The Springfield herald., November 08, 1918, Image 1

About The Springfield herald. (Springfield, Baca County, Colo.) 1887-1919

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The Springfield Herald
VOL. XX2pi. No. 3
Chorus of defeated candidates, •
“They wore sour old grapes, 1
and I didn’t want any anyhow. 1
== t
The War board gives the Her- (
aid till Dec. 1 to straighten out i
its subscription list. If you (
are back, call and settle.
The Hues and harvesting i
have materially affected our i
respondence. Here’s hoping we
may all be at our posts soon, as I
formerly.
Baca this year has the most
wonderful all-round crop in its
history—broomcorn, beans,
maize, wheat—all big yields the
whole country over. (
We doubt if we are putting the I
figure s tco high when we put the
acreage sown to wheat this fail 1
at 50,000 . A great many have 1
in from 100 to 500 acres.
. -
The election of. the republican
state ticket we presume takes in
both branches of the legislature j
—nrd in our judgment that .
means that profiteering in this .
state will run riot for the next
two years. ;
Gov. Gunter has issued a proc
lamation calling upon all farm
ers, merchants and others inter
ested in transportation to meet
Friday, Nov. 15, designated as
transport day, to consider prob
lems of the transportation of sup
plies to market.
- ■
Colorado’s quota of war-Bav
ings stamps is $20,283,000. Of
thjs amount up to October Ist !
$11,000,00C had been sold. Ap
parently some counties in this '
state need a jacking up. Baca
went over the top when the
special drive was made.
“Honeat” John Barkhansen
might repudiate half or all of die .
. etate tlahet and stIIVWWMiSIIW 1
era*, but when ho includes the
president in his attacks it looks
at least as if lie were training in
the wrong camp—something
more than half the time.
The Lamar Register says Bnn
and Tam assigned a special edit
or for the Sparks last week. '
As there was no perceptible 1
change in the Register for the
worse last week, we take it the
same old “flu’’ editor was on the
job. Why for the worse? Be
cause any change in the Regis
ter would have to be for the
worse.
The political pendulum in
this state has swung forth and ,
back from ono party to the other
for a good ma-y y ars. Tun year
it swang over again to the repub
lican head quarters, and on the
record of the alternations this
means that two years from now
the good old state will swing
back. Watch the pendulum
two years hence.
County Clerk
Howell 921, Konkel 298, Thorn
5362. *
Sheriff —
Clifton 448, Hager man 396,
Long 759.
Treasurer — A
Mice Jack 767, Clara Land 302,
Alma Leonard 531.
Assessor—
Powell 804, Winters 836,
Superintendent—^
Humberd 730, Mordica 813.
Surveyor—
Douglass 724, T.rral
Commissioner —
Busby 727. El'ev 742.
If President Wilson lets the
report of Chas. A. _Jlughes on
the aircraft scandle go umebnk
ed he will not have performed
his duty of president of the
United States. Any man who
will take advantage of an appoint
ive position to play dirty poli
tics for an anti-party should be
handed his discharge papers and c
the proper rebuke attaching
there to. The Hughes report i
was held back for over two i
months to be sprung as and made
political capital in the last days
of the campaign. That’s how
’ tho republicans are backing the
praddent.
Tlie board of commissioners
has arranged to convert tho
Brisendinc hotel into a hospital
to take care of the sick of the
county, to be in charge of Dr.
Verity. Two trained nurses will
come on at once.
Latest on Congress —repubs,
will cotutoll both houses. That
means a demo, sweep in 1920.
In the Trenches
Oct. 5,1918.
Dear folks:—
We are just back fropa a drive
over the top. in that part of
France held by the enemy. I
camethrough without a mark, a!
though a stone from an H. E.
bruised my right knee a bit; but
I am with the company, and rea
dy for whatever they have to go
through with.
We were in some pretty hot
lighting, and lelt the force of a
real war, but were not in for very
long. In a drive of this kind, it
is very ha-d *o bring up supplies,
so an outfit can’t stay in very long,
as there is no chance to sleep and
very little to eat. If one could
get something to eat once a day
he would be very lucky. A large
part of the time it was once in
two days —aad not much then.
We are now back in a camp in
the woods to rest up a bit and fill
up the places of men lost, before
we try it again. I don’t know
how soon we will be called on for
another try, but it will not be
long unless the drltfe either
slows up or Germany decides to
quit.
