Unfortunately the soil through which the canal had been dug was porous
and sandy.

Before the work had been long completed, gophers appeared on the banks
and began to burrow their holes.

The water washed into the burrows, and soon a crevasse appeared, and the
canal swept through the sandy banks.

Repairs were attempted, and for a long time the people were so anxious
to preserve their canal that they continued these repairs at great
expense. Finally the Canal Company became discouraged; they could no
longer afford to fight the gophers, and so they abandoned the waterway
and left the little pests the victors.

In a very short time the canal was gone.

The banks, riddled by the gophers, gave way, and the waters soon flowed
back into their original course. Where the canal once ran, farmers are
now ploughing and planting their crops, and Oklahoma has lost its fine
canal.

G.H. ROSENFELD.

* * * * *

WE ARE PREPARING

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