The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-15
WANT GOOD ROADS
Lakin Commercial Club Has Ap-
pointed Committee to Act.
Will Improve Condition of the
Sand Hill Road.
LAkIN is AWAKENING
Has More Than Trebled Its
Population in Four Years.
Is the Center of a Community OF
Thrifty. Farmers.
LAkIN is AWAKENING

Lakin Kan, June 15.-The Lakin
Commercial club, at its last meeting,
appointed a committee to look into
the matter of establishing a good
road through the Sand Hills in the
south part of the county, as the city
is the best business center in the
county. and at present the road is in
deplorable condition.
The city is enjoying an era of
prosperity that has not been
equalled since the ''early days when
the town was the mecca of the seeker
after free government land In the
past four years it has grown from a
small town of ESQ inhabitants to one
of 500 inhabitants. 1t has two banks,
five churches, of every denomination,
fine brick public school, sub
stantial brick and stone business
houses, nice residences, and cement
walks all over the town.
Is Center of Irrigation
Kearny county has nearly $4,000
acres of land under irrigation, from
the various private pumping plants,
canals, the government plant, and the
mammoth reservoir, known as Lake
Mckinney, which is located mile
from town, to the north, and extend
ing for about miles eastward. On
the south side of the Arkansas river,
company has installed nine groups
of five wells each, for the purpose of
irrigating their private lands. These
wells extend from west Of Lakin, to-
wards the east line of the county.
All told, there is about rs miles of
irrigating canals in the county, and
the land under them is used prin
cipally for the raising of alfalfa and
sugar beets. This irrigated land is
held at from soc to $1.25 per acre,
producing from Is to 80 tons of beets
per acre, with a market value of IS
per ton, delivered at Lakin, and for
alfalfa, making one seed crop and
three cuttings for hay. The first cut
ting Of alfalfa is now being taken care
of, and promises to make a large
yield, as the season has been especial
ly favorable.
In working the beet farms, plenty
of labor is required. and the COM
pany imports quite a lot of German
and Japanese laborers- to tend the
land for them.
An immense amount of alfalfa seed
was bought at this place last fall,
one buyer getting almost $4,000
worth, and there We're four other buy
ers in the field. ..avs9sE -
Alfalfa Raised on the UpIands.
In addition to the famous Arkansas
valley, we have upland farms. on
what is known as the FLATS, locally,
the county prosperous, their farmers
raising such crops as cane, kaffir,
milo. maize, millet. wheat barley.
and in fact, everything that usually
have tried alfalfa, and have found
that it is a success, when proper care
| is taken of it.
Wheat is in fine condition, the re-
cent rains assuring bountiful crop.
Some of the wheat growers have
hue
| crop, when it is harvested. but as a
rule they believe they prefer to play
| their own game. Spring crops are
! in fine condition, and an immense
amount of broom corn has been
planted, but considering the prices
paid last fall. (S6O to 500 per toni
| it is not surprising that the upland
| farmer should consider 1t a profitable
CROP when four acres will raise a
| ton and that is not a bad invest
ment on lands that can be had. at the
present time. at from Sc to SIS pei
acre, nor is 1t difficult to see why
| there is so great demand for these
| lands One party, an eastern man
bought some $500 acres few years
ago at an average price of 81 pei
acres of it in wheat, and has a fine
| yield in sight. Is it any wonder he
| is making money?
| Take it all in all. Kearny county
| is fine place in which to reside, hel
| lands will suit the pocketbook of any
! her people enterprising. progressive
and UP to date. 1t will be but a few
| years till her lands will have adj
| yanced till they will net their pres
| emit owners a tidy sum for the in
vestment. and the old saying of 'the
early bird gets the worm was never
I truer than when applied to kearnJ
| county land.