The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-11-02

spying tour, Town into Lubbock coun-
ty, and sold them a big tract of land
In a body. 1t is not unusual for a con-
siderable portion OF the residents OF
n county In the older states to rams
plant itself in a body to Texas.
The Panhandle is described as a
pretty country to look at. with a de-
llghtful climate, owing to the high al
litude. Its one drawback, abou which
little is said, is the depth one must 20
tor water. 1t is seldom found less thar
300 feet. and sometimes one has to PC
three times that distance.
Dalhart, one of the boom towns, has
a citizen in the person of A. A. Royal
VIC thinks that fortune has served him
a scurVy trick. He bought a section
o years ago. before the boom be-
gan, for 81 SO an acre.
Ihat o all his money, and when
he came to dicker for the sinking of a
Vel he found the regulation price a
foot to be about the same as the price
OF iand an acre. He had to have the
wen, however, and in payment for ii
gave the we'll man q deed for 800 acres,
he recently sold his 800 for s13 an
acre, Which melted him nearly $500
profit. But he can't forget hat the
actual cost to him Of that well was
$4,1OO. wa ""'
There'l be a lot of dead towns in
the Panhandle when the bottom drops
out or this boom as it will; but while
~ lasts the folks are having a good
.ilae. Men who had nothing a few
years 6 are rich now. Two-thirds
OF the business blocks are OCCUPIED bv
land agents..
Where Dalhart, a town of 5000. now
STANDS was formerly the range of less
Jenk1ns He sold it to a townsite com
pahy Tor $500. The agent offered him
ten blocks in the town if he would give
III q good boost IN tho hr,,o, ~ -.
along.
Old Ranchers Are Buying.
jenkins ran the man who made thu
proposition off his place.. He explains
mat he thought it was simply a big
robblng scheme, and he didn't want the
ten blocks for a gift.
jenkins had been there for TWENTY
IlVe years and was convinced it was
nothing but pasture land. A few DAYS
ago he bought a business corner for
S4,ooo, and is now putting up a $25, 900
hotel on it. He has changed his mind.
The president of the biggest bank
was an old buffalo hunter who located
near by nineteen years ago, and the
land he accumulated he recently sold
for $75, 900. One story they tell Is hat
Of a pretty girl who was a waitress In
the best hotel there six months ago.
she got $25 a month, and was so pop
ular with h guests that practically
all or the land agents had her on their
staff Of boosters. She made enough in
commissions to make good investments.
She now owns the hotel, clears $500 a
month with it. and won't marry the
best man in town.
Railroad men are also in the pay of
the land agents, INC they make good
additions to their salaries by the adj
vice they give travellers. The specu-
lation that has prevailed for the last
year has caused a steady advance in
prices, but the conservative fellows, the
old timers, say that the prices can't
last. Twenty dollars an acre is too
much for the land.
1t is about the same quality as vest
ern Kansas land, has the same MESQUITE
grass covering, but it's development will
be slow. and rainfall must materially
increase before it can be profltably
titled. But with prices advancing, no.
body cares and everybody is making
money.