The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, July 22, 1904, Page 6, Image 6
THE PRAIRIE DOG.
He Is the Steel Spring of the Animal
Kingdom.
New York Sun.
Official Prairie Dog Exterminator
is the title given by the legislature of
Kansas to ). E. I.antz. of Manhat
tan. Kan. Mr. Iantz's duties are to
devise means of killing off the mil
lions of praire dogs that infest the
western part of the state.
Fver since western Kansas was
settled the prairie dog has been a
picturesque pest. He has devac:ated
millions of acres of land and has been
!hp ;ndirect wen:ss of killing hundreds
of head of valuable live stock.
He has been hunted and icalded.
poisoned and conjured: but he has
jlvcd merrily thro:.ai it all. a. 0 nzil
tiplied at a rate that even the prolitic
Belgian hare cannot equal. Finally.
after two years of experiment, tl-e
State Agricultural college hit i a
poison which when properly and tact
fully used-for the prairie dog is a
keen rascal and not easily deceived
is warranted to lay low the hardiest
dog that ever barked.defiance to his
foes.
This poison is thoroughly mixed
grain, but the same kind must never
be used twice, else the dogs that es
caped the first bait will ignore the
second. A spoonful of it is put at the
entrance of every hole. The unsus
pecting dog, coming out to feed.
finds his meal awaiting him. After
guilelessly partaking of it. he hurried
ly retreats to his burrow, to die alone.
A dead prairie dog is never found
-on top of the ground. *
Mr. Lantz reports that during the
past two years the state has consum
.ed about i,2oo pounds of strychnine
and over half a ton of potassium
cyanide in manufacturing the poison.
From 6oo,ooo to 7oo,ooo acres of land
formerly infested with the prairie
-dogs have been entirely reclaimed.
while a partial destruction of them
has been accomplished over a much
larger area. including some of the
best alfalfa ranches in the state.
Only since alfalfa growing reached
'its present proportions in western
Kansas has the prairie dog problem
been such a grave one. Prior to that
the land was hardly worth the trou
ble of driving out the invaders.
It is impossible even to estimate ac
curately the vast number of dogs that
fo rn a single town. On a ranch in
Scott county owned by C. S. Gilbert.
of Wichita. there is a single town
which covers 350 acres. The houses
average 700 to the acre. and each
bouse is known to contain not less
than five dogs. This would bring the
total population of this single town
up to something like 1.i25.ooo dogs.
to say nothing of a full complement
of owls and rattlesnakes.
That prairie dogs, rattlesnakes and
owls live together in the same holes.
is well known. The assecrtilon is ot
ten made that they are a happy fam
ily. pursuing a peacefi live-and-let
live policy. and doing co-operative
house-keeping on an ideal basis.
This is far from being the ease. The
dogs and the owh. live in peace to
gether. though the ow1 is a lazy fel
low, and the do gs have tos dos all the
work. But the snlakes are interlopers.
hated and feared alike by owl and
dog, getting their living from the off
spring of their hs:s. and doing ab
solutely nothing in ret:urn for thle Ia
vors shown! them.
Of all the inhabitants ofthese pop
ulous Cities, the do s Come firSt. andl
do all th.- wo~rk, digging otut the holes,
heiling a !!i hssllosw comstb arond(
1he spelling to serve alike as a pro
tections andi as a p sint of vanltage inl
vie wing~ the remainder of the town.
and later building ithe myvsteiios5
drainage system that is so complete
and amazing ill its ingennity.
Each hole Csonntst with these lat
yral-s. which oftent underlie the. City
at a depth sof from fsorty tos a huln
<iredl feet. if it is necessary ts go
down so far fsor water. Each bos
ahs conneWcts with every other hise.
so that the person wvho poustrs buCkets
of water in a hole after a retreating
dog, and then waits to see the dog's
half-drowned reappearance. 1s p)ret
tv sure to be disappointed.
The dogs live on buffalo grass. For
variety, the little fellows eat loco
weed, which is deadly in its effect on
a horse or steer, but only serves to
give the prairie dog a comfortable
jag.
Shortly after a dog town is estab
lished, the owls put in an appearance.
Ther are no trees, hollow or other
wise, for them to inhabit. and as they
are altogether too lazy to build their
own holes they simply move into the
ones already prepared for them.
They are harmless creatwres. though,
and the dogs do not resent their ad
vent.
The snakes do not live in the
towns in the same numbers as the
dogs and owls, because these two by
uniting their efforts manage to kill
a good many of them. In every prairie I
dog town a sealed hole is occasionally
seen. Every sealed hole means that
in it an unhappy rattler has threshed
away his life.
