Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1896 — A Trip Through Missouri and Iowa. [ARTICLE]

A Trip Through Missouri and Iowa.

The state of has an area of 68,735 square miles or 42,990,400 acres of land. The northern portion is level pairie land with rich bottoms. The state is well watered by streams,springs, etc. The land is very fertile, producing corn, wheat, hemp, oats, tobacco, potatoes, and all vegetables and fruits, especially peaches. We passed (Brough the northern portion of Missouri on the St. Joe &Hamilton division of the Burlington route, passing the towns of Shelbina, Macon, Bucklin, Meadville, Cameron and St. Joe. The crops were very good in the north part of Missouri. Most too much wet weather in the Eastern part of the state. The representative farmers and business men from and near the above mentioned towns boarded our train and traveled with us giving desirable'information in regard to the country through which we were passing. -Farmers who had lived there from 16 to 46 years were perfectly satisfied with the products of their farms. This particular climate is very congenial and healthful, some parts seldom going below zero in the winter or rising above 90 degrees in the summer time. We were presented with samples of various kinds of fruits which were as near perfection as any we ever saw. The corn fields were immense. The small grain was good and fairly well saved. Large apple orchards, ranging from 5 to 160 acres, where the trees were loaded down with fruit. The landscape was beautiful. Good roads, good water, pleasant villages, towns and cities, a very desirable place to live. Land is cheap and can be bought on reasonable terms.

We left St. Joe at 1 o’clock on Aug. 3, 1896, passing up the Missouri river bottom through Napier where we saw them shipping large quantities of corn for which they were paying IT cents per bushel. At Rulo we crossed the Missouri river and entered the Nehemah valley, Nebraska. Nebraska has an area of 76, 185 square miles or 48,755,400 acres of land. This state is a vast plain rising gradually toward the Rocky mountains with immense praries and fertile river bottoms. Nebraska is an agricultural state. The soil is very rich and very deep. It ranks first in the production ‘of com and is remarkably well adapted to the production of wheat, rye and barley, all kinds of vegetables, apples, grapes and all small fruit. The atmosphere good, abundant supply of water and nutritious grass makes it one of the best stock countries in the world.

At Tablerock we witnessed the first exhibit of the products of .Nebraska. It was splendid. An enterprising people had decorated the depot with corn, oats, wheat, rye, barley, potatoes, cabbage, hay, alfalfa and all kinds at fruit raised in that locality. Our next reception was at Tecumseh, a city of about 3000 inhabitants. We were met at the depot by the Military band and marched to the court house where more than a thousand people were assembled with a great display of their farm products, which would have been a credit to any state fair association. The ladies were very energetic and active in helping to display the products of the land and bringing out beautiful flowers for the party. The Republican Valley is one of the most fertile valleys of the state. It ranges from 2 to ten miles wide. This valldy teems with all kinds of agricultural products and is a beautiful sight indeed. A largo number of farmers and real estate men boarded the train at these stations and continued with us several days, from whom w§ gathered information as to the surrounding country. ■ r They informed us that the uplands were also vpry rich and that the soil was very deep, ranging from 2to 20 feet. We saw grass roots 5 feet in lenght, and alfalfa roots 7 feet in lenght. At the town of Filley, (a very beautiful place) was a splendid exhibit. We met Hon. Elijah Filley who has resided in Nebraska for 29 years, and owns over 2600 acres of land. He deals

largely in cattle, buying them on the range arid shipping them in transit, unloading at his sta tion, feeding theqi six months and re-loading and shipping them to Chicago. He says this is a very profitable way to use his grass, and a convenient and profitable way to market his corn. This seems to me a good suggestion to. the stock men of our country who desire to con - tinue in the business. There is plenty of room in Nebraska for other men to engage in the same business. Beatrice is a very beautiful city where we were met with carriages and driven over the town and out' to the suburbs where we could see the country. The crops were very fine at this place and land can be purchased reasonably and on good terms. We passed on through this valley and stopped at Superior, Red Cloud. Republican, Alma, Orleans, Wilsonville, Oxford, McCook, Holdridge and Curtis, whore we were met by a large crowds of enthusiastic people with large displays of their farm products. The Western end of the Republican valley is where people suffered so muchwith the drouth, but now are relieved of these conditions and feel encouraged to invite their friends to come and live with them. From Curtis we went up on the plateau or divide between the Republican and Platte rivers. We went east on this divide as far as Strang,' thence to Fairmount. These lands are unsurpassed for beanty aud' fertility it being one of the best prarie or table lands in the world. It is well under cultivation and the farms are well improved, good houses, fences and groves. The people are prosperous, intelligent and energetic. The alfalfa and sugar beet industries are proving very successful on this prairie- They had a large harvest of small grain which is now saved and in first class condition. There are large quantities of old corn still in Store from last year. At one station we asked the elevator man how much corn he had and he said 125,000 bushels of ear corn in cribs and 50,000 bushels of shelled corn in the elevators, At Hastings we were given a grand reception by many thousand people, headed by the Governor of the state. Hon. Silas A.

Halcomb, and the Mayor of the city, G. J. Evans, who made us a speech of welcome followed by a splendid address from the Governor. Music was rendored a large Military band. A large display of, their products was made here and plenty of lemonade tor the party. From here we passed into the Platte river valley and stopped at Central City, Palmer, Greely Centre, and Burwell where we were again royally entertained by a reception in the Christian church. The people of Burwell are a splendid class of people. This part of the country is particularly adapted to grazing and this class of land is very cheap, can be bought as low as 12.50 per acre and parties who are engaged in the business told us they were doing well, and that these lands could be rented for 75 cents per acre a year for grazing purposes. The water question is solved by springs of living water which never freeze in the winter.

