The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-27
PILING UP WEALTH
THAT'S WHAT TIE FARMERS OF
sEDGWIOK COUNTY ARE DOING.

Returns From the Assessors Show Re.
markabIs Indicss of Prosperity-People
Have Coolies Of Everything. But the
Shining Metal, and the surplus Grain
VIII Fetch That - Thousands Upon
Thousands of Acres Producing the
Finest Crops Ever seen In This Valley
Data 10 Given.
Great is Sedgwick county. The as
SCISSORS returns for the county outside
OF the city show some things tina, are as
remarkable as they are complimentary
10 the garden spot of the world. The
returns from the city are not completed
yet and hence the showing made below
is not as good as if the entire county
had been included. No apologies, how
ever, are necessary. The county. out
side of Wichita shows data that is suf-
ficient to convince those puny critics OF
Kansas that il can, under favorable con-
ditions, show herself up within her own
borders and have plenty OF all the pro-
ducts of nature, intended for the use OF
man. 10 live upon.
In the first place, Sedgwick county
starts on. with 1863 farms including
529, 724 acres These are not farms that
are hung on the sides Of hills 20 be
washed by the rain and bleached by the
sun, and which require to be planted by
firing the seeds out OF shotguns, as Is The
case in New England, but are farms that
roll like the waves Of Pacific ocean
and have rich soil ten feet deep. The
farmer needs no blunderbuss to SOW or
plant them. but can ride all day on his
drill or corn planter, cover twelve or
fourteen acres and feel az bright ana
fresh at the end OF The day as IL he had
been out for a buggy ride. This farm
soil is not horse-killing gumbo. but such
as to absorb every drop OF rain that
falls on 1t and leaves the surface so nice
that bicycle can be ridden over every
acre OF land in the country forty-eigh.
hours after the heaviest rain OF the
above land SS4, 576 acres are under fence
and 145,14S not under fence. II can be
seen from this fact alone that these are
farms and not land held for speculation.
The assessed value of the farms of the
county is sS,s97.S10. This Is on a basis
Of one-third Of the actual value. but Is
really great deal less. The actual
valuation of the farms Of the county
does not fall short of $4,000, 600 and
that, certainly. to say nothing Of what
is to follow. viii keep the wolf Of hum
ger out Of Sedswick county for many q
long day.
In addition to the valuation Of farm
land. the value OF the farm machinery
is s157.295. or about half million dol
lars OF actual valuation.
There IS now growing and in perfect
condition I'll, 251 acres Of corn which will
produce probably 10, 500, 900 bushels OF
corn, worth when ready for market at
least 81 500, 900. Add to this the 1925
acres of as fine wheat as lies out Of
doors, ard the value of the two staple
products this year will not fall much
short OF $1,000. 900. This alone means
SIS per capita. or three times more than
the present national per capita that all
the fuss was made about last year. II It
runs short of it. the deficiency can be
easily made up by the value of 2S.457
acres Of oats
That stock will not suffer for feed Is
evidenced by the 1904 acres OF growing
sorghum. 1854 acres OF Kaffir corn, 6,051
acres Of m!llst, 1889 acres of alfalfa and
1858 acres Of prairie meadows
The farm produce alone Is sufficient TO
challenge the credulity Of the farmers of
that same New England who think the
people Of Kansas are starving and can
not get along without their help. Last
year this wee little bit OF an Arkansas
valley county cold 1000 worth OF gar.
den truck. s7S,214 worth Of eggs. $40. 600
pounds Of butter and s33,644 worth OF
milk. And IL must be remembered that
all this Is outside Of Wichita
Outside o. grains and grasses the far
rers are well fixed with their 1854
horses. 10000 mich COWS, 5000 other
cattle, 10000 sheep and 66. 120 hogs. Last
year they slaughtered s762,522 worth OF
cattle and sold Al ,9s5 pounds Of wool.
They will not suffer for fruit with
their 24o.G0o apple trees. 10000 peach
trees ana ether fruit trees, large and
small. in proportion.
They will not suffer with thirst wit
their All acres Of vineyards and the pro-
ducts thereof.
II the 6efamers Of the state of Kansas
can call to mind any thing that Sedg-
wick county has not got an abundance
OF, save and except gold, they can say
So now. or forever after hold their peace
And IL they think the products of its
soil won't fetch the gold. or its equival-
eat in silver. paper or credit, they are
mistaken
The following Is a list prepared from
the sssessote returns OF the county out
side OF Wichita:
FARM AND PRODUCTS.
Farms ......... ............ 1859
Acres under fence cS4 s-s