The Schulenburg Sticker (Schulenburg, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, May 15, 1925 Page: 2 of 8
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Terraced Valley Above Ollantaytambo.
(Prepared by the National Geographic So-
ciety, Washington, D. C.)
With the spring plowing of our farm-
ers just ahead of us, we of North
America, where farms are reasonably
level and broad, might find it interest-
ing to consider the kind of farming
that was carried on by very early
Americans, the Incas and the pre-Incas
in the narrow valleys of Peru. What
these people did is of more than
academic interest, for on their farms
they developed for us the potato, the
world's most important food vegetable,
and probably originated com, toma-
toes, and a number of other plants
whose importance to us today could
hardly be exaggerated.
The outstanding feature of ancient
Peruvian agriculture is that it was car-
ried on largely on narrow terraces la-
boriously constructed on steep slopes.
This may be said to be the most spe-
cialized type of agriculture known, es-
pecially when the soil of the terraces
is built up artificially. Such terraces
are found in many gther countries,
though It is doubtful whether any
equal those of Peru,. There the arii-
flcial construction of the soil surface
was not limited to the terraced slopes,
but was also undertaken In large areas
of reclaimed land in the bottoms of the
valleys. The courses of the rivers were
narrowed and straightened by strong
walls, and then the land behind the
walls was filled in, and finally a sur-
face layer of fine agricultural soil was
put on.
The narrow floors and steep walls of
rocky valleys that would" appear utter-
ly worthless and hopeless to our engi-
neers were transformed, literally made
over, into fertile lands, and were the
homes of teeming populations in the
•prehistoric days. That the work was
well done there cjuj be no possibility
of doubt, for many thousands of acres
of these artificial lands afe still fertile
and are the chief support of thS Eiotl-
era population of the valleys. The na-
tive people take the amazing works of
the ancients as a matter of course, as
we accept the natural features that
Surround us, and are ho wore inclined
than we are tQ such impossible Under-
takings as the ancient people accom-
plished.
Stone-Wallet Terraces.
The most striktfcgiy artificial feature
of the ancient Peruvian agriculture
was the covering of steep slopes with
narrow terraces, supported by stone
walls and watered by aqueducts built
for many miles along the precipitous
slopes of the mountains. Some of the
terraces, those that characterize the
Megalithic age of Peru, were built of
enormous stones, often of very Irregu-
lar form, fitted together with wonder-
ful nicety.
The labor expended in the construc-
tion of these terraces shows thpt they
served some purpose that the builders
considered very important. We learn
from the early Spanish historians that
the Incas had special gardens for rais-
ing the potatoes of the royal house-
hold, and that there was a general be-
lief among the people that the growth
of crops and the fecundity of the
flocks were acutely dependent upon
the welfare of the royal family. Hence
there was an underlying practical rea-
son for the deep solicitude of the peo-
ple, so often remarked by the early
historians, "That It might be well with
the Inca."
The work that the prehistoric build-
ers accomplished Is still beyond our
comprehension. Nobody has explained
how it was done or hovr it could be
done. Indeed, the modern Indians deny
that it ever was done, preferring to
believe that It was the work of en-
chantment. Huge rocks that could
have been moved only with the great-
est difficulty and by the combined la-
bor of hundreds of people are never-
theless fitted together with incredible
nicety. To say that there are seams
too fine to insert knife-edges or tissue
paper leaves the story only partly told.
There is no room for inserting any-
thing, since the surfaces are actually
in contact.
With some of the finest work, at Ol-
lantaytambo, the Joints are in many
places too fine to be seen by the naked
eye. A lens becomes necessary to
make sure that there is really a seam
and not merely a superficial groove, or
false Joint. The fitting of the stones
has been compared to the grinding of
glass stoppers Into bottles, which is
the best analogy thus far suggested.
But how can anybody credit the idea
of grinding together with such ac-
curacy the edges of stones that weigh
torn? Obviously the edges must have
been ground before the stones were
put in place. But the grinding in it-
self does not seem so difficult to ex-
plain as the shaping of the stones with
such accuracy that the ground edges
fit so absolutely together.
Work of Marvelous Skill.
Each terrace consists, roughly speak-
ing, of three parts—the wall and the
two distinct layers of earth that fill
the space behind the wall. All of the
ruined terraces show the same inside
structure, wherever the walls are re-
moved. The strata that are hidden
behind the walls are artificial no less
than the stone facing.
