Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-08
UNDERMINING A FIRM
Means Outlay OF Pretty Sum
When Undertaken in Pres
ent Age
MEANS AS MUCH AS IN TOWN
c. e. Wilson Draws an Illustration as
to the Requirements of Bringing a
Farm UP to Date in Buildings and
Stock = Farmers Experience With
Hail Insurance.
Special to Times-Republlcan.

Alden, Dec. S.-Some idea Of the
enormous amount of capital invested
in the agricultural interests in this
state may be gained at the present time
by a little observation while driving
over a rural mail route in almost any
community in central Iowa. The value
of the land included in the farms,
along the way, of the expensive build
ings that have been erected, the great
bins of corn and oats, the horses, cat
tie, hogs, machinery, all taken to-
gether, represent a total the magnitude
of which is far past human compre-
nenson. And when at the close of a
days travel the observer of all this
remembers that what he has seen forms
such a small fraction of what exists
he is in the proper frame of mind to
realize to some extent the agricultural
greatness of Iowa.
~
involved in building up a farm and
stocking it in modern fashion is to be
seen at the home of Mr.. John Urmson
on one OF the Alden routes. There are
several others on the same route just
as deserving perhaps of mention, which
fact the better illustrates what it is
here attempted to bring out. Mr.. Urn
son bought his farm twenty-siX years
ago at what was then considered
very high figure, $40 per acre. 1t has
probably trebled in value since. There
is a huge barn on the place, modern
in every respect and the term modern,
when applied to a farm barn means
about as much as when reference is
made to a city residence in these days.
Twenty cows are sanctioned in one
portion of the building and feeding and
milking them constitutes one small part
of the daily chores on the place. and
it might be stated here, that $50 per
head per annum is the profit their
owner estimates on them. The barn Is
equipped not only with the apparatus
usually provided for putting in hay but
also with track $50 feet in length be-
low on which is car for use in cleaning
the DullllilS VI IclusS. fL1AehI pehA VI Lily
structure devoted to loose cattle is
large enough to permit of load of
straw being hauled in for bedding the
driver turning the team and driving
out of the barn when the wagon has
been unloaded. In the various build
ings a car load of cement has been used
in making floors. Inside of one of the
big corn cribs are the farm scales. Mr..
Urnson is a successful hog raiser and
he fattens from 100 to 200 head for the
market each year. His answer to the
question: "How much can man pay
for good corn to feed to scent hogs
and still make reasonable profit?"
was, as cents"
About the most difficult thing that a
solicitor could attempt here at the
present time would be to sell hail in
surance to the farmers who have re-
Gently invested in that kind OF pro-
lection. Hardly a man can be found
who is not dissatisfied with his ex-
perIence with hail insurance compan-
les. Deception on the part Of the
agent, unreasonably high assessments,
slight compensation or
none at all in case Of loss, are the in
variable charges made by the insured,
always coupled with the expression OF
q determination to keep clear of hail
insurance in the future.
"A SNYy