The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-26
OUT AT OBERLIN.
Crops Are Not Extra Good, But
People Prosperous.
Decatur County Farmers Have
Many Automobiles.
0. L. BENTON TALKS.
County Raised 100000 Bushels
Wheat in 1910.
Sold 100000 Worth Poultry,
Eggs and Live Stock.

Oberlin, Kan, Oct 26-Crops out
here in Decatur county are shy this
year, but nobody is going to starve
When our farmers can afford automo-
biles, and many of them do, it would
look if the partial loss of the 1910
crops will not affect them to any great
extent. In fact the largest wheat
acreage the county has ever known
has been soWn this fall. And it is said
it is all looking fine. There are no
signs sticking up in front of any of the
business houses reading, Selling off
at cost to quit business there is not
an empty business building in Oberlin.
and If any farmer sells his land and
leaves Decatur county, it is because he
is getting his price, and when he goes
away somebody takes his place.
Speaking of Decatur county, Otis L.
Benton, one of the early settlers, says:
Those who are not familiar with
conditions, in some cases at least, have
an erroneous impression. To be sure
we have had short crops here for two
or three years but the short crops Of
today do not affect the people nor the
conditions generally as they did 20
years ago. When I came here a quar-
ter OF century ago the only live stock
that the farmers had would be a span
OF old horses and yellow COW, hitched
to a lariat rope. They would mt in a.
ed d. and the wheat did not mature
they would put a cover on the wagon
and take the yellow COW and go to
their wife's people. Today it is much
different
Raised 100000 Bushels Wheat.
There is not a farmer in Decatur
county who is not able to support his
t say and pay his running expenses
from the sale Of butter fat. eggs and
poultry, the small things on the farm
that the wife and the children can at
leno TO, out do you know that even in
the year of 1910 we have raised SOC. 900
DusheIs of wheat; worth $500 600. we
nave sold 100000 worth of poultry and
eggs; $150,000 worth of horses and
mules; $150,0OO of live stock: over sim =
700 worth Of alfalfa seed, and in all
decatur county has produced a million
dollars this year
according to the last census report
we have about 10000 people. which
means mat we have produced in the
year or 1910 hundred dollars for every
man woman and child in the county.
1irm OF Philadelphia horse buyers
seho their representative here once a
month who buys our horses and mules
ana ships them direct to the eastern
market. Our people are able to raise
anu proouce all these things, even in q
snort year and there is no longer. anv
talk or disposition on the part of tho
people to leave the county when the
crop conditions are not just exactly
what they would like. AS a matter of
1act there are farmers in Decatur
county who have money in the banks
ana would be glad to pick up quickly,
any farm offered for sale at Just little
reduced price"
County Making Substantial PROGRESS
Mr. Benton was asked if the people
OF decatur county are making money,
ana ne answered: st cannot saw that
our people are making money but they
are paying expenses and getting along
nicely, and when our turn comes for
oountiful rainfall as it has in the past
ana as sure as night follows the day
VIII IN the future. the people of De-
catur county and northwestern Kansas
VIII De In a position to reap the harvest
OF their industry and frugality with
Lnst all important feature of having
1ad the experience of knowing what a
uoiiar IS worth and what it has cost
ana IN the end that the county is MAX