We, met some of the hardest
lighting that tbe Germans have
put up since, the U, A entered
tbs warytjmf'.j&ede « good ad
vacceia of the resistance.
WeJbst eWieeia}! of eur casual
ty .from and OtPjMjt*
to be faced.
When our artillery can stop the
Jerry’s, we soon put machine
guns out of action but, continued
rains make our boys work to
keep in touch with the infantry.
At one time we left them clear
behind and paid for it before they
caught up with us. We lost quite
a number, but not very many
killed, though there were too
many at that.
The country we reoccupied cer
tainly shows the results of Ger
man occupation. Not a house
left standing, although we clear
ed two or three towns of fair size.
The forests we cleared were al
most all dead, as the result of
shell fire. Just big tunks stand
ing with splintered tops where
big shells had struck and blown
them to pieces. It sure is a de
vastated country. Not a living
tiling in all the country we pass
ed. The side hills are all filled
witli dugouts built by the Bosche.
Some of them are marvels of
construction They are not neat
and pretty, like those the French
build, but are substantial and
comfortable.
When I got back to where we
could get mail I got four letters
front you, dated Aug. Ist, 16, 22,
and 29 I was glad to hear that
the crops are- so good. I only
hope tho market stays good so as
to make plenty to go thiough the
winter on.
I had to interrupt this letter
and hunt up a few coolie friends
who were playing hide and seek
across the back of my neck and
under uiy arms. I am used to
them, but not in love with them.
Well I am going to have to get
some water, so I must close for
now.
With Love
Theo.
Color Srgt. Theo. Seymour
Hdq. Co. 137 U. S. Inf.
Amer. Exp. Forces,
France
Special Notice
The undersigned went to Cam
po in September for the purpose
of buying the Enterprise of that
place. On the way down ’we
agreed to arrange with Wheeler
to continue to run the paper, on
the same terms he is now run
ning it—if he cared to do so, and
offered .him that opportunity.
S. M. Konkel
F. J. Graves.
SPRINGFIELD, BACA COUNTY, COLORAO, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1918.
WHY DID YOU DO IT
WHEELER?
From the time of taking charge
of the Herald over five years ago,
right up to the very minute of
last going to press, the editor of
the Herald has nqver lost an op
portunity of hollering for 0. H.
Wheeler.
Isn’t that so, Wheeler?
And you repaid this kindness
of a friend by a vicious stab
when you thought there could
be no come-back before election.
Isn’t that so, Wheeler? Now —
Why did you do it?
When you were after the post
office —and after you got it, the
editor of the Herald said all kinds
of nice things about both you and
your father—of how the govern
ment asked your father to take
the office because of his former
excellent service, etc., etc. —
And then in the last hours of
the campaign, when there can be
no pre-election reply, you repay
this kindness of a friend by strik
ing at him like a venomous rep
tile. Isn’t that so, Wheeler?
Now —
Why again did you do it?
Then when you started your
store at Campo the Herald gave
you a gracious send off, and not
once lost an opportunity to holler
Campo and boost for the Wheel
er store, even unto the day yon
got ont of the store business.
Isn’t that so, Wheeler?
And then when yon bqd a chattST
to do a good tarn for this kind
ness of a friend, you bide near
bis path and in the safety of the
rendezvous burl your .poisoned
daggers —as an offset to the
kindness and favors bestowed.
Now, hpce more—
you do it?
work fir
you—envelopes, letter heads,
statements, even when you were
away behind in payments; and
on your order did job work for
the Compo Tel. Co., and for the
Old Soldiers' reunion—lots of it,
big circulars and big ads. in the
Herald, and hollered and holler
ed for those reunions, always
patting Wheeler oa the back as
the live wire of the county—
Never let up even when your
account was near the 190.00
mark—
And for all this kindness of a
friend to help you along you
play snake in the grass when
you have the opportunity lo re
turn the favors. Isn’t that so.
Wheeler? And again and once
more —
Why did you do it?
When you were financially
down and out, and the store went
into other hands, the Herald ex
pressed its regret and lauded
your live-wire spirit and nature,
and have used every opportunity
since to say kind words about
you and to help you in your un
dertakings—
Did this while your account is
still standing at $50.75 — 1
And for this kindness of a
friend —and in payment of this
debt of 850.75, you use tbe ren
dezvous of a safe retreat to strike
him a presumedly deadly blow.
