The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-03-14
FEBRUARY 18th, 18T

JAO IN LAALs 1fAAO IN.
FEBRUARY nth, 1878.
FRIEND S: Your favor of the 4th
inst. at hand, inquring about this sec
ton Of the country. / will answer
through the TELEGRAPH as fully as [
can for the benefit of you or any one
else that may read this who have
any intention Of going West.
I came here four years last June and
can now get a deed of 100 acres of
Uncle Sans land at any time for SS14,
no more fertile qr-section in Kenosha
county. Have got q little stock and
some improvements, also couple lit
tie girls that would make any moth
er's heart rejoice to see them that are
living in any miasmal section of the
country. We have the healthiest Of
climates. I feel proud of my quarter
section and my family, am contented
and know that do not have to go to
some other locality On moving day in
May"
A great many are deferred from
going West into a new country, be-
canse the country is wild, they have
not the improvements and luxuries of
an older country, and say they can buy
improved farms for what the improve
ments cost.
This is true to certain degree, let
us see how far Nh. A. possessor Of a
few hundred dollars wishes to buy a
farm, he goes to Mr.. B. and asks him
if he wishes to sell. Mr.. B. ownes a
fine farm with orchard and fruit in
abundance, water convenient, good
buildings in complete repair, ond all
the modern Improvements needed on =
farm. Mr. A. thinks such place
would just suit him. 1t would, and
ought to suit any one. But there is no
chance for him OF any one else buying
it for what the improvements cost.
The answer is no sir; this land
bought a good many years ago when it
was a wilderness, and all around it a
wilderness, [ came here when I was a
young man, and what you see around
me are the fruits of my own energy
and perseverance. here / am contented
to stay the remainder of my days. No
sir, / don't wish to sell.
He then approaches Mr.. G. and asks
him if he wishes to sell, He answers,
yes, I will sell. I bought this place ten
years ago expecting to stay here, but
[ think / could do better somewhere
else. | have a brother over in D., he
has been writing to me about times
there, and I think [ should like to go
out there. But the skeleton is mort
gage, interest has taken the profits and
some of the principal. Where the
principal? / will tell you where Mr..
r. bought the place. ten years ago, the
buildings were comparatively new,
fences in good repair. but interest has
all the money except what was neces-
sary for d living, he has net had the
means to keep the buildings up or the
fences in repair, and to-day they are
worth hundreds of dollars less than
they were ten years ago. Mr.. G. will
show Mr.. A. over the place and tell
this barn cost $500, the house $500, the
horse barn 5000 and SO IN through
other Improvements till they foot upI
a some total Of nearly $4,000, he offers
to take $4,000 which Mr.. A. thinks is
a good bargain and accepts. One thing
to bear in mind right here is that a
good share of the improvements
through your section was put on dur
inc and Immediately after the war
when lumber and wages were high |
and every one was making money. The
same improvements could now be
made for less than one-half the
amount, and it is safe to say they are
not worth one-half new ones would
he making the actual value of them
n our case less than $1,000. |