Eureka 1910-1919 - (Part 4 of 12) -
“One of the notable features in the progress in methods of farming and stock raising in Greenwood County, in Kansas and in the entire grain belt of the U.S. during the last few years is the erection of silos and storage of ensilage, as an economical means of caring for feed. It is a big change since the old days, when the team was driven up and down the corn row in the chilly autumn mornings to gather the corn by hand, storing it in cribs while the stalks, and much corn, left in the fields was wasted. The next step was the cutting and binding of the shock corn. Long ago, silage was demonstrated to be an economical feed for the production of beef and for dairy cattle but for some reason it was not taken up by the feeder. Old methods were used until the scarcity and high prices of stock feed demanded a change in feeding or giving up the business.
The building of silos and the experiment with silage for its food value was begun in this county two years ago, when a number of the wooden stave silos were built, among them being the ones on the F.H. Hull farm, one on the Stith place north of Eureka and a small one at the agricultural experiment station at the Southern Kansas Academy. (where the hospital is now located) During the winter of 1910-1911, a car load of steers was fed at the Academy to determine the relative value of Kaffir silage to the shock corn so commonly fed to steers wintered in this county. By tests made at this time it was clearly demonstrated that the steers fed on Kaffir silage, made better gains than those which were given rations of shock corn. This experiment was watched with no little interest by cattlemen of the county and feeders in other sections of the state, for the proof that Kaffir could be utilized for half fed cattle with results as satisfactory as those obtained from the use of shock corn was of inestimable value to this county, whose large area of upland can be safely depended upon to produce a good crop of Kaffir in any season. The following from The Herald of May 18, 1911 is prophetic of what has already come to pass: “If, with the coming of silos, which must become a factor in Greenwood County sooner or later, it will be found that the ordinary upland producing its almost certain crop of Kaffir will furnish a feed equal, or nearly equal, in value as a fat producer to the Indian corn grown on the bottoms, it will be impossible to estimate the results to the farmers in the increased value of his land and the greater return from his crops.”
The past season has marked the building of a greater number of silos in the county than ever before and this winter’s feeding season will prove their efficiency and the value of silage for feeding cattle. Many of the silos in this part of the county are built of concrete staves, somewhat similar to the cement building block. These are circular in form, 20 by 40 in dimension with a capacity of 275 tons. Among these are 2 built for Harry Hover on the old Wymer place, and 2 for Arthur Robins on his farm up the river. During the summer, Landergin Bros. built 2 of this kind on their ranch near Highland Church, (northwest of Eureka) where they are installing all modern appliances for successful farming and cattle raising. The same concrete staves 30 inches high were used here in the construction of water tanks. Another of these silos has been built on the Burt Davis farm, also on the C.B. Cox place north of town. Mr. Cox lately sold the feed in his silo, about 240 tons at $4 a ton, bringing him $960. At the cost of the 25 acres of Kaffir which were required to fill the silo together with the cost of the labor amounted to less than $4.00 Mr. Cox has practically paid for his silo in the profit for the first year. Another silo was built for G.W. Paske near Toronto. (Maybe some of you remember Pat Paske, who was a coach and teacher at Eureka in the early 1980s, this was probably his father or grandfather.
Another kind of silo which has found favor with the farmers and whose cost is about the same as the concrete stave, is the solid concrete or those built of water proof cement, reinforced with twisted steel and wire. In 1911, Lampe and Sons from Kansas City built two of this kind on their ranch 15 miles north west of Eureka. They were so well pleased with the results obtained from the feeding of silage that this summer they erected three more of the same kind. Lampe and Sons estimate that half feeding on ensilage can be handled on 40 per cent less than the old way, and that they pay for the silos out of the first years feeding. The average cost of this kind of silos of the above dimension is between$500 and $600. R.E. Teichgraber has built two of the solid concrete silos this season.
J.A. Edwards has built one on his ranch north of Eureka, from native lumber grown on his Otter Creek ranch. This was similar in construction to those which are being sold by several lumber dealers of the county-called the Common- Sense Silos this year, built of 2 by 4’s laid in the form of an octagon and the construction is such that the feed may be put in as the silo is being built. Several of the farmers on Otter Creek have put up the Common-Sense Silos this year, among them being John Bates, T.J. Ludvickson and George Forbes.
In February of 1913 the dispersion sale of high-grade horses of A.W. Williams at Neal was believed to be the biggest horse sale ever held in the county. Thirty-five high grade and purebred Percheron horses were sold, including the registered stallion Tatius, and the total receipts were more than $7,000. Five Hundred people attended, including horse dealers and breeders from several surrounding states. The sale was held in a big tent, and the Ladies’ Aid society cleared over $100 in serving lunch to the crowd. Mr. Williams is well pleased with the proceeds of the sale.
The fee and salary bill, recently passed by the Kansas legislature will make some changes in the salaries of the county officials. The salaries are based according to population and Greenwood comes under the list of counties with a population between 15,000 and 20,000. ( County population is today under 7,000) The new law, which will go into effect July 1, 1913, will make no difference in the salaries of county clerk and county treasurer. Each will receive $1,400 as before and may be allowed $700 for clerk hire.
The sheriff will be changed from a fee job to a salary position and the salary of $1,600 will be an increase over the fees and guarantee system. Besides this salary, the sheriff is allowed actual and necessary traveling expenses, and the same deputy hire as before-$500 a year.
The salary of the county superintendent has not been changed, but the fee of $2.00 for each school visited has been cut to $1.00. Under the new law, the superintendent must spend at least two hours at each school to entitle him to pay.
Instead of fees, the probate judge will receive a salary of $1,200 and all fees will go to the county. As the guarantee was about $900 under the old law this will increase the salary of this office. The probate judge may be allowed $500 for clerk hire.
The salary of the county attorney is the same as before, $1,200 per year and fees in liquor cases. His duties have beensomewhatincreased.He must now examine and pass on every bill presented to the county commissioners. After June 1st he will be a county divorce protector whose duty it will be to investigate every divorce case filed. Each case filed must lay sixty days before trial. At the filing of the case, plaintiff must serve notice on the county attorney, whose duty it will be to investigate the arguments of the case and report the same to the court and the county attorney must appear at the trial of every divorce case whether contested or not.”