Friend Wheeler, we must ask
again
Why did you do it?
Did you attempt to fasten your
poisoned fangs into your friend
a* a compensation for past fav
orsandin liquidation of the $50.75?
After you got in touch with
the Enterprise the Herald again
said nice things about you—as
a live wire, a booster, and an ed
itor, particularly mentioning
that the paper had been
improved and that you were
making good
And at tlte first opportunity to
reciprocate, you v.se the stiletto
to settle the account. Under all
these circumstances, Wheeler,
we must ask again—
Why did you do it?
Have you inculcated the idea
that politics is s game of running
amuck of friend or foe, or of i
striking blindly and viciously atj
anything or anybody in sight—
also friend or foe —if it can bcl
done under eover of a safe re- 1
treat, and there is thus no chance I
to ward off the blow?
Friend Wheeler, when Graves t
was talking' to yon that day
about buying the Enterprise, ac- ;
cording to our arrangement be i
offered to keep you on the paper i
on tbe exact eame terms you are i
now running, it—and to make i
this a part of our contract ,
of purchase, Tm there could be no ,
way to get oat of it—
Why then did you make the
statement about junking the pa
per? Do you think that politics
is worth it, or calls for it —auch
breech of manliness and honor?
You are complaining because
tbe government hasn’t emptied a
horn of plenty into your lap—be
cause of sanQobudy standing in
the way, ’ <,
Wheeler, if kcu bad done tbe
government favor a (tec- favor,
and favor afWr favor, and BtiU
more and make favors, and you
had worked for the government
the while and it owed you a
I wnoie lot of money—
I And the govornmeut were then
to turn Maffla and in an unguard
ed moment stab you in tne back or
striae yon down in your tracks —
What ondor those circumstanc
es would yojff have to complain
about, wbedit is just what you
have done with tbe man who has
done more .through the Herald
ag* o thervrtae for you than
pay other gun iin Baca county.
Wheals* won are asking the
government mrfavors, and at the
same time you sure casting asper
sions and stigma on the president
of the thdted. States, and revil
ing the rajliMairtif the land office,
our congreopkm and our United
States sens torn Now, of course,
udLir thaae dgjcu instances—you
MBdNUPbn*e%cae favors.
You say you are entitled to the
favors by law —"being the near
est tbe land.” If that were all,
a paper could be putin at every
postoffice. What the law con
templates is a bona fide and pay
ing sub. list.
Now here is our offer: If you
have 200 paid-in-advance sub
scribers, we will pay that $50.75
account ourselves. And—
If you have 150 such subscrib
ers, we will pay $25.75 of that ac
count. And—
If you have 100 such subsrib
ers, we will pay $10.75 of that
account. And—
If you have 50 such subscrib
ers, we will pay $5.75 ot that ac
count —and at the same time can
cel the rest of the debt.
In either event, we reserve the
right to appoint a man to inspect
the books.
Reverting to your editorial
adeptness, on which we have
commended you, your use of
“Sam Konkel’’ is evidence that
you have a faculty and inspire
lion that is ponderous, over
whelming, bewildering, and
crushing. All you have to do
now is to put the name in lower
case letters, and the evidence of
your special adebtness and invin
cibility will be unanswerable.
Just a word more with refer
ence to junking the Enterprise.
We take it the “Ez Marks” down
that way would shed a great
many tears about it, and thut
many of the others would weep
very much over a change—either
fqr better or for worse.
And now —
We will leave you to wollow in
, the cleverness of the advantage
gained by your pre'-electiun
I stroke, and will bid you God’ s
speed and good day.
Persons
Stories Incidents
Of Old Boston
And the OLd Days
By the wri'te-
One on the Writer
Since those old time stories
started we have several times
overheard the remark, intended
specially for out own sensitive
ears—“that old--ime writer al
ways tells them on tho other fcl
ler — .why dosep’t he tell them on ,
himself sometimes?” <
So here goes for one on him- i
self.
It was away back iu tho fall of 1
1886, —and the montli was Sep- <
tember, and tho state was Kan- t
sag, and the county was Morton, •
though it strikes us that at that 1
time it was Seward, afterwards •
made into Morton, Stephens and 1
and Seward.
