Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 June 1901 — IN DEFENSE OF OKLAHOMA. [ARTICLE]

IN DEFENSE OF OKLAHOMA.

Former Residents of Jasper Speak in blowing Terms of That Country. Yukon, Oklahoma, June 15,1901. Editor J ournal: In the Th ureday, May 30th, issue of your paper we noticed an article headed “Take Warning,” in large print. The article ran something as follows: “In referring to the rush to Oklahoma an exchange says: Nine out of ten farmers who dispose of their Indiana holdings and go to Oklahoma will regret the move belore they have been in that country three years,” etc. We haven’t time to quote all of said article but we wish to try to show that the exchange mentioned was missinforihed. The assertions made in this article were false and will not apply at all to Oklahoma. In answer to the statement quoted above I wish to say. The parties thus changing may regret it but unless conditions in Oklahoma change materially, it will be their own fau't if they do. Those with whom we are acquainted who came here three and four years ago from the North are now worth from two to four times what they were when they came here. We know men who have doubled and even tribbled their capital in twelve months. We haven’t seen a man who has been here any length of time who has not made money, if he tried. He who works wins in Oklahoma. One man near Yukon made in one year ofi of about 1000 acres of wheat, SIO,OOO net above all expenses. Men who came here eight or ten years ago with an Old wagon and team and possibly two or three hundred dollars in their pockets, now own, many of them, from one to four quarter sections of land free from incumbrance. They have fine houses, fine horses, and fine short horn cattle.

The average house, horse or cow in the eastern part of Canadian Co., O. T., would put to shame the average house, horse or cow in Jasper Co., Ind. Don’t understand us to say there are no poor houses, horses or cows here. There are many poor houses. Poor horses are almost as scarce as as hen’s teeth. There are some cattle that are not the best of stock but they are all in good flesh. Regarding “Ideal Seasons” and “High Freight.” If “Ideal Seasons” are scarce in Oklahoma and have been since it was open for settlement, we can’t conceive what would happen should she be so fortunate as to be struck by a few said “Ideal Seasons.” We acmit freight is rather high but we can afford to pay high freight on what we buy if we can get good prices for what we sell, and can have ,plenty of it to sell, to pay with. We have watched ever since we have been here and find corn, oats and wheat run about two cents under Rensselaer prices quoted in your paper. Wheat has .yielded in the last five years from ten to forty five bushels per acre, corn from 20 to 60 bushels, oats from 40 to 135 bushels. (We can furnish affidavits to these yields,) Compare these yields with Jasper County or Indiana yields, our prices with your prices and see the result. Remember also one good man with four good horses can put out, tend and harvest from 80 to 100 acres of com and only need extra help through harvest and the farmers seem to have an easy life of it here. Last year Oklahoma had a million acres of wheat. Harvested and marketed 25 million bushels, and the insurance companies writing hail insurance on the wheat crops paid to farmers SIBO,OOO for wheat killed or damaged by hail. “Better and more diversified crops can be raised in Indiana than in Oklahoma.”

Does the above prove this statement true? And wheat, oats and corn are not the only products raised in thie country. Cotton, cane, caffircorn, alfalfa, peanuts, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, onions, castor beans, apples, peaches, pears, grapes, berries of all kinds, flowers and herbs, and most everything that will grow in the North, South, East or West is growing here right now. We have earlier springs, inter falls and altogether a better season here than in Indiana, thus giving us a chance to raise more diversified crops. For example, we give the following: In 1896 the year in which Oklahoma was reported to have had n total failure on account of drouth, the owner of the N. E. | of Sec. one In town eleven, range five west of the princl-

pal meridian, being in Yukon township, Canadian Co., Okla., six and onehalf miles southeast of Yukon and eleven miles due west of Oklahoma City, sow d 115 acres of wheat, which started nicely but on account of the drouth was entirely dead in the spring. He then sowed this same land to oats which again started nicely, having received a good rain. But receiving no more rain until June 10 died like the wheat. Then this persistent Okiahomaian proceeded to list this name land to corn, beginning on the 11th day’ of June. From that time on there was plenty of rain and he gathered an average of 50 bushels per acre. He made more money off of that corn and hogs than he has ever made on that farm in one year before or since. He had then only his claims; he now owns 480 acres of excellent land. As to schools,' etc , there is a fine school house at every three mile crossing, in every direction, all over the country, and the roads are good nearly all the year, thus making it easier to travel three miles here than two there the majority of the year. We also have good teachers, good salaries and a good school system. “Fifty per cent will drift back.” The Hoosier hen is a good scratcher and we have more confidence in her ability than to believe that any Hoosier who comes to Oklahoma will come here and scratch and ever go back broke. If he does he la a very poor scratcher indeed. We read the article herein referred to, to several old Oklahoma farmers and it not only made their hair stand on end but when we had finished they condemned it as false in very strong language, Home couldn’t wait until we got through, they interlined Mr. Clark, if you will publish this letter we will be very much obliged to you as the Northern papers are many of them telling their readers that on account of drouth and hot winds Oklahoma’s crop is a failure.

It doesn’t sound much like failure when we hear the farmers say their wheat will make from 10 to 40 bushels per acre. This is what we hear on the streets of Yukon. There have been between four and six car loads of twine sold in Yukon to bind the wheat with. And it is still going out at the rate of nearly a ton a day. Oats in this immediate vicinity was damaged by the early drought, but will make full half crop. Corn looks splendid. It is from six inches to waist high and some nearly ready to tassel. If your readers think we have overdrawn the report, we would be pleased to have them come and see for themselves. Yours Respectfully,

ALBBRT O. FARMER.

WORTH FARMER