The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-10-05
A STRAIGHT TIP.
A Rich and Beautiful Country--A Pros porous City--Fogtunate People, Etc.


 state of Iowa. on the "divide" between the Mississlppi and Missouri rivers. is a tract of land that is justly entitled to the Appeliation of "The Garden of Iowa"
 The gently undulating surface. dotted here and there with groves or cultivated helds, whether seen in the freshness of the emerald foliage Of spring. or the richness and bloom of glorious summer, or the gorgeous colorinE and ripened fruitage of autumn. or the pure ermine of winter. Is dream Of beauty. The soIl is exceptionally rich in the elements of plant life. and is easily cultivated, while the climate Is peculiarly adapted to promote the growth ot vegeu ton common to this latitude. These factors make this one of the surest and beat crop producin localities tn the world.
 The celebrated "blue Erass" hers grows without care or cultivation. in lavish pro- fusion. furnishing an abundance Of pastur- age and hay for stock. while large quantities of hay is baied and shipped to eastern mar kets. This abundance of nutritious grasses, and plenty Of pure water. make stock grow Ing . safe and sure road to . competency. Flax. corn. rye. oats, barley aud wheat, as we'll as all kinds of veEetA bles and maay kinds of fruit. yield very largely here with a com. paratively small outlay of labor. while the excellent railroad facilities of this locality make a ready market and insure good prices for everything that is produced here. often . single crop of fax will pay for the land on which it Ia grown. Just think of itl A man can buy piece Of raw prairie land in May. break it up ana SOW it to flax, and by Ssptem. Der can have harvested and cold his crop and paid for the land. farm earned in lees than four monthsi what other locality can equal it?
 Lying entirely within this favored terri- tory is the county Of Clay. Iowa, the seoond from the north aud third from the west lines of the state. It tis twenty -four miles square and con tains 60 litti. wAste land shat it might readily be made one vast cultivated neld. It's surface is gently rolling with low blu ns along some of the streams. The soil is rich. deep and practically tnexhaustihle. IL is we'll watered by the Little S'oux and oshey dan rivers and their tributaries. situated on the elevated land between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. the air is pure and tnvlgorat- ing. and malaria, ague and Kindred discsses are almost uuknown. The general health is much above the average of tho stato at large.
 Settlement of the county is comparatively recent. and yet tn material prosperity, n so- ciety. schools and churches and all the ele. ments that go to make . rs fined. cultivated and prosperou people, the community is far in advance of the agricultural districts of the eastern and middle states.
 There are four towns in the county. cis. Spencer. Peterson, Everly and Dickens. Two railroads pass through the county east and west; one from Spencer north. and two others are SUI veyed through the county north and south. The Little Sioux river furnishes . number Of good mill Ates. several of which are improved. With the settlement and dc. velopment of the county. lands have rapidly appreciated in value. bus not nearly to the extent they will in the near future. No bet ter investment can Dc found than purchasing land here. either for a home or for specula- ton.
 Spencer is the county seat of Clay county. and is the largest town in She county. Is is near the center of the county. At the Junction of the Little Sioux and Ocheydan rivers. It's site is an elevated plateau on the north side oi the Little Sioux. with just sn nnicient slope for drainage. The town has population of about twenty i've hundred. and is growing rapidly. It has three large school houses. and employs ten teachers in its public schools. There ia also private school witA an enrollmsnt of about l5o pupils. An efort is being made. with every appearance of success. to locate . large college here.
 The Congregationalists. Methodists. Free Baptists, Christians, regular Baptists and Catholics have strong organizations and good church buildings. The Episoopalisns have . small chapel, and the Luthersns are sboat to build church here. Spencer has seyerAl h.