Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-05-07
APPRECIATE WORK
IOWA FARMERS ASK PROFESSOR
HOLDEN TO ATTEND
INSTITUTES.
Trip Over Burlington Lines Last Week
Productive of Much Good - Party
Passes Through Rich Country-Big
Audiences At Lectures.


Audiences At Lectures.
Des Moines, May S.-After visiting
three corners of the state and inter-
vening territory for the purpose OF
arousing farmers to the Importance of
the seed corn situation, Professor 7.
G. Holden has suddenly discovered
that SO willingly did men take up his
suggestions of study that there will be
little rest for him this summer. AL
ready appeals are being made to him
from every section of the state to talk
at farmers Institutes.
Viewed Three States.
Saturday morning Professor Holden
and his party stood on the peak of the
long ridge of bluffs which ends at
Hamburg, Ia, and looked at the
dding fields in three states. Stretch
ing back from the Missouri river, the
farming districts Of, Iowa, Missouri
and Nebraska present a promising ap-
pearance. The evening before, when
the bluff was visited, beautiful
spectacle was seen. Stretching back
into the three states were great
steaks of fire, where farmers has
raked up the dried corn stalks of the
previous year and were burning them.
Journey North.
With peach blossoms in their button
holes the party which was entertained
by the Burlington railroad company
started north and made run to Paci-
flc Junction without stop.
Turning to the east the train made
it's last days trip and reached Des
Moines at o'clock in the evening
after making a most remarkable
journey and one which is unparalleled
in the history Of railroading for the
successful elimination of plans.
The success Of the trip is largely
due to &. H. Hunter, who was asked
by the Burlington officials to take
charge of the excursion and see what
could be done. The time was short
and the Friday before the Wednesday
on which the train started, 10000
postal cards were sent out to farmers
living along the route. Eighteen
thousands bills and posters were sent
out and every station agent was in
structed by wire to urge farmers to at
tend the meetings The Iowa Grain
Dealers association was given free
use of the wires to instruct their
agents along the route to assist in
the meetings. Every day the agents
Of the road were instructed ahead by
Mr.. Hunter to work the rural telephone
lines for all they were worth. In many
instances agents reported they had
turned in the general alarm and had
notified every farmer on the system.
1t is conservatively estimated that
for every farmer who attended the
meetings there were ten notified OF
them. Inasmuch as fully 10000 farm
ers listened to Professor Holden it is
safe to say that 100000 in southern
' Iowa are now thinking over the i'm
portance of the seed corn question
Over a ton Of literature was distribut
ed among the farmers in the four days
route and at every station where the
meetings were not held printed ad
dresses of the experts were thrown of
to the agent for distribution.
|, Advanceme of Land.
/ Near Corning the party passed
through that land which was formerly
occupied by the Icarian society," com
munistic organization which came tt
an abrupt end because of misunder
standing among the younger genera
, ton. By strange coincidence Mr.Hun
!. ter, who. had charge of the excursion
was sixteen years ago made receiver
!, for this society and under the direc
ton of the court sold the property. 1
|, sold, he remarked Saturday for .Sl4 PEE
t acre with crop of hay on it. Today i
is practically worth $500 an acre.
Thirty years ago the Burlington
!, road sold the alternate sections alon!
: its route through the Nishnabotan.
+ valley for $11 per acre Today it's il
among the richest corn producing sec
7 lions of the state and is valued as higl
as s95 per acre.
Big Benefit to South.
!, Duncan Hunter of Hamburg, presi
8 dent of the Southwestern Iowa Grail
= Dealers association, Saturday morn
ing said: IF but one-fourth of the sug
j. gestions of Professor Holden are cal
: ried out 1 believe the grain dealers
business will be increased in this see
y ton 20 per cent. further believe the
will increase the value of corn Ian
}. from $40 to $25 per acre.
Contest in Montgomery.
!, At Red Oak the address of Profes
4 sor Holden was received with enthus
d asm and at it's conclusion the pres
: dent of the county agricultural societ
a stood on box on the station platforr
i and announced that at the fall fai
prizes would be offered to the boys III
n der 20 years of age who would dispa
. the best ten ears of corn raised in tn
: county.
d As the party passed east it crosse,
:, the old camping grounds of job
: Brown. The new rightof-way Of tn
r Burlington crosses this and the con
n pany expects to erect a monument t
Il mark the site.
: True To the Last.
t Tho last stop made by the excursio
e was at st. Charles, where the train, al
= irving at 6 p. M, found tree hundre
d people anxiously waiting. 1t was a bri
d liant end for remarkable excursion
Two audience cars had been taken &
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