and well paved. Other towns are Perry, at the terminus of the St. L. & H. branch and Rensalear, on the M., K. & T. FACTS AND FIGURES-Ralls county has 304,852 acres assessed at $2,599,305; her town lots are assessed at $163,435; personal property is assessed at $1,032,835; total assessed value of property, $3,795,575. Assessed values are 32.95 per cent of real values; hence, actual wealth of county is estimated at $11,519,196. Ralls county's personal property consists mainly of 6,130 horses, assessed at $22.32 per head; total.... $136.865 North Central Missouri; about 60 miles north of the State Capital and 150 miles northwest of St. Louis. The Wabash railroad (trunk line and a branch), M., K. & T. and C. & A. afford ample railroad accommodations. SOIL-One-third of the county is undulating prairie, with black loam; the balance timbered or cleared rolling land. Fine limestone abounds; fully three-fourths of the county is underlaid with rich coal fields; layers of fire and potters' clay crop out at numerous points. WATER-Two forks of the Grand Chariton river cross the county; springs, wells and cisterns furnish a pure healthy drinking water for man and beast. ROADS-Are in excellent condition, owing to the fact that the county expends annually some $6000 on its public highways. TIMBER-Several varieties of oak, maple and black walnut cover the ridges along the water courses; considerable shipments of lumber show that the timber supply more than suffices home consumption. FUEL-Coal is of a superior quality; costs $1.75 per ton; wood, $2 a cord. COST OF LAND-Good farm land sells for $25 an acre; timber and pasture land, from $7 to $10 per acre. FARM LABOR-Supply is good at the moderate price of $15 a month with board. PRINCIPAL CROPS-Corn, the main crop, yields 48 bushels, wheat 15, and oats some 35 bushels to an acre. Large as the corn crop is, the county ships little of it, as it is more profitably fed to the stock. A prominent farming feature in Randolph is the large area of pasture land with its abundant and luxuriant growth of indigenous blue grass ; advantages are thus furnished in stock raising which, if properly utilized, yield good profits.. SURPLUS PRODUCTS-Besides home consumption, the following products were shipped in 1894: SOCIAL ADVANTAGES-A strong immigration mostly of thrifty German farmers has increased the population to 25,964. Numerous churches, representing all prominently known denominations, and 80 schools bespeak the moral and enlightened community which is claimed for it. Of fraternal orders there are the Masons, A. O. U. W., K. of P. and Maccabees. GENERAL ADVANTAGES-The very moderate prices of land, and the mild, healthful climate has attracted in the four years a great many homeseekers, who have generally improved their condition and become happy and contented citizens of Randolph county; the same favorable conditions prevail today. For stock-raising and fruit-growing there is hardly a county in the State better adapted for either than Randolph. HUNTSVILLE-The county seat, on the Wabash railroad, contains about 2500 inhabitants, has a bank, nine churches, two schools, two flour mills and numerous stores. There is a good opening for a woolen mill, a foundry and stave factory. The town is lighted by gas, has fine macadamized streets, and very hospitable citizens. MOBERLY-Eight miles east of Huntsville, at the crossing of the M., K. & T. and Wabash railroads, has some 10,000 inhabitants. Here are the large car shops of the Wabash railroad; the town does a good wholesale, retail and manufacturing business, and stands eighth in population among the large towns of the State. FACTS AND FIGURES-Randolph county has 308,572 acres assessed at $2,509,525; her town lots are assessed at $1,236,175; personal property assessed at $1,605,410; total assessed value of property, $5,351,110. Assessed values are 25.19 per cent of real values; hence, actual wealth of county is estimated at $21,242,993. Randolph county's personal property consists mainly of— 9,190 horses, assessed at $23.59 per head; total....... $216,850 64,223 287,095 18,256 47,237 562,821 On the northern bank of the Missouri river, some 30 miles east of Kansas City. The Wabash, two branches of the Topeka & Santa Fe, and the C., M. & St. Paul railroads afford ample railway facilities. SOIL-Rolling prairie with timber land along the creeks and rivulets, bottom land on the southern border, level prairie in the southeastern incline. Black soil in the low prairies, yellow clay or loam in the rolling prairie. WATER-Besides the Missouri river bounding the county on the south, its four tributaries, the Limestone and Softwater, the Crooked river and Fishing river traverse it from north to south. Springs and wells furnish an ample supply of drinking water. ROADS-County roads are kept in a fair condition, with the insignificant tax of 10 cents on the $100 valuation. TIMBER-A limited quantity of oak, cottonwood and elm grown along the water courses, furnishing all that is needed for the home supply. FUEL-Coal, (mined in the county of excellent quality), $2 per ton; wood, $1.50 to $2 a cord. COST OF LAND-First-class farm land costs from $35 to $50 an acre; pasture land, $15. FARM LABOR-Is cheap; $15 a month and board is paid a firstclass farm hand. PRINCIPAL CROPS-Corn matures in five months, yielding 40 bushels to an acre. The annual average surplus of corn marketed is about 300,000 bushels; the estimated total value of corn crop for 1895 is $200,000; wheat is second in quantity, yielding about 20 bushels to an acre; oats, 35 bushels; hay is grown for home use only. Ray county, with its large area of rich soil, is unusually well adapted to stock raising, (cattle and hogs). Apples yield a large profit, so does garden truck, celery, tomatoes, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries on account of the proximity of good local and city markets, which are within a distance of 36 miles. SURPLUS PRODUCTS-Besides home consumption, the following products were shipped in 1894: SOCIAL ADVANTAGES-Farmers are of old American stock, interspersed with a few Germans. There are twenty-seven churches in the county, outside of Richmond, and some ninety-eight schools. GENERAL ADVANTAGES-The healthful climate, good water, fine school houses, stately churches, a thriving, law-abiding population, are great inducements for homeseekers. The cheapness of the land, the undeveloped resources of the soil, promise profitable pursuits to investors. The large and excellent coal fields are scarcely touched. Fruit-growing and stock-raising (cattle, hogs), are profitable enterprises. RICHMOND-On the A., T. & S. F. railroad, with a population exceeding 3000, is the county seat. It has fine water drawn from wells and cisterns (water-works being in course of construction). The town is lighted by electricity; the streets are wide and clean. There are three banking houses, a number of stores, a flour mill and a saw mill. Ten fine churches representing the Methodist, Christian, Baptist, Presbyterian and Catholic faith, a college, Woodson Institute, and two public schools are among the memorable buildings of Richmond. Of fraternal orders there are A. F. and A. M., I. O. O. F., K. of P., A. O., U. W. and Maccabees. Other towns in the county are Camden City (750), and Hardin (750), on the Wabash railroad. FACTS AND FIGURES-Ray county has 354,696 acres assessed at $3,471,835; her town lots are assessed at $559,060; personal property assessed at $2,446,685; total assessed value of property, $6,477,580. Assessed values are 41.85 per cent of real values; hence, actual wealth of county is estimated at $15,478,088. Ray county's personal property consists mainly of- Money, notes and bonds.. Number of schools operated in county. Teachers.... Pupils..... Amount spent for schools in 1894.. Permanent school fund... $213,610 93,845 317,740 8,225 127,265 1,115,690 100 125 6,646 $51,409.02 59,166.35 |