There was no Boston at that
time, old or young, and old Baca
was a wild and weary waste —
really didn’t exist at all, while in
Morton county there was inly
one town, called by the glowing
term ol Sunset.
At the beginning of our story
we were temporarily quartered
at Great Bend. A brother of
the writer had braved the wrath
of the prairie-dogs and coyotes,
and owls and rattlesnakes, iu the
spring time, so we thought to
come out and look tilings over a
, little.
Now there was one thing in
making that western trip that
we hadn’t taken into cousidera
, tion —the difference of elevation,
, and the consequent possible dif
ference in climate.
Tin Lizzies weren't much in ev
idence at that time, so we hitch
-1 ed one horse up to one buggy and
! started pell-mell for the promis
[ ed land.
At the starting point it was
hot enough to boil eggs in the
| noon day sun, so of course all we
| needed in the way of raiment for
the journey was something to
keep the sun and dust off, and
1 for that we took one of those old
fashioned, long-tailed summer
! dusters, made of cheese cloth
one layer deep.
[ ' That was bully for ,thq first
<k#!a.of thejoureeyj -boi-es
were gradually scaling those
western heights the days grew
milder and milder, until tho ze
| mith of mildness v.-?s ached,
when it began to ■ bet
way.
Over in what is no , Jeward
t county were then two towns,
Springfield and Fargo. At the
I latter of these famous old towns
for county seat honors we made
our headquarters for the last
night (almost) of the journey,
and in the morning started out
on the wind up of the last sixty
tfiiles.
The road from Fargo to Hugo,
now Flugoton, was sunny, so pro
with our now somewhat _iadcd
horsrj and buggy was somewhat
slow , and it was maybe 1:30 P
m. when we got to Hugo, an d
maybe 2:00 or better when we
sts.rted on the last half of the
day’s trip.
At Hugo they told us to keep
the south road, as it would be
less sandy, and that about ten
miles east of Sunset it would
cross the river and come into th<
other road, but that
it would grow dimmer,
and we’d have to watch close, es
pccially where it turned oil to
cross the river.
It was cloudy at Aoontime, and
probably when fifteen mil s of
the last thirty were reeled off t
began to rain; and in the lan
guage of slang eloquence, it was
getting to be rot.ton cold.
The sit ados of nigh*- began tu
fall along with the falling ol t’ a
rain, and when darkness was on
we found ourselves without a
road, without a compas, wit li
mit any protection except tit at
gr.uzv duster, and without koo vv
i’.tg where we were at.
Of course it was useless lo cal:
for help, so wc —meaning tie
horse and buggy, kept peg gu.g
away until there was no road
any longer to p-g on. Then the
three of us held a council of war,
an I decided it were time to ine
andejr towards tho river, ar d tr.v
to outflank the forces of darkness
by getting onto the road on the
| other side.
We drove probably half mile to
the fiver, found a place t 0 get. the
three of us down tlte b lYl k, and
then oue of us pulled of { his shoes
and stockings—socks, giorc prop
erly, and waded across to make I
sure tho other two wouldn’t get
into a hole and drown.
Finding the path was clear,
meaning there was no hole to
drown in, we drove across,
rehabilitated our tender pedals,
and then lead the horse and bug
gy northward, thinking we would
stand a better eltancc of finding
the road than they would.
We finally, to our great relief
and satisfaction, found the road,
one of us got into the buggy, and
all started west. We neglected
to say that the rain had tempor
arily ceased, but we hadn't driv
en far until it began to full hard
er than ever, and “rotten cold’’
then was no name for it.
After getting irto the road we
would drive awhile and stop and
wonder, and then drive awhile
and stop and wonder again, etc.,
etc.
Right at this point we find we
have “overdrawn” on our space
account, so we will squirt some
embalming fluid into the rest of
the yarn to keep it from spoil
ing, and will give it to you the
next time.
As It cooked
The Day Before
This anticipation of tlte elec
tion is both written and put into
type tlm day before election.
Beginning with county clerk.
Charlie Howell is a doggoned
good fellow, is popular with those
who know him, has made a rat
tling campaign, and we believe
will be elected by a plurality.
I. F. Thorn, being a leader
among Nonpartisans, very popu
lar wjth them and very i.lfiljic,
and having made a lively cam
paign, we believe ho will be sec
ond iu the race. ,
> r-.
go into the race believing he
would be elected. The party
being up a stump lor a candidate,
We finally decided to have some
all-round fun outof it—ami when
that's told the whole story is told.
