Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-31

49,. - 10y NN@AN 49,
- braska. It's first settlement
came by accident and its boun-
- Diary lines were fixed by chance.
Its earliest history reads like fiction or
romance, and as to it's present condition
It is just simply in a class by itself.
More than one-half Of the population of
Nebraska lives in the country on farms dis
tant from nearest trade centers anywhere
from one to fifteen miles. The surround
ing retail farm trade Of a city like Stanton
may be described as consisting Of encir-
cling bands or strips OF gradually increas-
ing trade value as they extend outward
from the town. There is first the narrow
belt running out six miles in all directions
within which the city has practically a
monopoly Of the farm trade. Within this
radius, a radius dividing the average dis
tance between Stanton and surrounding
towns, the farmers have practically no al
Tentative but to trade with Stanton. Be-
yond this is a secondary enoircling terri
tory from six to ten miles out within which
the farmers have more or less of q choice
of smaller markets, but from which, with
proper retail establishments and conditions
at Stanton and proper roadways for get
ting into the city, II Is possible to get a
large amount Of trade coming in by buggy
and rail. There is still another buggy belt
In certain directions from ten to fifteen
miles out from which, OF course, the pos
sibilities Of trade are much less, but from
which still considerable can be had upon
the conditions being made sufficiently fav-
orable.
Beyond this again is Stanton's more dis
tinctvo jobbing territory, materially dim
inishing in value {. the city as il extends
out. In the elements of growth and bust
ness force internal to itself, stanton pos
sesses what will hereafter be con-
sidered more In detail, a certain
strength of Individual force in its
citizenship, a certain strength in finan-
cial status, a certain manufacturing
strength. Going first into a careful con-
sideration of the surrounding retail farm
trade, 1t goes without saying that this
trade is to Stanton, as indeed to more
metropolitan cities Of a much larger size,
one of the great elements of its growth and
prosperity, which should be carefully cul-
tivated and developed.
Take the local six-mile radius about
Stanton, within which, as heretofore stated,
they have materially a practical monopoly
of the farm trade. Such a circle embraces
an area of 113 square miles-72, 800 acres.
This Is equal to 900 eighty-acre farms.
800 120-acre farms, or $50 1G0-aore farms.
The average farmer pays out during the
year about $625 at the village OF city where
no does his trading. This amounts to about
fSOO.O 900 that comes to stanton from these
farmers within this circle. This is no
small factor in the matter Of building up
a city the size OF Stanton.
Not many towns In a well settled
country, especially one with so many public
highways and a good line of railroad as
from Stanton, whose six-mile radius is so
free on the average from nearby small
towns. In many localities six miles is the
ordinary distance separating respectable
railroad trading stations. The trading
growth promoting value to a city of nearby
highly productive, thickly settled, undls-
puted farm trading territory of such a
magnitude can hardly be overestimated
The practical question TO Stanton within
this enctrcling six-mile radius is not how
to attract the trade to Stanton. for that
comes naturally and necessarily Of itself,
but is the trade there2
When you come to consider the trade
belt Of Stanton, next beyond the six-mile
area, say from six to fifteen miles out,
they have as fine a body OF land and set
Element for immediate trade and traffic
as can well be found anywhere. In the
main It IS an area of upland. rich almost
beyond description. The amount OF buggy
.rafflo that can be and is attracted &c
Stanton from this splendid area is deter
mined by the strength and attracdvenes
Of the stanton retail establishments and
he possibility and reliability OF the wager
roads. The same may be said OF trade a.
a greater distance in certain of these direc.
lions. For the trade OF that encireling bell
stanton comes into competition with towns
Of considerable strength on the outer edge
OF this circle. One Of the peculiar features
OF this country is that II contains but tive
towns or trading posts, but It's territory
reaches up very close TO many good thrift,
towns Just over the line in nelghborinl
counties. This has the peculiar effect o.
making the land Just as valuable I'm on
part Of the county, even on its borders, a
at the county seat, which means that Il 4
selling at the present time ut from 50
20 SO per acre.
Taking up the matter OF roads as al
element IN the promotion Of this trade, I
Is a fortunate fact, characteristic of Stan
ton county, that on the wide upland, asid'
from the lnfrequent item OF oocasiona
s-tecpness. the roads are by nature every
where and almost always good.
This brings YOU 60 a consideration o
that side OF the retail trade proposition
that concerns the merchants and genera
business men themselves. their ability an,
facilities for drawing farm and small tow
trade from the greatest possible distance
and 70 the greatest decree from beyond IN.
six-mile limit: and after all the huma'
e,ement Is the great factor in town an
trade building II Is highly gratifying 4
observe the quality, activity and success o
stanton's mercantile people In this regard
Thor retain stores have become decidedly
METROPOLITAN and are rapidly becomin.
more and moro so. This Is true In ri
lines: the excellence and exceptionally wid
circulation OF their local newspapers are
factor IN this situation. Their merchant
are making valuable use Of these adveT
Using pages and proclaim their wares 4
the papers Of many towns outside IN
county. These merchants stocks are eS
ceptionany strong and attractive IN all n
great staples. clothing. cry goods. hard
ware. boots and shoes. jewelry, furnitur
and groceries,
Il Is evident that there is a limit to tn