Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, June 23, 1892, Page 10

CANYON CUT CUSTER aots and Figures Informatory as to Farm- ing in Central Nebraska. WHEFRE INDUSTRY EARNS ITS REWARD Centerpiece in the Staty's Gem-Oluster of Prosperous Counties. POVERTY TO PLENTY IN A FEW YEARS Men Who Have Been Through the Mill @ive Their Testimony. EVERY ACRE IN THE COUNTY IS ARABLE No Other State Can Rosults f Promise Such Grewt S0 Little Labor—Whero Ten Dollars Can Secure What Forty Can't Furnish In the East. Custer county forms the centorpiece of the state. Take a map of Nebraska, fold it in quarto form and you will find that Broken Bow, the county scat, is avout seven miles west of the conter point. It was organized from original territorv in 1577, In avoa it is 45 miles from north to south, 54 miles from east to west, containing 2,592 aquare miles or 1,603,880 acres, It is as large as four com- 1on counties, with niue townships to spare. Soil and Climate, The soll is deep and rich, boing ‘‘made land,” the whole country bearing unmistak- able evidence that it was at ono time sub- merged. The valleys are composed of allu- vial @eposits, the parks and table lands of calcareosilicious marl. There is not a stono or pebble as large as a quail's ogg in tho county. Wherover sand appears in the val- leys its source may be traced to the vluffs nbove, but the rains of centuries have failed to uncover u single pebble. The surfaco is a rich, black loam, with a subsoil of yellow- ish gray, reaching down to the level of the Platte, at which point water is reachea. This means from 300 to 500 feet pelow the surface of tho table lands. Thoso table lands are eveu more rich and produc- tive than the valleys. the only drawback being the lack of running water, which must be obtained from deep wells. Within the past four years, thanks to modern woll boring machines and windmill pumps, these broad and beautiful stretches of table land have been converted into farms as easily tilled and s productive as any in tho worla. In the valloys water 15 obtained at a depth of from fifteen to tweuty feet, the bed of the river being the baso of supplies. There are no such things known in Custer county as bogs, marshes or swamps, every foor. belag tiliabla land except the biuffs erd intersecting can- yous, which form the bost of hay and pas- ture lands. The ontire state of Nebraska is noted for the spongelike nature of its subsoil, which absorbs moisture readily and holas it in reserve to be given up in ary periods, but in no rortion of the state is tins featuro so noticeable as in the central portion. The great depth of the soll, extending down to the level of the water courses, constitutos a subterranoan reservolr of inexhaustibie ca- pacity. ‘This feature was clearly domon- strated i 1890 when no rain fell ‘after the month of Avril, and vet the wheat crop nourished from this subterranean reservoir, mado from ten to twenty-five bushels per acre. Corn would w1s0 have made a fair crop, as proven iu sheltered localitios, had it not been struck with hot winds, which witherod all growing crops in a few hours. The climato is a happy meau betwcen the long cold winters of the more northern states and the burning suns of those on the south. There are no storms, cyclones or floods and there are more days of sunshine in o yoar than in any portion of the country. The streams are wide and never overflow, always carrying about the sume amount of water,no matter whether in dry or wet season. Thir- ty years ago Custer county and all that part of Nebraska was popularly supposed to be outside the Jimits of furm vegetation, but the rainfall now extonds far beyond the western border of tha state. In tho thirteen years of farming oxperience in Custer county, but one failure or even partiul failuro has oc- curred. which is a better record than Iowa, Tllinois ov any other of the great agricultural states can show. Reforence to the sub- joined testimony of farmers will show that for a period of vears a high average yield of erain has been secured, even including tho vear 1800, which has been heralded as a failre1n public print, through tho mistaken policy of public ofiicials asking congress to donate §1,000,000 to keop the people of Ne- braska from starving when 1n reality there were but few families in theentire state who were destitute, and they needed only tem- porary assistance which the stato of Nebras- ka was amply able to furnish. There is not a more productive spot within Uncle Sam's domains than Custer county, nor an agricul- tural community where crops of all kinds can be raised with so little laboror expense. Tho altitude of Custer ocounty rangos from 2,500 in_the valleys, to 5,000 feet on the tables above sea level. The air is ary and light. Malarial diseases are unknown and all pulmonary or lung troubles quickly van- ish in the pure air of this remarkably healthy region. Products. All products of the farm aud gardsn in- digenous to temperate climates are grown to perfection in Custer county. Corn, as shown below, by the leading farmers of the county, averages about 40 bushels per acre, one year with another. fn swall grain, especially wheat and oats, the climate and soil show superior qualitles, Inormous yields ure herewith recorded, from the bast of sources, with name and postoftice address of parties making the statoment. ‘These are not merely isolated or exceptioual yields, as tho high avorage for a term of years will prove. ‘The farmers of Custer county uro ospeoiully on- thusiastic over their success in wheat rais- ing and the tostimony of the miilers shows that the grain makes a flour, which in quaiity is equai to or even superlor to the famous Minnesota wheat flour. For vezetables, Custer county canuot bo beaton. With but little cultivation all kinas of vogetubles mako large