Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1911 — BENTON STILL AT HEAD [ARTICLE]

BENTON STILL AT HEAD

As the Best Agricultural County In the Great State of Indiana. According to the tax returns from the 92 counties of Indiana, Benton county land i 9 the most valuable in the state, its average assessment per acre being $56.25, a gain of .06 cents over last year. We say the most valuable land in the state, and by this we -mean agricultural land. Lake county land is assessed an average of $79.93, but that is not because of its fertility by any means, the many new factories and speculative activity having advanced the price of land throughout the Calumet region to great heights, that would starve a rattlesnake. Excluding Lake, Clinton county stands next to Benton with an average of $52.85 per acre; Boone third, $51.72; Tipton fourth, $49.81; Madison fifth,

$49.76; Johnson sixth, $49.66; Howard seventh, $49.38. All other counties are below $49, with Crawford the lowest at $5.93. Brown and Perry are close contestants of Crawford, with $6.45 and $6.46 per abre, respectively. Martin is the fourth poorest county in the state, its assessment being $9.70 per acre. All other counties are above $lO. Jasper’s average is $22,’ an increase of 11 cents over last assessment; Newton $31.28, an increase of 6.7; Pulaski $17.22, an increase of 19.6; Starke $14.27, an increase .of 5.1, and White $28.16, an increase of 3.8. Porter county’s average is $27.22, an increase of 2.8.