To corner a rattler in a hole re- I
quires not a little work and ingenuity
on the part of the dogs, for the snake
is just as smart as they are in skur
rying through underground passages,
and it is only when preparation has
been made beforehand, and the snake
lured into some hole the underground
outlet to which has been already seal
ed. that he is really cornered. Then
all enmity between dogs and owls is
forgotten, and every town feud is
buried, while all hands fall to and fill
up the hole that the snake has enter
ed. Relieving each other from time
to time. clawing and digging, and
shoving down. even narrowing the
quarters of the unhappy prisoner.
they finally complete the job to their
satisfaction, restore the conical
mound. and leave it thete as a warn
ong.
There are more snakes around dog
towns in spring than at any other
time. Baby prairie dogs may be had
the year round, for four or five litters
are brought forth annually, and each e
litter is six or seven puppies. But the
delights of owl eggs and of baby owls
can be known only in the -spring, and
the snake never fails to take advan- (
tage of the season.
The prairie dog is the steel spring
of the animal kingdom. Compared to
his movements the stroke of a cat's (
paw is deliberate to the point of slow
ness.
At one moment he will be sitting
on his haunches at the mouth of his I
hole. cheerfully barking at his fel
lows. The next, he will have disap
peared down the hole, and you see
only the flash of his unimpressive tail
as he goes. When he runs it is al
ways in a zig-zag course. but there
is not the slightest diminution of
speed on the turns.
Morton Albaugh, state bank com
missioner of Kansas. comes from the
prairie dog end of the state, and has
himself suffered from their inroads on
his ranch. He insists that no legis
lative action wotild be necessary to
rid the country of ti.c pest if the peo
ple once realized how delicious the
meat of the creature is.
He thinks. however. that before
this state of things can be brought
about the name will have to be
changed to "prairie squirrel" or some
thing of that sore. The wvord "dog"
protects the creatture from being
eat en.
When Mrs. Cleveland Shops.
Success.
It is said in Princeton that. if Mrs.
Grover Cleveland had been a man.
her eqluipment for a high place
would have been as substantial as
that of the ex-president. Besides the
breadlth o.f view. tact, and p)ersonal
magnetism which have won her the
rspect and affecti'on of all dwellers
in the university town. she possesses~
a fa':ulty which isan invaluable asset
to' a public man. She is celebrated in
'rinceto n for her remarkable memlory
i m:s and faces.
.\t recent afterncoon assemblage.
awhich she was one of the hostesses.
i zue-t. wvh. was a stranger in the
:own was asked if she hadl ever met
Mrs Cleve'land.
-Ye-." -he answered. "we chatted
oget her for a nmoment once in New
Y'ork. but it was --ven or eight years
ag.Sh.'a forgot ten all about me.
course. andi I shall have to be in
trduced again.
"Oh. no. vou won't." replied her
rend: "ino one ever has to be in
troduced to Mrs. Cleveland twice."
The latter. after greeting the
Princeton wvoman, turned to the vis
itor with a quick smile of recogni
tion.
"\\'hy. Mrs. -." she exclaimed.
hesitating not an instant for the
name. "I am very glad to see you!
Bter New York women don't come
to visit us often. You musn't forget
to call on me."
It is possible to move in political
circle anel still be square,
ARE YOUR KIDNEYS WELL?
Bright's Disease. Diabetes, Rheum
ism, Gout. Gravel. Dropsy, Inflam
nation of the Bladder, Bad Blood and
Cervous Troubles caused by Sick
Zidneys.
Mayes Pharmacy. the well known
[ruggist of Newberry. knows by ex
>erience that HINDIPO will cure all
orms of Kidney and Nervous Troub
es. and will guarrantee it in all cases.
Can't you afford to try it at their
isk? it costs you nothing if it don't
to the work.
Sent by mail to any address, pre
)aid. on receipt of 5o cents. 6 boxes
'or $2.50 under a positive guarrantee.
qOTICE OF FINAL SETTLE
MENT AND DISCHARGE.
Take notice that I will make a
inal settlement on the estate of D.
L. Boozer. deceased. in the Probate
Court for Newberry county, on Mon
iay. August 1. 1904, and immediately
hereafter apply to said Court for a
lischarge as administrator of said es
:ate.
All creditors of said estate are here
>y notified to present their demands
Lgainst said estate, properly attested
>n or before said date, and all parties
)wing said estate must make settle
nent with the undersigned at once.
D. L. Boozer,
Administrator.
STAT233ENAT.
