Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-11-23

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS People seem
forgettul Of the vast advantage of public
Improvements. When they contract for
the purchase of farms and stock they calcu-
late what they can sell for at another time.
But in making public improvements they
seem to estimate the cost without calculat-
ing the profits to be derived.
The people of this county have invested
so, 200 In Railroads, which they look upon
as lost. They forget that these Railroad,
passing through the county have addet
vastly to the value of real estate. The prop.
erty in Milersburg that to-day is worth 81, :.
800 would not sell for $500, were we with
out railroad communication. Every farm
in the county is increased in value by it. =
The merchant profits by saving freight on
his goods. The laborer has his reward in
the Increased compensation paid him. The
producer sells his grain, stock, &C., higher
than he otherwise could. Everybody is
benefited, nor will any one candiIly say
that the S75, 900 has not been far more than
paid back to Holmes county. But this not
all: This year the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne
4 Chicago Railroad company pays to oui
county Treasurer taxes to the amount OF
$4,503 and the c. H. & G. Road ys$S42
Then, after all the advantages derived, the
money is actually coming back to the Trea
sury.
The magnificent school building being
erected in this place seems to cost pretty
heavily and oppress us with taxation; but
aside from the inestimablc benefits of Civ
ing the young people good education
every tax payer in town is profted by the
erection of this building in the increased
value of his property. And with wha
pleasure those who look beyond dollars ant
cents can call the attention of strangers t.
this magnificent structure, thereby compcn
sating themselves for taxation in the gratifi
cation of local pride.
All other public improvements pay an
equally large percentage. Steam Mills
Wooden Factories, Iron Works, Foundrics
Machine Shops, &C., would be alike bene
fetal to the whole community,
In every town are to be found person
possessed with wealth, who rent their prop
erty and loan their money and add LITTLE b,
i;si- - .he;~ unalth. Init who can see m
advantage in enterprise, and whenever rhei
more energetic neighbors attempt to d
something in keeping with the progrcssiv
spirit of the age they object. These mel
gathered their notion of things from tn
world when it was moved by horse power
and it is impossible to get them into tn
new order of things when the world is pro
, PEELED by steam. IF they would keep quie
and let the progressive goahead, they woul
, not be so bad; but whenever an attempt
' made at some improvement that would prof
n community they find fault and use ever
effort to break it down.
c There are persons in town, and through
= out the county, perhaps few in number, VII
e are opposed to the purchase of a farm an
i the erection of County Imhrmary; bu
S very large majority of the people are angI
G with the Commissioners because this hi
n not already been done. In view of II
!. heavy assessment of taxes this year to pa
c money borrowed for bounty purposes, tt
o Commissioners thought it prudent to def
Ne the matter, and they probably acted wise
S in this. A farm will cost considerable, b,
,e it will cost no more than it can be sold (,
:. at any future time, and the longer the pu
e chase is postponed the more it will cost.
It Again, we are reminded that the coun
N jail is full Of insane pcrsons-that it is
,r very improper place to keep them-that
" on farm they would earn their keepir
1t and be vastly benefited, and that they a
,e costing the county in the aggregate at lea
,e five dollars day, or fifteen hundred dolla
year.