Omaha daily bee., 1905-10-28
HAY LANDS IN HOLT COUNTY
Section Where the Grass Grows Tall and
Ranch Owners Thrive
DIFFICULTY HERE SAME As SANDHIlLs
Modification of Existing Laws Needed
o oper Development of
by settlers with
Small Capital.
(From a stan Correspondent


has been experienced in this part OF Ne
braska. Ranchmen here generally own
their own lands, and q more prosperous
and contented lot of people cannot be found
than live in the neighborhood of Stuart
rms county has not the number of cattle
the county will support by any means.
When the kinEald law was passed $4,000
acres Of land was open to homestead in this
county, but It was practically all Gled on
within few months after theslaw went
into effect. The greater portion OF the
homestead lands was in the southwestern
part OF the county. A large number OF
new settlers are located in Swan precinct
under the 640-acre homestead law, but
large number of the homesteads show but
little evidence of habitation. In township
twenty-five, range seventeen, just west
OF Swan precinct, some thirty or thirty-one
homesteads were taken during the rush
time, when the Kinkaid law went into ef-
feet. and there ought to be that many
families living there at this time, but per-
sons In the township say not to exceed
dozen homesteaders in the township are
making any pretense Of living on their
claims.
What Might Hold Them,
II these claim-ownerS were given an op-
portunlty TO buy their lands, provided they
could show use of the grass for stock, and
were not required to place improvements
on the land to the amount of $500 before
they could make proof, it is quite probable
the township would have more actual set
tiers than it now has, for the simple rea-
son that they would be able to induce can
ital to furnish them the stock to eat the
grass, OF which fully three-fourths grown
IN the township Is now going to waste.
Eight hundred dollars is too much to re-
qulre homesteader to invest in improve
rnents on homestead Few Of them have
that amount to expend. and II they had
the price IT would be far better for them
individually and better for the community
II they should invest the greater mart ~
the amount in young stock that would
grow into money and be worth several
times $500 in FIVE years time
inquiry was made as to where the re-
mainder of the homesteaders in this town.
snip are now and why they are not living
on their claims. While IL lis possible to
learn the facts in but few cases, I'm each
case of which information could be had ~
was learned they were away some place
working for wages. For example. one ia
a clerk in an Omaha store, one is work
ing on farm in Cunning county. one is
working on n farm In Gage county and
another is said to be working In the coal
mines at Newcastle, Wyo. In eyerv in
stance learned about the claimants are ner
sons who work for n living and being
without means TO stock their homestraas
are compelled from necessity to go away
10 earn a living The practice in this
township will no doubt hold good In a
large number of townships in the state
where public lands are located. and n
m
some plan must be adopted whereby capital
and labor can work together i'm settling
up the country and solving the problem.
Great Hay Raising Region.
This part of the state is one Of the greot
est hay producing sections to be found
anywhere in Nebraska, Many trainIoads
of hay is shipped from this locality to Chi
cago and Omaha every year. It would
appear that the railroad company would
conserve its own interests if It would give
especial attention to making a very low
hay shipping rate from this county TO
points west Of here along the line I'm the
short grass" country The southern mart
of this county and Rock county produces
many thousands OF tons of hay that can
not be consumed by the stock in the conf
munity. The stock trains Of the North
western that go down TO Omaha loaded
with cattle, in many cases 60 back I'm
the road empty. II special hay rate from,
these points was put into force many OF
the empty cars would go back into the
short grass country loaded with baIed
hay that is needed to winter the cattle
with in good condition. and II this was
done the company would proft by hauling
back more cattle for the market than they
do now and there would be a smaller num-
could make a good prpit on a car of cat
tie from some point IN the short grass"
country, while the amount II would receive
for taking to Omaha the hides from a car
load of cattle would be small.
From careful consideration of the ex-
listing conditions in the cattle country OF
Nebraska II is apparent that the Kinkaid
law has been a success so far as II was
expected to be by those who understood
the situation. II has been the means of
many people getting homes II would have
been impossible for them 20 have gotten
otherwise. Many families that have come
into Nebraska since the Kinkaid law was
passed are now doing well. One class OF peo-
pie benefited is those who had been living on
repted lands farther east, and who had
some stock to bring with them. II a
settler could only bring ten cows with him
a
and barn and live on a few months he
could have hope of marking out a home
for himself and there are many such per-
sons who are now satisfactorily located.
Others were sons Of well-to-do parents.
who have helped them 20 get stock. They
likewise are doing we'll Others sold small
farms farther east and come here prepared
to put up improvements and stock their
claims at least to limited extent. These
are also doing well.
Pioneers Prosper some.
Another class that has been benefited
very materially by the Kinkaid law is
those who were already living in the
country on quarter-section homesteads who
have been allowed 10 file on three-auarters
more adjoining their homes. In fact the
GO acre homestead has been a Godsend 10
these people Being the pioneers OF the
country they were worthy OF all the con-
slderation that the congress. gave them
when it provided that those who were Iiv-
ing on their homesteads should have thirty
days preference right to file on three-ouar
ters adjoining. In many instances the
privilege of taking the other three-quarters
was the turning point with them, and made
II possible for them 70 remain in the
country. But the fact remains that further
legislation is needed and some plan that