The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-12-06
From Nebraska.
BEATRICE. NEB, Nov. 10. 1883.

BEATRICE. NEB, Nov. 10, 1883.
To the Editors of the Standard:
When | left jackson County last
June, WAS requested by many friends
to write them concerning homes in
Nebraska. With your permission /
will give the result of my observation
thus far, through the Standard.
l am located in Gage County, which
is in the southern tier of counties, and
the third west of the Missouri River.
Gage ranks third in population, and
is one of the richest and best counties
in the State.
The prices [ shall give, while they
apply more particularly to this coun-
ty, l think may be taken as a fair av-
erage of the State.
Land has increased in value very
fast during the past two years, and
people coming from the East, who
base their Information on statistics
two or three years old, are very much
surprised to find it three times rs high
as they expected.
Raw or unimproved land can be
bought for ten to TWENTY-FIVE dollars
per acre, according to location. There
is a great deal of this land yet for
sale. The Oto Reservation. situated
in the southern part of this county.
and comprising $4,000 acres. was put
on the market last spring, and all sold
to 'actual settlers;" but as majority
of the purchasers failed to fulfill the
requirements Of the law, they have
forfeited their claims, and the land
will be resold.
Improved farms ase selling at SIS
to $40 per acre, according to the
amount Of improvement and nearness
to towns, railroads, &c.
Trading in real estate is qnite an
important enterprise here. Land
agents are thick as politicians in every
town, placards with farm for sale"
may be seen along all the roads, and
a dozen newspapers devote consider
able portion of their "valuable space"
to full description of the "best farm
in the county"
Building material is Of course lit
tie higher than in timhered country.
GooJ eooeonoJ Inv, h., oon Lo oLLo,noJ
in any of the towns at S24 to S28 per
thousand. Good stone for building
can be had at Beatrice. and other
places along the Blue River.
Fuel is also little more expensive
here than it is in Jackson County.
Iowa soft coal, which Is inferior to
Jackson County coal, can be had for
81 or S. per tor. Colorado coal.
which is somewhat better, costs 81 so
per ton. Anthracite, or hard coal, is
sold at $14 per ton. Many Of the old
er farms can afford wood for cooking
from the cottonwood and maple
groves. Corn cobs supply hundreds
Of families, as their only fuel, during
the summer.
Fences are an expensive luxury in
this country. Crops flourish quite a.
well without being fenced, since no
stock is permitted to run at large.
Thirty feet of rope and an iron peg
will fence an excellent pasture for d
horse or COW anywhere on the prairie.
Crops of all kinds, except wheat, do
well in this part of the State. Corn
will average perhaps 40 bushels to the
acre this year. Wheat was good this
year, but it is so uncertain that but
little is soWn.
Corn is selling now at 30c.; wheat
80c.; oats 20c.; rye 40c.; potatoes soc.
per bushel. Hogs bring 81 per cwt.
and cattle S3 Is.
But have made this letter too long
already. Wishing you success, | am,
Yours Truly,
D. J. REYNIsH.