yields and never fail, und with careful tillags tho yield is boyond' tho belief of eastorn men who have nevor visited this portioa of Nubraska. ‘I he fact that Custer has won tho first prem- fum for three yoars in succession, oftered by tho stato agricultural socioty, for tho best county exhibit at the state fair, thus secur- ing tho grand gold modal, Is the best evi- donce In support of these statoments. Even in 1890, vhe short crop year, Custer county carried off tho capital prizo at the fair and is now debarred from competing for a term of three yoars under the rules of the associa- tion. “Hall county is the ouly othor county In the state that has won the gold medal, Topography. ‘'he general topography of Custer county duffors essentially from all other countles in the state, Almost the eatire county is a suc- cesslon of vallevs along the stroams, boundoed by abrupt bluffs intersected with deop and narrow canyons, beyond which rugged fringe and on a lovel with tho tops of the bluffs, strotches away us far as the oye. can reach, tho level table lands dotted with furm- bouses and the inevitavle windmills with which overy fur.n s supplied, Intormodiate in clevation, botween tablo und valley, are e lovel plateaus callea forks, formed oy depressions in_ the hills, ' surrounded oy low bluffs which ' divide tue forks from the lable land on one hand and the valleys on tho other. Some of tuese forks aro small and some of them thousands of @cres 1 extent, always boauti- ful and extremoly fortile. Woods fork and Cumings fork, in the northeastern part of the county, re Loted oxamplos. Thoy are thiexly soiiled and bighly cultivated tracts, porfeotly lovel, though thoroughly drained and very productive. Considerable good- watured strifo oxists botween farmers ou the tablo, in the valloys and the forks, each olaiming superiority over the other fromn a grain and stockralsiog stasdpomnt. The table farmers make one just claim, however, and that 1s that they are exempt from frost for two to throee weuks luter in the fall than their valley neighburs, Some poruons of the v bave moro or leas sand, whlle the wables and forks bave uoue, wnother point wade by tho tillers of taole lands. The fact 10 1t is Wil @s rich aud productive as the best soill in any of the older rivor counties, and much more casily formed. Even on the sum- mits of the highest blafls, wherever thero is room for a team and plow, the bizgest kind of crops may be ralsed and it wiil always be 50 from the fact that the hils are formed of the same kina of <ol from apex to base. There1s very little land in Custer county vhat can_properly be described as rolling prairie. Tho South Loup and Middle Loup rivers ara the principal streams. The lat flows diagonaily across the northeastern corner of the county and the former across the southwestorn corner. Iutermediate be twoen tho two principal streams are Clear crovk, Lillian creck, Wagoner creok, Victoria ok, Muddy creek and other smaller streams, all ~ forming beautiful valleys. It was these sparkling Streams with their rich pastures, shady nooks and sheltering nitls, natural grazing grounds for countlesss herds of cattle, that caused the Olive brothors und their men to commit murdor in ordor to kecp out the settler and retaiu possession for their herds. But inevitable came, and today the scenes of formor violonce aro transformed into poace- ful and prosperous homes. mprovement Statistics. T'he assossors’ returms for 1801 show 251- 800 acves of improved lands, and 639,497 acres vnimproved, Number of horses, 15,010; cattle, 33,104: mulos, 1,180; shoep, 816 hogs, 38,322, ' The assessed valuation of all proporty in the county, including real estate, in 1891, was §2,201,614.91. The actual yalua- tion estimatod is 818,604,200, Assessed valu- ation fn 1850 §220,304, which shows a greater growth than ang other county in the state in the samo length of timo. The population in 1530 was 2,211, and in 1800 was 21,677, showing an increase in ten yeurs of 10,166, which is greater than that of any other ‘county except Lancastor, Gaze and Douglas, 1n which the growth of iho cities placed them ahead. There aro eleven banks in Custer county with doposits aggro- gating 8300,132, or 814,12 por capita. Thero are nine newspapers, and Afty-tour post- offices in the county Considering the sizo of the county, the railroads are moageriy represented, thero being only oighty-fiva miles in opcration. The main line of the B. & M. runs through the county diaxonally from southeast to northwest, o distance of fifty-nine milos, and the Kearnoy Black Hills road enters the southwest portion of the county terminat- ing at Callaway, twouty-nine miles from the point of entrance. The lack of railroads is the most serious drawback tho people of Cus- tor county have to contend with. Four years agotne B. & M. gradea from Avcadia in Valley county through Custer county via Sargont into Blaine county, fifty-four miles from Aroadia, intending to continue up tho North Loup valley to a conunection with the main line, but the big strike stopped tho work 1n 1850, and the following year tho fail- uro of crops placed its complotion_ still far- ther in the future, The farmers of the Loup valley are anxiously waiting for th: time when they will be ablo to markot all tho grain And stock they can raiso. Tho prospscts are that the iron will be laid us far as the bed is graded within the next year. Tho schools of Custer county are oxcellent considering the population und extent of ter- ritory. Thero are in tho county 6,931 pupils and 950 teachers. The total amount paid teachers Iast year was £33,800.9). Amount invested in school property, $51,196.45. Broken Bow, Broken Bow, the county seat and princlpal city, is in the exuct center of the county and has & population of 2,000. The first settle- mont, where