Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-12-01

OH1o-tEs MATERIAL WEALTH AM
REsoURoEs.-The history of the worlC
does not present more gratifying fac
than does the past history, the presen
position and future prospects of oul
noble State. Sixty years ago, the ter,
ritory where now dwell over two mil,
lions of freemen was a bowling wilder.
ness, with scarce a white man within
its borders. The noble band of pill
grims from Massachusetts,, that first
broke Ohio soil at the mouth of the
Muskingum, was the pioneer of peo-
pie whose progress in all the elements oi
material and mental wealth has aston
ished the nations of the earth. 1t is
asking much for European, or even
an American, to believe that within
sixty years a mighty State has arisen
from nothing to our present proud po-
sition-that the first born white man on
Ohio soil is now a hale and vigorous
man among us-that since his birth two
millions of people have made Ohio their
home. and that they have gathered
al OuLu eHCh nCdlln W IuS dlHOuuL VI
one thousand millions Of dollars, and
have in lavish abundance all the ele-
ments that compose great, enlighten-
ed, and prosperous State.
Yet such is the truth. The session of
the State Board of Equalization has
again brought our attention to this SUBJ
ject, and the facts and tabular state
ments by them published, furnish anew
a fit occasion to dwell upon this theme.
We have already given our readers
some of their igures-but there are
others that are worthy of attention.
We propose to present some of them,
and trust in so doing, we shall crafty
desire on the part of our people to
know more of the greatness and glory
of our beloved State Statistics are dry
and generally repulsive to the mass of
readers, but we shall take the risk of
offending, in this respect, in considera-
ton of the importance of the subject.
There are in Ohio 24,811 ASS acres
of land subject to taxation, exclusive of
town and city lots. This land is return
ed by the appraisers, as valued by them,
at S382, 725, 1928. The average value
per acre Of these lands is S16 IS. This
does not include the value of the build
ings. The total value of these lands
Exclusive Of town and city lots, inclu-
ding the buildings, is returned at $780,
935, 488. The average value per acre,
including the buildings, is SIT 81. 1t
will thus be seen that the buildings add
a fraction over one dollar per acre to
the value of the lands.
The total valuation of the town and
city lots and buildings thereon, is re-
turned at s14O,O29, ,347. The total
value of lands, city lots and buildings,
all of which come under the denomina-
ton of real estate, as returned by the
is $500, 1864, 835.
The total valuation of real estate in |
1846, was 1924, ,495,772. The total
increase of value in seven years has
been s299, 593, $50.
The total valuation of lots and bull
dings exempt from taxation in the State
is S14,71O, ,703.
By the returns from the several coun-
ty auditors, who were instructed to in
quire into the subject, we learn that
438, 1853 acres of land have been repor-
ted as sold between the first of April
and the first of October of this year.
We see by the returns, that nineteen
counties have not been reported. The
total amount of these sales is 81, 1885,
499. The same tracts of land, sold for
this sum, were returned by the apprai-
sers as valued by them at Sc, ,483, ,24O.
1t thus appears that these lands sold to
actual purchasers for S949,252 more
han their appraised value. This set
les one point-that the lands are not
appraised too high. Indeed, it settles
he point that about one-seventh may
be added to their value, and yet not be
above the price for which they actually
journal.