Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-01-16
OF SALT,

| Bushels. Value
In 1910. 80 SS9, 20
In 1860. 0.............-.. 2 600 600 500, 90
These facts show that the production of pi
iron has Increased in the last twenty year
fourfold, and that of coal fifteenfold, and tha
of salt skiold. This is far greater ratio Q
growth than that of population or agriculture
production, and shows that the greatest rela
tive Increase in industry, at the present time
is in the department of mining and manufa
lures.
Lest year the report of the Commissions
OF Statistics contains summary of the entir
industry OF the State, compi led from the re
turns OF the United States census. The aggre
gate value of industry (not agriculura) wa
Sl22 S61 600, showing an increase from lS4t
| to 1850 of one hundred per cent, and from 1850
to 1860 OF ninety y-eight per cent-the whole
increase in twenty years, being just fourfold
Several particular branches of industry anG
the arts, such as the products of coal and salt
and the manufacture of clothing and Of distil
led liquors, have increased in q much greater
ratio.
In viewing these pleasing results of produc.
tive industry, exhibiting the active and remu.
nerated employment of labor, which confers
at once independence upon the man and
| wealth upon the State, we should recognize
the great importance of machinery, and the
| new and multiplied facilities of commerce, fur
nisbed by the modern arts of flocomotion. OF
these, Ohio has largely availed herself. The
machines for facilitating agriculture have not
only been used, but made in great numbers
within the State. The new arts of distilation
of expressing oils, and of sewing by machine
ry, with others of minor importance, have all
been employed with great success. The art,
however, which has aided Ohio more than
any other, is the improvement in locomotion.
This applies more especially to commerce.
The first want of State so largely engaged
in agriculture, is sufficient markets for its pro-
ducts, and the next is cheap and facile modes
of transporting those products. Markets We
have in the increasing want of cities and man.
ufacturing towns on the Atlantic, and the in
creasing and now ceaseless demand of Europe
for food. In the early periods of the State.
these markets were almost inaccessible, and
agriculture was discouraged by the heavy bur-
thens imposed by the cost of transportation.
But in no department has the State shown
greater ENERGY and intelligence, than in sup
plying the improved means oflacomotion. and
thus, giving greatly enhanced value to Its
products. Wise legislation invited capital to
our public works, and the people promptly
AID patriotically met the taxes required, and
have been repaid for all their sacraices. No
extent of public improvements, constructed
for the purpose of commerce, and the devel-
opement of agriculture. Some have been
constructed by tn state, some by corporations
and some by private associations; but all
contributing to the public wealth, and being
commercial facilities within the reach of near
ly every inhabitant.
The aggregate of roads, railroads and canals,
is very nearly as follows:
Canals. als.................. 300 miles
Railroads. 5000
1urnplkeS. 5,4cU
Common Roads. ........ 67,0UO :"
These make seventy -four thousand five
hundred miles of transit lines, independent
of the coast lines of Lake Eric and the Ohio
river, all of which are accessible to vessels in
navigable waters.
The land surface of the State is 10000 |
square miles, SO that there is one mile ofrail- |
road to every thirteen square miles, and
mile and half of common road to each |
square mile of surface. The farmers are with
in easy reach of a road, while the great COM
mercial arteries, canals, and railroads pass
through or near the commercial towns.
Situated between the lakes on the north |
and the mountains on the south, which come |
down 10 the Ohio, this State has admirable |
Bile advantages for internal trade. The great |
streams of trade and migration which pass be- |
tween the east and the west, must go through |
her territory or along her borders. The con-
sequence is, that the surface of our State is
covered with network of railroads and ca
nails, which are of the greatest service, not |
only to commerce, but to agriculture, and in
time of war to military movements. When
the internal trade with the South was cut off
the immediate effect was to turn m9ch Of the
produce which had before descended the Mis-
siSsippi to the railroads of the north west in
IFS transit to the cities of the Atlantic. And
the freights derived from abundant harveses;
and the great value of these roads to all the
interests of the country will be appreciated.
Nor were they of less value TO the Govern
ment. While war ragged on the Southern bor
der, and immense armies were gathered,
troops of all descriptions wer moved through |
Ohio to any point required with the utmost
ease and rapidity. Contrasting this almost
facility of movement with the OBJ
delays, and the cost ofsuch move
ments in the early period of our history, we
cannot but be astonished that su ch results
could have been accomplished within thirty
years, in State so young.
Nor has the extension of commerce been
confined to the land. Cur tonnage on the
axes and rivers has increased threefold in
wenty years, and our trade with Canada,
which is now very important, fourfold. For
many years Ohio has built more vessels than
he majarity ofthe States, and is now the fifth
IN ship building. Thus the commerce deriv.
ed from our extensive lake and river bounda-
" contrasts strongly with former periods as
1oes the growth of other branches of indus
Try and enterprise
From this statement of the increased popu-
latiOn, production, industry and commerce of
Ohio, it follows that its wealth, which is but
the creation of these elements, must have in
creased in equal proportion. At the time we
were about forming our Constitution, sixty
years since. it is doubtful whether the entire
State, considered as property, could be fairly
at more than $49,000,000. In l84O
The assessed value of property was but Sl28,-
'53 .657, or threefold that of 1902. In 1850.
under new principle of assessment, the val
nation of property was S4S9 ,966,o4O or three
6old that of 1840. In 1860 the aggregate value
of property wss SSSS 800 ,6Ol, or double that
,f 1910. The annual increment of wealth
rom 1902 to 1910, supposing the assessment
10 be fair standard of comparison, was but
TWO millions; but from 1910 to 1850 it was
thirty millions and from 1850 to 1860 it was
forty four millions. If the next ten years
should be attended by no more adverse cir
,umstances than those which are past, the
wealth of Ohio will be incl ieased at least four
hundred millions at the end OF that period,
making a due allowance for diminished i'm
migration and extent of new lands to be culti-
rated. He stated the present value of prop
srty in Ohio to be not less than thousand
N illions of dollars.
EDUCATION AND MORALS.
The increase in the extent, and application
>al.1 l.