The underlying stratum, or artificial
subsoil, is composed of coarse stones
and clay, and is covered by a layer of
fine surface soil two or three feet
thick. The thickness of the subsoil
layer depends, of course, upon the
height of the terrace. Where clay or
other light-colored material is used for
the subsoil, the difference between the
two layers appears most striking; but
the finer texture of the upper layer
also renders it very distinct.
In height the terraces range usually
from 8 to 14 feet, the width depending
upon the slope. Terraces on very
steep slopes or narrow shelves of rock
are sometimes only 3 or 4 feet wide,
though the usual range is from 8 to 15
feet, or stfll wider on the more gradual
slopes. Banks of 20 to 30 terraces are
not uncommon, while 50 or more are
found in many cases. Probably most
of the soil was moved in baskets or
mats carried on men's backs.
Water was brought to tM terraces
from the slopes above in artificial
channels or Scequias leading down,
often for many miles, from the gorges
of the high mountains, where they in-
tercepted perennial streams fed by the
melting of the glaciers and snow-fields.
Careful provision was made to avoid
erosion of the soil or injury to the
walls.
Long banks of terraces are inter-
rupted at intervals by passageways
that doubtless served the double pur-
pose of roads for' reaching the ter-
races and of draining channels to bring
down surface water from the slopes
above, and thus avoid the danger of
having the terraces washed away by
heavy rains.
The handling of the water on the
•terraces undoubtedly was greatly fa-
cilitated by the fact that the soils in
all the terraced districts are extremely
tenacious and not readily eroded. A
few sods or a small ridge of earth will
hold in check a stream of water, even
with a swift current.
Some of the most laborious terrac-
ingjs not on the steep slopes, where
the* terraces are high-walled and nar-
row, but in the bottoms of the valleys,
where the terraces are often very
broad. The building of broad terraces
required more labor because it in-
volved the filling and leveling of much
larger areas behind the walls. Much
of the work could have been avoided
by making larger numbers of lower
and narrower terraces, but the walls
would have been more numerous and
would have occupied more of the sur-
face.
Vast Irrigation 8ystem.
With labor very abundant and land
very scarce, the ancient engineers fol-
lowed the plan of making the terraces
as broad as possible, sometimes even
to the extent of bringing material and
filling in behind walls 15 or 20 feet
high. Thus it would be very conser-
vative to estimate that the building of
the broad, valley-bottom terraces In-
volved the handling and replacing of
the earth for an average depth of at
least 0 feet over the entire surface.
This allows 3 feet for the surface lay-
er of fine soil and at least an equal
depth for the subsoil layer.
The ancient aqueducts of Peru have
challenged the most attention from
former travelers, and they do not be-
come less worthy of admiration be-
cause they are now seen to be only one
feature of a highly specialized agricul-
tural system. The construction of the
irrigation channels was an enormous
undertaking, perhaps not equaled in
any other part of the world. From
the aqueducts alone it is evident that
agriculture must have attained a high
development, which may explain why
the other branches of the art have re-
ceived less consideration.
How numerous and extensive the
ancient aqueducts really were may
never be known, but the subject is
worthy of much more extensive study
than it has received thus far. If the
accounts of early Spanish writers are
to be accepted, some of these aque-
ducts were very long
Texas Items
The city of Luling has received a
iew pumper for the fire department.
Trinity County voted Saturday by a
big majority for a $1,500,000 road bond
issue.
The fire insurance key rates of
Forney have .been raised from 58 to
66 cents, and that of Wortham cut
from 82 to 79 cents, as a result of
compilation of new schedules.
Water from the big artesian well
at Luling is being run through the
city mains now, and Luling citizens
are enjoying artesian water for the
first time in the town's history.
The bond election held at Victoria
for the issuing of bonds to the amount
of $100,000 for the erection of a mu-
nicipal electric light plant carried with
a vote of 537 for and 176 against.
Eleven million Bermuda onion slips
have been set out in the Farmersville
and Princeton districts this spring.
Extensive planting followed successful
experiments by Farmersville farmers.
Resignation of Lieutenant Colonel
T. J. Powers as property and disburs-
ing officer in charge of Texas National
Guard property at Camp Mabry. is an-
nounced by Adjutant General Mark
McGee.
Denial that there will be a shortage
of textbooks, following the state's ac-
tion in disregarding new book con-
tracts has been made by S. M. N.
Marrs, state superintendent of educa-
tion.
Seventeen rural schools have closed
their 1925 session in Bastrop County
during the past two weeks. County
Superintendent If. G. Haynie states
that the attendance in rural schools
this year has shown a large increase.
