Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1907-06-13
TRIP To SOUTH DAKOTA.
THE LAND OF PUSH and PLENTY.
Visit to Washington Springs the Capital OF Jer
auld County. Fine Prospect For an
Abundant Crop

b. Maris, Cashierof the First Nation
al Bank, who was u former resident OF
Guthrie Center and II near neighbor
in the Capitol building at Des Moines
where he was deputy treasurerof state
when we had similar position in the
Office OF the state superintendent OF
schools.
A RIDE IN THE COUNTRY
Wednesday was beautiful day and
ride through the country was con-
slant delight. We spent that day driv-
ing in the southern part of the county
where the land is nice and smooth,
and though comparatively level slopes
toward the east and south sufficient to
afford COON drainage. That section
is well settled, having many nice farms
with pretty groves and good improve
ments. 1t was here that w. I'll. Cowles
got his eye on a quarter section en-
closed by wire fence, with forty acres
in crops and surrounded by good
farms. Before leaving there he wise
ly secured a contract for title In fee
simple at a price of twenty-three and
half per acre. A little further south
Sam Fullerton found half section
with fair improvements and two humid
red forty acres in crops which he con-
cluded would make q good home for
himself and attract some young lady
TO share it's comforts. Sam is tired
Of baching" and il some Audubon
county girl doesn't improve this OPP
portnnity we are confident that some
Dakota young lady will be around to
make goo goo" eyes at Sam when
he takes possession the first day of
next March The price of this farm
was S32, 80 an acre. Though the second
day was cool and cloudy we kept GO
ing and drove through the western
half Of the county which we found
somewhat newer and more rolling, but
equally as good il not better than the
eastern part. We passed many good
farms with fine improvements. In sew
eral places we could see number OF
new and good farm buildings erected
by men who have gone there recently
to make their homes. About noon we
were caught in a heavp rain which
demonstrated to our party in prac-
tical way that it sometimes rains and
rains very hard, even in South Dako-
ia. Old settlers told us that they have
had plenty of rain thelast dozen years
and sometimes more than they need.
The wheat, oats, barley and grass
were in splendid condition while the
corn was just being planted or begin
ming to come up. We saw some pieces
Of alfalfa doing we'll and some fields
of timothy and clover in fine conditi-
on. We had good evidence that apple
trees are thrifty by seeing them on
different farms and visiting one large
orchard on our first days ride.
JERAULD COUNTY
From what we had seen OF other parts
OF South Dakota and from what we
had read and heard of Jerauld county
we expected to find good section of
country. But we were surprised as well
as pleased to find il much better than
we had anticipated. Judging from the
crops that are growing, the lands be-
ing cultivated and the prairies being
broken the soil Is very fertile. There
is good water from shallow wells and
quite a number of artesian wells. The
lay of the land makes it look we'll,
and causes 1t to drain we'll.
The fields full of stalks, and the cribs
full of corn clearly attest that 1t is
surely within the corn belt Before
going we were inclined to think that
Mr.. Leachwas over enthusiastic about
the country and we expected to call
him down pretty hard; but our party
agreed, after two days ride, that he
had "made good" Good new lands
are rating at 800. 90 to $50. 90 and i'm.
proved farms from $50. 90 to $50. 90 &C
cording to quality and location. We
did not go to buy any land but surely
would do SO II had money. Because
it is our candid judgmentthat it would
be a good financial proposition either
as speculation or Investment. That
county is In state of Development
when prices will advance rapidly or
we are much mistaken. We left there
Friday morning at seven o'clock, re-
turning by way Of Madison and Sioux
Falls, reached Manning atnine O CLOCK
and Audubon the next morning.