Mr. C. F. Prouty, secretary of the Grain Dealers' Association of Oklahoma and Indian Territory, speaks as follows relative to this wheat crop and the objects of the association: There are 400 elevators with an average capacity of 10,000. bushels belonging to association members in these Territories. To give an estimate of the crop of 1904 and acreage as compared to last year is somewhat indefinite as to meaning and a matter of much speculative opinion after all, since there is no systematic gathering of statistical information in force in either of the Territories. No doubt there are thousands of acres in the newer counties and various portions of the Territories that are planted to crops for the first time. Railroads branching out and multiplying so rapidly within the past year are indirectly responsible for the thousands of acres of diversified crops now growing on heretofore uncultivated lands. My duties as secretary of the Grain Dealers' Association are confined principally to grain interests, and more especially wheat, in territory touched by the Rock Island, Choctaw, 'Frisco, and Santa Fe systems, and I am quite frequently along these various routes of travel in the older settled districts of Oklahoma proper. It is my observation that the wheat acreage in this particular section referred to is some less than it was a year ago, and not more than half as good a crop in both quality and yield, some portions having an excellent yield of very good wheat, while in other sections the crop is a total or almost total failure. I judge the Territory has not produced this year to exceed 12,000,000 to 15,000,000 bushels of wheat. The oats crop this year is very poor as to both quality and yield, but the corn crop is the largest and most promising Oklahoma has had in its history. The same might be said of other crops, such as Kaffir corn, sorghum, broom corn, cotton, and hay. The Grain Dealers' Association is an organization composed principally of regular grain buyers at local stations and owners of mills and elevators, and is organized for mutual cooperation and benefit by demanding of grain receivers a uniform system of grades and a scale for prices of off-grades, establishing official inspection and check-weight bureaus, adopting certain well-defined rules regarding scales and purchases, confirmations, conditions, etc., that shall govern differences in settlement that come up for arbitration before a selected board of arbitration to whom such differences are submitted; to report and inquire into freight-rate inequalities, irregularities, discriminations, etc., if any should occur; to solicit special rates for certain localities or better markets where better prices can be procured, but in no way or manner does the association put any restrictions or limitations upon any member, except as noted by our published constitution and by-laws. [A. C. Titus, president Good Roads Association.] Interest in the subject of good roads began to develop in Oklahoma in 1902, after the heavy rains of that spring had caused the rivers and creeks to overflow, wrecking and washing out bridges and doing much damage to highways, and seriously hindering traffic and travel on all country roads. There is no doubt but that what at the time seemed to be a general disaster will eventually prove to be a great blessing, for there were at least two valuable lessons pertinent to this matter taught the people of the Territory. One was the economy and wisdom of building permanent bridges and their superiority over cheap wooden structures, and the other was the importance of country roads and their relationship to all lines of business. Few people living outside of Oklahoma are able to realize the rapid changes that are taking place along all lines of development, and there is little to wonder at that in the phenomenal growth of cities, the building of many hundred miles of railroads, and the intense commercial activity the people generally, even the farmers, did not realize that the improvement of the roads was not keeping pace with the general commercial needs and the rapid increase in the amount of farm products and supplies to be moved. In the spring of 1902, owing to these conditions and a determination to remove obstacles in the way of the most rapid development 7171-04-5 possible, the press and public-spirited citizens began advocating the doctrine of "good roads." Beginning with Logan County, goodroads associations were organized at a number of county seats. Pottawatomie County people seemed to take the most active interest in the subject, for they organized a local club in each municipal township. The movement has gained rapidly since its inception, and "good roads" has been given a place on the programmes of nearly all farmers' institute meetings. On April 1, 1904, a good-roads convention was held in Guthrie, attended by representative citizens from both Territories, at which was organized the Oklahoma-Indian Territory Good Roads Association. An interesting programme was carried out, concerning different phases of the good-roads questions, and resolutions were adopted indorsing the plan of "national and State aid and local cooperation in the permanent improvement of public highways," demanding the enactment of a law providing for the working of convicts and county prisoners on county roads; favoring county supervision in place of the present road-district system; providing for the appointment of a committee to act with a committee of the board of agriculture in revising Oklahoma's road laws; recommending the establishing of a short course of "rural engineering" in the Agricultural and Mechanical College and the University of Oklahoma; providing for the naming of a large delegation from both Territories to the International Good Roads Convention, at St. Louis, May 16-21, 1904; and extending thanks to the various individuals and other forces that had contributed to the success of the convention. The convention created an executive committee, composed of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and three members of the association to be named by the president. Its duty is to direct the business affairs of the association and see that the counties and districts of the two Territories are properly organized. SALE OF FARM LANDS. Through the kindness of the recorders of the various counties, I have obtained some information relative to the sale of farm land during one month (April) of the past year. The figures are presented below in tabulated form. They indicate that the price of farm lands has a wide range, and the average for the entire number of acres transferred is $15.50 per acre. Doubtless the cheap lands which are included are not suitable for agriculture. These should be eliminated in order to arrive at a fair estimate of the average price of agricultural land. Good farm lands with some improvements are selling for from $15 to $60, according to location, distance from market, and value of improvements. Direct lines of railroad connect every county in the Territory with the leading markets, and as high prices are paid for farm products as in the Eastern or Central States. Oklahoma farms raise a variety of crops, and the diversity of products enables the farmer to have something to sell in the markets during nearly every month of the year. The winters are so mild and short that cotton picking and plowing are carried on at the same time. Wheat grows and furnishes pasturage for stock in winter. The growing season being long, two crops are frequently raised from the same soil during the year. The rainfall is abundant. With the above-named prevailing conditions, it is little wonder that farm lands in Oklahoma are so much sought after by people desiring to better their condition. The valuations placed on live stock of various kinds by the assessors is extremely low, as, for instance, sheep, $1.18; swine, $1.81; cattle. $7.20; horses, $15.73. Farm lands have been listed at an average of $3.54 per acre. With such low valuations as these it can be readily understood why the rate of taxation is somewhat higher than in the States. It does not follow that the tax itself is high when the rate is high if the valuation is low. 16, 473 19. 722 The income from the Territorial levy will produce in the various counties the sums set opposite their names below: Beaver Blaine Caddo Canadian $9,608 Kiowa Logan $17,450 23,088 29,944 According to the returns made by the assessors this year there is $90,609.073 of taxable property in the Territory. These figures show a healthy increase in valuations amounting to $6,474,601 over 1903. As assessments are seldom made for more than one-fifth of the actual cash value, and frequently for less than 20 per cent, it is evident that the true value of taxable property in Oklahoma is not less than $450,000,000, and I am inclined to believe it exceeds $500.000.000. The value of farm lands and railroads has nearly trebled since 1900. Below is given a comparative table of property values for the years 1900 and 1904: The amount of revenue which will be collected by the levy of .00575 mills is $521,002, which is a decrease of some $4,837 from 1903. Below is given a table showing the assessment in each county for |