Application for permission to cease
operation of local passenger trains
Nos. 15 and 16 between Dallas and
Big Spring has been filed with the
Texas railroad commission by the
Texas & Pacific railroad.
Three new steel bridges are to be
constructed soon by the Southern Pa-
cific Railway on their track from Luf-
kin to Houston. This, with other
minor improvements, is to make way
for heavier engines on this stretch of
road.
Inspection of fish and oyster condi-
tions along the gulf coast between
Corpus Christi and Matagorda is Ije-
lng made by T. E. Hubby, game, fish
and oyster commissioner. The trip
along the coast is being made in the
state boat "Texas."
Texas inheritance tax laws give the
state comtroller power to , collect a
tax on a bequest from a husband to
a wife which is given in lieu of her
dowry and community estate, a ruling
from the attorney general's depart-
ment held this week.
An election has been called for the
issuance of $25,000 in municipal bonds
for the paving of the business street
of Richmond and the purchasing of
fire equipment, more fire plugs, and
the extension of the water mains. The
election is to be held t>n June 2.
Private banks in Texas are pro-
hibited from opening branch banks
and from using the words "trust" and
"savings" as a part of their trade
name, Attorney General Moody has
ruled in answering a request from
Charles O. Austin, state banking com-
missioner.
Right to take 1221 acre feet of
water annually from Pecan bayou for
municipal purposes has been granted
Brownwood by the state board of
water engineers. Brownwood also
was authorized to construct a dam to
impound 300 acre feet. Pecan bayou
is a tributary of the Colorado river.
Amendment to the charter of the
Waco, Beaumont, Trinity and Sabine
Railway Company, providing for an
extension of the line, 79 miles from
Livingston to the southeast corner of
Beaumont, and for a spur track to the
industries of West Port Arthur, has
been filed by Colonel R. C. Duff, presi-
dent of the road. The amendment was
approved by the attorney general's de-
partment.
The State of Texas recovered state
school land in Montague County on
surveys made in 1860 when the Third
Civil Appeals Court recently reversed
in part the decision of Travis County
district court, upholding title of Mrs.
Alice M. Talkington and others to the
land. The ippellate court rendered
Judgement for the state as against
Mrs. Talkington, C. M. Worsham and
Vivian Strode, and the Gulf Produc-
tion Company, as to land leased from
those claimants; but affirmed the
Judgment sustaining the title of C. W.
Rennie, Mrs. Alma Rennie, N. M. Al-
len, J. T. Prober and the Gulf Produc-
tion Company as to land leased from
these.
Deer are being killed in Texas at
the rate of nearly 8000 annually, ac-
cording to estimate of T. E. Hubby,
game, fish and oyster commissioner.
The figure, Including the lawful and
the unlawful slaughter, is based on de-
partment reports for the hunting sea-
son. together with information sup-
plied by game wardens. Nearly 3,500,«
000 birds of all kinds were killed by
350,000 hunters, estimates show. These
figures are the results of the first
attempt of the department to compile
definite information as to the rate at
which wild game is being killed.
LATEST
NEWS
OIL
TEXAS
FIELDS
OIL ROYALTIES FOR STATE
GAME FUND HELD ILLEGAL
Austin, Tex.—That portion of the
University oil royalties bill which
transferred royalties from submerged
lands and from stream beds to the
game fund was held unconstitutional
Friday in a supplementary opinion is-
sued by the attorney general's office.
The opinion, addressed to State
Comptroller S. H. Terrell, advised him
not to certify any deposits to the game
fund that had been made under the
new royalties bill, and that these
funds should remain in the free school
fund.
This is understood to be another
step in the legal test of the university
royalties bill following the refusal of
Terrell to certify approximately $95,-
000 into the available fund for build-
ing purposes, which Attorney General
Moody had held unconstitutional.
Texas Oil Production.
Austin, Tex.—Crude oil production
in Texas passed 12,500,000 barrels, pipe
line runs, in April, the report of the
railroad commission discloses. Three
counties passed 1,000,000 barrels pro-
duction, the Mexia field of Limestone
and the Wortham field of Freestone
counties, being (the only individual
fields to exceed a million barrels. The
Luling district, including the new
Lytton Springs area, produced 676,-
385 barrels, pipe line runs, though
pipe lines did not reach Lytton Springs
proper until April.
Salt Water Causes Loss.
