The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-11-12
ROCK vs.. MOBILES.

Referring to the oft.repeated claim
put forth by the Luverne Her: Id that
Rock county is superior to other coun-
ties comprising what is known AS
Southwestern Minnesota, the Currie
Minnesotian remarks:
The Rock County Herald man gave
a long article last week in which he
tried to prove that the new comers,
who prefer to buy lands in Murray and
MOBILES counties, at i higher price
than the land in his county is offer ed
for, by over one third, are great fools.
He complains bitterly because we are
selling so much land while they are
selling 50 little. He ISLANDERS these
two counties fearfully while he praises
Lis own far above its merits. He says:
1T is q simple, unadulterated fact
which anyone who visits both sections
will readily recognize. Land literally
honeycombed with sloughs and ponds,
large sections Of which are at only for
the habitation Of muskrats and water
fowls, finds ready purchasers in Mur-
ray and Mobiles counties at $11 per
acre" Poor fools, we feel sorry for
them. but we presume they prefer a
Eve acre pond on a quarter section
farm, to q quarter section county bond
on forty acre farm. Young man,
como over and soak your head in the
pure waters of our flowing rivers and
crystal lakes and your green eyes will
become clear and you will be able to
see what mistake you have made.
The Slayton Gazette also puts in its
oar and neatly punc:ures the unfound.
ed assumptions of the Herald:
Rock county this year has not had as
big u boom us Murray county is at
present enjoying, and the editor Of our
esteemed contemporary, the Rock
County Herald, tries to explain. It is
seldom that BRO. Miller permits him.
self to make foolish assertions, but
this time We have caught him. He saws
wild land is selling readily in
southern Murray and portions Of No.
bles at present for $ll per acre. The
price perhaps is not too high, but il
the land in the section referred to is
worth Sl1 per acre, Rock county land
is worth fully twice as much. There
is no exaggeration about this state
ment. 1t is simple unadulteratetl
fact which any one who visits both
sectins will readily recognize. Land
literally hOneycOmbed with sloughs
and ponds, large sections of which are
fit only for the habitation of muskrats
and water fowl. find ready purchasers
in Murray and Mobiles counties at $l1
per acre, while the high fertile prairlps
of Rock county, wholly destitute oil
sl0ughs, unmarried by Il blemish fol
miles III extent, unexceptionably the
fairest and richest section of agricul-
tural land the sun ever shone upon, is
offered at prices considerably less"
We have heard so much of the "fer.
tile and high prairies" of Rock county
''WhOlly destitute Of sloughs," etc
that we determined to look over the
tabulated returns of the state commits
sioner Of statistics. to see how the
''honcy- combed sloughs' If Murray
Co: will compare with the high prairies
Of Rock county. The returns are for the
crops Of 1854, and were furnished by
the various township assessors. As
will he seen, Murray county leads
Rock in everything, and that, too, 10y Il
Large majority" We give the aver
age yield per acre in 1884. a comparison
| of which will convince the editor ol
the Herald why Murray county lands
are selling so rapidly, while those il,
his county cannot be sold even 1T 4
much lower figure:
| Wheat Oats Flax Corn
Murray 5.l6 1912 1881 27.9
Rock 1854 2i6l 929 1917
We might also add here that Rocl
stands lower than Mobiles. Jackson
PiWestone and Cottonwood counties.
The above figures speak for them
selves, ana anything we might add il
regard to the superiority Of Murray
county over Rock as An agricultural
and stock raising county, would be en-
tlrely superfluous.