Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1912 — Onion Growers Become Wealthy From Starke County Muck Lands. [ARTICLE]

Onion Growers Become Wealthy From Starke County Muck Lands.

Twelve yearß ago R. D. Wine, of Streator, 111., went to Starke county—thought he saw a future to the land — and bought 240 acres in Jackson township at a price less than S2O an acre. But he tjid not stop at that, for his confidence in the land grew stronger as time went by. Each year be has added to his Starke county possessions until today he owns acres of the fertile mnck soil. He acquired his land at an average cost of $44 per acre, but SIOO,OOO, or $125 per acre, “spot cash,” if offered to him today, would not tempt Mr. Kline in the least. “Marvelous!” one is prone to gasp, “it is unbelievable,” But here is the proof of the pudding, copied from the Knox, Ind., Republican: “During the year of 1911 R. D. Kline and son sold $60,000 worth of produce from 200 acres of their Starke county muck lands. Seventy-four acres of this land produced 27,000 bushels of onions, which w r ere sold for $50,000 Part of these onions were sold direct from the fields last fall and the remainder from the storage house at Toto, five miles southwest of Knox, the price ranging from 70 cents To $2.25 per bushel. On the other 126 acres of the 200 under cultivation; SIO,OOO worth of corn, cabbage and potatoes were grown.- The onion yield was 500 bushels to the acre, all of which was sold on an average of $1.40 per bushel. Each of the 74 acres thu‘ produced $649 worth of onions! On one acre of land Kline & Son grew--900 bushels of onions, which they sold for SI,BOO. This acre was carefully measured and the crop kept to itself and marketed alone.” With a little reflection, however, one finds that there is nothing marvelous about this after all. The success of Mr. Kline is only typical of what the use of a little foresight and the exercise of ceaseless, untiring efforts will do for a man. It is such qualities as these that characterize the men who pioneer in their own field of endeavor and who do big things in this world. One day not long ago after Mr. Kline had made the purchase, Mrs. Kline went to Starke county to take a look at their new possessions. To her, the dismal atmosphere was appalling. As she gazed over the drear swamp lands of this uninviting tract she breathed an ominous sigh, “So this is where our money has gone?” so their money did “go.” All we regret is that we had none to “go” with it, for when it goes to going that money was the best goer that ever went Mr. Kline is not the only man who has prospered with muck lands. Many have made small fortunes in the past few years and scores of small growers are awakening to the dawn of greater things. And the Gifford lands, which Ed Oliver and other progressives are putting in onions, potatoes, etc., will contribute to several fortunes within the next few years Some Rensselaer men have seen it coming and have put their money in* it But there are opportunities yet anc" many of them and when the Newlan' storage plant is built and its owners report the. success attained, there will be a larger demand than ever for the rich muck soil so long regarded as almost valuless.