The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-08-31
sMITHLAND, IOWA.

 ness. and soc,al distinctions are more sharply drawn upon the basis of wealth. Though the idea of free lands in the far west is very allur. to pause before he decides to take one of Uncle Sam's farms such as are now open to entry. All the pu blic domain now open for settlement lies far to the west of the limit of copious showers. and conseq quently crops thers are very uncertain. Though the term, the Great American Desert, ts now sco fed at As . fallacy born Of the ignorance Of our early googra phers. tt is not entirely . misnomer. while the tract may not extend so far as portray cd sa. so@s p.rs ro srs arid and crops very uncertain.
 For any one wishing to engage in aEricul- buy lAnd in . favored locality than to im prove 'homestead" m this drouth stricken region. Statistics will bear us out when we say that world. harvests more good crops than Iowa Year in and year out, through years Of drouth and excessive rains. Iowa has enough and to spare.
 Particularly ts northwestern Iowa desirable to home seekers. because it is the newest DOT. ton of .ne state. and conseq quen.ly land is beautiful valleys of this part of the state, the little Sioux valley is the one having the most lake, On the northern border of the state, and takes tortuous course to the Missouri into which riverit flows near Council BluGs. The ents rival the Nile ar the Danube In the pro. duction Of all crops raised tn this latitude Wheat, oats. rye, barley. hay and all k,nds of ton is pre- -eminentiy adapted to corn. Corn ls king. and tho proud monarch numbers A large portion of the laboring classes as his subjects. Probably two thirds ot the tillable land is devoted 10 that cereal. stock raising and dairytng are also receiving much attention from rom n the a people. P and the country is well the valley been penetrated by railroads, and land yet is comparatively cheap. Good i'm. sis to % per acre. farms sure to produce crops and handy to market The river is lined with tim Der, and as one stands in summer on for miles either up or down. the green belt of timber winding back and forth from one side of the valley to the other. with the fields of growing grain on either side, presents a scene which tor picturesque beauty can hardly be
 Tn the fall of lss7 branch of the Ili,nois Central railroad was built down tho val. ley from Cherokee to Onawa, which gave railroad communication to several old sprans into exissencs. Among the former is Smithland, which was located way back In the ftties. During all these inter cause oi railroad towns being built to the east. south and west of it. Though it is fact that Tn these days of railroads no town can ioyed a reasonably good trade and held . pop uIAsion of between three and four hundred. is brlrs, ppospees po for the soWns future sneI H has . large territory. which is we'll settled with thrifty and intelligent farmers. There and good lots for business purposes can bc purchased at low hgure. Since the railroad has been built the town has had quite . growth. in spite of the close times that have prevailed everywhere As . location for c home Smithland presents the most attractions of any town on the line. The site is one of plateau. sheltered on the north and west by timber clad hills and skirted by the river on the east. it is one spot among . thousand one would choose for place of residence. Among the many buildings erected in the last year, the butter and cheese factory Is the most im- portant. This was built st a cost of U.SOo. daily. The town has now but one general store, which ts owned by M. l.. Jones. MT. Jones carries large stock and enjoys good lumber business. R O. Rice owns the only bank and also ts the proprietor ot large and exisnsive loan. land and insurance business, and his business is enjoying . gratifying growth The smith house is the best hotel, in the best manner. J. c. Rnthron is the un- dertaker. and keeps also good assortment of furniture. There are two large and we'll by l.. N Gambs and John R- oidis They keep the best rigs and will transfer you to neighocring towns At . minutes notice A. ter and Cheese association, who win always he found ct the factory during business hours. There are seysr.l other lines ot business of limited space. The church and school privil- eges are the best. Though the town n now dong d or sp0u ss.sss. ssss s ~ needs more capital piled cannot fail to make smithland one of the best trading points in northwestern Iowa fornstIoa than is con ss,nsd i in shis 'I mort , s.srsd Sy .ddrsssias Jssssss ( y Hiiis. ypas- I fishers of the k<po"snss smithiand. IowS