Cass County, Missouri - Chapter 27: Various Industries, 1917

Chapter 27: Various Industries

Since Cass County is favorably located with regard to markets, is well supplied with good shipping facilities, and is so admirably adapted to truck gardening and dairying, these industries are becoming quite important. Neither, however, have attained the importance their value as money makers demand in the commercial world. These industries are in their infancy.

It is becoming recognized by the schools of agriculture that these though small industries are of the greatest importance in the making of the home, the home comforts and money makers in the commercial marts.

The future of these industries is exceedingly promising. Wheat and corn will produce a profitable crop per acre, yet the truck garden and dairy will multiply the profits per acre many times, with less labor and risks from pests.

Apiary

Among the early settlers of Cass County the product of honey bees was quite an article of commerce. It has fallen largely into disuse. Yet quite a number of our people keep bees for their product and find a ready and profitable market. It is stated by bee men that the bee is the pre¬ cursor of white civilization. John C. Freemont relates in his report on his explorations an incident as follows: "Here (near the western moun- (ii) tains) where stillness was absolute, unbroken by any sound, and the solitude complete, we thought ourselves beyond the regions of animated life; but while we were sitting on the rocks a solitary bee came wing¬ ing his llight from the eastern valley, and lit on the knee of one of the men. We pleased ourselves with the idea that he was the first of his species to cross the mountain and plain, a solitary pioneer to foretell the advance of civilization."

Gregg, a writer on the "Commerce of the Prairies," says: "The honey bee appears to have emigrated exclusively from the east, as its march has been observed westward. The bee, among western pioneers, is the proverbial precursor of the Anglo-American population. In fact, the aborigines of the frontier have generally corroborated this statement, for they used to say that they knew the white man was not far behind when the bees appeared among them."

The wild bee generally sought the forests along the water courses. They were sought eagerly by early settlers, and early became domesti¬ cated. It was not unusual to find "bee hives" at the farm house. Very much improvement has been made over the wild bees and their fruits, the present use of these little neighbors and their product, while to some extent neglected, is still a source of profit to the owners.

Poultry And Eggs

We haven't access to the census report by counties, but we assume Cass County is above the average of the counties of the State in the production and sale of fowls and eggs. The census gives for Missouri the following statistics:

This shows this business which appears small is no little item of our commerce. If Cass County is an average county, and it is reasonable to believe it is more, then our people sell annually a quarter million dollars worth of poultry and eggs.

With the rapidly increasing modes of transportation to market, who can say the field for this industry now great, with extremely flattering outlook for more wonderful profits. This industry exceeds the mule or horse business taken singly. The State in 1900 was third State in the shipping of poultry and eggs. Illinois and Iowa being ahead. Now Mis¬ souri is first. Climatic conditions again come to our aid in this industry. Our nearness to market is bettering our condition or location. No other product of the farm brings so much cash to the farmer as does his hens and eggs. Cass County is given as among the first seventeen counties in the poultry and egg profiting business.

Mines

As yet there has been little profitable mining done in the county. In the southeastern part of the county, near the town of Creighton, some coal is being dug with profit. In the western and northwestern part of the county is found gas, used for homes and bids fair to become in the near future a valuable article of commerce. Valuable clay for brick and tiling is found a short distance southwest of Harrisonville. Parties have formed a company, bought tracts of land, and are preparing to turn this clay into useful articles of commerce. A tiling plant is in process of operation here, under the ownership (practically) and management of the Hon. W. S. Dickey. He has made extensive and profitable investments elsewhere in this line, and reports flattering outlooks here. We have reason to think well of the future mineral developments in the county. The State official report on mineral production shows approximately 5,000 tons of coal mined in the county in the year 1914.