Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-21
CUSTER COUNTY TO The FORE
Real Estate Organization to Advertise Cen
trail Nebraska.
AIM IS TO ATTRACT IMMIGRATION
Bsnner Agricultural County of Ne
braska, as shown by state Fair
AwRrds-Lands Gradually Adj
~vnncinE I'm Price.

bulNOE VI Ing bee n real tblhl6 OIBhul-
zation has been formed in Broken Bow,
having for its purpose the development and
promotion Of the real estate interests Of
central Nebraska. 1t is in keeping with
the purpose of this organization that its
headquarters should be In the center OF the
state and in a city which, from the point
Of population and business enterprise, is
one of the foremost in central Nebraska.
The membership of the organization is Sc
lected from among our most substantial
citizens, many Of them we'll known and
prominent over the state.
Realizing that local organizations have
in the past been formed In various parts Of
the state for the purpose or advertising a
few real estate dealers, this organization
at the outset takes a broad view of It's
purpose. In the far-reaching advertising
1t will give to central Nebraska, individ-
ual real estate men and firms are strenu-
ously prohibited from imposing upon the
association by mentor OF their names as
land agents. In other words, this associa-
tion is Just what 1t purports to bean or
ganization having for its purpose the
widest publicity of the resources of CEN
trail Nebraska as an agricultural and stock
raising country, with a view to attracting
immigration, which has been pouring into
SNhNA eNoNNog ~ NAN ANNpA ebRN ASA
at the present time, offers to the home
seeker the greatest inducements OF any
portion of the union.
Natural Grasses and Well watered.
When It is known to the homeseeker that
the finest land that lies out of doors can
be bought in this region at from $40 to 500
per acre 1t is hardly probable that he will
go to an adjoining state and pay three
times as much for the same character Of
soil that, owing to climatic conditions, will
not produce as much as the central Ne
braska farm. When 1t is known to the man
DESTROYS of engaging in stock raising that
he can come to this part Of Nebraska and
invest in grazing land resplendent with
natural grasses and we'll watered and &C
quire a tract embracing from 1000 to TO-
900 acres at from IS to $40 per acre he
will certainly investigate before he buys in
an adjoining state at a price several times
higher.
Land here is not as cheap as It was one,
two or three years ago, but the advance
has been gradual. 1t Is changing hands
rapidly, and the fact that our home peo-
pie are doing most Of the buying to in
crease their holdings, is an endorsement
for this part OF the state, which is greater
and more substantial than a pen picture of
it's vast resources could produce. This,
however, is because there has been no eff
fort to induce immigrants to this immedi-
ate section of the state. Eastern people
have been 1ocking to other parts of the
country, attracted by glowing accounts
when they do not know of the far greater
advantages to be found in central Ne
braska.
Plenty of Land Available.
Take, for example, the county in which
Broken Bow is located county 4Sx54
miles In extent-with its 1900 square miles,
its ninety-fve miles of railroad and its
dozen railroad towns. There are probably
800, 900 acres of desirable, unoccupied land
that can be bought at a very low figure,
and this is only a sample of what other
counties in this section Of the state have.
It's agricultural advantages are best set
forth by what has actually been done by
It's own people. For three successive years
Custer county has taken first prize at the
Nebraska state fair for the best exhibit
Of agricultural products. these prizes win
ming for 1t the gold medal award. 1t has
within its borders 1875 900 head of cattle,
aggregating over 81, 900, 900 in value, making
It the second county in the state in live
stock industry. The Middle Loup river,
in the northern part Of the county, and
the South Loup, In the southern part, to-
gether with numerous smaller streams, fur
nish ample water for it's large herds, while
the rough grazing lands lying back from
these streams are particularly adapted for
grazing purposes. There are today 14O va
rietles Of wild grasses to be found on it's
~prairies, 119 Of which have actually been
exhibited from this county at the state
fair.
Mapu 40 fha uvao1thIaof afaoEnan In fhla
county started a few years ago with only
a few head of cattle. and their success IL
due to the adaptability Of the climate and
the land to stock raising. together with
their own push and energy.
Yield of wheat and Corn.
Farming is carried on very extensively
in this county. Winter wheat this year
yielded twenty-five to forty bushels per
acre, with some fields reaching as high as
fifty and ffty-hve bushels. The acreage OF
corn is very large and yield heavy, there
being this year over 200, 900 acres planted,
running from thirty to sixty bushels per
acre, the entire county averaging thirty
FIVE bushels. It is with the greatest dim
Guilty that help can be secured to get 1t out
OF the fields, as high as 4 cents per bushel
for husking being paid. Oats, rye, barley,
FAX, and in fact all kinds OF small grain
are extensively grown here with the same
success that the $50 and SIS land in Iowa,
Illinois and Missouri produces, yet many
thousands OF acres in central Nebraska are
awaiting purchasers at So to SO per acre,
simply because the tide OF immigration has
not yet turned this way. Alfalfa in this
section Of the state is meeting with re-
markable success and is a most valuable
product for the stock raiser, The theory
that 1t can be grown only on bottom lands
has long since been exploded. II can now
be found In all localities where mixed
farming is followed. the yield running as
high as eight tons per acre for the four
cuttings secured each season.
While central Nebraska has not yet at
tained much notoriety as a fruit country
apples. peaches. pears, cherries and small
fruits OF all kinds are grown with great
success in this county and a very large
percentage OF the farmers are acquiring
orchards. The exhibit OF Custer county
fruit at the recent fair in Broken Bow was
a grand showing and a great surprise to
many eastern people. who thought that
apples did not grow west of the Missouri
river.
Dairying a New Industry.
An industry that is proving a great sue
cess is that OF dairying. Cream separatoTs
are scattered over this entire section and