Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-08-14

Helena, Mont.-Information obtained
from loan agents and officials of this
county is to the effect that the mortgage
Indebtedness is being gradually reduced,
ana tnat this process has been going on
ior some tune. Farming settlements are
SO small and widely separated that it is
oifncult to give their condition, although it
Is Deilevcd to be improving slowly. In
'ne regions where stock growing is the
cnieI industry the improvement is de-
cioeuly noticeable. Three years of plenty
nave put the sheep and cattle men in
prime financial condition. The advance
III WOOL this year has been particularly
nelpIui for the sheep men. who have had
TWO years of favorable conditions on the
ranges.
Inc copper, gold and coal mining camps
OIL tne State are working to their limit,
ana Indebtedness will be gradually lessen
ing IN these camps. On the whole, the
conditions of the State are improved.
DenFer, Colo.-CoIorado has paid off
oepts approximatinG So. 100000 since the
hrsL Oh tne year. and bankers report more
money III their vaults than they can pos
sibiy ana any use for. The First Ma
tonal Bank of Denver the first of the
month had S10.OOO.OOO in deposits. the
greatest in the history of the institution,
winch is the oldest in the State. The
managers say that they find less demand
for money than Mt any time since they
embarked in business, and that the bank
has simply become place of deposit, ow-
ing to the prosperous condition of the CITY
and State. which precludes n ready mar
ket for loans
Never has there been so much loose
money in the Western country, owing
mainly to the Introduction of feeding.
which has superseded the old-fa shioned
range system in live stock raising. Colo
RADIO farmers have embarked heavily in
feeding Of both beef and sheep. and have
taken the place and the profits that for
merly accrued to the corn growers. In
the city there is great deal of building
going on through desire to employ funds
that would otherwise be idle. This takes
| away from the banks one of the most lu-
| crative sources of loans. for building has
always been carried on here on borrowed
| funds.
Fruit growers who have scored one of
the most successful years in their history
| say that they do not want money, as the
| buyers are all too eager to get their crops
to wait for the holders to move it. New
| York, Chicago and st. Louis commission
men are making advances that properly
belong to the Colorado banks. They are
| taking the fruit the ground, and as
! the value of that crop alone is estimates
! at S6,ODO,OOO the fate of the introduction
| of outside capital, it may be seen, is
serious ha ndicap for the local holders of
money.
The mining world is not taking my
money, and the bank rate. which has usu-
ally been held in Denver ut from 10 to
10 per cent, has fallen to and 6 per cent
with money begging for employment at
those figures.
Des Moines Ia.-Investigations made
here through local agencies and financial
institutions reveal the fact that Iowa
farmers have been paying off rather than
adding to their mortgages. Owners of
| cd lots ha
ers. The farmers of Town had hard
time of it last winter. due to the softness
of the corn crop and the death of S25, OOO.-
600 worth of hogs of hog cholera. If
those hogs had been fed to sell the sur
plus corn would be of much smaller bulk
now, and prices would proba bly, rule high
err During the last few weeks corn in
local stations has been quoted as high ms
% and % cents. this being in the places
where farmers feed rather than sell their
| corn
There are few farmers who are behind
on interest payments on mortpaoas
Money was never more plentiful in lows
than it is now for loaning purposes The
ruling prices for money are now and Z
per cent, rarely s per cent, which is tbs
legal rate. Some money in large quaint
. ties and on long time has been loaned or
, real estate security for 5 per cent, which
was unheard of until recently. There i.
| n scramble among money lenders TO picE
: IN good loans. That Iowa mortgages arr
, fewer now than they were a few years
, ago is admitted by all money lenders The
, hard times have caused some people to gt
into debt but there has been greater econ
omy practiced and there has been a desir,
, to settle up and begin even with the good
, ! times that are felt all over Iowa to-day
, Sioux Falls, S. D.-The loan agents Of
, Sioux Falls all agree that the last foul
, wears have been years of wonderful deb
payinr. d. L. Mckinney said that $50.
600 600 would Just about cover the az
eregate of the debt liquidated in that time
when the hard times struck South Da
, kota four years ago people stopped goin,
! ;nto debt, because they could find no on,
of whom to borrow. Then came an er,
81 close economy. followed by a superhu
Lon effort to get out of debt. For tn
! last two years crops have been good, an,
co. tbe last year have sold for a GOO,
! nrice. The creamery industry has Drough
ITO the State 100000 a year, and liv
stock S25 100000
Loan agents here are unable to plac
.na-balf the amount they are willing t
IAN. even at a reduced rate of interest
| Mark Russell, whose company has i so
loans in South Dakota, says that over 3
: ner cent are paying up in full at maturit
= | of the loans and most of the rest ar
= | making Partial payments
: Figures from several counties show tina
. | where one mortgage has been recorde
: FIVE have been paid. Some of the lquida