The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-12-09
+ LEI'1,EIi. FROM ILLINOIS.
RAPID ADVANCE OF PRAIRIE: LANDS
~ FERTILITY OF4NOBLES COUNTY ;
! \ 81 HOLD ONTO; FOUR LAND y .5 !: !;

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:. 2. HOLD on TO FOUR LAND: *;. 4. !: I
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THE following letter from 4 gentle
man who visited the Colony last SUM
mer, and who has great faith i'll our
future, will lie read with much interest
as; showing the rapid advance in prairie
lands in Illinois. That ours will ad-
vance still more rapidly, owing to our
railroad facilities, can scarcely be ques-
tioned:] ~. s., sl.S >...:...-.
MERRITT, SCOTT COUNTY, ill.,
j.. g.: !. Now 27tl,, 1876 !
EDITOR ADVANCE: / have intended
for more thana month past to- write
you letter, but other matters. have
impinged upon our time. Having Just
read1''Xes'" and HIS" letters, we are
glad We have waited. There is GER
tainly smack of the ironical about
''H's'' letter. Ou, soil, that was our
theme in mind. Some (many, perhaps, J
have been tempted to leave our beluti-
full prairies, owing to adverse circum-
stances. Some, we, think, lightly
appreciate the value: of our fertile soil.
TO correct this, we offer a few facts
showing the Importance of good soil
in the promotion of a farmers material
wealth. Theprairies of Scott, Morgan,
Pike, and the best prairies of Adams
Counties, of Illinois, have as good soil.
perhaps, rs there is anywhere in the
temperate zone. We shall speak par
ticularly OF Scott and Adams Counties,
and of the country around Griggsville
and Pittsield, in Pike County, for these
localities may safely: challenge the
broad domain of the nation Ito produce
Il better farming country: In 1913, Mr..
H., living near Winchester, in Scott
County, sold his farm at 81 an acre.
Twenty years after, land in the same
neighborhood, and that same form, was
worth from 500 to $125 ;ln acre. MI.
II. moved to this place 1--WE are boarding
with his sony and bought about 800
acres-l90 acres, all improved, under
fence, with a good house upon it, at $12
per acre; The remainder, mostly i'm
proved, at 50. Mr.. H., at that time,
was worth about 1000; the son was Il
boy of fifteen. The father and son now
live near each other, but have separate
farms. Together they own over 900
acres, that would sell for $C0,OOO-the
land alone, without their 1--we stock,
farm implements, OF money in bank or
at interest. Their wealth has come by
the advance in the value Of their lands,
the produce of their farms, and by stock
raising; they were not spectators.
You can scarcely buy in acre of land
between here and Jacksonville, distant
ten miles, for less than 500 an acre;
yet the country is not very populous.
Farms are rather large than small.
The productvcness of the soil makes
the value. Twenty years ago land near
Griggsville was worth $50 or $50 an
acre. Was talking with another Mr..
H., Of Adams, several weeks ago: "Mr.
H., how did it happen that your father
settled upon those clay hills of his? lie
must have had money when he came
here" ''Ile did, but the land was
bought 10y another party, before he came
out himself. When we came to this
country l could have bought splendid
quarter of land near Griggsville for
81 goo. That quarter Was sold seven
years ago for $4,000. 1t had q good
brick house on it. 1t would have been
worth $4,000 if there had been no
house,
What has made this land valuable?
Railroads? No; they were without rail-
roads until five years ago. The land
had reached these prices before railroads
came. Their only outlet WAS the ILL
! nois River, Il feeble stream for n.viga-
ton which two railroads have rendered
almost useless. The men of this place
used to drive their hogs to Alton and
st. Louis. What has given such value
to the land, when the land OF other
parts Of the same counties can he bought
to-day at from $40 to $50 an acre? The
intrinsic worth Of the soil, arising from
its great fertility, making those rich
that owned and titled it, has given it
its value. Land, whose corn crop upon
the stalk is worth every year from $50
to S;35 All acre, and even So, cannot be
otherwise than valuable, whether owned
iii small farms or thousand acre tracts.
How is it with Mobiles County? The
land is all good. There is no waste
land. There are 10 clay hills. Our
communication with other parts is
easily effected by the railroads now III
operation. We have a soil that would
make energetic men ricl, if they had to
haul or drive to Mankato. We have
but word of advice, ''lIold to your
lands and improve them.''
Yours, G.. II. F.