the county seatnow stands, was made in 1575, Wilson Hewitt, who still resides there, was tho first actual settler, and it was he who potitioned for a postofice and gave the city its odd name, ‘The first pstition sent in was granted, but the numo suggested was similar to that of another1n the state and was re- jected. Mr: Hewitt, in the meantime, had Stumbled on a desorted Indian camp with many articles soattered about, among them @ buffalo bow und arrows. The bow W broken and suggestod to himethe name of the new postoftice, which was accepted and tho petitioner complimonted on tho choice. The oroken bow was afterwards used for kindling by a servant girl, who in her ignorance do- stroyed a valuable relic, Broken Bow has three banks. Tirst National Baak ot Broken Bow, cap- ital §100,000; S. H. Burnham, president; L. H. Jewott, cashier; deposits, $100,000, one- third farmors’ money; loans and discounts, $130,000. The Bank of Commoerce, capital §25,000: F. M. Rublee, president: F. B. Bartlett, cash- fer; deposits, 832,000, of which 10, farmers’ money; loans and discounts, $37,000, Farmers Bank of Custer County, capital £16,000; G. W. Clauson, president; v. A. Har- Tis, cashier; J. A. Abbott, assistant cashier; deposits. §5,000, one-third farmers’ money ; toans and discounts. £35,000. Four newspapers, Custer County Leader, weekly, ropnblican, Johu Tuman editor. Broken Bow Republican, daily and weelkly, republican, D. M. Arnsberry editor. (uster County Chief, weekly, iudependent or neutral in poltics, Purvccll Bros. & Gil- more, editors and progrieto Custer County Beacon, weels ‘W. Beal editor. Custer County Teacher, a monthly, in pamphlot form, devoted to educational mat- ters, H. H. Hiatt editor. ‘Thoro uro 450 pupils and nine teachors {n the schools, provided with a brici building whioh cost $15,000. Broken Bow has two elovators and a large roller flouring mill. 8. J, Lonergan, mayor of the city, is also proorietor of the mill, and says hio ships flour to Buropo and gets two shillings per barrel more than tho best brands of Mioneapolis flour bring in vhat market. He feels sure that Custer county is destinod 0 be a saperior wheat growing country. There were shipped out of Broken Bow in 1801 417 cars of products, The city has a fine systom of water works, and wany fina brick blocks with every class of business ropresented. alliance, C. Merna, Morna, nino miles northwest of Broken Bow, 1s one of the most important trading points in tho county. Last year thero wero over 400 cars of products shipped out, nearly as much as ut Broken Bow. Some of the largost grain raisers in tho state markeu their products at Merna. Jaguot & Keily and Wilson 13ros. each operate elovators of 25,000 bushels combined capacity. A large flouring mill will soon be in overation, Moraa has one weakly newspapor, the Merna _Reporter, republican in_ poiitics, odited by A. L. Lazenby, only 17 years of age. M. Luzenby clauns to bo tho youngesy oditor in tho state, Ono bauk—Bank of Merna —capital, $10,000; C. Johnson. prosi- dent; Muo Johnson, cashier; deposits, 26,000, one-third farmors’ monoy; loans and discounts, 834,000, There are 115 pupils and two teuchers in the schools, Sargent, Sargent is on the line of the B. & M. ex- tension, twonty-five miles wost of Arcadia, in the Midale Loup valley, and was laid out in 1883 oy J. W, Thomas and E. P, Savage, Atthe time the railroad grado was beiog wade throuzh Sargent a Chicago firm built at Sargent tho largost elevator in the county of 30,000 bushels capacity, aad it still stands there uwaiting the ironiug of the grade, Sar- gent is a good business point, iu tho midst of a splendid agricuitural country, and is destined to be oue of the principal cities of Custer county when the railroad comes, The oldest bauk in the county i3 lovated Lhoro, the Custor County bank, established by J. W. Thomas in 1853, Mr. Thomas is still a stock- holder. Charies Pllsbury is president, C. Gaednor cashior, vapital 810,000, doposits #12,000, 50 per cent farmors’ ‘money; loans and discounts, $2),000. Sargent has a good uewspaper, the Savgent Times, weekly, re- pudlican, F. M, Currie editor. It has a traino school bullding and forty pupils, All lines of mercantile business are well repre- sented. Arnold, Arnold is a live business town surrounded by splondid favms aud prosporous farmers. Ithas 8 newspipor, the “Arnold Nows,' weekly, republican, 5. L. Carlysle editor. Douglas Grove, Douglas Grove is a farming commuaity of moro than ordinary push and intelligence. In 1500 4 farmors’ club was orgaizsd and now bas soventy wembers. The objeot of tho club is mutial advancoment in all that poriainy to homs aod furm. Tho meeti.gs bring out a full atendauce and the program is alwuys fatoresting and instruotive, Lust foll Lho club hold a district fair uad during the winter a two-days lustitute was held. New He Now Helooa is located sit and one-half miles north of Merna, eighteen miles norch- wast of Broken Bow. 1t is noted for 1ts min- eral sprivgs, oight in number, gushing from banks of Clear creek, a most beautiful 0 miles loug, emptying into jap. is als0 poiuted out as 000 of tho first spots seutled in the county, the | THE OMAHA DAILY BE Judge Mathows having pitehed bis tent there eighteen years ago. o'tling works have boen erocted thero and Now Holena minoral waters are shipped Lo ail parts of the country. Wescott, Wescott is but a small town with two' or threo stores, It is more noted for the beauty of the country around it than for the com- mercial business doae in it. Reference to the intorviews accompanyiag thls skaton will mive the reader a fair ides of tho plice Waoscott has a bank, Bank of Wescott, cabi- tal 10,000, surplus 3,000, deposits £1,600, W. 8, Wescott president, John J Wescott cashier, Ansolmo, Anselmo, on tho B, & M., is a great_ grain