Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1885-01-10
INVESTMENTS.

OIo"U dCIoo VI virgin pidAIAo 'odoy loi
the pillow gives the farmer the advant-
age of full 20 years over those of the
middle-western states, where the timber
had to be cleared, logs burned, stumps
dug and fences built. Here no stump,
trees or fences retard the prairie farmer
from making in from three to five years
as complete a cultivated farm as our
eastern friends can procure in a life
time Of hard labor. This is one great
reason for the rapid increase of our
population; for the young farmers of the
east are coming by the thousands to
take up homes where nature furnishes
cleared fields and pastures green.
To the intending purchaser Dakota
offers finer farms than can be had in the
eastern states at less than one fourth
the eastern price.
To the investors of money on farm
security the field is broad, generous in
rates, and if reliable agents are selected
so that loans are placed j%udiciously,
offers the eastern capitalist a fine in
come at high rates of interest.
The writer can take you in a days
drive from the city of Devils Luke and
show you farm after farm, plantation
after plantation, Of 100 to 800 acres,
with from so to $50 acres improved,
good buildings, stable and with good
stock, teams and agricultural nipple.
ments, all of which the investor can get
as security for a loan of $500 to $500.
Nearly every one seeking loans place
the money so borrowed intomore and
needed Improvements or the farm, sc
that the lender has the satisfaction Of
knowing that his money goes largely to
enhance the value of his securities.
Again, every additional acre broken
up and cultivated, every improvement
in house, barn or stable adds from yea,
to year to the value of the farm, so thai
while the investors money or the face
of principal note remains the same, the
security is increasing rapidly in value
and in many instances where the loans
are small and taken upon an estimate
of Is per cent. of the gross value of the
security, long before the principal mote
is due the land is worth enough in oper
market to bring down the pro rata o
risk to but 10 per cent.
How different this is in many case
of real estate security in the olde
settled states, where loans are made OF
a basis of 33t per cent. of value, and tn
values are inflated to twice their worth
Again, farms are constantly declining
in price in the east, while here they ar
constantly advancing, and this mus
continue until the great difference be
tween prices shall meet a happ,
medium.
Farmers east will stop buying land a
from $50 to $75 per acre, even though
it be q few miles nearer market ant
schools and churches, but will seek tn
broad p~rairies of peerless Dakota, wher
they can acquire 800 acres at 1925 pc
acre by residing on it one year, ant
purchase rs much more ut from So t
$40 per acre, every acre of which will
raise double the number of bushels Q
wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, potatoe
and turnips that the overworked, higl
priced eastern farms will raise.
Values on farm lands all through tn
east are too high, very much too high
and eastern farmers cannot compel
with western farmers in raising fewe
bushels of wheat per acre on land cost
ing $50 when the many lines of ne'
railroads bring the same market almos
to our door. Legislators cannot regr
late or boards of trade or chambers {
commerce materially change it.
Competition and the great law of sur
ply and demand make absolute fire
trade as between states and will inevir
ably bring the eastern farmer into
change of his mode and method ofworl
US we'll as changing his products, an
will also force the western farmer int
diversified farming. No country eve
prospered long which was a "one-crop
country. The history of western low
is being repeated in North Dakota, an
although at first every M raised whea
now nearly all are turning their after
ton to other products and to stoc
raising.
Look at the statistics of ur rapid an
phenomenal growth-of churches O.
gained, schools established, of railroad
built, of homesteads fled and prove
up, showing an actual population i
Dakota of 5OO,0OO-and then notice tn
statistics of the production of all tn
known cereals-wheat land such wheat
oats, barley, rye, corn and the mo-
magnificent root crops and vegetable
produced anywhere in the world-an
the money loaner or investor will b
surprised and wonder why he has ne
investigated this rich field before.
Mining and railroad stocks and bond
municipal securities and other inves
ments usually made by eastern capita
lists have been proving delusive. Wit
manufacturing stocks not paying div