The why we didn’t expect to
be elected was that we didn’t
care enough about the office to
out and make a campaign; as
to hire someone oil the Herald,
which we would had to nave
done, would practically have
used up the clerk’s salary. We
consequently didn't spend a day
electioneering.
One of the surprises growing;
out of our candidacy was the at
tempt of our republican friends
to punish us in a financial way
for lending our name to the tick
et. We don’t know who was re
sponsible for the switch that was
made, but under all the circum
stances it certainly was ili-advis
eLh and showed a peevishness
th;t i doesn’t accord with, a grown
up u nderstanding of things.
Q n treasurer, wo believe Miss
Alma L conard will be elected by
a plurali \y, and that Miss Alice
Jack will second.
We base tL'is advantage to Miss
Alma on th” red-hot campaign
she has made, ;irui that -she is a
doggoned good talker.
Oa sheriff, we P l,t Hong by a
plurality and Hi vgermun second.
Long is a sin ooth, we might
also say oily, ci \mpaiguer, has
the confidence of h hs party ana ol
some others, and as a matter of
fact lias made a got d shei itf.
On assessor, we believe Roy
Winters will win by a handsome
majority, he having the advan
tage of having been ii ldorsed by
the league.
On superintendent, our guess
is Mrs. Mordica by a >mall nia
jority.
On commissioner, wc believe
Busby, being on both the demo
cratic and No.i partisan tieuets,
wih be elected b.v a large major-
surveyor, we put Terrell
first by a handsome majority.
On coroner, Dr. Verity will
come out second best unless
some other mime or names are
written in the tickets.
Our guess all the way through
may be wide of the mark-even
wild, but it’s the way we see it
the day before.
$1.50 Per Year.
Camp Life
At Camp Travis, Texas, wit.;
the'3s'ln fail try, which Com
prises part of the 18th Divi
sion, Commonly Called the
Cactus Division.
We Baca county boys in tl
service will give a short descrip
tion of rump life in Vie south.
It was-so cold la- : night that
up for breakfast,
it being the fir: ■' since we
have been in the army that, ev
eryone was up in time for break
fast—this being Sunday.
We have been in quarantine for
about six weeks on account of in
fluenza. There are only Uvocases
of it from this company in the
hospital.
The death list is small accord
ing to the great number of p ;r
--sons here.
The quarantine is principally
to keep the boys home so they
don’t catch c »kl and develop into
the influenza or pneumonia.
We have been «•» Travis since
the 18th of Augu m’tknow
when we will go to France. Are
now waiting lor the won to go.
We are anxious to leave ti: . I °
Lots of the boys that left i.-c.i
county since we left, which was
the 22nd of May, are in l* ranee
now in the front line trenches.
We have heard some of the
boys* talk flmt have been over
there. They say they have as
much excitement over there as
we have at a big show.
We have seen a few imph ments
of warfare here, and also have
taken some of the hikes win re
the soldiers joy is greatest—the
nearer camp lie gets.
This is for those that enjoy
leading it, and those who do n )t
can turn the paper over.
We flre not Very artistic in,
■ writing; fn! 1: are'"trying to illus
trate with ’he pencil die ways of
the camp and tin* life of the hovs
that are t ing » the
nation.
We would :iv*» a description of
the country we passed through
coming from Logan to Nogales
and then here, but all wbo have
seen the country say it is r. t
worth while! ■ -: 1
We have a nice park here, ‘>ut
have not been able to go to i
since the flu has made its .u
e- ranee.
There arc ral animals in
the park wiiich includes Baboons
and monkeys which ere caged,
that, are inter ■■ in ■. t - itch
Well* we bad aw this
to a close as a couple of Baca
‘ county girls came into our minds.
‘ So if you have room to publish
5 this for benefit of f.. nds back
there, will be glad to try to write
again some time later. As ever
5 Harry Dapron editor,
.Jonathan Jenkins writer,
William F. Fust reporter.
Co. E, 35th Inf.
We have the information that
. , w • ed ' : o u
representative sof the t - i ar
ties to > ff ceit
dates for Alma Leonard and 1. F.
Thorn, they eacli being parties to
the agreement. We hope the in
formation is false, and shall re
serve further comment for a ver
ification and particulars.
MICKIE SAYS