Mexico Missouri message., 1909-10-28

supervision Of the agricultural depart
ment Of the State University
The interest shown by the people
Of the Ozarks In the Investigation en-
couraged every member Of the party.
| Crowds gathered to hear the addresses
of the governor and of the immigra
ton, dairy and agricultural experts,
both in the towns and out in the hills.
Schools were dismissed and children
| gathered on the river banks to cheer
the exploiters, and business was sus-
pended whenever the party reached
a town.
VIII Stop Emigration.
II am gratified with both the imme-
! diate and prospective results of the
trip" said Commissioner Curran. "The
first and most important effect has
been to awaken an enthusiastic local
sentiment among the people of the
Ozarks in favor of adopting industries
more suitable and more profitable for
the region, thus raising the estimation
of the people themselves so that they
will not only discontinue leaving the
country, but will welcome immigrants.
I'VE met with hearty sympathy
from business men and farmers every
where, indicating an appreciation OF
the objects Of the trip. / was able to
list three-quarters of a million acres
of land which is for sale in tracts of
from 1000 to $4,000 acres, now avail
able at from $3.50 to s. per acre and
all suitable for dairy, fruit growing,
truck gardening, tobacco raising and
other profitable industries.
This is the first of series of trips
proposed. The next will probably be
taken into the drainage section of
southeast Missouri. This drainage
area has the advantage over the
Ozarks in that the land will raise any
consequently will produce a mucn
larger per cent of gain in a shorter
length of time.
THE commission feels that it owes
much to the press of the state for the
publicity given the work and to the
business men along the route for their
hospitality, enthusiasm for industrial
progress and loyalty to Missouri.
while the whole party Of thirty did
not catch a single fish nor kill even so
much as a sandpiper, these disappoint-
ments were more than compensated
for by the satisfaction that for the
first time in it's history the Ozark re-
gion was in the spot light and showed
to splendid advantage"
Party Is Royalty Banqueted.
Each settlement seemed to vie with
the other to display the products of
the farm and dairy. The women, too,
engaged in a spirited rivalry in plac-
ing before the travellers the choicest
edibles.
Mrs. Tennessee f. Austin and Mrs.
Lydia Odds, of Van Buren,, Carter
county, received the unanimous in
dorsement of the exploring party as
the best cake bakers encountered on
the trip. Van Buren, housewives also
were lauded as experts in frying chick
en-. The feast served by them on the
courthouse lawn Saturday noon was
of the sort to tempt.
The goat barbecue at Round Springs,
the basket picnic at Welch Springs,
the banquet at Salem and dinners at
Winona and Doniphan were other
feasts that tickled the palates of the
official boosters.
The school children of Doniphan
played an important part in the recep-
ton at Ripley county's thriving county
seat Saturday night. Nearly 500 of
them formed line drought which the
visitors passed Each child aided in
holding long streamers of bunting and
tossed golden-rod at the feet of the
guests.