The Globe-republican., 1909-12-30
OFFICIAL COUNTY and CITY PAPER
YEAR OF NINETEEN.NINE.

A few more days and the year OF
1909 will be gone. 1t has been re-
markable year for Ford county. For
ten years past the evidence has been
showing up that the settlement and
cultivation Of this county was be
coming fixed permanent fact. Five
years back, many who owned land
were still of the opinion that the
thing to do was to sell it at-least
soon, maybe it would go a little
higher, maybe better hold it another
year, but then sell it surely. In the
present year there has been none OF
that feeling. The most conservative
men who own land here have
had a settled conviction that Ford
county land will never 60 lower,
but that it is sure to 60 higher.
Many believe that it is just as good
an investment at the present price,
rs it was at the price Of five years ago
and if that is the case there is a for
tune in it in the coming five years.
We have passed through the same
experience that Harvey county and
Reno county passed through ten
years earlier. Those counties, now a
garden spot; have no doubters as to
their permancy. Still earlier it was
amatter Of doubt in Lyon county,
and earlier in the counties still fur
ther east. Now Harvey county,
Sedgwick, Reno and Sumner are con
sidered better agricultural country,
and the land is more valuable on the
market than many Of the counties
further east in the state. The past
twenty years have tested and proved
that part Of Kansas and now in the
wear Of 1909, the conviction has set
tied down firmly that Ford county is
just as permanently established.as an
agricultural county as those men
toned above and we are hoping that
il will prove itself more valuable than
they are. The old time settlers ol
Ford county, who ten years age
were poor, are now a wealthy class o.
farmers. Many Of them can retire
from active work if they care to OF
continue with the assurance that they
can do still better in Inc future. Th'
wear of 1909 ends the doubt ant
fear that has been felt here, as it wal
felt earlier all the way across th'
state Of Kansas in the years past
Thirty years ago that doubt had diet
~ the eastern end of the state. East
ern Kansas is all right, everybod.
admitted, but don't settle too fa
west. Then after years, Harvey. Re
no, Sedgwick, Rice; Sumner ant
other counties in the state PROVED
that they could beat anything east o
them for big crops. The wise one
gave it up but warned against trying
any further west. Seven years ago
miller from Great Bend made
statement here that in q few year
Ford county would beat Bartol
county in wheat raising. Others hell
the same belief. Harvey county, Re
no county, Barton county, Staffor'
county men and others from tha
section began DuylDg wheat land Il
Ford county. One Of the big millinI
interests Of Colorado saw what wa
coming and got in the field here wit
alarge mill. No one has been dii
appointed with the agricultural d.
vslopement Of Ford county since tia
time. The last doubter has becom
convinced that Ford county is estat
lished for all time as an agriculture
county. The few who survived unit
1909 realize now that we were onl
Easing over the ups and downs tha
every county in Kansas has passe
over from east to west, and that "
sre as firmly established now as thoa
sast Of us had become few year
earlier,
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