and stock point and also a good commercial trading placs. During the year 1891 there wore londed out of Anselmo 154 cars of grain, 22 of stock, and 14 miscellancous; roceived B0 cars of coal, 19 lumber, 4 lims and brick, and 3 miscellaneous, Anselmo has a 120 burrel steam roller mill, one elevater, one church, good frame school house which cost £3,000. First Bank of Anselme, capital £5,000, Mac Johnson, president, W. K. Warren, castier, deposits, $10,000, one-third farmers’ monoy. A gooa four-room school house, one teacher and sixty-five pupils. West Union is located in tho mortheastern part of the county, in the Middle Loup valley, has a large roiler process flouring mil, R. G. Carr, proprietor, built four years ago, capacity, 100 barrels a day. One newspaper, West Juion Gazette, waekly, alliance, J. H. Dills, editor. A eood frame school building, one teacher and 73 pupils. Mason Clty, Mason - City is on the B, & M. road 10 a rich agricultural countey, and is a thriving young city. Until recently it has had two newspapors, but now has only one, the Mason City Transcript, editea by Mac War- rington. Tho Advocate, an allianea papor, was absorbed by the Transcript. The cit has one ban —Bank of Mason City—capital, 50003 C. J. Stevens, president; P. H. Marlay, cashior; deposits, §20,000; loans and discounts, £20,000, One first class hotel, There were shippad out 1n 1801 130 cars of products and_recaived sovety-olght in car- load lots, There is no doudbt but those figures will be more than doublod next sea- son, Mason City has two elevators. Keadall & Smith_operate one, vith 12,000 bushels 9 THURSDAY, JUNE yoars ago. The oats and wheat were a fair crop. [ bave twelve nead of horses and somo hogs, have a splendid show for crops this year, and [ can say what I never could in Towa and that 1s that I-have money in the bank. Joseph Savidge.a brother of Rev. C. W. Sav- 1dge of Omaha, 1ives on his furm of a soction of land one and one-half nules south of Call wav, He began poor, has his' farm higniy improved, about fifty head of brood mares, imporied stalions, 100 . head of hogs, ana 13 out of debt, and mado it, every nickel, on the fara, In Spite of Misfortune. Charles D. Engle, resfding on his farm of n section of land six miles northwest of Callaway furnishes an examplo of the poss bilities of Custer county under the most ad- verse circumstances. Ho camo to Custer in 1884 withbut littls mouns, snd that was s sequently swept dway by fire, loaving him penniloss, Besides that, he is a cripple, physically unable to do much with his own haiids, but in spito of dificulties he nas mado himseif owner of |u ;section of land well im- proved, 200 acres jn pasture, stocked with a Iarge herd of cattlg, fino brool mares and hogs, and is worth at least $10,000. Made Money Out of the Drouth. (Goorge Tickle is oho of those farmers who 100k ahead and propnre for *a rainy day." Ho is an Englishman and has been in Custer county only eight vears, settling six miles west of Caliaway f'2Here is what ho says: I had nothing but atdhm when Ieame here and have managed to muke money and at tho same timo keep 4 family of seven children, 1 pre-empted my first yuarter section and homesteaded another, and wiil orove up this year, out of debt. 'I have forty acres fenced, aframe barn, good hog lots and sixty head of hogs on hand. I raise wneat for sale and corn to feed to hogs. 1 also have a young or- chard coming on. Instead of bemng hurt by the drouth, it madn me money, as I never sell all my grain as some do. Duving tho dry yoar, two years ago, 1sold corn at 75 conts per bushel.” This country 18 all right, for those who manage right. My farm is in Sand Creek valloy but it is not sandy as the name would seom to indicate. T could nos have supported my family 1n England, as I am not a mechanic. Had Only 832, R. H. Pinnell moved from Indiana to Cus- tor county eight years ago with only $32 in money, hud no _team nor_anything else be- capacity and George Wirt the other, with 8,000 capacity. Also ono roller process wator mill with soventy-five barrols capacity. Mason City has a good systom of water works, Ansley. Ansloy is onthe B. & M. road, hasa pop- ulation of 500, has one newspaper, two banks, two elevators and three churches. The Ansloy Chroniclo is & woekly, republican Ppaper editod by J. H. Chapman, = The Ausloy Banking company, capital 20,000, Co J Stevens, president; B SN Rublee, vico sident; . C. Gibson, cashior; denosits, £40,000, one-thied farmers' monoy; loans and discounts, $0,000. Bank of Ansley, cap £20,000; Petor Towlie, prosident; W. I. West, cashier; deposits, £12,000, bulk of it farmers' money; loans and discouns, §24,000. Ausley shipped out from Sentomb; to June 1, 1503, 245 cars of grain, 1 stock and seven cars of miil stuffs, Wirt Bros. and Kendall & Smith oporate tho two elovators, thoe latter being managed by B. J. Tiernoy. The Ansloy Milling company operate a large water power mill, Ansley has three churches, two of them the most, costly in the county. There ave other towns in Custer county worthy of montior, but the length of this article formds. Custer lays claim to but little else than agricultural indastries, and in that she has reason to be proud. Tho representative of Tue Bee drove about 400 miles within the limits of the county and in- terviewea at least 100 farmers, and beolow will be found their voluntary statoments, with name and address, which speak louder and more to the point than any general arti- clo can. Lt canuot be taken for a nowspaper puff or real estate scheme, but actual facts reluted fromexperience. Androw Sommer, Mr. Sommer settled on 160 acres adjoining Morna twelve years ago, and has always had good crops except in 1800. Ho had only a toam to start with, but never had a mort gage on his vlace and has. increased it to 320 acres. He has fifty cattle, soven horses and some hogs. Last year he raised cighty acres of corn that went forty bushels per acro; eightoen acros of wheat, thirty-five bushels, aud tho oats averaged forty-five bushels. Thinks it takes less work to raise o crop hiere tha any pluce he ever saw. Wheat Farmers at Dal Dale 13 the name of a postofiice soven miles northwest of Merna, Around it are o number of farmors who never fail to raise big crops. Among them is it. D. McCartney, who farms a half section. Last vear ho had 190 acres of wheat that averaged twenty bushels per acre, und his corn averaged fifty bushels, He keeps biooded horses, has a fino residence neatly kopt grounds and byerythini about his placo exhibits both wealth and tasta, Ho is worth a least #15,000. 