The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-15
THE MOST DESIRABLE KIND OF
PROPERTY.

value is attached is as secure as land /;
it cannot be distracted away in a day,
or stolen in a night; it is a fixture.
All else called property is perishable'
destructible and subject to loss. Even
the precious metals are liable to be
stolen from repositories deemed safe.
No investments are as safe or as sure
to yield profit as investments in agri-
cultural lands. A large majority of
the farmers of Kenosha county did not
acquire their present assessed valua
tions of property by hard work or by
the raising of fam stocks and crops,
but by the steady rise in the price of
their lands. Hundreds who invested
every dollar of their capital years ago
in real estate in this and other parts of
the country are now in independent
circumstances. Nor does this apply
alone to those who bought real estate
and improved it; but as we'll to those
who purchased wild lands, and let them
remain unimproved. No investments
have proved so certain Of remunera-
ton as those in lands. Money loaned
at greater rate of interest even than
the law permits produces no such re-
turns as the average profit ON real es-
tate investments.
Land is not always readily converti-
BILE to cash like government stocks,
and it is probably well it is not SO cas-
lily changeable into money. The fact
that government stocks are convertible
into money holds out an almost ire
sistible temptation to speculation, and
has been the producing cause of much
financial ruin the past twelve months.
It is sometimes said of man che is
land poor" but if he can by good man.
agement pay his taxes and keep his
land unincumbered, he is, with hardly
an exception, destined to become
wealthy. Most people find 1t true that
land is worth more this year than last,
and so the expectation that it will be
worth more next year will likely be
realized. There are periods of depres-
sion when lands are reported slow sale,
but seldom is it reported that lands
have fallen off in value in any respect
able agricult ural district. Real estate
has not yet reached its maximum even
in the older states; lands are worth
more per acre in Europe than in this
country.
Contrast the condition Of those dur
ing the past few years, whose estate
has consisted chiefly in lands, with
those whose property has been repre-
sented in stocks, manufactures and per-
sonal estate. There have been but lit
tie or no fluctuations in real estate
values, while In many other kinds of
property the fluctuations in price have
been from twenty to thirty per cent.
While the real estate owner has seen
his property holding firm, and probably
increasing in value, other property
holders have had the unpleasantness
OF finding themselves daily growing
poorer; at least such has been the ten
dency of values for many months past. |
Thousands of men have been laying
the sure foundations for fortunes since
the tide of emigration has been tend |
ing to the new states of the west. |
Millions of acres of land have been
purchased within the past few years
at government rates; these lands will |
generally be worth before the end of |
the next five years from five to ten dol.
lars per acre, should they remain with
out improvements, and double that
price if improved. The men who have
gone from among us to the great west
and located lands could not have done
more wisely; some Of them may en-
lure privation, but with patience and
health they will succeed.
In no other enterprise or business pur-
suit would ultimate success have been
more certainly assured. If there be a
young man who has no permanent or
fixed employment, instead of foolishly
going into the already over-crowded
professions, let him resolve TO secure
, piece of land, if it be but forty acres;l