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The Truman Area Community Network
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Cedar is the second county east of Kansas and the fourth north of Arkansas. It lies upon the northern slope of the Ozark mountains although its surface is seldom mountainous. The county is a farm plat. Of its 317,440 acres, 185,840 are in cultivation. Corn, wheat, oats, timothy, blue grass, red and white clover, vegetables, apples, strawberries, and livestock are the products of farms. Surplus farm products amount to three and one-half million dollars per year, more than $200 for each man, woman, and child in the county. A special feature of Cedar is its watering places. El Dorado Springs, in the northwest corner of the county, has a population of 2,137 and is home of as many more people during the warm summer months.
POPULATION: -- White 16,878, colored 45; American born 16,756, foreign born 167; total 16,923. Farm homes owned 1,880, rented 916, other homes owned 468, rented 411; total families 3,675. The principal foreign population is German, in the vicinity of Jerico Springs.
FINANCE: -- County tax 55 cents on one hundred dollars valuation; school tax from 10 cents to $1.25; average, 50 cents; total assessed valuation $3,847,753; assessed valuation per cent of actual value sixty-six and two-thirds; no county debt; no township debt.
TIMBER: -- Originally oak, hickory, sycamore, walnut, maple, ash and pecan grew on three-fifths of the county surface. Two-thirds of entire acreage of county is now timber ridden. On flats trees were smaller than elsewhere. In bottoms growth was one to three feet through. Large tracts no more exist; largest are in north end in extend 2,000 to 3,000 acres. Hardwood lumber $1.00 to $1.50 per hundred; cordwood $1.50
MINERALS: -- Coal is found near Jerico, El Dorado Springs, Caplinger Mills and Claud. Seventy-five men are employed periodically. Iron traces are not worked. Clays of all types are used only locally.
LAND: -- County area 496 square miles; improved farms 2,765; average size 101 acres; estimated actual value $4,301,936. Surface is widely diversified, ofttimes level, sometimes rough and precipitous along streams, but little mountainous. Big Sac river, Little Sac, Cedar, Bear, and Horse creeks traverse county and define broad, fertile valleys, bounded with bluffs. East side of county is broken, with the hills reaching 200 feet above the valleys adjacent. Uplands therein are deep red clay soil adapted best to wheat. This character of country extends to north and northeast, where it is more broken. Western one fourth is largely gently rolling prairie. In addition to this there is a small prairie east of Eldorado. Prairie soil varies in color from black to ashy and red. Farms are well improved. Prices range as follows: best improved farms, including bottom farms, prairie farms, and levelest hill farms of red soil, amounting to three-eights of county, $25 to $35 an acre; one eighth of same $35 to $40. Uplands embracing three-eights addition, $15 to $25 an acre; bluff land, timbered and unimproved, embracing one-eighth, $5 to $15 an acre.
MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS: -- Flour, tiling, axe handles, brooms are made in quantities equal to local demand. Flouring mills located at Jerico, Stockton, Eldorado, and Caplinger.
TRANSPORTATION: -- Missouri Kansas & Texas Railroad touches northwest corner, at El Dorado Springs, having two miles of track within the county. A road is proposed thence to Stockton. There are fifteen steel wagon bridges in county.
SCHOOLS: -- Six to nine months in each of eighty-seven school districts. High schools at Eldorado and Stockton.
SPRINGS AND CAVES: -- Cedar is noted for its springs and caves of large size and unusual beauty. El Dorado Springs, with a population of 1,543, is builded upon patronage attracted by the healing properties of several springs at that point. Here is located a park, the resort of two thousand people each summer. Stockton, county seat, is situated above a great cave, from which flows a never-ceasing stream of clear, cool water, Jerico Springs, Arnica Springs, Cedar Springs, and Sulphur Springs near Caplinger MIlls are also favorite watering places of lesser magnitude.
FISHING: -- Good fishing is afforded at each of the Springs. Gigging Is a favorite pastime. Bass, catfish, trout, and jacksalmon are caught.
NEWSPAPERS: -- Stockton Republican, Journal; Jerico Optic; El Dorado Springs Sun, News.
COUNTY'S 1902 CROP
ACRES PRODUCT VALUE
Corn 66,830 2,405,880 bu. $ 757,850
Wheat 27,738 485,415 bu. 266,980
Oats 7,529 180,695 bu. 47,885
Hay 44,319 66,480 tons 332,400
Forage 2,535 3,380 tons 16,900
Flax 1,573 6,292 bu. 6,545
Broom Corn 4 2,200 lbs. 60
Clover seed ` 30 lbs. 170
Grass seed 875 lbs. 1,400
Tobacco 56 36,400 lbs. 3,640
Potatoes 730 73,000 bu. 25,550
Vegetables 935 40,520
Total $1,499,900
LIVESTOCK AND PRODUCTS
KIND NUMBER VALUE
Cattle 19,903 $ 497,395
Horses 8,274 551,600
Mules 2,013 140,910
Asses and Jennies 57 5,130
Sheep 5,173 15,520
Swine 30,080 300,800
Chickens 149,689 )
Turkeys 4,688 ) 106,055
Geese 3,645 )
Ducks 2,885 )
Swarms of bees 1,434 3,705
Honey 47,800 lbs. 5,975
Wool 17,350 lbs. 2,890
Milk 2,417,404 gal.)
Butter 510,112 lbs.) 124,440
Eggs 1,077,410 doz. 134,675
Total $1,889,275
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