The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-01-14
From the Ohio State Journal
Wood County.

"Oou Nouutys
The great objection TO our county, Is the fat.
ness Of its surface. This has been q serious
drawback upon lbs prosperity. From this Gauss
the water usually lays lohg upon the ground in
the spring, making our paintings late, and not
untrcquently destroying crops after they were
up aud dressed. This also has been the cause of
bad roads, und made it difliealt aud expensive to
our farmers, during a considerable portion OF
the year, to get their surplus productions to
market. II has also been considered the great
cause OF The general sickness which pervaded the
Maumee Valley, and acquired for il an unen.
NlaoIe reputation in the matter Of health
mus, with the destruction Of crops, bad roads
anu Ill health, our people became discouraged,
aud several of them left the country and moved
west None OF them anticipated finding .
richer or more prolific soil between this aud
the setting Of the sun, but they considered them,
selves inadequate TO the task of battling sue
cesstully against the elements and the face Of
nature as here disposed Most Of those who
left have, however, returned. With all it's
drawbacks they found it preferable TO the ia
hcd advantages of the western prairies. But
OF these may speak more particularly here
after.
When gloom was gradually snshrouding the
hearts aud obscuring the prospects of our peo-
pie, llSht burst upon their minds and awakened
their hopes to life Some one had conceived the
law OF May l. 1884, providing for grand and
extensive system of drainage, the burthsns of
which were to be borne by The lands benefited.
The law was published 100 late to become .,en.
erally known in 1884. Many of our people
sought to avail themselves Of its provisions in
1892 but the incesssnt rains Of that year suffered
but itto to be done That little, however.
served to impress more deeply upon their minds
the fitness and necessity of the enactment.
Observations and arrangements were made in
| $500 10 inungVa'e all extensive system Of
drainage in our county in lS56,should the season
prove propitious Ii did provepropitious, and
| II IS estimated, after making the most careful
observations and inquiries, that eight hundred
males OF public and private bitches were con-
structed III our county in that year.
rms was great tax upon our people. and to
casual observer may appear almost incredible.
Th,re are Is townships in our county, and this
gives an average of 44i miles to township
Some OF the townships made from 20 TO 35
miles each, Of public, or principal outlet ditch
es. Several OF these were 20 and "a feet wide
aud OF proportional depth. The enterprise was
undertaken with fixed iron purpose to redeem
our country from the shackes placed upon il by
the hand of nature and thus far there has been
no ialtering in purpose or effort.
! The past season was not SO favorable for
! dltching as the one preceding and no means
have yet been used to ascertain how mnch was
done during the year just closed, but it is be-
iieved TO fall very little il any. short Of tho
"'ii'""' VI 'Cvo' pVNciui Outietb now
being pushed for miles through the unbroken
wilderness. The Trustees Of the township in
which am at present writing. have located
bitches within few weeks, the cost Of the con-
structon of which is estimated at sir thou sane
dollars.
This may appear like frightful tar to PET
sons abroad, but it should not. We do not re-
gard 1t as tar but portion of the purchase
money. Lands unexcelled for richness of soil
can be bought here for less money per acre than
poer qualities in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin or
Minnesota, and the moment ours are drained
they arc north more than twicc as much as those
4 There nre lands in our county which we're con-
sidered about worthless, and sod for q mers
nominal sum, that could not now be obtained
for less than from ss25 to $50 per acre.
Not only this, but ns soon as our lands are
drand, our crops are certain. Those of our
$ farmers who have employed fully this arm of
improvement now do and will rely with the ut
most confidence upon full crop, at every re-
curing season. This feeling of assurance is in
valuable, if continent is the criterion by which
c we measure It,
, Many of them have realized even in this year
alone, sufficiently increased productions 10
nearly il not quite, compensate them for all
> their expenses in this direction. In proportion
/ to the number OF acres planted, ] question il
Il there is county in the State that has yielded
is not one that equals it. This bief is found
ed upon considerable travel ana observation
o throughout the State. DAVID JONES'