Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-08-21

Aside from woodland the uniMproveG
acres in Nebraska farms were 1,2l3,376, so
that the total farm acreage amounted to p
0I5, l31 the cash value of which, in 1870
was $50, 242, 1856, an average OF $14.5S per
acre Each acre, then, in thousands Of
homesteads, is worth to day as much as
one hundred and sixty acres cost-home-
steads being famillarly known as fourteen
dollar FARMS Those farms bought OF the
United States have not usually, cost ore
tenth of their present value, though ma.
jority Of them have been purchased witkifi
ten years. The value of land in England
has increased during ehe last fifty years.
less than twenty mine Der cent. t2SSS iH-
exact figures): within One-fifth of that
time, the lands of Nebraska have advanced
one thousand per cent.
But more than two-thirds of the land in
Nebraska farms (6S.S per cent? is still;
unimproved. Therefore, land-values have
not risen one third as much rs they will'
rise.
FARM LANDS HOW FAR IMPROVED.
In all the States in the Cnion, except
two, more than thirty per cent. of the land
in farms was unimproved i'm 1870. Those
two States were New York and Illinois.
The percentage Of farm land unim-
proved in the former was 29.6; in the lat
ter 25.3. Illinois is, then, the Agricultural
Banner State. Her farms are more per-
vasively cultivated-no corner untouched,
because they are like eggs-good through.
out; and because she was settled earlier
than any other genuine prairie Stste.
But, as Iowa and Nebraska are likewise
M. rr-fn fafn g =
when they are as old, their farms win show
as small percentage of land unimprovet.
Indeed, railroads will hurry on their devel--
opement faster than they have accelerated
the growth of Illinois.
But, as more than one-thid of the area
of Massachusetts has remained untitled afi
ter two centuries and half of settlement.
it is likily so to remain till doomsday.
The truth is, the per centage there untitled
was grealer IN 1870 than it was in 1860,
while the valuation of farm lands was
about seven millions less, $6,823, ,164.
Ho! FOR THE NORTH POLE.
Capt. Parry, having sailed north till he
reached field of solid ice, landed on it
with sleds and force OF trained dogs. He
drove on due north twenty miles day for
three weeks; but, on taking an observa-
tion was thunderstruck at fin ding that he
was, after all, south of the point from
which he had started. The reason was.
that while he was driving one way the
ice field was drifting another.
So fares it with many an Ohio farmer,
Work as hard as he will, his farm is drift
ting down.. On the other hand, the Ne
braskar is on an ice field drifting the same
way that he is driving. His gains are not
merely his crops, but the growth in land
value, always the greatest in new count
tries-a growth no frost, no drouth, no dell
uge can stop-which keeps on, like inter-
est while he is asleep, and insures HIM
all that Capt Parry lacked for reaching
the goal of his ambition.
POPULATIONAL PROGRESS.
Upt0 New Years, 1913, the claims filediT
Lincoln, the Nebraska capital, by home
steaders were 12,304; by preemtors 13, ,447; /;
purchasers ofrailroad land along the line
of the Burlington and Missouri River
Railroad were 1,325. Their farms amoun-
ted to 294, ,625 acres, bought on ten years
credit. six per cent. interest, and on cbh-
tracts made since 1872, nothing Of the
principals payable till the end Of fbus
years.