earth. It lies In u de pression, I'OI feet below the level of thn Hca, In the mldat of the Brent Colorado desert, Juat north of tho Moxlcnn Una In tho fltalo of California, ami the town which lias grown up on Its border takes It name, Salton, from the costal do poalt. For many yearn salt has been tuken from this district, but on a small scale. In 18M a temporary stoDpage was put to the local Industry by the overflow of the Colorado river, form I tin what was known nt the Salton sen. In tlma the water re reded, evaporation followed, and them will left a residuum of Almost pure crys. tal wait, a vlata of utiimaglnabln and al moat unbearable brilliance and beauty. BEa From u distance the effect was that of it sheet of thn purest snow, glittering In tho sunlight; but when thn first explorers ventured upon the newly formed crust they were unable to endure for long tho fierce, refraction of the light, and fled blindly with aching eyeballs from that In sufferable radiance. "Equipped with col ored glasses, they returned, uud hood n company was working tho richest salt crystal Held In exlttonco. All that was necessary was to plow out tho salt and grind It up. A salt plow was devised and built. It hus four wheels and a licavy and powerful steel beak, or breaker, und the motive power Is steam. Then a grinding mill and drying plant was put up, a dummy Hue run up to con nect with the Southern Pacific railroad, and the work of taking out five and one half ions dally at from $U to KU a ton began. The groat difficulty, however, was to get labor. Probably nowhere elan on the earth'a surface do men work un der alien terrible conditions of tempera- (ure as at the Salton Halt farm. The nor mal heat of the Colorado desert, which la such that few white men can live In that region, Is enormously Increased by the refracted and reflected rays of the sun. For weeks at a time the tempera ture of the field reaches HO degrees every day, l'nder these conditions, or course, no white mun can work. The salt plow ing In dove by Japanese and Indiana, mainly the latter, who seem to endure tho rigors of the climate without evil effects, Tu watch the steady, stole per formance of the rcd-sktnued toller as he hoes, shovels und scrapes the field, or operates tho engine that propels tho plow, Is to nppreclute tho qualities of the In dian as a worker under the most trying conditions. rioroe of the Indian laborers oven work without glasses; but all the Japs protect their eyes from the baneful K,lnre with the darkest of spectacles, and even bo they ure often laid off with optic Inflammation. In addition to the other discomforts of the salt Holds the flying particles generate a peculiarly Irritating nnd persistent thirst. The workers drink great quantities of wuter, and this serves iw m i.iiiii,MiWii tl w ilhi nmWIuliEIWHMMMWS ,ty f.,n? 1WV.I, ..n,i.m.W" -". .,...', w - " jfcres of Jalt ns a safeguard against sunstroke, ns It keeps them perspiring freely. Tho deposit of anlt varlca In thickness from otto to eight Inches. It forms In a crust, and the plow breaks thin salt cover ing by throning n brand but shallow fur row of Rait lumps up In parallel ridges on either side of thn machine. Here and there underlying the crystal plain urn springs of water. When the crust Is broken tho springs seep forth their dirty, brackish water; anil the Indian lads fol low tho plow with lino In hand, knocking to and fro the clumps or salt and mud In this water, until tho earth la dissolved, and then tho crystal salt Is stacked In conical pyramids to await transportation to tho mill. Tho salt crystals do not dlssolvo during the washing, doubtless on account of the quantity of saline already In the water. No sooner has tho plow gone over the field than the crust begins to form ngaln: therefore It would seem that the salt fields of Halton aro Inexhaustible. The wma Earn THE HARVESTED CROP. salt Is allowed to remain In tho pyramids until complclo evaporation of all water takes place, when It I? transferred to the flat cars and curried to the mills nt Sal ton, Thn factory In a structure about tsoo feet In length and consists of u milling and drying plant. When the salt arrives ut the mill It Is thrown Into a bulkhead breaker and reduced to uniform parti cles, which are run through a burr mill ami thoroughly ground. There Is an al most Imperceptible portion of carbonate of soda mixed with the native unit, and this simply aids In the cleansing process. When thoroughly ground tho salt Is sifted like flour through bolting