Middletown transcript., 1873-05-24
The Low Price Of Land.

The great decline 10 the price OF iand
In Delaware, and on the Eastern Shore Of
Maryland 10 subject that directly inter-
ssts nearly IL not oil Of our readers. 1t
comes directly home to the inhabitants Of
the Peninsula, and more or less effects all.
Lands. which, before the war. during the
war. and for some years AFTER the close OF
the war. brought 800. el25. $3.50 and
more per sere, are now selling q. $40,
$50. and $50 per acre. aud purchasers
are scarce even at those rates. Why this
fearful decline! What has caused this
terrible falling away in the value Of our
lands? Various reasons have been as
signed. but none. We think. have come
nearer to the point than the following, ia.
zen from the Westminster (Md. } Adro-
cate, whose editors (Messrs. vanderford)
are we'll and favorably known to the vas,
majority Of our readers. Believing it will be
interesting to our readers wc give their
views in lieu Of our own on the subject:
The Easton Gazette gives the following
gloomy picture Of the condition Of things
in Talbot county. = picture which will
we'll represent any county in the State:
Our lands which for many generations
have gene on gradually approaching In
value, have since 1866. when they reach
ed their maximum Of price. under the in
Ha,ion Of the currency. and the expecta.
,ion Of large northern emigration, sudden
ly fallen to price SO low as to evince the
existence Of a land panic Farms for
which in the year mentioned offers Of pur-
chase at 100 dollars per acre, were made
and refused. will not bring one half tba,
sum; and those that were held a. 80 and
go dollars then. may be bought for IL or
ID dollars per acre. This 10 not loose
language. bu. literally true. A farm wa.
recently sold in Oxford Neck for less than
60 dollars for which the owner declined
overtures Of purchase a, 100 dollars.
The splendid estate Of Samuel Dickinson,
deceased, upon Choptank, sold for about
10 900 dollars. under judgment or mort
gage, for which be refused bona fdc Of,
fer Of Si5, 900. Yafords Neck, sold for
little upwards Of 1000 dollars. $50
acres. The owner would have been al
mos. insutcd to have had less than 90.
900 dollars offered for the tract six years
before. The farm PenGeld. Immediately
adjoining Easton. was bid in by the mort
gagee at less than 80 dollars, or abou.
that, For portion Of this same farm the
mar,gagor paid 100 dollars, and the whole
Of it would probably have at that time
brough, the same price. The Woodstock
property within q miles Of Ea.,on, was
bought BY DR. Cherbonniar, Of Baltimore
for .,s dollars per acre or about Sll 900
for the whole tract. near four hundred
acres, an amount which would not rebuild
the elegant mansion and the farm build
ings should thoy be consumed A farm
on Choptank was recently purchased By
Capt Hardeastlc for about $4,000 for
Eve hundred acres. hardly the price of the
fine buildings upon the property A farm
is now advertised for sale OF 3l5 acres on
Chop,ank River, near the last, beautifully
situated. having what is said to be the
finest house in Talbot county upon it.
which cos, in 1866, the sum Of $4,000
dollars. the land having been bought the
same year for 10 dollars per acre, making
the total cost to the owner Of 80 900 dol
lars. This farm is reported to be Offering
a, private sale for II 900 dollars. Many
other instances OF actual sales. and pro-
pos,ls for sale. at these ridiculously low
prices. might be given, bu, it is unneces-
mry."
Before the war. and during its progress,
anterior to the emancipation proclima-
tion" Of Mr. Lincoln. it was . standing
argument Of the abolitionists that "frcc
labor" would enhance the value Of land
aud incrcas its products to nn indefinite
degree Neither Of thes assumptions
have come true. Experience has every
left to his own volition, is unreliable and
inefficient as laborer. and he is being
,upplanted by white men. as fast as tim.
and circumstances will permit, Immi
. grants from Germany. from Sweden. frou
England. Irland. aud every other part o
Europe. are sought for and brought Il
! this country to take the place Of the blacl
, man in the fields, while the black popula
ton is crowding all our cities. towns auc
villages. where they pick up q precaricu
subsistence a. jobhiug and day labor, a
) such employment a. they can find to do
, but are idle. it 10 safe to say, fully one
/ forth Of the time. Ia the mean time
:. farm labor is scarce and dear. agricultur
, lauguishss. and land has greatly depreciat
. ed 10 value. because Of the sudden an,
:. violent disturbance Of the labor system O
: one half Of the country. growing out o
!, tho proclamation" Of Mr.. Lincoln. l
Will be the work Of time to re-establisl
our labor supply, but il will be done
i through immigration societies and ,h
!. tendency Of Europeans to seek to bette
!. their fortunes in this country. Until this
is accomplished. land will remsin At mer
. nominal prices. and agriculture vii
recuperats but slowly. The "emancips
tim vsorls m st;on" cost tha eo,,nkrv mil