The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-13
begun for foreign migration in the succeeding year.
 IslIis Island Agent

begun for foreign immigration in ths succeeding year.
 Ellis Island Agent "Through the kindness of the national immigration authorities at Washington, this department was allowed to place representative at Ellis Island. New York, in an effort to divert a number of good foreign farmers to Missouri. Arrange ments were made so that this could be done without any cost to the commis- sion. Henry Gellert was appointed dep uty commissioner at Ellis Island and Is now at that place. though at no ex- pense to the state His time there, how ever. has been too short to produce any results.
 "rhe board has been able to assist in building up a number of foreign colonies in the state and in otherwise encouraging those already here. We have Swiss col ony at Brandsville. Dutch colony at Glen nonville. Bohemian colony at Bolivar. Italian colony at Knobview and Hunga- rian colony near Arcadia.
 | "As for results by means of publicity given, the board has been able to bring people into the state. As nearly as can be estimated, we have procured 55.560 people
 Of these, %, ,6s5 came into the larger cities of the state, while PATIO have come to the smaller towns and rural districts. There Is also a per cent which has gone
 from the cities to the rural districts.
 While these people have been coming, | thousands of people have been leaving the state, but we are able to assert that the actual gain of the state in the country districts has been 2.o0O. while that of tho cities has been 30,500, a total of 51,5o0 within the past year.
 The greatest increase has been in the | counties of southeast Missouri, such as Cape Girardeau. Scott, Stoddard, Missis- sippi, Butler New Madrid, Dunkin and Pemiscot. This is what is known as the drainage district Next in order of in- crease are the counties of the Ozark re- zion, such as Greene Jasper, Webster, Stone, Laclede, Wright, Texas. Howell, Oregon, shannon. Dent. Phelps. Crawford Pulaski and others
 ''rhe principal work of the commis- sion so far, however has been to check the exodus of the best blood of the
 state to other states. We cannot hope to stop this entirely, but by continued
 work the commission can reduce it to a minimum Much of the capital of the northern section of the state which has been going to other states is now being directed toward the cheap lands and open opportunities for development in the southern portions of the state. | Early in the work 1t was found that the aid of other state departments was necessary, and good has resulted. Gov | ernor Hadley has uniformly aided and
 supported the work of the board, and
 his help and constant invaluable sug- | gestions have controlled more than any | other influence toward making the work effective The Missouri Agricul- l tural society, University of Missouri, state department of public instruction, lstate dairy department state forestry board, waterway commission, railroads of Missouri and press of the state have all been of service in advancing the work.
 This commission has made no at tempt to tabulate sales of improved | land except in those cases where the | land was to be occupied by additional | settlers. Estimates based on reports show 245.000 acres of land sold in the past year to colonization companies They were approximately 100000 acres sold to actual settlers, making a gross of 440,000 acres, at an average value | of S10 per acre, a total transfer of s4,400.000. Nne-tenths of these trans actions were made in southern Mis- souri.
 Much Lnnd Is Cleared
 "A careful estimate of land cleared of scrub and cut-over timber and put into cultivation during the year is 1S0,oOo acres. Land values are as yet undeter- mined. In November Missouri land that | sells from S45 to $1O0 per acre brings In
 northern Illinois. Iowa and other states | from $90 to s250 per acre. The wide
 spread prominence given to the develop
 ment of the Ozark region has increased
 the price of land somewhat, but at prices
 ranging from $4 to S to s10 per acre it is, according to wise land men, the l cheapest land in the country, all things considered. Tn the drainage district prices have scared higher. The cost of
 the drainage has been from A to S per
 acre and there is little land in this sec | ton now that can be purchased for less than s25 even while under water, and | cleared land is sold from S100 to $50 per | acre. "It is estimated that farmer and his
 family can produce on an average S4oe | of values yearly. Therefore the 500
 families brought into Missouri this year
 will produce s2.Oo0000 in values, and this | goes into every avenue of trade