The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1901-01-05
WHAT "A MAN SEES WHEN
HE'S AWAY FROr1 HOME
BY
THE
EDITOR


~ HOME EDITOR
l~>~~N%~>n<>~~nn@
dozens. He told of one farmer who {"
a Thursday had contracted to deliver 55
head to stock buyer at Marion Junction
on the following Monilay, hut was
able 10 show up with only ten. The re-
manning As had died il as hours. un-
derstand, however, from the papers that
the farmers of northern Iowa lave been
losing about as many cattle as our far
mers in Brnle county. made it point
to talk with q good many farmers i'll
southwest Iowa about this matter, but
was unable to locate any losses Of stock
from feeding in the stalk fields. The
strange part Of it is that the county
where Was visiting is Just little bit
the greatest corn county in all the world
and an industry in which the farmers
engage almost exclusively, so prolific is
the Weld. Farmers pay SO an acre for
land on which to grow corn at 20 cents a
bushel, the normal price. 1t is now
worth % there. The farmers there say
that years ago twenty or twenty. five
years ago-they lost lots OF cattle from
feeding on the standing stalks, but now
losses are unknown. They have SO many
acres into corn that they do not attempt
to cut it-eyen with the new corn lind
ers. When asked to account for the
losses of stock then and none uow, they
all held to the same opinion that the
losses were due to too sudden change of
feed. feeding on an empty stomach,
whereby the cattle gorged themselves,
etc. cannot help bnt think, however,
that their theories would not work up
in this county. where pretty well every
known preventative has proven falla-
cious sooner or later.
| There has been a wonderful change
in the general appearance of Iowa along
this line in the past ten years and it at
once becomes strikingly noticeable im.
mediately after leaving Canton. pas
sed through miles of country that could
have been bought for IS an acre when
you and and tho other boys came out
here in the early sos and got 1t from
our Uncle Samuel for nothing, which
cannot now be touched for less than $40,
some of 1t for $75; and we know of one
farm in the extreme northwestern part
Of the state, not many miles from the
South Dakota line, that sold while + was
on this trip for an even 500 an acre.
Iowa farm lands are now topping the
most valuable in New York, Ohio and
4 lIllinOis-save where the latter lave ad
vantage OF dense surrounding p0pu.
lation and corresponding nearness of
market-and what is it all going to re-
suit in? A gradual aid steady overflow
into South Dakota. l can't figure it out
any other way and have yet to find an
eastern man who can. They are all OF
the same opinion. The effects Of this
steady western advancement has already
been seen In most of the southern coun-
ties of the state, where land sells for $35
TO $50 an acre. They are touching ell
bows there now; crowding one another
In Iowa, and lots of people willbe living
out this way one Of these days. But
comparatively few have money to invest
in land, still less who can afford to let ii
lay without interest and keep up the
taxae. tut those who can do so and those
who have done so in the case of the cheap
Brule county lands will make mint of
money some day When whole town
ships in northwestern Iowa could have
been bought for S. and $40 an acre less
than twenty years ago, nobody believed
that it would reach s35 and $50 an acre
in this generation. and why? Simply
because of seemingly inexhaustible cheap
land in South Dakota. But it didn't take
long for every quarter OF government
land in this state to have an owner, then
began the rise in the value OF the Iowa
land.
Where ten years ego the towns along
this line in Iowa we're ten and fifteen,
miles apart, new towns have since been
sandwltched iD, and the train pulls up
to nea: little station and thrifty
appearing town Of 500 or 900 people
every five or six miles This is true too,
clear out to the Dakota line. And travel
on the railroad is heavy. All ttains go.
out Of Mitchell on this line we'll lilled,
and the train is kept so all the way
through Iowa. Aftor reaching Canton
vacant seat is something unusual. At
Sanborn we met our old friend George
! Bryan. He was awful glad to meet with
, ono of the newspaper boys from tho west
; end, with whom and where lie has al
ways been general fayorite, and we
were pleased indeed to go east from San
| born with one Of the Milwaukee's most
: popular conductors But George had no
/. time for visiting nor laughs over those
D days when he ran the Moonlight Hog
I Express from Mi;chsllto Chamberlain,
!, and wondered, with us po5r passenger
Q n-f0rsaken individuals, if there was a
s God in Israel. No, hs had no time to
talk. over old times, for 1t kept him or
). the jump attending to his dnties. He
d would no sooner make tho train from
|. smoker to sleeper when long blast from
e the engine would warn him Of another
r station and out he would go. George
y said that the business on the line had
! been rushing all tie year. Was a .cor.
/ ker" all summer, as he expressed 1t.
It We were in Chicago not quite two
n days, going east, end happened to strike
9 beautiful weather. rarity for me wher
in ttat windy city Of many lake ant
!. land squalls. found the people ant
IT big stores Of the shopping district a per
o feet sight.-the most perfect sight. by tn,
e way, Of the kind in all this world. A
. any rate, people who have travelled tn,
o. globe over say that the shopping cente
/ Of Chicago cannot in the magniiicence o
rs its stores, display OF goods AMI throng