The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1902-08-02
Investors are Looking South.
Assistant General passene

Assistant General Passenger
Agent j. f. Merry, of the Illinois
Central railroad, is authority for
the statement that at present time
there is the most active demand
for farm lands ever known in'this
country. "At no time in the his
tory Of the United States, +" said
he, Z has there been such phe-
nomenal advance in prices as dur.
ing the past three years.
"uninproved hardwood timber
lands OF the best quality are vet
on the market at points in Missis-
slppi, between Memphis and
vicksburg, from 81 to $40 per
acre. The cost OF clearing and
fencing these lands is not to ex-
cced $40 per acre, and, when
cleared, they will grow bale Of
cotton worth from $40 to $50 per
bale, or so bushels Of corn worth
from SO cents to 81 per bushel, to
the acre. Every real estate agent
who has studied the agricultural
conditions of this country UNDER
stand how, with the rapid increase
in population, making a constantly
increasing demand for everything
eatable, it is utterly impossible
for fertile lands to remain at pre-
sent values in any section of our
country either North or. South.
Southern farm lands arc too
low, as compared with the market
value of Southern farm products.
To illustrates: In Iowa lands SELL
ing in the market for $50 to SIS
per acre are rented for only So
per acre. In Mississippi, and es-
pecially in the great cotton belt,
the Mississippi valley, improved
plantations can be bought at from
$50 to $35 per acre, cash, or, what
is better at the present high price
of cotton. for 100 pounds Of lint
cotton per acre; and upon which
the taxes are not more than half
what they are in Illinois aud
Iowa.
"All indications point to an in
creased demand and increased To-
cal market for all kinds of South
ern farm products. The develop
men Of Southern oil fields fur
nishing cheap fuel is attracting
the attention Of manufacturers.
!" The construction of an inter-
oceanic canal, whether at Panama
or Nicaragua, will make New Or
leans the gateway to important
new markets that use largely the
manufacturing and agri-
cultural products Of the South.
It will be the means of calling the
attention Of thousands of tourists
and capitalists to the fertile lands
Of the Mississippi valley. 1t will
result in large investments Of |
Northern capital, which is invari-
ably followed by immigration and
a rapid advance IN the price of |
farm lands.
ain Illinois the advance has
been from $50 to $3.50 per acre; in
Iowa from $35 to $75 and even
higher; in Minnesota from SIS to
$50, and in South Dakota from
$3.50 to 5000. Real estate pro-
phets and others have each year
predicted the top had been reach
ed and that prices must decline.
Such, however not been the case.
On the contrary, not only practi-
cal farmers, but bankers, mecha-
MICS, merchants and manufacturers
with idle money have shown their
in the future of culti-
vable lands by making liberal land
investments and the prices have
togo higher and higher.
"The question now agitating the
minds of all real estate agents,
whom 80 per cent of all
the farm lands are sold, is, where
can we find low priced real estate,
and where will be the next great
advance in lands? advise all real
estate agents and others who ham
die farm lands that every indica-
tion new points to the South as