The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-04-25
Some Telling Facts.

Charles O. Elwood. president and
manager Of the Elwood Land company
Of St. Paul, who has Travelled extensive
ly over South Dakota, says:
"The creamery, dairy, agricultural
Inc live stock industries of South Da-
kota have increased wonderfully in the
past five years. Her state debt is the
lowest Of any state in the Union. Many
Of her counties rave not a dollar OK
bonded Indebtedness. She is we'll rail-
roaded and in close proximity to the
best markets Of the Northwest. Her
climate is superior, and she possesses
all of the qualifications that will soon
place her in the front rank of all the
great Northwestern agricultural states.
Her wealth and population has been In
creasing by leaps and bounds, and farm
lands in South Dakota had a larger
percentage of increase in value than
those Of any other state in the Union In
the past five years. The wealth added
TO South Dakota through its increase OF
land values must be estimated by mill
Ions of dollars, and this added wealth
Is as substantial as though 1t had been
produced by the raising OF corn and
| wheat or cattle, for land values Will
never Re less than they are to-day. Any
man owning a South Dakota farm to-
day, can, If he desires, go to his nearest
bank and find that bis farm gives him
4 credit for borrowing purposes larger
than the entire price he could have solo
the farm for four of five years ago. ana
he can borrow his money at 6 and 7 per
cent, instead of 8, 9 and 10 per cent, as
b. did only a few years ago.
South Dakota mortgages are nearly
L thing of the past and, while South
Dakota is not kno vn as a contrasting
state, it has. however, in the past two
years, raised more corn han wheat.
Farm lands in Southern and East
srn South Dakota have already reached
crices that would have seemed fabu
lous a few years g n many farm
ers in that section of the state are sell
ng out to Iowa and Illinois farmers and
rebuying cheaper lands fr the northern
part Of the state, where they expect to
get another quick advance in price IN
the next few years, resellirg again at
another handsome profit; or, If their
Age is such that they do not care TO
move again, they will probably remain
1T their new homes permanently.
9Th Elwood Land company has sold
about half a million dollars worth Ut
South Dakota lands per year for the
past six or eight years, practically all
Of it to farmers who purchased Their
lands on time, depending on the crops
to pay for the land, and this company
has never had a mortgage foreclosure;
which easily proves that the crops
lave been sufficient to pay the indebt-
| edness on the land. This fact Is further
proven by investigation of the records
at any of the county seats, which will
show the largest decrease in farm mort
cages of any other state.
1.-The president of the Elwood Land
company has Travelled extensively over
Ill the Western snd Northwestern
States, in connection with the land and
immigration business. and the fact that
his company has made nearly all of it's
Investments in South Dakota proves its
faith in that great and growing state"
In ''Jim'' River Valley.
X. Mckenzie of Groton, s. D., who
was postmaster at Groton from March,
1898, until April, 1902, and who has spent
the last twenty years in South Dakota,
sold $500. 900 worth of Brown county
and last year. He says:
INC better soil than that OF the great
n part of Brown county east of the
lanes river, can be found in his state.
The surfac &c soil is a rich, black loan.
ranging from eighteen inches to three
.eet in depth, with a heavy clay sub
,oil from ten to twenty feet deep. The
country is nearly level and free from
stone or gravel. Coco water in bund-
lnce can be obtained from wells rang
ing in depths from fifteen to twenty
i've fet. The soil is admirably adapted
20 raising all kind Of small grains,
grasses and vegetables. Corn car be
crown successfully and proftably.
Yields OF thirty-five to forty-five BUSH
lis are common. Small fruits do we'll.
No better country for raising cattle,
nogs and sheep can be found. The cli-
mate suits them and disease is un-
Known. We are located in the artesian
oelt. Many farmers have small-bore
wells, and others large wells, furnishing
water for artificial lakes, that are
stocked with different varieties Of fish.
They utilize the power from the wells
:or various purposes, such as feed mills.
cream separators, churns and washing
machines. Many farms in this localt-
gty contain modern improvements that
would put to shame the improvements
N older states. 1t is not ar uncommon
thing to find farm residences heated by
furnaces and lighted with ~acetylene
gas, having rural free delivery at their
ioors, and in communication by tele-
phone with the outer world. These are
but a few of the conveniences and i'm
provements you can find on many q
farm in Eastern Brown county.
In the past twelve months I sold
over half a million dollars worth of
land in Brown county alone. The buy
RS were from Southern Minnesota.
iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin n the south
srn part of the state. Nearly all of the
high-priced lands that I sold are being
settled on by the purchasers. Others
will move here after harvest. Holland
ars from Jasper and Marion counties,
iowa, purchased a large tract Of land
north Of Groton. The first contingent
arrived last week. bringing with them
100 head OF registered Shorthorn heifers.
Others from these same counties will
follow soon.
"The outlook for a much larger I'M
migration from this section from the
states above mentioned. during 1902, is
----- A---.~ \