Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-03-11
Western Land Fever


is very prevalent in this vicinity, an,
many OF our young and middle aged cit
liens are suffering Aom its attacks. TIL,
symptoms are. dreams Of sudden wealth
sVersity to labor, boarding up money
aud declining t. pay debis. borrowing
at ten per cent, buying up land war
rants, trading for lots in paper cities. snd
ending by selling out at home. if they
have property. throwing up lucrative
situations. and removing 10 the West.
-Stsunch. stsid. steady, farmers have
been bitten with the mania, and, moi
content to let well enough alone, join
the crusade to the promised land. Even
the old and grey headed. in some cases,
give up their quiet comfortable homes,
TO receive in exchange. the certain toll.
exposure. and risk of travelling to untried
lands, and the uncertain chance of some
thing which it is scarcely possible, can
be as good as the snug homes they leave
behind. Some men have s-constilutionsl
desire for change, a cesseless craving
for something new, aud = dislike to ell
that is not new; restless discomfort with
the present, and q longing for the future,
in which they are sure they viii achieve
something wonderful; eternaily dissatis-
fed With their present locations, where
ever ihese may be, and ever seeking
some far of Eldorado, where bank bills
can be had for the asking. and gold
grows on the trees. This class we can
part from without sorrow, and We bid
them, God speed. But the other and
more valuable citizens, who are tainted
with the infection. will pardon us for
hoping they will at least pause. and con.
slider what is TO be gained, and what
lost. by removal to the West.
Is it because this vicinity is crowded
with Inhabitants. that SO many desire to
leave? Certainly not. for it is plain that
it could sustain tenfOld its present popu.
lation. 1t has ample school facilities
for every child within its border,
churches suficientto accommodate every
man. woman, and child, who wish to
avail themselves of religious privileges ;
q healthy climate. free from all prevail
ing epidemics: and a soil whose product
i've powers if properly developed, would
be sufficient to feed an army.
W. are told that the West offers great
pecuniary inducements to settlers. We
hear of fortunes realized in a year, DC.
But who tells Of the losses, of broken
health, Of exposure. disease. and death =?
None; not a lisp ever reaches US, of the
other side of The story. Those who are
theIe, long for the society of their rels-
lives and friends. and letters are sent
bone. painting the West in all the gor-
gecus colors of the rainbow, and urging
others to come and become rich, and
happy.
We are told Of the immense rise in
the price Of real estate; the almost fabu-
lous prices realized for town lots in some
city of half a dozen houses, on some rail
road. yet to be built, DC. But what
of forty years of age, does not re-
collect the speculalions of 1886 7, in
this State. some under our own observa-
ton. on the Lake Shore. and in this very
torn. Lots were bought and sold here
at prices fifty or one hundred per cent.
higher than the same property can be
sold for to-day.
Three miles east of us, in the woods,
on Mosquito creek fat. was located
Trumbull City, which doomed up large,
ION paper.) The towns of FairpOrt.
gainesville, Conneaut, Ashtabuls, and a
dozen more. (which we're soon to be,
on the Lake Shore, we're sll bound to be
cities of a hundred thousand inhabitants
at least. and magnificent ppeculations
were made. with the payments usually
in Spectators notes. There we're paper
cities BY the hundred. Square miles Of
city lots were surveyed around every
cross roads. and enormous debts were
By men of straw. The whole
State was crazy, and every man who
owned three square rods Of town lois,
expected TO be a millionaire. But the
crash came. Thousands were ruined,
and but few gamers.
What Ohio was then, Illinois, Iowa,
and Wisconsin, are to day. The same
causes must produce the same effects,
and Just IS certainly as the sun will rise
and set. just SO certainly. viii those
States feel the same reaction, when spec
reaches the same point. Nor is
there q shadow of doubt, but that point
is nearly reached now. Speculation has
run wild, and the operators win ere
long discover that it is only a species of
gambling a lottery where the blanks
sre many, and the prizes few.
The Inaugural.
We publish, to-day. Mr.. Buehsnsn's
I-rauonr.I IL ia nerfectIv 81 .recte,;s,;c