Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-12-24
tPerrysburg Correspondence of Toledo Blade
ADJ Rntages of Railroads.

In this age of intense business action, ready
access tn all points of tho land and cheap freight ts
arc matters of vital Importance. Nowhere is
this mlre fully manifest than at the great COM
mercal centres hence the efforts put forth To
control aud concentrate the moving forca Of
RAILWAYS NJ certain points. and thus control the
trade in the region through which they pass.
Cincinnati, Chicago, ST. Louis aud your pros
pcrous aud enterprising city Of Toledo, have
each put forth their utmost ell rts To secure
these objects. Their trade aud commerce has
increased in proportion to the onterpuso they
have manifested,
The influence Of such enterprises In promoting
prosperity and increasing the gcncrcl' wealth is
not limited To the large centers Of business
alone. but everywhere On their lines of route,
railways have increased the value Of real cs.
tate, promoted personal wealth, aud centralized
population, Tho Increased values thus result
inc from the promotion of railroads are such
that il may safely be affirmed that should prop
erly holders in certain regions OF country donate
onS halrtheir property in constructing railroads
in proximity thereto, the increased value Impair
tod by such railroads to the other half would
| exhibit wide margin of profit, resulting from,
such operations This feature of railway enter
| prise has 5ecu strlkiugly illustrated by the OPP
crNtions OF the Dayton 4 Michigan Railroad on
/ the western border of Wood county.
| This railroad passes some thirty two miles
! through Wood county, The land through which
! il extends is to a great extent covered with a
| dense growth Of timber, some nr 1t, however, is
J prairie, but all partnok OF the black swamp
/ characteristics being very wet In 1860 pre-
vinus TO the completion Sf the road, these lands
were almost wholly uuprductive, uuless IN the
! trusts Of winter aud the distance Of over tweu-
tv miles sluth of Perry sburg, there wcro but few
| dwelliegs on the line ot route, The average
| value oflaud would not reach 81 per acre. Suuh
was tho thJ condition ot matters IN 1850.
Al, .l.Ast. Al, -.
most remarka lie charge has been produced. -
Villages, Such as Tontogany, Weston, CusRr
! Haskins, Milton, llull's Prairie, Roachnn, &c,
| have sprung iutn existence, several having
tSeic hun Ire Is of population, and furnishing
! ma kct for the products of the neighborhOoi
/ Steam mills for the manufacture ur lumber
sAvcS, shingles, broom handles, 0nur, cornuleNl
&c, are found all along the line, and their ship
mentS of manufactured products are very large
The access To market thus furnished bV th,
( Dayton x Michigan Railroad, has made the pr,
ducts uf Wood county lands available source,
OF wealth il has iuhanccd the value OF rea
I estate ON an average Of four hundred per cent
In the ucigh6orhoods W llaSklns, llullS Prairie
Tontogauy aud Weston, land could have beer
/ purchased ia lS6h for 90 per acre. now these
lands are being sold for from $50 to $40 per acre
| Around Milton, Custar and RO0chtnn, the in,
| crease per acre has been from IS 10 lIN,m $50 I,
$50. In 1850 the townships nr jackson, Milton
I
rysburg, through which the Ddytoa { Michigan
road passes, represented SsiSSS0 in persona
wealth for taxation, that is exclusive ufthe RI ad
In 1859 the assessment has been made On S97A,
ISS ofpersOnal wealth, M which amount tn,
railway company are taxed an S3l6,S5l
The votes cast in these townships ia lsRt
amounted ~ about 800, tho aggregate vii
uow reach 1900, The rate of increase in tn
popular vote on the west side oC the county 1
over 60 per cent. larger than that on tho cas-
; sida, AMI this advance will s,ii continue. Tn
thorough sfstcm of drainage unw being eflecte,
uity also be considered rs collateral benefit II,
sultiug from tlo railroad but TOR tho iuorea sc
value thus impaired Ia the lands, tho large eN
pense aiendaht on this drainage system coul
! not have been met By taiS pr0ceSs valuo ha
been givgn TO lands, aud business life mplrte
90 region of this country which but for rail
, way enterprise, would have been almost uu
productive,
With such beginning we lnIy eonRiontl
anticipate for Moot county wide range or az
neullural aud commercial pr sperity, Conve
. | niuntly located as Il iS0n this grand avenue q
transit, between the North and South, lis ahuu
, dant resources Gi valuable lumber, and the pr0
ducts OF It's rich sa,, will always Ind ready ae
cess 10 a profitable IN lrArt, which viii laryel
increase the value Of lands, aud greatly in
crease manufacturing aud business relations.
Tie benefits thus Impaired bY the Dayton
Michigan Railroad a. the interests OF Woes
| county are illustrative ol like achievements ac
eouplished by the Wabash n. X. CO.. on it
4 line Of route, aud by the Lake Shore 4 Miehiga
4 Southern Railway Co., on the interests border
: ing on is gigantic a,eume Of commerce, ih
D railway sySlcm uf the United States has iu
4 creased tue value OF farm lands, and of agHicul
tural products as much AS all the irhn an,
woelen factories IN the nation. Ii gives EN-
ployment 60 nearly $50 900 nen aud there ar,
probably not less than 900 900 mea, womel
and chiidren dependenton IN il foT the comforts
and nsoessaries ct life. They pay their worl
aud an additional S5o,OoO,o ,oo) is paid by tisu