1, 1801, 5 cars of Henry Sweeney. Henry Sweeney is av home on & _section of 1and at Dalo which has made its owner rich, Last yoar ho had 200 acres of wheat and marketed 5,400 bushels, A BIg Yield of Wheat, James Ward is another Dale farmer who owns a half section that pays for itself every year. Last year ho had sixty acres of wheat that averaged fifty-five hushels per acre. Ho started with nothing a few yvears ago on his present farm and is now worth at least $15,000. “The Oldest Ihabitant, J.J. Jovner, a neighbor of Nick Jaquot, was the first actual settier in Ortello valley. Ho drove into the valley in 1880 with a yoke of oxen and nothing olse. At that timo there wors thres or four families at Merna, seven miles east, and all supplies came from Grand Island and Kearney. There was not even a bush in sight, and not_even a drink of water nearer than Merna. Mr. Joyner re- marked Jovially that all he could get dono at tirst was to drive to Merna, get a load of water and come back and let the oxen drink it and then start back.for anothor load, He hauled water for six months, and then bored a well 120 feet deen. Hae has a half section well improved, and as protty and fertilo as the world affords. Mr. Joyner doos not_hes- itate to say that a man could come there now and buy bis place at waat it would soll for on tho marlket, and go i debt for every dollar of it and get it cheaper and easier than ho aid by homestead and timber claim. Ho drove his oxen to South Loup canyon,twenty milos, to get poles to cover his sod' houso. His_place is worth'83,000,and he has sovonty head of eattle, nine horsos and somo hogs. His corn last year averaged forty-five L0 fifty-five bushels, aud whoat twonty bushols. Nick Jaguot's Farm. Nick Jaquot was the second man to tako land in Ortello vallev, fivo miles west of Morna, Mr. Jaquot bid $1.500 1n_money, six head of horses and a big family of small chil- dren Lo start with, He has made monoy from the day he landed thers, and is now uite a weaithy man, being tho owner of the aquot & Kolly elevator at Merna, snd his farm has incroased in size to 1,120 acres, He has but a fine new residence and improved his farni in other ways. Mr. Jaquot carries from 100 to 150 head of cattle and has sixty fat stoers in his yards now. Ho keeps from 100 t2 200 hoad ol hogs, and buys aud ships both cattie and hog: He s he has never bad o failure of crops, and considers Ortello vailey the garder spot ot Nebraska., His wheat last year averaged thirty-one. bushels poracre. He s worth §30,000 or more. Growa Rieh in Ten Years, William Holway 1s one of the most active littlo men In Custer county, and has plenty to show for his industry. Ho camos to Custer county ten years ago as foreman of a ranch company, and now owns 2,000 acres of land, keops on his place about 10) load of brood mares aud a larze number of horses. Ho is the owner of the trotuing stallion Dr. Frank- iin, & prize winner, and other noted horsos Ho paid §5,000 for @ stallion last year. Mr. Holway was seen at Callaway, whora he s at present handling grain and stock, He 1s one of tho most influential men in the county, and while ho refused to say what he Is worth others piaced bim at §75,000 or more, ali made in Custer county in the last ten years from a farm and stock basi Aoney in the Bank. Jounas Hanson homesteaded 160 acres eloven miles southwest of Callaway, near Lodl, in Woud River valley, in 1553 He savs: had some means when I came but not enough 1o cut mueh of & fizure. My farm is well im- vroved and produces flue crops every year. 1 bave uove: missed & crop, though my corn was cut pretty short by the drouth two sides his little bitof money except a large family. Hosays: [ bogan by pre-empting 160 acres which [ aftorwards sold for $000. I then homesteaded anothor quarter section and timber oclmmed & quarter five miles south of Callaway, where I still live. I am not in debt and don’t expect to put a mort- gago on my land. The drouth ~ut me off two yearsago, but I have now Hfty-ssven acres planted to corn and thirty-two in wheat. 1dave some stock and am satisfied that thisis a good country for the furmer, B. S. Finch, commonly known as Uncle Swaim, owns about 1,000'acres of land near Milldale, ten miles from Callaway, and is a large farmer and stock raiser. Ho settled there fifteen years ago with but very little means and is now worth $40,000 to £50,000. He keeps blooded horses, trotters and ruaners and also carries n large number of both ca tlo and hogs. His place 13 bighly improved and never fails to yield a orop. Climbed from Bottom to Top, Hon. Dan_Haskell's farm is known by nearly all Custer county eitizens. 