Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-03-07

were FLED to overlooking with land
seekers and men coming to view the
weat. The country south of Hast
ings for hundred miles is tributary
TO that point. Huge stables, such as
are unknown in our country. are
filled every night with the teams Of
farmers who have come tor manv a
weary miles TO exchange their stock
aud prodace for the goods of the
merchant or the currency Of the
country.
The amount of farm machinery
sold ct this point is aimost bevond
belief. The prices Of farming i'm
plements are about the same as in
Grant County. A good double box
farm wagon sells at from s75 to $50,
A good quality Of dressed stock
boards can be bought for s22 per NJ
Ship Tapped boards, and matched
flooring S26 per NJ, and the best OF
shingles 1915 per Nj. White cedar
fence posts can be had in abundance
Tor SO per hundred.
Wheat and othor grains are lower
here than in WISCONSIN,. Eggs and
butter are considerably higher. A
manufactorY OF agricultural imple-
ments has just been established, and
a foundry IN connection with it. A
brick yard, also new enterprise, is
in successful operation, and produces
fair quality of brick at from SO TO
FL per Nj. ,priees which cannot long
be sustained. IL struek US while
here, that there was still; room for
another stock dealer. who can raise
prices somewhat and still put money
in his pockets and also 10 those OF
the farmers.
The country in the immediate vi
cinjty of Hastings is a level prairie
interspersed with small lakes, or la
goons, as they are here called from
which we are told the water disap-
pears little later. in tho season. A
few miles south, in the direction of
the Blue, the lagoons disappear and
Q more beautiful rolling prairie docs
not exist in any country. Twenty
five miles south of Hastings. ia a
beautiful section Of country, situated
on the divide between the Blue and
Republican, rivers, we found M.
John Reed, late Of Lancaster. aud
bis brother, Mr.. Ed Reed. Mr.. VIM.
Wilkinson, u former Grant County
boy, We wero informed had also To-
Gated in this vicinity, and is likely to
soon become rich Nebraska farmer.
This whole country is vast roll
ing prairie, with the exception of
slight growth Of t.moer along the
streams. The coil will compare ia.
vorably with the best soil in Grant
County. and reaches to a depth un-
known on our uplands. There is
just the slightest trace of sand, when
rubbed closely between the thumb
and finger,and unlike many portions
Of the west, it rests on subsoil of
clay from s to 90 feet 10 depth, con-
sequen'iy is not liable to suffer from
the effects of drought. We speak
from what we have seen Of this por.
ton OF Nebraska, and yet we are as
sured that great portion of the
State is much the same, and have
our information from men who have
made personal observation. In the
adjoining counties south, lying ia
the state of Kansas, we arc told the
country is much the same, and that
there still are homestead lands left.
Franklin County, Immediately west
of this (Webster), still contains some
unoccupied homestead lands, bat the
best are all gone. A great deal Of
good railroad land can still be bought
CD terms that no man can deny are
easy. The disposition to speculate
in land which is common to all new
countries is not unknown here, but
ls not carried 20 the extent which it
was few years ago. Almost every
man you meet has land be will sell !;
homestead which you can have the
privilege of proving up, for which
be expects pay for improvements,
and nice little sum besides, tim.
Der claim on which the owner has
broken what the law requires, and
having stuck few limbs into the
ground, dignifes it with tho name of
timber and nine times ont of ten
they are all dead. We do not wish
to be understood as saying there is
no growing timber which has been
set out. We saw many young groves
which will soon prove useful as we'll
as ornamental but we saw no such
timber claims for sale. The person
who has taken advantage of the tim
Der act for mere specuIation--and
there are many such--cares little
about raising timber, just so his
claims will hold good until he can
sell to some one who will nave to
make good the requirements of the
law, by homesteading, prompting,
or second claim under the timber
act. Another plan of speculation
for men of small means who have
strong faith in the future, is to buy
land of the railroad companies on ten
years time at per cent. and no pay
ments for four years. Before any
payments become due the buyer ex.
poets TO sell at O mere profit, and
leave the purchaser to make the pay
ments to the company. Yet with
all this, there is land, good land an 4
cheap land, vet to BIO bad, and fur
ther west and south, are homesteads
to be had for the taking, but as to
their quality we know nothing.
We feel assured that this portion
OF Nebraska will produce almost
every thing which northern farmer
wishes to raise, and produce e pay