cloth, put through an aspirator, which removes all foreign substances, and Is then ready to sack. Aside from the refined or domestic salt there are tons and tons of hide-salt shipped annually from Salton. This grade Is only sold for commercial and Industrial purpoaes. The most delightful time to visit the crystal lake la upon a moonlight night. MlillHM IIH liWil SALT BEING PLOWED UP. The spectuclu Is magnificent, but weird. The rows of glistening pyramids, the glitter of the moonlight from the facets of millions of crystal", tho distant back ground of low, black hills, the expanse and stillness of the shadowless plain, strike one with awn nnd wonder that can never be forgotten. Last December the United States lund olllce unearthed some, records which scorned to Indicate that the salt farming company had no right or title to the valuable property It Is now working. Ow ing to the peculiar geographical condi tions consequent upon the overflow of the river forming thn Salton sea and the subsequent subsidence nnd disappearance of the sea, the legal points Involved are quite Intricate. The caso will probably come up soon for adjudication. -Mrs. A. 8. C. Forbes. CAKE OK Till: MILK OX THE I'AItM. Home Points 'With Money In Tbpm" From Dairymen. Tho cow is thy llrst thing to start with She must be Kept clean and tuken good enro of In order to get good and clean milk. Clean tho cow's udder before milk ing, because there Is always some dust nnd lllth sticking to her when she has been lying down, says I t Flaskotfard In the lowii Year IJook of Agrlculturo for 1WK). When cows are kept In stables In v. Inter time always keep your barn clean and dry by bedding with clean straw. Have our barn ventilated so ynu have fresh nlr around ynu when you milk, mid let the milk be drawn by clean milkers. Don't forget to strain tho milk after It Is drawn from the cow, because this Is the first thing to bo done after milking. During the time I have run a creamery I have found a good many pa trons who never strained the milk. If they have a srralner In the housn they al ways say thero Is a nolo In It, and they will huve to take It to town and get It fixed, and some patrons never had one. Thru some patrons are n little careless about the milk and think llkn this: "Neighbor doesn't strain his milk and what Is the use of my doing so. I have work enough to do without that. If the rieamery man tnkes my milk nnd I get good price for my butter when pay duy comes that Is all I cure for." Hut If tho price of butter goes down the farmer gets all stirred up. He thinks tho creameries are beating him, but they are not; he Is beating himself and sometimes trying to beat his neighbors who strain their milk nnd bring good, clean milk to thn factory. Remember that filthy milk will sour quicker than If It was clean. Always have, clean phIIs for milking. Don't try to uso a pall you are using for feeding calves nnd hogs out of; that is not tho pall to use for milking purposes. Now the milking Is done we will try to look nfUr the milk cans n little. That Is one HS BHH important factor, in keep tho cans clean ho Unit j on can send your milk to the cmuncr without having the milk re Jet ted. The can must bo sweet nnd clean In order to keep the milk sweet. That same milk can must be emptied out as It comes from the fuctory at noon, so you have It ready for the evening milk. Don't let It stand nut by tho road until you are re ady to milk. 1 have seen u good many places where the patron will empty the run und clean same out with cold water If they hae no warm water handy. It Is no wonder that some patrons get the milk back the next day becuuso the can hand no chance to nlr out and was not fit to uso for milk. Kmpty your cans out as soon as ou get them back; rinse them with t-old water, then boiling hot water. Use a brush to wash them; never take a rag and think that will do the work. It will not; a brush will And every hollow place. In the can and do the work better than anything elae you can get. Then after the can Is washed lay It down In a J9Bfc3 pluce where tho fresh ulr can blow Into It nnd let It lie there for about three hours. Then you will have a cm that la uady nnd fit to rccclvo the milk. Heckles. First Bullfrog (swimming) I rce your husbnnd enjoying a stroll on the bench. Second Hullfiog (swimming, worried) Yes; nnd It's rl?ht after dinner; whereas, he known perfectly well lie should never go out of tho water until two hours after eating. Brooklyn Kn gle. Mrs. Von Bhtnicr My dear, how could