Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-17
TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS PER
ACRE FOR IOWA FARMS NOT
TOO MUCH.
INCREASE IN VALUES
REPRESENTS MUCH TOLL
Mon Who Pioneered in Iowa Forty
Years Ago Only Getting Just Re-
wards For Many Hardships-Easiy
Experiences in Franklin County Re.
Told BY c. z. Wilson.
Special TO rlmes-R Republican.

tN>SA HiN
/ Hampton, Oct IA few days 6 a
man in this county paid 5000 per acre
for a farm. Nothing unusual in the
transaction, for many farms in Frank
lin would readily sell for a higher
price than hat. Many who learned of
the purchase :o doub, recalled the fact
that but i few Years have passed since
the place in question could have been
bought for one tenth the selling price
OF today Not everyone who gave the
matter any thought however. dwell
mentally or he actual price that the
owner OF early days really put into
hat Ian for the dollars ard cents in
vested IL Iowa farms in early days
represent only the apparent price. The
real one was nearer, much nearer that
which = be paid at the present
lime
About forty years ago a hard work
ing carpet weaver IN the city OF Phila-
deiphia received a letter from a rela-
live in Butler county Iowa, urging
him 10 give up his work and come
with his family TO the new western
cnuntry where homes could be bought
5"r tire price 9: . few months rent in
Re city. The result was the arrival
in due time Of the eastern family and
me purchase Of forty acres OF land.
Weaving carpet and raising crops are
tWo very different propositions, as the
Philadelphia man soon learned. and in
Elsgust he decided to return to the
Quaker City. Preparations for the trip
Vere about ON pleted when another
etter was received. this time from the
ast in which 1t was stated that Phil
7elphfa was Fever stricken and that
eturn to the city would be an unwise
act al the time. 50 the return journey
was abandoned. Pioneer hardships
were besetting The people in Butler
county and something had TO be done
to raise the means for continued ex-
istence The carpet weaver concluded
that he could never be a successful
farmer and he decided to return to his
old position, leaving the wife and chill
dren On the Iowa farm. He started
back one day and when he returned to
the western home three years later he
brought sl,7o0 of ard earned money
with him. Meanwhile the boys under
the direction Of the %resolute mother
were growing up sturdy .illers OF the
soil and the little fortune that the
father brought back was invested IN
more land. \ new railroad was being
put thru Franklin and Butler mt
at hat time and the man found en-
ployment at I.lo per day. He had
to board himself and he boarded at
home. walking the four miles 10 his
work morning and night for several
months. OF course the family pros
pered. Three sons in early middle
life today are the owners OF 1850 acres
Of Franklin county land. One OF them
LAST week was found painting a new
barn that had just been erected on a
recently purchased farm. IT worked
here as a farm and for the man who
owned this place when / was a boy OF
fourteen years" said he. No. I didn't
expect at the time to be owner OF the
place nor to see it sell for more than
300 a acre"
Other early settlers besides he Ea--
rtson family a part Of whose struggles
for a home are here recounted, paid a
price not indicated in their farm deeds.
When everything is considered land in
Iowa is rot so much higher in price
as when the first money cost was less
than $40 ar acre.
in the hog LOT on the farm Of D.. r.
Roemer there was a depression that
filed with every rain. The po.cine oc-
cupants there found that an admirable
wailow was the easiest thing in the
world to make and they made It. Then
Roemer conceived an idea. There was
a sand pit near T plenty OF cement In
Hampton. He hauled a Dad or two OF
sand. got three sacks Of cement and
fixed that waliow go that a hog might
take a bath and present an emtnently
respectable appearance when he got
thru. When the porkers need dip
ping" al. Mr. Roener has 10 do Is &c
empty the dip into the wa,iow and GO
off 10 his work in the field, leaving the
hogs to disinfect themselves. which
they never fai! TO GO.
John H. Shearer. who lives on a
Hampton mail route. utilized a recent
rainy weather season in a rather un-