Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1911 — H. H. Smith Writes From Home at Wild Horse, Colo. [ARTICLE]

H. H. Smith Writes From Home at Wild Horse, Colo.

Wild Horse, Colo., Jan. 10, 1911. Editor Republican: Thinking probably our Jasper county friends are wondering whether we live or not, I will write a few lines and let them know we are still living and like the west fine. We have_a very nice locality and one of the best grazing countries in the union. There are several ranchers located near us and their cattle are doing fine and most of them are fat enough for meat without any feed except the native grass and with no shelter at all. We have had a fine winter and with the exception of one or two days the doors have stood open. We have had three little snows, but they were gone as soon as the sun came out. Last year was almost a crop failure on account of the drouth, but corn and fall wheat went from 8 to 20 bushels to the acre on old ground. Sod crops made roughness and that was all.' We never saw a rain drop from the 17th of May until the first of August, but everything still clung to its life and all it made was made between the first of August and the middle of September. Some are leaving their homesteads. I attended a public sale last Thursday and everything sold high, notwithstanding the terms were cash. Three head of cattle brought $203; one spring calf sold for $19.50 and a team of thin mares sold for $296. I have 15 acres in fall wheat that looks very well and will put in about 65 acres of corn and fded crop. Potatoes do well here. We have 12 head of cows and heifers that have lived all winter on native grass and are fat enough for beef. We like the country fine and think next year’s crops will be better. There is no open homestead land now and relinquishments are high. I may write again in the future, so must close, with best regards for one and all. H. H. SMITH.