From here we went to Brokenbow and on our return stopped at Ravenna where we were greeted with a magnificent Sweed cornet band which made the sweetest music of any on the trip, and a fine display of all their products. * The sugar beet industry is a success at Grand Island, York and Sewvrd, in»the Grand valley of the Platee, 3,000,000 pounds of Granulated sugar was the out put for 1895 at the refinery at Grand Island. We were welcomed at York by a grand drive through the city, and at the city of Seward the grandest display on the entire trip. This is a rich locality the people are well to do and inteligent. From here we traveled eastward through, Lincoln, Nebraska City and Southern lowa and on to Chicago. The condition of southern lowa was very favorable under the circumstances. Their* small grain is not in as good conin Nebraska but their fields of corn are splendid. We did not have the privelge of seeing an exhibition of their products as we did through Nebraska. The resources of Nebraska are indeed great. The people who live there are intelligent, ener getic, and from the scarcity of grave-yards we conclude that the climate is very healthful. Before going south and investigating those southern hilly lands it seems to us that it would be wise on the part of those intending to move, to first investigate these western lands. It is true that they have met with failures but tell us of a state which never did meet with a failC" *

ure and then we might think it a more terrible thing for Neb-f raska and the western states.. But if we will only stop and consider the advantages of rail roads telegraph lines, telephones, mail service, agricultural, implements and the thousanns of other things at our hand to develops a new country, superior to what our fathers had, who had to fell the trees to clear a spot large enougn to build a house upon and then go into the woods with axe in hand and make the fields before they could raise the products to live upon, we would not be so discouraged when we hear of failures once in a whilA The rain fall in Mebraska in 1896 is as follows: April, 1896 6.43 inches. May “ 4.43 “ June "• 4,42 July “ 5.92 “ August “ .10 “ as reported byR. E. ditcher of Alma, Nebraska a man who gives special attention to rainfall. In Nebraska is untold wealth for the farmer if he will only stay there and cultivate the soil. He can never wear it out, it will never blow away, and while there is so much said of the failures yet from the goyernment report there has only been a few absolute failures since the sattlement. of the state. The, government report as shown by the United States crop bulletin is &s follows, From 1875 to 1879 inclusive good crops. In 1880 short crop. In 1881 to 1886 inclusive 'good crops- In 1887 short crop. In 1888 good crop. 1889 a big crop. In 1890 a failure. Is9l and 1892 good crops. 1893 a short crop. 1894 a failure, 1895 a fair crop and 1896 speaks for itself. This party consisted of the following named persons who were invited by P. S. Eustis, Gen. Passenger Agt. of the C B.& Q Ry. system, and from their location you will see they are from different parts of Michigan. Illinois and Indiana. P. S. Eustis, Gen. Pass. Agt. C. B. & Q. R. R. Chicagb, 111. Arthur D. Smith, Asst. Gen, Pass. Agt. C. B. & Q. Omaha, Neb. E. L. Wright, Asst. Gen. Pass. Agt. 0. B. & Q. Peoria 111. J. C. O’Connor, for Associate Press, Chicago, 111. Isaac Mason, Downers Grove, 111. S, M. Knox, Princeton 11l T. Rockenfeller, Streeter, 111. F. Rippberger, Oregon 111. A. S. Wisegarver Galesburg, 111. Lyman West, Galesburg, 111, James Wilson, Macomb, 111. C. Amrine, Vermont,. 111. J. T. Hodges, Mendota 111. W. S. Chatfield, Kankakee, 111, J. G. Todd, Newman, 111. H. W. Dana, Lincoln, 111. J. R. King, Macomb, 111. E. H. McElvain, Bushnelly 111. A. S. Broaddus, Lacon, 111. R. T. Johnson, Sandwich, 111. B. D. Brewster, Peru, 111. C. F. Galliger, Paxton, 111. W, H, Shidder, Bloomington, 111. W. N. Reynolds, Smithfield, 111. J. I. Warner, Ottawa, 111. —— W. H. Baldwin, Delavan, 111, J. M. Cox, Wyoming, 111. A. M. Webster, Washington, 111. S. N. Langdon, Prophetstown, 111. A. N. Henderson, Aledo, 111. C. E Payne, Fairberry, 111. M. R. M. John, Pontiac, 111. .... W. S. Young, Farmer City, 111. J. E. Whitney, Lee Center, 11l J. Z. Adams, Jacksonville, 111. B. O. Garder, Harvey 111. T. N. Holden, Aurora, 111. J. A. Armfield, Goodland, Ind. R. D, Smith, Huntington, Ind. IJ. M. Best, Elkhart, Ind, B. F. Ferguson, Rensselaer, Ind. F. M. Schirmeyer, Decatur, Ind. J. Frier, Grand Rapids, Mich. A. M. Duff, Champaign, 111. We all speak words of praise of Mr. Eustis, Mr. A. D. ‘Smith, and Mr. E. L. Wright and his other associates who so royally entertained us during the entire trip. I desire to say to the people who read the above article that the facts therein stated are derived from a personal investigation and inquiry while passing through the states mentioned. 'Doubtless there are many in Jasper and adjoining counties who are contemplating investing in southern or western lands. I would especially call your attention to these western lands and invite you to either call at my- office or correspond with me in regard to them. We will give you every fair opportunity to satisfy yourselves that what we say and offer is real. We have a great deal of information which we would cheerfully give you but cannot mention it alLin this article. We are so associated with the real estate interest in Nebraska and Misouri that we can give you great bargains and opportunities to obtain for yourself a home or realize largely on your investment. Yours respectfully, B. F. Ferguson, > Rensselaer, Ind.

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