you Li Ins tliosn people to dinner without flit't letting mo know' Von Hlunier Why, If I had let you know the. cook would have ttot up and left. New Yt-rk Ilernld. The Count Your daughter, madam, snys Rho Is perfectly willing to have me. The Mother Yes; she Is very dutiful. -Km-'ii .. m At the Rebound. e A HI A' spring, a day with clear, thin sunshine nnd a sprinkling of green on the trees In the park. The windows looked on that young green promise, tho room was gay with flowers, nnd the girl who moved nbout It with swift movements and thoughtful pauses was all In a white gown with a few primroses In her belt. She hud a smull, palo face overhung with a cloud of brown hair, dark eyes of which tho fire, (there muat have been fire) arpenred drowned In a shadow, a mouth Hot always patient, as the natural curvo betrayed, but at present In 11 patient mood. She made one of her pauses nt the window and looked vacantly across the park. Was that the yellow of daffodils In the brown distance? The door opened; a inline was announced; she crossed thu room quickly. "Tom! You!" "Yes, Plppa, me!" Sho held out both her hands. "Oh, I am glad, I am glad!" The man smiled with a rare kindling of calm gray eyes. He was tall and large. There was something In his face not to be exactly described as either strong or sweet, but was both, and even more, im possible to define. His right arm was In n sling, with his left hand he held the two smaller ones which had gathered them selves Into It. She was too Joyfully excited to notice the slight tremble of the lips and tho eager gain with which he was seurchlng In vain for the roses he had left blooming on her face only two years before. "Your wound ," she said, with a glance ut tho bandaged arm. "Nearly all right. And you? Huve you been very happy, happy ever sine, Plp pa?" "Not very, not very, Tom." "Why? When I went away I thought you were eng " "No, not quite. And things happened." "I met (.'apt. Arkwrlght abroad nnd they said h- wus engaged " "Not to me," said Plppa. "I must not ask you more, perhaps," he said, reading thu rapid changes In her countenance. "Oh. do usk me. If you know how I have wanted to tell somebody. And there was nobody I could dare to ask. I hushed It all up." "What did j 011 hush up. plppa? You used to make me your contld.mt." "I have never had one alncc you went away. Will you sit down here and be my father confessor? There, that U like the old times when I wus young. It was to Amelia Dennis that Capt. Arkwrlght was engaged to bn married." "Are they married?" "No." A little touch of humor altered the curves of her houtli. "I don't understand. How did It all happen? I thought" "Thut It wus me. So did I. That Is just the point." "Vou " "Cnrcd for him a little. Yes. It was all such a wretched blunder. Hut I re deemed my pride. Nobody except your self has the faintest Idea " The lire was In her eyes now, a fire of Indignation. "I am listening. Plppa." "I'll tell you. Before you went away you saw I know you saw " He nodded. "Then Amelia ojtul he nnd I all met at a house party. Amelia is beautiful-" Tom saw before his mental vision a fair, oval fuce, long, sleepy eyes which were, however, vigilant ut the corners, a perfect nose and a mouth ho did not like. He said nothing, but Ills face expressed dissent, Plppa contradicted the dissent. "Ifes, she Is; or very attractive, at least to men " Tom smiled. "Or to a great many men. She made It her business that sounds vulgar" "Let It stand." "I saw what wan happening nnd stood aside to let her work her will. I thought he would bear the test. I said to myself that If he did not I should not care. Could you havn believed me such a vain fool? They left the house where we were visiting, engaged." "Well?" "I never showed either of them that I felt concerned. I thought It all out with myself ono night between the stroke of midnight and the sound of the breakfast gong. I was horribly miserable, Tom, but fear of being detected carried me through. Amelia came to my room that night to tell me of her latest success. She knew what she was doing, nr what she thought she was doing. It would have been part of her enjoyment to see my pain, but sho did not see It. T gave her my lively congratulations, upd u dia mond ring which sho had admired on my finger. At breakfast next morning I looked, I do believe, as luippj a girl ns could be found. Fortunately, they both left the houso where wo were staying Im mediately afterward, and I did not se them for a month. There had to be a lit