1t is lo- cated twelve miles west of Callaway and the South Loup, lavs up high and his fine resi- dence can o seen for miles. Mr. Haskell came to Custer county & poor boy, working by tho month for a ranch company. He bogan to acquire property twelve yoars ago, and has climbed from the bottom to the top ‘oth tinancially, socially aod politically. He was one of Custer’s first commissioners and has also represented his county i the logis- lature. Ho has 1,000 acres under fenc some of the choicest hay land in the count makes 300 tons of hay per year, keeps so eral hundred head of ‘cattle and a drove of horses, is worth at least $75,000 and has made it every penny by his own exertions on a Custer county farm. T, J. Hohman located in Voods Park, four milos east of Sargent, sixteen years ago, has a quarter section which he has tarmed overy year and always had good crops excopt in 1800 when he had 120 bushels of corn, 125 of oats and 165 of wheat. He hasa fine young orchard, loaded with fruit last year, Last year Mr. Hohman had 52 acres of corn aver- age 50 bushels per acre, 10 ‘acros of oats mado 433 bushels, 40 acres of wheat average 22 bushels. Ho had a voke of cattle to start with. His postoftice is Liongwood. Forty-Pound Melon: Honry Hendrickson facms a quartor sec- tion three and one-half miles northeast of Sargent, where hio has been for ten years. He has mado a reputation for producing best vegotables and large yields of grain. - Last vear he cultivated thirty-tive acres of corn that made seventy busbels p:r acre, and one acre, which he gave special attentio in com- petine for o prize, made eighty-five bushols and ten pounds, the ground measured and grain weighed by a committee. It won the e. Mr. Hendrickson is a great melon ser and bad them last year that weighed forty pounds. He raised a fiold of millet last year that averaged oyer six feet in height ail over the field. Ensy Cultivated. Louis Grooms cam to Custer county four, teon years ago, with o team of mules and wagon, and secured a half section two miles northeast of Sargent, His farm is well im- proved, 240 acres broke and in a high state of cultivation. Last year ho had fifty acros of corn that mado forty oushels por acre, forty- four acres of wheat ayoraged twonty-four bushels, twenty acres of onts averaged forty threo bushels. ~ He has forty head of cattie, cloven head of horses and colts aud a largo drove of hogs, and is out of debt. Mr. Grooms says: 1 nave never known a failure of crops, or’ even short orops except i tho dry year, 1590, and even then I raised enough grain to dome. 1 farmed in Adams county southeast of Hastings before I camo here, and 1 am suro this is tho best. The ground is easier worked, can raise moro erain with less labor, and it is the surest place for 2ood crops Lover saw. All wo need now is the railrond, os we farmers cannot calculate on raising all the grain we can tend but must sow and plaut only what we can haul twen- ty-five miles to the railroad. The amount wo raise is gauged by our capacity to geu it to market. Owns a Section of Land, G, W. Nowbocker took a homestoad and timbor claim near Sargent in 1579 and has since bought 320 ncres more, making.a sec- tion in all. Last vear he had 110 acres of corv that averaged forty-five bushels por acre, aud his wheat averaged twonty-five bushiels. He has sixty- head of cattle and has marketed eightcen head of his own feed- 1892-TWELVE PAGES. | tog, * His farm is well improved, good house and barn aod o well and pump that cost §200. Mr. Newbeckor says: 1 camo hore empty handed, and havo made what | have by farming. 1 have nover seea the time when 1 ¢id not raise a good crop exvent in 181 through that year, ‘That is the only season in which we did not have plenty of rain to | perfoct crops. My brother, K. P. Naw- becket, cams here 4 poor section boss fram Henry' county, Illinois, and you ean just doublo up my possessions and it will fit him 1 think this is the best poor man's country 1 over suw, but they won’t stay poor. A, M. Mutter. Sargent on $20 ncres of land which hn got at wovernment price twelvo yoars ago. Ho was seon on Nis way to towi in company with his wife, with the monoy in his pociet to pay off tho last dollar of his indebtedness. Sid he: 1 have asplendid farm, fifty head of cattin and plenty of hogs, Last year my corn avoraged forty bushels por acre and | raisod 365 bushels of wheat. 1 havo four acres of orchard doing woll. 1 cams hers without any money srd am sure | could not have dono better any place oise. I'ho only thinz that bothers us in this portion of the couvty is the fact that Arcadia, eigntoen milos away, is our noarest railroad station. Mr. Muttor sold §1,8)0 worth of cattle and hogs off of his farm last year. Never Had a Failure, R. Beors began farming in Custer county sovon years Ago, on a quarter section Lwo miles north of Surzent. Ho says: My land is aul fenced, I have a frame barn, eribs and granaries, but I sull live in the sod house. 1 havs never known a failure of crops, but in 180) some farmers raised little or nothing. In that vear I had twenty-seven acces of wheat which averaged nineteen anda quarter bush- ols pet acre, tventy acros of oats averaged thirty bushols, It was not dry weather but hot winds that cooked our crops that year. Nebraska Beats Ilinols, William Laughlin was visited at his ols- gant home in tho villaga of Sargent and tas- tified as follows: I camo to Custer county in 187, secured a half szotion by favor of the low 'in behalf of sottlers, broke it up and im- proved it, and have mado monoy farming it overy year, I built a varn that vost $700 und ! holas forty horses, but the sod house still re- mains on tho farm. [ am now enzaged in buying and shipping stocl aug hava a tonant on'the farm. 1 had ninety acres of corn last year that averaged thirty-five busbols, injured by hail. The wheat went twenty- eight bushels. | huve thirty acros of timothy and clover and it is a success if not pastured and 1 feel sureit would stand pasturitg whan the country gets a little older. 