Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 251, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1919 — NORTH JASPER TO THE FORE [ARTICLE]

NORTH JASPER TO THE FORE

THREE NORTHERfb'TOWNSHIPS MAKING MARVELOUS PROGRESS. It was. a -revelation. The advancement that has been made-dur-ing the last few years in Kankakee, Wheatfield and Keener townships has been so great that to realize the progress one must have viewed the premises. . (Responding, to an invitation of George C. Cook, given through Co. School Superintendent M. L. Sterrett and Trustee John Bowie of Wheatfield, the editor with the county commissioners and county board of education and others, a most interesting day was spent in a tour of the three townships mentioned above on Thursday. The party consisted of County Commissioners Charles A. Welch, D. S. Makeever, H. W. Marble; the following members of the county board of education: Burdett Porter, trustee of Carpenter township; Julius Huff, trustee of Jordan township; Charles W. Postill, trustee of Marion township; John Rush, trustee of Newton township; Walter Harrington, trustee of Union township; John F. Pettet, trustee of Walker township; B. F. LeFevre, trustee of Gillam township; Warren Poole, trustee of Hanging Grove township; Alfred Duggleby, trustee of Kankakee township; John Bowie, trustee of Wheatfield township; Clifford FairChild, trustee of Keener tpwnship, and M. L. Sterrett, county school superintendent; also the following: Attorney Abraham Halleck, of Rensselaer; E. Jensen ,George Ferguson, Attorney P. R. Blue and William GrubC, of Wheatfield.

'The first place visited by this party was the consolidated school at Tefft. This township has ‘but the one school and it has a splendid building, modern and equipped up-to-dately with an excellent corps of teachers doing high school as well as grade work. From here ~ a run was taken to the' ' Dunn’s bridge. Here two wdtiderful changes were noticed. The former Burris camp was dry and the river had been dredged and straightened so that the land Would be dry, too. The drive was the#* made to the northern metropolis, Wheatfield, but time did not permit a visit to the school here, ‘but Trustee Bowie, who is a member of the school board, admitted that it was the best to be found anywhere. He made the broad assertion that for intellectual; attainment and for personal beauty his corps of teachers were in Class A, first division. The horseless carriages were then driven to the Baum’s bridge; which' spans the Kankakee river, the character of which has been made as straight as a Billy Sunday reformed drunkard, and the surrounding country is fast being influenced by the “Uplift.” At high noon the climax of the day’s enjoyment was reached when the party landed at one of the residences of the five-thousand-kcre tract of land being improved by the firm of Cook, Meyers & Isenbarger, of LaCrosse. Here the glad hand of genuine welcome was extended by George C. Cook arid W. J. Dahl, of LaCrosse. This residence is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Rauda Becker. Mrs. Becker had the assistance in preparing the elegant dinner of Mrs. George C. Cook and daughter, Emma, and Mrs. C. W. Isenbarger, of LaCrosse. To witness the onslaught of this group of men in their attack on this dinner would have convinced one of the fact that no better menu was ever prepared. There was fried chicken, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, —bean salad, .picketed eggs and beets, coffee with real cream, and many Other delicious articles, including cake and pumpkin pie. The good ladies urged all to take bounteously of the oversupply, an act one would think entirely unnecessary, knowing the men who were being banqueted. It was a wonderful dinner, everything was so well cooked and seasoned that in eating all went back to their boyhood appetites. The feast being over, Trustee Bowie, who was entirely responsible for the day’s enjoyment, acted as toastmaster and introduced a number of the men, who made fitting addresses and all commented upon the elegant dinner. Those called upon were: Superintendent Ster=rett, Attorney A. Halleck, the Rev. Postill and George C. Cook. Cook then headed the group for « visit over the 5,000-acre tract of famd which he and his associates are developing. Nine splendid sets of improvements are now completed and most of the farms connected with these improvements are occupied by tenants who have splendid crops. Five sets of improvements are to be added next year. These improvewhich it is planned to place on each half section, consist of a 'commodious residence, large barn, cribs and granaries and other buildings needed. (The land is being thoroughly dredged, which with the improving ©f the. Kankakee, has already reduced tha . water Bae to-sqy.frpsH

or seven feet below the surface of the ground. A large dredge drain is being constructed in conjunction with the Northern Indiana Land company some fourteen miles in length and which will give a perfect drainage to a large portion of the land in this part of the county. The Cook et. al. company bought this land, paying from S6O to S9O per acre. The improvements they will make will cost between $25 to SSO per acre, but when completed the land will sell readily at S2OO per acre, which will be a fair earning basis for the same. The company has been at work for about fifteen months. During this time the transformation has been almost as if by magic. The fields in corn have a crop matured and the yield in quantity and quality's second to none in this county. The wheat averaged about twentyfive bushels per acre and the tenants now occupying farms on this tract of land are very prosperous. The Cook company is constructing drains on most of the section lines and the dirt is being placed on the banks in such a manner that it will be made into splendid road beds. This is possible on account of the levelness of the land. The company is spending money freely. They are not doing things by halves. Their improvements will miles of new roads, some new bridges and a good consolidated school. These improvements will be needed to take care of the changed conditions brought about by the work of the Cook company and the added value in the way of taxable property will take care of the increased public expenditures made necessary. This is not a new venture for Mr. Cook arid his associates. They have just completed the • reclamation vs some seven thousand acres of land in this same Kankakee valley near LaCrosse. Land that was worth five to ten dollars an acre has been improved and is now selling as high as $.250 per acre. One is impressed with Mr. Cook’s open, frank, business manner. He is a thorough gentieman, courteous and pleasing and anxious to give one hundred cents for every dollar’s worth value received by himself and associates. The conditions being brought about by this enterprising group of men is almost inspirational and Mr. Cook’s enthusiasm is remarkable. Having completed a tour of- the - Cook land, the drive was then made to the Hebron grade and another view was had of the Kankakee river and here the party began their homeward trip. A stop was made at DeMotte and • here again was found a fine consolidated school building, thoroughly equipped, modern and up-to-date with high grade teachers doing work from the first grade to the completion of a high school course. Northern Jasper is blazing the way in the progress being made in this county. It has the best schools possible and its enterprising citizens and public officials are working miracles in the improvement of living conditions and productiveness of the soil. :- —■ If you want your Hoosier faith renewed and your confidence firmly placed in the future of Jasper county, visit Kankakee, Keener and Wheatfield townships.