Chijol, Ver.—Within the past week
salt water intrusions in Corcovado,
San Pedro and Paciencia have caused
a loss in the production of heavy oil
district of 45,625 barrels daily produc-
tion. The greatest part of this loss
was sustained by the Mexican Pe-
troleum Corporation when its well No.
5, San Pedro, making 22,000 barrels,
was gradually pinched and finally
closed in entirely with the last show-
ing of 28 per cent salt water and 32
per cent basic sediment.
Wildcat Near Willis
Willis, Tex.—The prospective oil
well, six miles west of town on the
San Jacinto River, is showing good
progress, fine gas indications being
apparent, which fact has led many
visitors to the ground. The well is
being financed by Lee Sprague and
others, from Indiana, with D. M. Field
of Willis as field manager ^
Spud in For Ga« Test.
j
Gonzales, Tex.—The first test well
for bringing in natural gas in the Gon-
zales section has been spudded in on
the William Voigt place, about three
miles south of Cost. The operators
secured a gas franchise last year to
furnish Gonzales with gas.
New Well at Hull.
Houston, Tex.—The Gulf Produc-
tion Company's No. 50 Phoenix well
at Hull was completed recently for
2,500 barrels of pipe line oil. The
same company also secured a 300-bar-
rel well in No. 4 Shade at South Lib-
erty at 3,550 feet.
One of the Pacific Fleet's Ports of Call
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A birdseye view of Wellington harbor, New Zealand, one of the ports which the American Pacfic fleet will stop
at in its western tour.
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r
Government May Drop Use of Ellis Island
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Aerial view of Ellis island, which
in the near future may be closed by
the Labor department as an immigra-
tion post. The government is consid-
ering plans to examine all aliens
abroad and thus relieve the great con-
gestion at American ports.
m
■
Hindenburg President of Germany
Daily Production in U. S.
New York.—The daily average groBS
crude oil production in the United
States increased 26,400 barrels the
week ended May 2, totaling 2,182,850,
the American Petroleum Institute an-
nounced this week.
Lockhart Field Production.
Lockhart, Tex.—With a production
of approximately 60,000 barrels daily
as a result of wells completed over the
week-end, the Lockhart shallow oil
field is continuing to make itself felt
in the Texas fields.
New Well at Lockhart.
Lockhart, Tex.—A 600-barrel well
was completed Wednesday in the 'new
Lockhart (Lytton Springs) field by the
Lucy Petroleum Company on the Pal-
mer tract.
Wildcat Well for Canton.
Canton, Tex.—Drilling of a wildcat
test well near Canton will begin in less
than 90 days, according to Robinson
and Miller, drillers.
Mrs. Shepherd Released.
Chicago.—Mrs. Julie Shepherd, co-
guardian and foster mother of William
Nelson McClintock, millionaire orphan,
held on two charges of accessory to
murder in connection with the death
of her ward and his mother, Mrs. Em-
ma Nelson McClintock, Friday fur-
nished $5,000 bond stipulated for her
release pending presentation of the
case to the grand jury.
Orient Rail Plan
Washington.—Plans for reorganiza-
tion of the Kansas City, Mexico and
Orient Rajjroad, which were approved
last March by the federal district court
at Kansas City, were filed Friday with
the interstate commerce commission
fer its scrutiny and action.
Dallas, Texas.— Slow, drizzling
rains, with an occasional dash and
hard shower, from Amarillo to Shreve-
port across Northern Texas Thursday,
caused farmers to rejoice.
New portrait of Field Marshal von Hindenburg, who was elected President
of the German republic.
Dirigible Safe but Nose Smashed
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TEACHER IS NOVELIST
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Miss. Mathilde Eiker, a Washingtoi
school teacher, has just had published
her first novel, "Mrs. Mason's Daugh-
ters," which is called one of the four
best books of the year. It is Mlsa
Eiker's first book, but now she in-
tends to write another.
CAMP FIRE MESSENGER
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Twenty-nine hours after being torn from her moorings at Pulham, Eng-
land, and blown across the North sea, the British dirigible R-33 returned to
her hangar with her bow badly crumpled. She is shown coming down.
Katherlne Hayden, camp fire girl,
is shown holding "Radio," the pigeon
which brought the message which she
is reading from Chicago to New York.
The pigeon was dispatched from the
Chicago conference and made nearly
as good time as the Twentieth Osd*
tury train.
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The Schulenburg Sticker (Schulenburg, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 36, Ed. 1 Friday, May 15, 1925, newspaper, May 15, 1925; Schulenburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth189909/m1/2/: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Schulenburg Public Library.