Missouri Mule Feature at Powers Museum.

news release

The traveling exhibit, Alive and Kicking: The Missouri Mule, Then and Now examines the historical development, present uses and folklore surrounding the Missouri Mule.

This exhibit was developed by the Department of Natural Resources’ Missouri State Museum and the Missouri Cultural Heritage Center at the University of Missouri and is part of the museum’s Traveling Exhibit Program. The program will continue at the Powers Museum, 1617 W. Oak Street, now until late April. Admission is free.What creature can have no offspring but continues to have more of its kind reborn? The Missouri Mule.

The mule, reputed to be the most stubborn animal alive, is the hybrid of a male donkey (jack) and a female horse (mare). Because of this genetic cross, the mules cannot reproduce: every mule must have a donkey and a horse for parents. The result is an animal with the horse’s massive size and weight, and the donkey’s features, intelligence, agility and endurance. This combination created an animal highly suitable for farm work in the 19th Century.

In 1821, William Becknell led the first trading party along the Santa Fe and returned with Mexican donkeys, mules and silver—wealth for the new state of Missouri. Missouri mules, bred from the Mexican donkeys and American mares, were frequently used to pull wagons west to Oregon and California.

Mules also were used to expand the cotton kingdom of the South. During the 19th century, more than half the mules in the United States were employed on cotton plantations.

Missouri Mules were driven overland and shipped on steamboats to fill the need. In addition, the mules provided power for America’s developing coal, lead and logging industries.

The demand for Missouri’s large, docile mules—stronger than the small mules reared in Kentucky and Tennessee—continued to increase. In fact, from 1870 to 1900, Missouri bred more mules than any other state in the nation, and Callaway County claimed the title Mule Capital of the World.

Missouri farmers could earn $60 or $70 for each young mule at a time when the average farm income was scarcely $700 a year.

Besides meeting most of the demand for mules in the United States, Missouri also supplied buyers from throughout the world. When mules owned by W. Elgin of Platte County swept the competition at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, the term Missouri Mule entered the American vocabulary. These Missouri mules served the United States and her allies during both world wars.

The mule story is more than tall tales and bravado. It is the history of rural life and the family farm. At one time, 45 percent of Missouri farmers were involved in using or breeding mules. Although the tractor has driven the mule from the farm, the animals are still used in other areas, including forestry and recreation. Breeders such as Ed Knell of Carthage and "Brother" Adams of Lamar continued to breed mules in the 20th century in this area. Their four-mule hitch was chosen for President Harry Truman’s Inauguration Parade in 1949.

The last time I checked (yesterday) there were 7,562 registered voters in Carthage. On a typical votin’ day for City elections, a good turn out would be 30%. More likely is somethin’ closer to 20%. That makes today’s estimate of voters ‘tween about 1,500 and 2,500.

In today’s elections it only takes one vote ta win. Your vote could be the one.

In four outa five wards, the only City vote will be for who will be Mayor for the next four years. ‘Course ya also getta vote for three School Board members. Shouldn’t take ya but a few minutes, so take a break and get to the polls. They open at 6 in the mornin’ and stay ‘till 7 in the evenin.’

If ya don’t vote, ya don’t get the right ta gripe.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

McCune- Brooks Hospital

HealthNotes

by Judith Sheldon

CARBS AND CRAVINGS: A relatively new phrase has made its way into the language - carbohydrate cravings. These two words are supposed to explain why so many people feel compelled to seek out and take in far more carbohydrates in the form of what they call "mood foods" (pizza, ice cream, pastries, etc.) than they need. While much of what the proponents of this newest dietary theory assert still needs to be studied, there does seem to be some logic to what they say.

Carbohydrates help levels of serotonin, a chemical messenger produced by the brain, and believed to have a soothing or calming effect. Low levels of serotonin in the body are associated with depression and other mood problems. Carb foods - including the classic glass of warm milk many people take before bedtime - help increase serotonin levels.

But one can overdo on the intake of carbohydrates. What can result is weight gain and even more pronounced depression. Sugar, which is a carbohydrate (and all carbohydrates change to sugar in the body) gives a boost to serotonin production, followed by a crash, which leads to a craving for more carbohydrates, followed by an even longer crash, and so it goes.