Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 267, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1917 — RAILROADS LEASE IDLE LAND [ARTICLE]

RAILROADS LEASE IDLE LAND

Big (Corporations Co-Operate in Effort to Increase Food Supply of United States. Railroads of the West and middle West are leasing millions of acres of their idle land at nominal rentals in an effort to Increase the food supply, according to a statement Issued by Fairfax Harrison, chairman of the railroads war board. “Reports made to the board,” said Mr. Harrison, “show that virtually all the land owned by the roads which Is not being used for operating purposes is now under cultivation or is being used by live stock owners for grazing. “In addition a number of railroads are offering garden plots to families living along their right of way, without charge, while other roads have offered big tracts to the states in which they operate.”