tle walling on account of marriage settle ments before the wedding voutd UXe place. And now I come to the wicked part of my proceedings." "Go on, Plppa." "Oh, It wan simply this. I knew they would never pull together, and I gave them an opportunity for finding It nut. I Invited them both to pay a long vlilt at Weatherlands, and nover had an engaged pair more liberty for making a thorough acquaintance with each other. Weather lands Is a retired spot, und they were thrown a great deal on each other's soci ety. They really made a very charming group as they sat under the blossoming pear trees. They are both so good look ing and she Is always so exquisitely dressed. It was quite suggestive of one of Maud Goodman's pictures. "Well, first the lines and movements of the living pictures were ull expressive of pootry, but by and by a little too much fixed repose uppenred In tho scene. Ame lia's beuuty Is rather ot tho Indolent or der, Long sllcncea and nlrs of ennui be came noticeable; later sulks und frowns. The view of Ufa with each was entirely different, as I knew beforehand. Amelia Is devoted to brilliant soclul life; Capt. Arkwrlght thinks that his Ideal la 10 n'anco with domesticity. Tho future, us vlsloned by each, wati distasteful to tho other, It was curious to neo growing gloom gradually blotting out the churmn of two faces. At last Amelia announced a sudden summons home, and on the day after her departure Capt. Arkwrlght took leav of Weatherlands. A paragruph jn the next week's papers declircd tho breaking oft of the engagement." "Wero you glad of It?" "I laughed. I was amused at my own dlscornmcnt. I felt sufficiently Interested In Cnpt. Arkwrlght to prefer to see him happy, und I knew he would bo miserable with Amelia. As for her, she has not yet reached tho period when sho moy bo con tent to tarry long ut ono person's side. Sho has a taste for getting engaged. It Is her Idea of sport, Just ns hunting the Htng or tho fox la with another sort of woman. She does not ride, nor play hockey or golf or tennis. Tho scalps of men nro hung to her girdle; women are poor creatures to her. If Cnpt. Arkwrlght finds her out to-day, perhaps Maj. Tom will bo at her feet to-morrow. Don't smlln nt me, sir. Why should you be more snfo than another?" "I am Amelia-proof," said Tom. "But thin poor Arkwrlght ho must be very miserable. Will ho return ?" "Where?" "To you." ; "To me?" "You no longer care ror him?" Plppa's eyes Mashed. "What do you tako me ror? If I really, really cared It would bo Tor ono who would never change. Was I not fortunate to find It out In time?" "But you Have sunered, I'lppa." "A sting or which the poison Is drawn. I am shocked at what happened to me moro than I am hurt, ir I had round out too late that Amelia could chnrm him from me what would have become of me? You think I should have been furiously Jealous. No, I should only have perished with cold. I nm an Incorrigibly falthrul uuture, nnd unti, thin happened I did not know that there uro np men or that kind, and very few women. A man like Capt. Arkwrlght would not know what to do with a woman like inc. My fidelity and devotion would bore him to death. 1 hoar people say thut Is nlways so with men. I listen now to words around my ears which I never took notice of before. 1 nm mi odd creaturo In the world, and the end of It all Is I shall nover marry. It Is 11 pity. Isn't It? For love, as I believe love to be, Is such an exquisite dream." "80 It Is, Plppa, and you aro not such an odd creature hs you think. Suppose nuother than Cnpt. Arkwrlght were to love you with a love more than equal to that of which you are capable? Suppose hn had loved you ror several years, nnd, whether you loved him or not, could never glvo his heart to any one elae?" "I couldn't suppose It, unless I were to suppose also that he wus a good-for-nothing In every other capacity. Nobody worth anything would care ror me like that. You sec how I am humblod " "I don't. You are one or the proudest women alive. It Is pride, not humility, that Is the matter with you. Suppose that the man were brave, honest, or good name, not displeasing to you as a friend, do you mean that you would utterly de spise him merely ror loving you?" "I don't know. I nm nast lovlntr. It Is all that Is of any consequence I shall llvo my life alone. But I have no reeling or lll-wllt toward either Capt. Arkwrlght or Amelia, ir they could make each other happy I'd rather they were married. But they couldn't, which In tho worst or tho blunder. Now, I am