Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-07-20
For the OXFORD DEMOCRAT.
Western Correspondence.
TOLEDO. ONO. July /, 1870.

TOLEDO. ONO. July !, 1870.
Knowing the difficulty of interesting
readers in matters which to them are
foreign, I've long kept silent, but by in
vitatiun TO write something about Ohio,
reluctantly dip my pen in ink for that
purpose.
The climate of Ohio, though originally
liable To malaria in many districts on its
first settlement. in consequence OF the
high summer heat and profuse native
Vegetation, has become almost entirely
healthy in this respect and generally as
favorable in its sanitary characteristics
as any other State OF its latitude. Il is
remarkable for its high productive capac.
ity; almost everything grown in the
temperate climate being within its range.
1t is less injurious in respect to the ex-
,remes OF heat and cold than any other
State in or near the same latitude. and It
suffers less from the extreme dry and
wet seasons which affects all adjoining
States. These favorable notifications
are chiefly due 10 the influence OF the
waters of Lake Erie. which not only
modify the heat OF summer and the cold
OF winter, but which apparently reduce
the profusion of rainfall in summer and
favor moisture in dry periods No finer
climate can be found in the United States
for delicate vegetable growths than that
OF portions of Ohio bordering on Lake
Erie, and this is sbundantly attested by
the extensive development OF grape cnl.
ture.
The forests in Ohio are being removed
entirely too rapidly for the future success
OF that agriculture which will he demand
ed at the hands OF the next generation by
the increased population. The railways
alone consume one million cords OF wood
annually for fuel. In conversation
with very intelligent rail road man."
he informed me that the company holds
il TO be cheaper to use wood Tor fuel At
any price less than eight dollars per cord
than the ordinary btuminous coal at six
cents per bushe He stated that the
sulphur in the coal destroyed the lire
boxes so very rapidly as 10 cause the
wood 10 be considered the cheaper iuel
at even eight dollars per cord. The i'm
mepse number OF tiles" demanded an-
nually will require the forest TO be re-
moved from many acres. Add 10 this the
enormous and annually increasing de-
mapds for lumber tor the various uses 10
which the several kin ds oil timbers are
applied in the construction OF buildings,
tenemens. shipping vessels. cars tutnl-
ture. manufactures, and the arts, and the
rejecting mind will be conviced that the
day is not tar distant which will find Ohio
comparatively treeess, unless some new
source OF supply should be made practic-
able.
All the Goals of Ohio are classed as the
bituminous coal, but they include all
| known NdIltllts vi lIIls Cluss, 10 th' NpeA
burning or furnace coal, caking or gas
coal, and the camel coal. The first OF
these ara those that do not cake and adj
here in the furnace, but are such as may
be used in the raw state tor the manuiac-
ture of iron The second group to
greater or less degree, melt and aggluti-
nate by heat, forming what blacksmiths
term 'holow fire." Hence they cannot
be used in q raw state for the manufacture
OF iron but must be caked. This process
of caking consists in driving OIL the
bituminous or gaseous portion which
leaves them in the condition OF anthracite.
There are many colleges. universities,
fsmals semiuaries. academies, ETC., in
Ohio, some of which are well endowed.