Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-06-19
HOLMES COUNTY,sOHIO.

We take the following article from
the Germantown, (Pa.) Telegrsph. } .
Thinking it may be Interesting to some
of the readers of your excellent paper
to hear from this part of Ohio, l send
you the following brief DESCRIPTION of
the eountry-its minerals, state of i'm
provements, vegetable productions. &c.
Our (Holmes) county is called one of
the backbone counties, being near the
summit that divides the waters OF lake
Erie and the Ohio river, and being con-
sidered one of the hilliest of the NUM-
ber, its wealth has been overlooked.
While the farmers Of this county ex-
perience some Inconvenience in farm
ing the hill lands, which are very pro-
ductive, they derive from them incalcu-
liable wealth and advantages both from
the superabundance of pure water.
gushing from the hills on every side.
and the immense. beds Of lime andsand
stone, coal, iron ore, and other minerals
they contain.
A small river called KilIbuek, runs
from north to south through the center
of the county, passing through the
county seat, Millersburg. On this river
there are three fine hourins-mills and
saw-mills. Besides these, there are
scattered over the county steam and
water fiouring-mills, and three small
wooden factories. The Pittsburgh. Fort
Wayne and Chicago Railway passes
through the northwest part of the county
distance seven miles. The Cleveland,
Mt. Vernon and Columbus Railroad.
running from northeast to southwest
through the county twenty-eight miles.
and connecting with the coun:y-seat, is
completed to Mt. Vernon, and will soon
be finished to Columbus. There is al
switch from this last mentioned road a
very valuable coal mine near the center
of the county, which is doing an ex-
tensi We business, shipping coal both
north and south. The owners of sew
eral other large mines, who have been
supplying coal for home use, are now
making preparations for sending coal
by rail.
The principal farm-protlucts of this
county are wheat, corn, oats, clover
and timothy seed, fruit, cattle, pork and
wool. In commercial value wheat
stands first In the list, wool secOnd, and
pork, which Ia usually sold on foot,
third. The aggregate value Of the va
ri0us products sold by the farmers of
this county, to be shipped 70 other pla-
ces, amounts to over $500 600 annually.
The crops for 1872 were, taking the
dry season into consideration, very good
and viii approximate the following esT
Inmates: Hay and potatoes abont half
. crop, the former occasioned BY the
dry weather in the spring, and the lat
ter by the potato bug; wheat excellent
in quality. averaging fifteen bushels to
the acre and selling for $l.50; oats of
medium quality, average Quantity thir-
ty bushels to the acre.. worth SOC. per |
bnshel; cern, the best crop during the |
last decade, and harvested in good con-
dition, average yield forty bushels per
acre, worth 40, to 50e.; clover seed,
whirll is among our most Taluable
crops, largely over the average and Of |
excellent quality, is selling for IS per |
bnshel; fruit, the principa. crop was
apples, which were very abundant and |
Of superior quality, worth for shipping
10 to Soc. l1ys5.s.- rse5dpoe t,-.er5 I
Land here sells from $50 toa 500 per
acre, according to quality and location;
averaging between $5l and $50. The
of the county, 10000, about
Germans and Pennsylvania
Dutch, yyhoconstitute an important ele-
ment in society, being both iHdnstx xious
and peaceable. E1 Z E8 ESE Il
One of the greatest drawbacks 70 the
farmer in this county is the SCARCITY and
high price Of labor, yet as an Evidence
Of their lucrative. and prosperous call
ing in which they are engaged, they are
yearly adding to the value of theift
farms by useful and commOdious inn
and additional acreage, or
buying land in the west for their chill
lren. ars .ssH11si4 Il. F. NEWTON. L