ever so much tho better for making my confession. I don't reel so alone in tho world, and I'm not ashamed as I should be ir I hud spoken to any other than you. You'll forgive my want of reticence und forget my mis takes, won't you, Tom?" "I will do nil that. Plppa. and more. I won't tell you. now. anything of tint more. It doesn't mean breach of prom ise. Meauwhll", you will promise me to believe something, even If you should elect to live your lir alone?" "What Is It?" "That a man who Is not utterly worth less loves you. I won't tell you who he Is, lest In your present mood you should despise him; but he has distinguished himself In the service or the country. Ills character Is such as I have sug gested a rew minutes ngo. Physically he would he able, It he thought fit, to horse whip Capt. Arkwrlght." Plppa was silent. "I know tho man. I am not going to plead for him at present. By and by he will speak for himself." "You know him?" "Known him ns long as I remember myself. Now I must go, Plppa. I came to you first, but I have to report myself to the war office. May I come to you agal 1 to-morrow?" "Oh, yes, come." "I will promise not to worry about that friend of mine until you give me leavp. But any duy you Just hold up your little finger at me-llke this I will begin." "Gnod-by, Tom." She held out her hand. "Oood-by. I see all the lingers are down." Her hands fell by her sides. "Time Is not up. Do you remember the last line or Browning's little song Wh't'i .leiith Y.m'll fova me yt "That's what my friend would slug If ho were n singer. To-morrow then." He was gone. Plppa stood as he had left her, her arms hanging by her sides, fingers down, her chln.dropped, "Tom loves me," she whispered to her self, "Ohr what an Idiot I have been! But I am glad I told him. What shall I say to him to-morrow? Ood send to-mor-row!"Pittsburg Dlapatch. Not to lie OntiTlllcd. It was Into, nnd getting later. However, that did not stop the sound ot muffled voices In the pallor. Meantime, the gas meter worked steadily. The pater endured It as long ns he could, and then resolved on heroic 11 catures. "Phyllis," ho called, from the top of the stnlrs, "has the morning paper como yet?" "No, ilr," replied the funny man on tho Dally Bugle, "wo are holding thn forms for nn Important decision." And the pater went back to bed, won dering If they would keep house or live on him. Colorado Springs Gazette. A Kentucky Suspicion, "Do you agree with tho people who assert that mill; Is not a wholesomo article ot diet?" "Well," answered Col. Stlllwell, "I wouldn't like to tnuke positive asser tions, nut I have heard It rumored that they put a great deal of water Into It." Washington Stnr. i 1 mm in Mil mmm mpoitTAvr rAiw PHom.F.m. WHh home Sunccsteil Jolulon From Prof. XV. M. Ilnyn. A betteii way to manage the FIELDS Thn yeoman, renter or paid farm manager who Is supplied with do mestic animals or will work Into stock can Introduce n system of field manage ment which will produce better crop than can be produced In all-grain farm ing. Ho will be able so to condense his products nnd increase tho value of his crops that -he can make his land earn more Income, und his labor and the labor of his family be so utilized throughout the year that his profits will not bo con sumed by heavy labor bills, drain may not soon reach high prices, but the time of permanently depressed meat price probably passed nwny when consumption of meats overtook the sudden Increase ot production on the Western ranged. Thn farmer who turns a largo part of his crops Into llvo stock products Is hence forth pretty sure to win out. And It Is very fortunate that wo can produeo sta ble manure and otherwise use domcstlo nnlmnls to fertilize the soil Instead of purchasing commercial fertilizers. PRACTICAL nOTATIONS-A practical rotation for theso western counties Is something ns follows: First year, wheat; second year, grass (or the grass family wheat); third year, grass; fourth year, grass (or If tho grass Is not needed grain); fifth year, grain; sixth year, corn. Tho wheat gives the grass n year In which to start, tho grass prepares thm land for grain; the grain stubblo furnish es a good place upon which to spread, thei manure In winter ror corn, thus prepar ing tho land ror that crop. The corn In turn prepares tho lund tor wheat, glvln the manure a year to decompose so that the wheat will not fall down, nnd alsi gives a solid seed bod on which to sow clover and grass among the crop of wheat. The circle Is thus completed, and