Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-11-02

spying tour, down into Lubbock coun-
~, and sold them a big tract of land
in a body. 1t is not unusual for a con-
siderable portion OF the residents of
one county in the older states to trans
plant itself in a body to Texas.
The Panhandle is described as a
pretty country to look at, with a de-
lightful climate, owing TO the high al
titude. Its n drawback. about which
little is said, is the depth one must go
Tor water. 1t is seldom found less than
500 feet, and sometimes one has to go
three times that distance.
Dalhart, one of the boom towns. has
q citizen in the person of A. A. Royal.
who thinks that fortune has served him
q scurvy trick. He bought a section
four years ago, before the boom be-
gan, for $3.50 an acre.
That took all his money and when
he came to diCker for the sinking of a.
well he found the regulation price a
foot to be about the same as the price
Of land an acre. He had 10 have the
well, however, and in payment for it
gave the wei man a deed for 800 acres.
lie recently sold his $40 for $13 an
acre, which netted him nearly $4,000
profit. But he can't forget that the
actual cost TO him of that well was
$4,100.
Therell be a lot Of dead towns in
the Panhandle when the bottom drops
out OF this boom as it will; but while
1t lasts the folks are having a good
time. Men who had nothing a few
years ago are rich now. Two-thirds
of the business blocks are occupied by
land agents.
Where Dalhart, q town Of 5000, now
stands was formerly the range of Jess
Jenkins. He sold it to a townsite COM
pany for $500. The agent offered him
ten blocks in the town if he would give
1T a good boost to the buyers who came
along.
Old Ranchers Are Buying.
Jenkins ran the man who made the
proposition off his place. He explains
that he thought it was simply a big
robbing scheme, and he didn't want the
ten blocks for n gift.
jenkins had been there for twenty
five years and was convinced it was
nothing but pasture land. A few DAYS
ago he bought a business corner for
$4,000, and is now putting UP a $4,000
motel on 1t. 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 ne accumulated he recently sold
for $4,000. One story they tell is thai
of a pretty girl who was a waitress in
the best hotel there six months ago..
pa oOI 90 q iIlOltll, anu DIS So pop
ular with the guests that practically
all Of the land agents had her on their
staff of boosters. She made enough in
commissions to make good Investments
She now own the hotel, clears $500 a
month with ii, n won't marry the
best man in town.
Railroad men are also in the pay OF
the land agents, and they make good
additions to their salaries by the ad-
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.
IT is about the same quality as west
ern Kansas land, has the same mesquite
grass covering, but its development viii
be slow. and rainfall must materially
increase before 1t can be profitably
titled. But With prices advancing, no.
body cares and everybody is making
money.