The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-11

to buy an eighty-acre farm. 1t took
grit to go in debt for it, with wheat at
% cents a bushel, and firewood 81 the
cord. Those were the prices David $
father had got for what ne had to sell.
Still David bought the farm.
Inside of four years he had paid for
it, with money earned mostly by break
ing prairie. The virgin sod is too tough
for horses or mules. 1t must be turned
with the slow, steady draught of oxen.
David Rankin managed to buy a pair.
His breaking plough, a special imple-
ment, he made himself by help Of
local blacksmith. He had no money to
buy the necessary iron, but a friend
stood security, so he got it, and thus
was enabled literally to set his hand to
the plough.
prefers it to all other investments.
From the first it has prospered him
amazingly, though from the first he
has seldom sold crude products. That
first efghty-acre farm had a herd of
cattle on it even before it was paid
for. So driving and thriving the mas
ter of it came to own 5000 acres by
the time the civil war began.
That era of imitation sent prices too
high for his judgment He kept on
buying until he had 5000 acres, then
went west. Atchison county has much
more than justified his choice of new
residence 1t is no longer a region of
one railway. A new one, the TarkiO
Valley, runs right through the middle
of it, and Tarkio town, a beautiful and
thriving village, has grown up magic
ally. Rankin interests predominant
David Rankin is president and prin-
cipal shareholder in the towns First
National bank, as we'll as president of
. 7 JIG q.
the water company, the Rankin Audi
torium company and the Tarkio Brick
& Tile company. These various enter
prise5 represent the investment of
over 100000 of Rankin money In adj
dition to them. Mr.. Rankin has trade
relations with most of the trade CEN
ters and is in close touch with moneyed
men all over the country.
POUNDS A COLLEGE.
Surprisingly rich, he has not forgot
ten what it means to be poor. As be-
comes his blood. he is a Presbyterian
and strives to live his religion, as We'll
as to believe it. Liberal in support of
his church and her works, he can be
depended ON to be as liberal to any
good cause, especially the cause of ed
ucation. Tarl1io college alone has re-
ceived from him nearly 800. 900. He had
given to the institution above $25, 900
He at once offered $4,000 toward re-
building if as much could be raised
elsewhere. Since then he has had
standing offer to give to the college a
dollar for every dollar contributed out
side. By his help. the college has put
up it's present magnificent buildings,
and holds its place among high-class
western institutions of learning. Need
less to add, Mr.. Rankins picture ap-
pears upon the college button, or that
his unique and original objurgation,
Set Fire" make an important part of
the college yell.
He has been liberal to other schools
than his home college. to other
churches than his own United Presby-
terrain.
Perhaps that is how certain man
and brother of African descent came
to rely so confidently upon Mr.. Rankin
as the Lords almoner. The brother
lived II a Tennessee town, and COM
bined in his own person the offices of
pastor of a church, and principal of a
school. Church and school were in
desperate need of money. The pastor
told his brethren if only they would