Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-03-26
PERTINENT FACTS.
Common-Sense Advice to Farmers VIII
Wish to Sell Their Land.

tAuVlCe TO Farmers VINO
Wish to Sell Their Land.
81 want to sell my farm" This is
the conclusion of too many comfortable
farmers. 1t is true, there are many
trials and %tribulations which compel
men, reluctantly, to come to this con-
clusion. Farm hands are unreliable,
wasteful and uncertain. They do so
many things wrong, and by lack of care
destroy more than they earn. They are
not there when most needed. With
large herds for the size of the farm, they
require attention, and a large amount
of work to take care of them. The
farm hands think if they leave Saturday
night and return Monday morning they
are all right. This throws upon the
owner the entire care of the stock, in
Gliding milking on Sundays, making it
to him the hardest days work of the
week. And after various trials from
bad hands, and some other backsets, he
concludes to sell, and move to the town
or city, and invest his money in some
other business.
Let us look at this conclusion. Sup
pose the farm and stock will sell for
$780, 00. He takes S5, 900 to buy himself
only a %tolerably comfortable house in
town to live in. Probably the carriage
used o. the farm and the furniture
used in the farm house, will not be. in
style to suit the family in their new
relation. In fitting up in various ways
it may take $4,000 more. This leaves a
capital of $4,000. This must be in
vested in profitable business, or loaned
to raise the means to live on.
To go into business new to him four
times out of five, it results in failure
and the loss of all his surplus money.
He finds in all branches of trade, sharp,
experienced men, who have made it a
life-study, and they resort to all of the
tricks and advantages of trade of
which he is ignorant. Do not, we
beg of you, go into business in that
way. The safest investment would be
in Government bonds, but $4,000 at
four per cent. would only yield the sum
of $500 per year, which will scarcely
bridge owe four months instead of u
year. But it might be loaned on real
estate, on county and city property at
seven or eight per cent. But it takes
a careful business man who is prepared
to meet all of the sharp games
which are used to get a mans
money without ever paying it
back. And but few men who are
have spent their lives on 81 farm are
competent to watch all the orners, de.
eide on the titles, value and prospects O.
real estate to secure a loan. And ever
if they are, much of his money will re.
main idle waiting for good opportunities
to invest. And it would be a fair calcu-
lation to estimate that $4,000 out OF
S13, 900 could probably be constantly
drawing interest. This at z per cent.
would yield for the support of the family
$500 per year. A man who has always
lived on a farm might suppose he could
live on that sum in the city. But we
assure him with hat sum to live on he
would constantly feel like q beggar, and
sigh for the labor. drudgery' and dis
| comforts of the farm. Better stay there.
Besides the support of the family, the
taxes in the city are a serious burthen.
The $4,000, whether loaned or not,
would be appraised at about 81. 800. The
tax on this a: five per cent, the annual
rate, would be 1890 per year, and on his
house probably 800 more, making taxes
$500, leaving for family expenses S21O.
These are no imaginary figures, but
what seven years experience in Des
Moines has taught us.-IoWa State Reg
lister.