tho soil Is so well prepared for each crop by tho previous crop that them Is a good yield every year. This rotation does not fit all conditions, as It requires six Held to carry It along properly, that thore may be produced tho same number of acres ot each crop each year. As regards their sequence and us in rotation there aro three classes of crops grains, grasses and cultivated crops, in cluding corn. Grains prepare the land for grasses. Cultivated crops prepare) tho land for grains and grasses. Tho grasses, Including tho clovers, preparo the soil for either grain or cultivated crops. None of the small grains prepuro the soli for other small grains, and iun of the grusses prepare the land for grass es, though cultivated crops prepare tho land for cultivated crops. PCnFECT SYSTEM OF FIELD MAN AGEMENT Tho absent owner of land iit.ed for wheat Is really In competition with that great Institution, thu farm family, which builds up a. home, uud can thrive with only a part of Its remunera tion In tho form of cash. Tho home, tho food raised on the farm, the rrco owner ship, are vuluable, and while measured by a different standard than tho Investor':! Interest money, give the real farmer tho advantage. Ho can nfford to own thn lund ut u prlco beyond where rented lands, or lands managed by a foreman, enn pay profits. Heretofore thero was a prollt to the Investor In the rlso In value of tho lands. Soon maximum values will hav, been reached, nnd the Investor can afford to own lands only when he can find rent ers or farm managers who will manag them under a system of diversified farm ing, and In a better munner than tho aver age yeoman. A EDUCATED YEOMANRY NEEDED All bcllovo that It Is well for tho nation that our farms be owned by mnny small holders who llvo on nnd fnrm the land. This Is our most stable nnd virile cluss, from which come most of those strong characters which lead In oqr civilisation. As a class, farm homemakcrs should bn (ncouruged, built up, their business made more systematic nnd their homes mora pleasurable. Minnesota hns proven that farmers may successfully be educated In an agricultural high school, and having proven this the states and nation should oxtsnd agricultural high school educa tion as city high school education has been extended. Country lire In Minnesota would be as rapidly enriched by agricul tural high schools containing 13,000 stu dents as are our cities by the city high schools wltli their JJl.OUO students. NEW CONDITIONS nEQUinE NEW METHODS As our Western lands grow older, weedier, contain leas of humus, and get In poorer mechanical condition, thero Is need of moro attention to keeping them fertile, clean and In proper, form. That means that ve must keep a proper pro- nnrtlnn nf our norm In prnnn wlilnli nm tn be used for live stock. In the rotation mentioned nboe nbout two-thirds ot the lands are devoted to live stpek products, una one-third to grains which may be sold off the farm. Upon starling Into a now farm the aim should be to soon reduce thn marketable crops to a point below 50 per cent. As a whole, Wev.ern Minnesota, the writer believes, should soon devotn no more than one-third of Its area to wheat, flax, oats and barley for sale. Meats, dairy products, and even horses are going to pay. Wheat and flax will pay far better on farms where live stock farming keeps, the fields enriched. Now, when drouth has caused stockers to bo cheap to the southward, la the time when thn Northwest should secure a large num ber of those giade href, dulry and gen-eial-purpose heirers which are sure to bo sacrificed from the farms of drouth stilcken Kansas and surrounding states. When animals are low Is the profitable, time to stock up with females, and that never was truer In Minnesota than now. Wo have a fair amount of hay, fodder corn und stover, nnd the straw Is not only over-abundant. but It Is unusually freo from Injury from rust or from rains while In the shock. Quite a llcllef. "?Ilss Pusnn H. Anthony hns been writing about 'My Ideal Husband.' " "This ought to relieve a good many men." "Why so?" "It won't tako 'em lonj- to discover that they can't llvo up to her Ideal." Cleveland Plain Dealer. In Kltticr Cnsr. "A missing Michigan girl Is thought to ho the victim of love or somnambu lism." "Well, In either case she'll wake up." Clovtlnnd Plain Dealer. Fish Are you a suitor for Miss Brown's hand? Sprat Yes; but I didn't." Pish Didn't what?" Sprat Suit her," Tia-P.lt ? iSfesgwgatBw""""l" "' i i ( 1 A TV V 'ft j 4 I .- . . ?1 x i