Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-08-27
JOTTINGS BY THE WAY.

Friend Reed-My route has been a
rather devious one, taking me from the
shores ofold Erie, down through the coal
and iron regions. as well as where the
strictly agricultural pursuits are followed
From Cleveland to Warren, the condi-
ton Of the crops varied little from those
along the L. S. 6 NJ s., though there was
more grass still standing, and more oats
uncut. The merchants in Warren, like
those of Cleveland, complain much of
the quiet times in trade, and the Difficult
ty in making collections. One of the
most prominent hardware merchants of
Cleveland told me he was in receipt of
many letters daily, asking for an exten-
sion of time. Whilst Warren IS more un-
mlstakably affected by the iron interests,
Alliance, Canton and MassIllon suffer
from the miners strikes, which have been
happily ended Would there might be
no more such foolishness on the part of
any who are dependent upon capitalists.
1t is productive of evil, and only evil,
and that continually-affecting not only
themselves, but all classes and all inter-
ests of society.
When passed over some of these rail-
road lines last winter, there wee very
many coal and ore trains, but now there
is dearth-no coal, &C., to haul From
the time 1 left Cleveland until reached
Bellefontaine, it rained more or less, dai-
ly--enough to hinder the harvesting and
haying. There is still much wheat stand
ing in the shock, looking black and
weather -beaten-the cap sheaves being
badly damaged: but am told the rest is
very good, and they are now beginning
to thresh it-hauling ittrom the shock 10
the machine, thus saving stacking or
storing in barns. saw some of the CAV
els of wheat-acres of it-lying just as
the reaper left it-wholly lost The oat
crop east of Bucyrus, is immense. I new
er saw heavier crop; so also of corn
But west and south of Bucyrus, the army
worm has made sad raVages on the oat
fields, many being entirely stripped and
worthless Acres upon acres will not be
cut, But what is such small district +?
In other sections the superabundaut crop
more than counterbalanoes this loss.
From Forest, on the P, F. w. & G.
Road, south to Kenton and Urbanna, one
f,rnf1nI oil onIlocc finl1c nf
corn, which is for the most part well ear
ed and promises sure and abundant
harvest. The same is true OF the Miami
and Auglaize valleys.
In Wyandotte Co., there are hundre ds
of acres of grass yet to cut. Individual
farmers, who own their thousands of acres
each, have in some instances from one to
two hundred acres still to cut The great
drawback and curse of that and some
other counties, is the large farms; some
own six and even seven thousand acres
of land in body. The style of farming
would indicate that something was
wrong. If the philosophers head was
level upon any one subject, 1t was in re
ference 10 the desirability of having a
State divided up into small farms, if it
would realize the highest degree of pros
perity among all classes of its citizens /;
also the largest population to be support
ed upon any given tract of country. 1t
is great hindrance TO the prosperity of
any section, when the land is owned by
a few. Farms for the many, and we'll
titled, would be far more desirable. As
with farms, so with'towns; some indicate
in every feature, enterprise, thrift, pros =
perity and their usual accompaniments
neatness, taste in the fitting up Of the
places of business, the homes and sur
roundings, whilst in others there is the
very opposite of these-a lack of all these
| good points, reminding one of some OF
the old, dillpidated. don't-care appear.
ance of some of the Kentucky and other
southern towns. l will not mention the
towns which belong TO each class, lest !
be accused of making invidious distinc.
tions. But those who have visited War
ren will be able to place each 10 its ap
pTopriate niche. There is, certainly, too
much difference in the general appear
ance of these towns, separated by only {
few miles, and alike favorably situated
But in passing from one TO another, one
is almost led to think he is in another
country, among n different people. Ii
one, all Is order and neatneSs, 9nd a re.
gard for sanitary regulations and effects
In others, it is confusion worse confound
| eQ; garbage and filth ahOund oTi every
hand, eXhaling rs many odors as tho fa'
nous city of Cologne. or,
"As the odors that float adown Geoppineer,
brook" 0'PPiss'
Quoted by special permission of th,
, Poet Laureate of AshtabulaO Canto III
Urbana, G., Aug. 20, 1876. VIAToR.