FUEL-Coal, 8 cents per bushel; wood, $2.50 per cord. COST OF LAND-Farms, $25 to $50 per acre. Timber land, $10 to $30 per acre. FARM LABOR-Supply sufficient for demand; $15 to $22.50 per month, with board. PRINCIPAL CROPS-Grass, corn and oats in the order mentioned, grown from May to September; also wheat, rye, barley, broom corn and various fruits and vegetables. Shipping facilities are first class. Cattle for beef and dairy are raised, also hogs and sheep. SURPLUS PRODUCTS-Besides home consumption, the following products were shipped in 1894: SOCIAL ADVANTAGES-Population, 23,245; mostly Americans; a sprinkling of Germans and Irish; all religious denominations are rep. resented. There are 101 public schools, also several private ones. Among the fraternal orders are Masons, Knights of Pythias, etc. GENERAL ADVANTAGES-Climate, fine. All kinds of fruits and vegetables are raised in abundance; general health, good. Among many thriving towns is Mexico, the county seat, MEXICO-Population about 5000, situated on the Chicago & Alton and Wabash railroads. Mexico is a fine, flourishing city with well graded streets and granitoid pavements in the business portion; water works. Fine brick stores and handsome residences. The city is lighted by electricity. TAXES-City, 50 cents; county, 65 cents; school, 40 cents; State, 25 cents on $100 valuation. ADVANTAGES-Mexico contains 10 churches, two white and one colored public school, military academy, female college and private school. Three banks, capital $321,500, deposits $320,000. LODGES-Most of the well known societies are represented. The following are the principal inland towns: Madisonville, Gazette, Middletown, Worcester, Molino, Skinner and Gant. Mexico itself is a fine picturesque city with many stores of all kinds, fine hotels, two flour mills, etc. Excellent business opening for fruit cannery and other industries. FACTS AND FIGURES-Audrain county has 433,160 acres assessed at $3,781,990. Her town lots are assessed at $1,209,510. Personal property at $2,951,770. Total assessed value of property, $7,946,300. Assessed values are 32.54 per cent of real values; hence, actual wealth of county is estimated at $24,420,098. Audrain county's personal property consists mainly of— 12,567 horses, assessed at $24.57 per head, total.. $308,925 Southwest Missouri; traversed by St. Louis and San Francisco railroad; 180 miles south of Kansas City, 60 miles from Springfield. SOIL-Varies from the black loam in the valleys which is very productive to the more flinty soil lying near the Ozark mountains. The prairies are rich, producing fine crops of grains, natural to this part of the country. Fine quantity of red clay for bricks, lime stone for building and good lithograph stone are found. Also onyx and lead and zinc. WATER-Wells, cisterns, and many springs of purest water. White, Kings and Roaring river, besides many smaller streams, run through the county. ROADS-Dirt, in good condition. Road tax, 10 cents on $100 valuation. TIMBER-Oak, in large quantities. Some walnut, cherry and hickory. Large shipments of white and post oak for railroad use are made each year. FUEL-Wood, average price about $1.50 per cord. COST OF LAND-Farms, $15 to $30 per acre. Timber land, $3 to $10 per acre. FARM LABOR-Supply equal to demand; $13 to $20 per month with board. PRINCIPAL CROPS-Grain of all kinds are raised in abundance. Vegetables and small fruits are raised and shipped in large quantities. Apples predominating. Raspberries and strawberries yielding from $50 to $75 per acre. Vineyards are grown successfully. Fine pasturing affords good opportunity for raising live-stock to the best advantage. SURPLUS PRODUCTS-Besides home consumption, the following produce was shipped out of the county in 1894: SOCIAL ADVANTAGES-Population, 27,212; mostly American; a few Germans in north and west part of county; over 50 county churches and 102 county schools. The many advantages of Barry county both social and natural have justly given it the title of the "Diadem of the Ozarks." GENERAL ADVANTAGES-Climate of a moderate temperature, the cool breezes from the mountain making the summer months delightful; and in the winter, on account of the Ozarks breaking the winds, blizzards are unknown. There are no swamp lands, hence ague and fevers peculiar to such districts are never visited upon the people of Barry county. There are many progressive towns in Barry county, among which is Cassville, the beautifully located county seat. CASSVILLE-Population, 1000. Situated on Cassville & Western R. R., connected with the St. Louis & San Francisco R. R. at Exeter. Three churches, a good public school, two banks-capital $35,000, deposits $140,000-four lodges, all necessary stores and a good flour mill. EXCELLENT BUSINESS OPENING-For woolen, canning, handle, spoke, stave, tannery, chair, broom and barrel factories. Besides the beautiful situation of Cassville, its streets are well lighted with lamps and in good condition, with sidewalks of stone and wood. Town tax, 20 cents on $100 valuation; county, 40 cents; school, 50 cents. In addition to railroad towns are the wide-awake "inland" towns-Golden, Jenkins, Shell Knob and Eagle Rock. FACTS AND FIGURES-Barry county has 436,010 acres assessed at $1,878,125. Her town lots are assessed at $396,340. Personal property assessed at $878,434. Total assessed value of property at $3,153,199. Assessed values are 30.46 per cent of real values, hence actual wealth of county is estimated at $10,351,933. Barry county personal property consists mainly of 8868 horses, assessed at $20.70 her head; total 7499 sheep at $1 per head; total.... 33,036 hogs at $1.02 per head; total. Money, bonds and notes... Schools in 1894 Teachers. Pupils... Amount spent on schools.. Permanent school fund $184,031 69,979 113,808 7,500 33,714 157,990 102 120 6,567 $25,300.12 13,402.02 BARTON COUNTY. Population, 22, 590. Southwest Missouri. Traversed by Missouri Pacific, Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis railroads; 108 miles from Sedalia ; 120 miles from Kansas City. SOIL-Rich undulating prairie; black sandy loam, which is very productive. Sub-soil of clay. The prairie is intersected by many streams, well wooded. A fine red clay, good for making brick and pottery. Limestone for building is found throughout the county. Abundance of coal is mined in the western part. WATER-Wells and cisterns; some springs of magnesia and limestone nature. There are a good many streams in the county containing pure water. ROADS-Good natural dirt roads in fair order. Poll tax, $3. home use. Enough grown for FUEL-Wood, $1 to $1.75 per cord; coal, $2 to $2.50 per ton. COST OF LAND-Farms, $25 to $40 per acre. Timber land, $10 to $20 per acre. FARM LABOR-Ample supply throughout the year except in summer; $15 to $20 month with board. PRINCIPAL CROP-Corn. Average time of growth, four months; 20 to 40 bushels per acre; average price last year, 25 cents; for the past five years, 30 cents. Wheat, oats, flax, timothy and prairie hay are raised in large quantities. Railroad facilities for shipping crops to market good. All the well-known breeds of cattle, hogs and sheep are raised. SURPLUS PRODUCTS-Besides home consumption, the following products were shipped in 1894: SOCIAL ADVANTAGES-Population, 22,590; principally American; 101 county schools; 10 churches of all denominations; many free silver clubs. The inhabitants are intelligent, refined and a most energetic class of people. No county surpasses Barton county in advan tages for homeseekers. GENERAL ADVANTAGES - Climate, mild; thermometer seldom falling below zero in the winter and a delightful breeze in the summer; making an exceptional climate all the year around; small fruits and |