The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-04-20
good wages; in fact last summer the
demand has been in excess Of tie SUP

One sees no panpers, and mendicantl
are beautifully scarce. It is dn(
country for all who have to work. and
for all who wish to lead m independ-
ent life on their own fai MS:
The needs OF this country are two
fold: Muscle, with brain and activity
to use it in the right direction, and
capital to buy up, break and cultivate
the many thousand acres of both rail-
road and government lands, now lying
idle, waiting for the above to come
from the Over-crOwded sections of the
East, aud the down trodden sections OF
Europe.
Labor both male and female is al
ways in demand. the former particu-
larry in the summer season. when waR.
es range from $3.50 to $3.50 and $500
per day for common farm hands in lay
and harvest field, while board, and
good. No. one board, is 10 higher, If as
high, rs in the East. The mere mat
ter Of wages is not the only induce
ment offered for laboring men and wo-
men of small means to come to this 10
cality. The price for which the best
prairie land can ba bought, puts it
within the reach of all to soon after
their arrival he the happy possessor of
a home of his or her own.
! The crops when compared side by
with the yield per acre Of other States,
makes al excellent showing for tho
Garden State of the Northwest, when
one takes into consideration that As a
rule the western farmer, like many in
the East. expects too much of the land,
particularly when it is rich and fertile
! like the soil here, and leaves nature to
do what God ordered man to do by the
! sweat of his brow. Let a good farmer
take one Of our western farms in this
section, prepare the ground well, cult
waite properly and take pains in har.
vesting, thereby not only will lie benefit
himself pecuniarily, but by his example
and certain success teach his neiglbOrs
the way to prosperity and wealth.
In looking over the statistics of the
grain products of 1881, find that Min.
nesota, though still in its infancy as q
corn growing State, makes Il showing
Of an average of 81 bushels to the acre,
ranking fourth among the States of
the Union and fifth where the Territor-
les are counted, which was sold ut IS
cents per bushel; while in many states
where the price Of one acre of grou I'd
would buy farm of equally good land
here, the yield was much less, and the
price but \ trifle more.
As to wheat. Minnesota comes sec.
ond on the list AS to the total quantity
raised, viz: 35.952OOO. Ohio being first
with her IS, $50. 600; the average yield
per acre for the latter being 1873 bush
els. while the former has ia bushels
on land which cost probably not one
tenth rs much, with no more labor or
cost Of production. and selling for lit
tie less in the market. Who can SAY.
after looking at this showing, that
Minnesota is not the place for all com.
ing to the growing West to locate?
The Flax crap, for which l find ne
statistical report. is very important
factor in estimating the value of the
farming capacity of this state. The
land in this locality is particularly
adapted to the growing Of flax, yield
ing Is bushels to the acre. and selling
from 81 to $l.25 ut any railroad station
or village, ard fine market is but just
opening here for the use Of all the flax
straw to he made into tow and shipped
to the New York city market.
The grass Of this locality is particu.
larry adapted for tho herding both of
cattle and hogs, tie latter growing fat
off the sweet wild grass OF the prairie:
and water is never scarce, rs tie whole
state is dotted with small lakes, from
three to ten miles long, aud Of tile pur.
est water.
Haying begins about the middle of
June, and lasts until the frost kills the
grass. The first cutting Is done in low
land, and then working along up as the
season advances until the fine, sweet,
fragrant Blue Joint, of which South
western Minnesota is so justly proud.
ends the ilaying season; aud both hors-
e5 and cattle enjoy this hay more than
the timothy Or the clover of the East.
We have three churches here now,
Methodist, Congregational and Epis-
copal, with Il Roman Catholic church
talked of. Four hotels, one tho Wor.
Ellington, number one in every partic-
ular.
Two daily papers arrive morning
and afternoon from Sioux City and st.
Paul, containing all the Geographic
news from all parts Of the world.
And although quite a railroad center
alre .dy, Worthington looks for ward to
Il still brighter future. Being situated
| 1T the eastern terminus of the Worth.
| ington l. Sioux Falls Il. r.. which will
eventually Ike extended acress Dakota
to the Black hills, also being an impor-
tant station on the It. Paul 4 Omaha
through line, and by the middle of ~
Burlington, Cedar Rapids 4 North.
ern Il. r., now approaching, will give
US u southern outlet for the products of
our farms. opening the markets OF the
many tlourishing and rapidly growing
cities ct Iowa. Missouri and Kansas,
which. added to those to our north and
northeast, can not fail to create a boom
in both land and produce, adding yet
another inducement to the many com
ing from the East to settle in this local.
| ity.
One very important item is the cost
Of living, which is as low. if not lower,
than in the East, particularly such ar
ticles rs meat, flour. butter and eggs,
and the other staple articles Of food
are very much lower. Fuel is high,
but nature has kept that in mind and
provided remedy il, her coarse slough
grass. which being cured in the sun
and twisted in a peculiar Shape, form
ing \ hard, knot-like stick, is used by
many both for cooking aud heating
purposes.
One item, Which I had forgotten to
mention, not being gerulane to the
body matter of my letter, is the fine
opportunity nature offers to the sports.
man TO most fully enjoy this most cap
tivating, and at the same time to many
lucrative pleasure and occupation
The plump prairie chickens are very
abundant; from the front door of oul
farm house have most any day this
winter seen them by fitties flying over
the fills within easy shot. Wild
geese, and the finest varieties Of the
wild luck are now returning from the
South. and soon the lakes and ponds
will he covered with them, and with
the much priced brant. A few quail
are seen, hut not many.
The legislators Of the State have
wisely passed laws for the protection ot
all game during the breeding season.
Tie lakes are we'll filled with pike
pickerel. perch and buffalo fish. weigh
ing all the way from 10 to Is lbs. and