1 sowed biue grass among the troos on my treo claim and it grows up tall and falls down like it does in tho eastorn states. The timothy made one and a half tons of hay per ucro last yoar and will surely make two tons this year. 1 plant- ed fifty applo treos this year. Small fruit and berries are a great success, growing al- most without care aud bearing heavily. T have nevor seon a failuro of crops bers, a though hot winds cut tho erops short in 1890, We aro not subject to hot winds, being out of their course, but they hit us that time. I think wo can make biz crops with less labor and less rain than in any country I ever saw. 1 was born and raised iv Lafayette county, Iliinois, and farmed there until I came here, (vis a good agricultural country but I would “ather farm hore two to one, as I can raise | more grain here with less labor inan in Ili- wois. Tug Bee man droveout to Mr. Laugh- L’s farm and inspected the timothy meadow and blue grass mentioned above, after hear- ing Mr. Laughlin's story, and can say that his account doos not do justice, The'sod is perfect and the growth is as luxuriant us Ohio. The history of all prairie co untries proves that 1t is only u quastion of time when tamo grasses will be successfully raised. Mr. Laughlin's Sargent resiacuce and grounds cost $3,000. Best Farming Country He Ever Saw, F. S. Morrison is one of the oldest settlers in Custer county and his experience of four- teen and one-halt_vears is worthy of a care- ful reading. Mr. Morrison speaks as follows: I came here from northeast Missouri four- teen and one-half years ago without a cent of mouey, but 1 had thres horses and twenty head of cattle. ' I secured a half section by timber cluim and pro-emption and have it ail in cultivation and pasture. Last year my corn averaged forty-one bushels, oats thirty- three, and sixty acres of wheat averaged twenty-two and one-half bushels per acre, six acres of barloy averaged forty bushuls. 1 have never had a failure. Even in the dry year, as we call it, my wheat avoraged eighteon bushels per acre, I raisod enough corn to keep my stock through and had 200 busbels of outs. This is the best farming country I ever saw. I have a small orchurd, and believe it is only & question of time whon apples will bo raised on every farm, My treos aro full this year. It is twenty-five miles from my place to Arcadia and twonty- ono miles to Burwell, the nearest railroad points, That is the worst thing wo have to contend with, but we live in hopas that the grade a'ready made from Omahs to Sargent will soon ba ironed. This beautiful and fer- tile Middle Loup valley certainly offers too good & field to be noglected by the railroads. Last year I markoted 1,200 bushels of whoat My postoftice address is Sargent. L. L. Perrhi “Sim" Perrin, 8s ho is familiarly known by his neighbors, is a rustier. His farm of 320 acres lies threo miles soutbeast of Sar- gent, on the ‘“table.”” Most of the tablo lands are smooth and practically level, but a glance at Sim's place makes it appear to bo a succession of biuffs, knobs, hills and canyons, with here and there a fow acres of lovel plateau. Lot Mr. Perrin tell his own story : T took this land thirteen years ago, com ing hero without azy money. 1 have im- proved it as you soe and am getting ready to bulld mea good houso. Last vear I had forty acres of corn that averaged forty-one bushels per acre, a portion of it making sixty bushels; twenty acres of onts, aver- age, twenty-two bushels. 1bad no corn to speak of 1n 1800, but raised suflicient crop to winter forty-five head of stock and bring 1 through in good shape, and keep the family, besiaes, 1 never sold grain until this year —always fed it. ‘his beats any country for crops I have over secn, and I Bave bedn all around. The ground is easy to work and never bakes. Last year 1 ralsed sod corn tiiat made forty bushels per acra. I consider the table land the best. Itis richer, stronga: violds bigger crops and is exempt ftom frost Tor at least three weeks later in the fall than tho valleys. ‘Chero is no country iu the world that can beat Custor county for vege - tables of all kinds. Beats lowa and Miss R. W. Fulton secured 320 acres near | Morna fourtoon yoars azo, and has mado 15a model farm from a very small boginuin g agd I raised enough to keep my stock | Mr. Mutter lives seven miles southeast of | \ | | Said ne: I nad fifty acray year that averaged foriy-five ncre, thirty-five of oats that fifty' bushel of corn last bashols par averaged over and twonty acros of wheat toat averaged twonty-i and ono-half bushols, 1n 1890, the onty shyet eran voar [ have seen in this' countey, 1 raisad 35) bush- ols of oats, the samo of cora, and 15 wheat. [ have three acras of orchard, both apples and peachos last year, trees are loaded now. 1 foed most of my grain. 1 have farmad in Towa and Missouri, but this country is away al 1of eitns 18 the bost farming country I ever saw, all things considered. Came From indi 1. D. Finley camo from Tadiana to Coster county thirtesn years azo aand secarel 160 acres which he has brought to a lhigh stato of cultivation. Suid he: I bad twanty-five acres of corn Iust year that went twenty-five bushels por acre, twenty-four asres of whoat, averago twenly bushols, nine aceas of oats, forty-ivo bushels, and five and n half acros of rvo that averaged twenty-four bushol For four succossive yoars tho wheat on m aco averaged twenty-two and a half bushels por acre. T eau live easior anfl battor here than in Indiana, and raise more grain with less labor nud am moro suro of a ¢rop. Nebraska Beats Miohigan, G. R. Bull has been farmmpg 320 acres eight and a halt miles southieast of Sargont for the past thirteen voars, and spoeaks of it thus: My corn and oats last voar averaged forty bushels por acro, and the wheat was struck with rastand only made twelve to fourteon bushels per acrd. 1 had a fair erop oven in 1890, and have never kaown a fail- ure, I camo here from Michigan, where I followed farming, but this is so much better that there 18 no comparison. 