The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-16
DEMAND FOR LAND
Western Kansas Farms Being
Bought by Investors.
Wheat Belt Extending Into
Short Grass Counties.
THE BLUE STEM LEADS
Fields of Grain Follow in Its
Wake.
Sod Being Broken for First
THE BLUE STEM LEADS
Sod Being Broken for First
Sowing of Wheat.

For a period that extends back sew
eral years Kansas investors have been
quietly buying western Kansas grazing
lands and wheat ground. Thousands sof
acres have changed hands in the past
two years. In Trego, Ellis and Russell
counties much of the land is purchased
by the sons of Russian settlers who
have made money raising wheat. They
intend to live on it and raise crops. The
cattle business has leagues of the west
ern country in its grasp and the recent
Cheyenne county outbreak shows how
seriously and persistentlys it is fighting
to widen its control. #
During the past year the Mulvanes of
Topeka have been purchasing wheat
land in western Kansas but they de-
cline to make public the location or ex-
tent of their holdings. John r. Null
vane said yesterday:
I'VE have considerable wheat ground
but 1 don't believe 1 would be justified
in discussing them The land will be
have extended our holdings whenever
we found it possible to buy advantage
ously."
John R. Mulvane is interested in a
land investment at Las Animas, Col,
where 1000 acres of irrigated land are
under cultivation. 1t is believed that
the improvement of this ground has
about reached its completion and that
encouraged by the success with it the
Mulvanes propose to try a similar ex-
pertinent in this state. The Colorado
land is used for agricultural purposes
and stock raising
Wheat land has gone up in price rap
idly since it was found to be good for
anything and land that sold for fifty
cents an acre a few years ago is now
changing hands at from IS to $3.50. The
wheat business in Western Kansas is,
of course, one of considerable uncer-
tainty but the experience of the past
few years has demonstrated that wheat
growing can and does pay good re-
turns In a few sections irrigation has
been successfully introduced but irri-
cation is yet latent factor in the pos
sibilities of the lands in the western
part of the state. At the present time
the Union Pacific railroad is disposing
of a considerable part of its subsidy
lands in Trego county and has recently
sold one hundred sections which are
to be used IN the establishing of a col
Ony of Russian IutheranS 1t is be-
lieved that this land can be made to
support two families to the section and
the settlement is to be made on that
basis. The returns of 800 acres of wheat
land in a good year are sufficient to tide
over a considerable amount of unfa-
vorable weather.
Land in Pawnee county which sold
for $3.50 four years ago is now quoted
at $40 an acre. The land this year will
raise from 20 to 30 bushels of wheat per
acre.
Col. William Scott, of Larned, who
harvests hundreds of acres of wheat
annually in Pawnee county, is increas-
ing his holdings of wheat land. This
spring he bought 600 acres of land in
that county and is constantly buying
cheaper land in the counties still further
west.
THE wheat raisers are constantly
looking for cheap land in the western
countless said Col. Scott in discussing
the prospects of western Kansas. This
year thousands of acres in Finney coun-
ty will be broken for the first time and
put in wheat The cultivation of the
soil tends tic store the moisture and the
edge of the wheat belt is constantly
moving westward. ] believe that in a
few years wheat will be grown ex-
tensively and profitably in many Kan
sas counties on the western border of
the state
Director T. B. Jennings of the United
States weather bureau and who keeps
in touch with Kansas conditions, agrees
with Col. Scott's idea. Where the blue
stem grass goes wheat follows said
Mr. Jennings. The progress of the blue
stem can be traced and it will be found
that wheat fields have sprung up where
the blue stem went as a pioneer. Now
the blue stem has established itself in
Trego county and is still finding foot
hold in counties further west. I be-
lieve that if the blue stem travels to
the state line that the wheat rafsers will
follow"
Although there are large holdings of
western Kansas lands by nonresident
eastern investors. Kansas people are
proving their faith in their state by put
ting their money into wheat and cattle
land of that locality. The settlers who
stayed when the cropless years of the
early nineties tried things are extend