Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1905-11-17
ACTIVITY IN REAL ESTATE.

The West Enjoying Constant lsise in
Land Values.
The following from the Omaha Bee
applies with equal force to this portion
of the west:
Central Nebraska is at present en-
joying a period of unusual activity in
farm lands. Not only are the number
of sales reported monthly far in excess
of the corresponding months of pre-
vious years, but prices are advanein
at a rate that is almost startling. The
casual observer may be inclined to at
tribute this activity to the bounteous
crops and good prices prevailing and
the general prosperity of the last six
the speculative tendency always pre-
valent during times of such pros,
perity.
"These conditions, it is trne, may
have had their influence in creating a
demand for farm lands in this section,
bat the real underlying cause therefor
is that the pablic is awakening to the
fact that cheap farm lands within the
corn belt as gagged by our present
standard will soon be thing of the
past. People are beginning to realiz'
that the great central farming section
of the middle west, which produces
practically the corn supply OF the
world, has almost reached its limit
that the government has not another
acre of land within the corn belt to
offer to its homesteaders; that the
railroads of the country have disposed
Of all their holdings within the corn
producing limits; that free corn land,
are absolutely a thing of the past anC
that cheap corn land soon will be.
"When the prospective land owners
stops to consider that our population
is increasing at the rate of l,5OO,OO(
, per anuum, that the uses for, and the
products which can be derived from
corn are increasing annually, tha
lands i'm Central Illinois are selling
today at from 1925 to $3.50 per acre
while Iowa lands find equally read.
sale at from Sl0O to 1926 per acre, anf
, that these prices are based upon thei
ability to raise corn, he realizes tina
central Nebraska lands which will pro
duce acre for acre as much corn a
the lands above referred to, and o
; better average grade, cannot long re
I main at present prices. He realize
, that if he would own a farm within th
u great corn belt of the middle west h
a must purchase same quickly or pay a
# enhanced price therefor.
0 "When you stop to analyze the situa
n tion there is nothing remarkable i'm til
present activity; it is simply the resul
of a logical conclusion to which tt
public is generally awakening regart
4 ing general conditions, combined wit
the fact that good agricultural lane
IL, strictiy within the corn belt and at til
same time in section which produc.
le the finest of winter wheat and whe
le alfalfa can be grown to perfeciio
~, ~ such as can be found in central Ne
10 rasks, cannot long reman at their or
81 sent prices of from Sl5 TO 800 per acr
'e This is the real cause for the prese
~ activity. That there is nothing of
:. most speculative nature in it is ev
d dencei by the fact that the purchase
n in nearly every instance are farme
a' q. from onr adjoining states on the ca
sa n or from the eastern counties of til
ay state, Who are buying these lands f
ul homes.
CO "rhis is the real cause the desi
re of our people to own their own hom
and the realization that they havs n
long in which to secure them at pl
sent prices"