1 also think Custer is equal to any portion of Nebraska. Onmo Back to Nebraska Satistied, B. S. Lilly oponed the first roal ostate oftice in Broken Bow and has rosidod there ten yoars, He 15 now engagod in tho grain business and is woll quulifioa to speak of Custer connty farming operations botn from pereonal obsorvation und by comparison with other counties. #or the past four years ho has boen & mombver of tho city council of Broken Bow, and is well known. Ho states that last year he made a_tour of tho western states—Ovegon, Idaho, Utah and Washing ton —and ali tho eastern statos clear to Now York, and came back home satisfiod that no country has the future bafore it that Ne- braska has, espeoially the central portion of the state. To give 1t in his own words: First, land 1s cheaper hero than in any other state and of better quality, does not re- quire irrigation, consequently can be owned and farmed almost without money investment, and being now sparsely settlod it has all the advantage of a denser population in storo for it and consequent rise in price of lana. The eastern statss are out of reach in prico of a poor man and farming 1S moro ex- pensive aven after the land is paid for. Land n Nebraska worth $10 per acro brings $20 in Oregon and other western states and is not as good. Custer county land which can be bought for §10 now is equally as good and productive as £33 land 100 miles east. 1 know plenty of farms around Broken Bow on which the cultivated fields paid $24 per acro lost yearand the same farms would not | sell on the market for more than $10 por acre. Thore is uo other place on earth whore such inducements are offered mon of small meaas. One Crop Pays for the Lund, Captain Robert Walker of Mason City owns and farms 100 acres of land throe and one-half miles northwest of town. He home- steaded it in August, 1334. Ha has over 100 | ings, bearing anple orchard, plonty of cher rios, plums and erapes. Said he: I have always made plenty of money and mado it ©oasy on the farm, bat I went 1nto the hard ware and imploment business and lost it all, and moro too. Kivan thedry yoear I raisod aver 800 bushols of whoat on oighty acros, which is tho lowost yield 1 over had, Last year [ raised 1,500 onshols of whoat, 1,300 of corn, 412 of flak and 300 bushels of potatoes, 1o my littls farm. 1 sola the flax ar | conts per bushol, wheat 70 conts, corn potato I'he product of tho ptace last vear would more than pay for tho land at the curront prico. [ kaow many a farmer who raed off onough from his farm last year to pay for the land and had his living loft. The record cannot bo beaten, and it is not for ona voar only, but every year excepl ous siuce this country was sottied. 1 had eight acras noat last yoar that averaxed thivty-threo Teaded iy T Charles S, Chrisman came to county from Missourt nine years ago with nothing but a pony team and wagon; traded tho team for claim and the wagon for broaking. Ho 1s now ownor of 430 acres fif- toen niles southwost of Mason Clty, His postoftico 1s Kudell. Mr. Chrisman_ says: have boen rather unfortunate, as I had a short crop in 1500 and last year was struck with hail, though my neighbors had big crons, [ have 230 acros in cuitivation and huve 255 acres of crops erowing now, part of 1t on rentod ground. I uave sixty hoad of cattle, fourteon head of horses and sixty head of hogs. I eonsider this a bottor farm- ing country than Missouri or any other [ lave seen. First Crop Pald Expenses. West owns o_section of land threa and a-half miles northwostof Ansley. In his own words: I broke 300 agres of it last yoar, sowed thirty acros in millot, which went threa tons per acre, and planted 200 acres in corn, which made 3,000 bushls, The erop paid all expenses of broaking, culti- vating and harvesting and I havo tho lana veady for a big erop this year. J. A Amaberry Mr, Amsborry has mado a wonderful suc- coss, Hocame'to Custor county in 1878 in debt aud socured a half soction adjoining tho town of Mason City. Ho has not ouly man- aged 10 hold it and pay off his dobts but has put over $4,000 worth of improvements on 1t, and has mado every dollar on his farm. Ha has lots of stock and raises big crops and is worth ut least §15,000, Bogan by Peddling, . W. Wilde, now a_large hardwaro and imploment doalor of Broken Bow, camo to Custer county in 183) without a dollar and secured a hulf soction of land, & homestead and tree claim, and in order’ to hold it he started peddling with a pack on his back in that thinly settled new country, where mouoy was hardly known at_that time. Ha 5000 bought an ox team of 1. P. Savago on time and wont to breaking his prairie. Ho still owns s fivst farm and a soction bosides, To get ready money ho used to -ork around at cutting stone and farming, but finally got to farming his own land in oavnest. Ho is now ownor of a fina brick block in Brokon Bow which cost §,510, standing on a lot that cost 81,500 ana_owns in all in Broken Bow property $10,000 worth, He is worth at loast 225,000 above his indebtodnoss. This is his own statement, corfoborated by know all the circumstances. Each M e 0 for a Claim, Custor )0 Acros. ad: 1 came to Custer s ugo, and settled at Cus Frank H. Young county sixteen y acres of 1t in cultivation, koou frame build: |CONTINUED ON BLEVENTIL PAC BAKING ePOWDER. 25 ozs. For DSHE. ABSOLUTELY PURE. JUST TRY IT. Cures all disorders of the Stomaeh, Live oM o Bowels, Kileays, Blullr, Norvous Discases, Loss of Appetite, Headache, Constipation, Costiveness, Inligesiim, Bi.- ois ness, Fever, Piles,Ete,, and renders th DYSPRPSIA. RADWAY'S PILLS aro cure for this compiaint. hdalthy action, restoro strength to the stomach. _Price 2c u box. Sold by ail druggists, or Now York, on racelpt of price. 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