Of the condition of The Commercial
3ank of Newberry, S. C., at the close
f business June30, 1904. Published ac
ording to an Act of General Assembly.
RESOURCES.
Zotes discounted ............... $302,210 73
'urniture and fixtures....... 3,051 93
)ue from banks. ......... ..... 4,525 58
)verdrafts ........................ 4 823 09
lash and cash items............ 10,935 65
$325,546 98
LIABILITIES.
.apital stock. .. .. ............ $ 50,000 00
ndividual deposits ............ 174,334 90
)ividends unpaid............... 2,43750
Lecrued interest................ 1,279 35
Expense, Due July 1st, ..... 1,233 34
)Me banks......................... 3,347 00
>rofits............................... 27,914 89
tediscounted.................. .. 65,000 00
$325,546 98
Personally appeared before me Z. F.
Vright, Cashier of the above named
>ank, who swears that the above state
nent is correct to the best of his knowl
dge and belief. Z. F. Wright, Ca-hier.
Sworn to before me this6th day of July
.904. J. Y. McFall, Notary Public.
Lttest:
0. B. Mayer,
Jno. M. Kinard, I Directors.
L. W. Floyd,
Everybody
Able to
CLIMB
10OCts.
O.'ill buy either of the below men
tioned articles.
Tw~o pounds of Good Rice.
One pound of Good Parched Coffee.
Two boxes of Potted Ham.
Three pounds of Best Flour.
Two dozen Fruit Jar Rubbers.
Two yards of 4- Bleaching.
Four pounds of A. IH. Soda.
One box of Good Salmon.
1plug of Good Chewing Tobacco.
sorth 13 cents.
Two packages of Fine Tea.
One box Pineapple.
Lots and lots of other things tO
Come and See Us
0. KIeliner.
.Hair& -
: Every article in the I
* order to repair Store
+ sell everything Low Do
Black Dresc
If you want a skirt cor
+ buy it for less and get li
. Lot Ladies and children's sand:
- Oral and flat top Pearl Buttoi
" Satin Taffeta Ribbon worth 2
No. 80, Taffeta in white and
* 20c. yd., at 10c. yd.
. " White India Linen, worth 12
"Silk Mulls, white and black, w(
" Swiss Embroide'ies worth 10
" Lot White Checked Dimity a
S1I yds. best Lonsdale Cambric
HAIR &H
The Right Pri<
RUBBER STAMPS
, Are my long suit. I
except bad ones.
stamp and an indelli
ing linen for 40 cer
other good things. .
Typewriters', Office Si
* 1334 Main Street,
HUDGENS BROS.,
Foundry and M
MANUFACTUI
Anvils, Ardirons, Sash t
Ventilators, Washei
Special Castings M
Cotton Mill Castinj
We repair Engines
Theshers, and a
MAIL OBDERS RECEIVE OUR~
SHudgen~
FURMAN UNIVERE
Litnestone Colles
Gaffney, S.
sit Mthds.Fie qupmeit . Splendid .i>rar
Deref A. 1B and . . innie Dai Scho or
Send for catalogue.
Lime, - Cemer
Terra Cotta Pipe, Roofic
I Car Lots, Sr
Carolina Portland Cement Co.
Southern Lime ar
CHARLESTC
Building Material of all
Roofing "RUI
Write for
Iavird!
iouse reduced in
Room. We will.
wn in Price.
- Goods!
ne where you can
ning free.
ils at your price.
is worth 1 Oc. at 5c. doz. *
5c., 15c yd.
black, worth 15 and
1-2c., at 8c. yd.
)rth 35c., at 12 1-2c. yd.
and 20c. yd., at 8 1-3c.
nd Muslin at half price.
$1.00
AVIRD,
:e Store.
make any kind
I furnish a new
ble pad for mark
its. I have some*
I.WILSONGIBBE8,
ipplies, etc.
Columbia, S. C.
LAURENS, S. 0.
achine Shops,
?ERS OF
Veights, Cane Mills,
s, Grate Bars.
ide to Order.
~s A Specialty.
, Boilers, Gins,
Ii Machinery.
PROMPT ATTENTION.
Bros.
Il Y 6iEiNVIE S.
mtfort . e Dormitories. Epenses reduced
of. H T. Cook. For Catalogue or informa
~e for Womnen,
Excellnt L aoo s e autiful site
r. ~tientific Mue l and Artistic Courss.
~dge, A. M., Ph. D., President.
t, - Plaster,
g Paper.
nail Lots. Write
,- - Charleston, S. C.
id Cement Co.
IN, S. C.
kinds. High Grade
3EROID."
ries.