The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-10
CENTRAL STATES.
OHIO, INDIANA AND KENTUcKY-EvrpENcEs OF
PROSPERITY IN THE LARGE CROPS AND IN
GENERAL BUsINEss-Too MUCH POLITICS.

OHIO, INDIANA AND KENTUcKy-EvrpENcEs OF
PROSPERITY IN THE LARGE CROPS AND IN
GENERAL BUsINEss-Too MUCH POLITICS
CINCINNATI Dec Z, 1873.
The territory embracing the southern half of the
States of Ohio and Indiana and the northern and
portions of Kentucky is for the most part agri
cultural district embracing within its limits Of
the most productive land in the Central States.
There more fertile valleys in the country than
those of the Scioto and the Miami in Ohio.
while the blue grass region of Kentucky is
famed almost the world over as a garden
spot of agricultural prosperity. and Southern
Indiana is beginning to take rank with either in the
plertude of her crops Included in this the
coal mining districts OF the Hooking Valley and East
ern Kentucky and the iron mines of the Hanging
Rock region but these take up comparatively small
portion Of the territory and usually help make up
the of prosperity which is accorded TO the entire
section agricultural The standard crops
are corn wheat hay barley and tobacco. Besides
these the products may be set down cattle, hogs
horses, iron, COAL salt and manufactures of almost
every kind For nifty years there has been time
when this section Of the country could not fairly
set down as prosperous one.
GENERAL IMPROVEMENT.
The general condition Of this part Of the country
has been improved in some respects in the last year.
while in others II has remained about the same
Farms have been kept in better order because labor
could be hired lower rates than in former years
An excess of labor not from vagrancy "tramps,"
but from mechanics and miners and day laborers
generally, thrown ont OF employment in the cities
has prevailed In the country districts all through the
season, and almost every andhoder enabled to
i'm prove his property at less cost than for many
years before. and has done The crops
carefully worked and consequently the yield was
larger. Fields were titled that hitherto had
been allowed TO lie Idle; woodlands
cleared up that had been unproductive.
and there has been general disposition
among the farmers to give the unemployed some
thing 10 do to earn living, and at the same time
benefit their own property by bringing up what had
been neglected In so far the general condition has
been improved. In the way of building costly farm
houses enlarging their barns granaries add
ing stock and machinery not much has been done
because Of the scarcity of money Most of those who
had an excess of money from the sale their crops
used 1t in clearing up their debts. paving off mort
cages their farms. 80 as 10 be ready when resump
ton day should come around. They conservative
and cautious class. and want TO be prepared for
any change that is likely to occur in the countrys
THE SEASONS PROFITS
Though the crops have been exceptionally large
this season in almost everything that farmer
raised yet the prices low that IL doubtful
whether rs class they have made much money.
Corn which for three years past has averaged
50 cents bushe is dull now at half that price;
wheat which worth III 1875 and 1876 81 10 70
81 30 now sells at cents rs cents per bushcl;
hogs. which were sold at 50 80 per hundred
ago. now sell ut go 40 10 s3 per hundred;
while most Of the other products of the farm show
similar reduction in price. Though this year viii
show very large in the yield yet the shrink
are in values great that IL is extremely doubtful
II any OF the farmers feel that they are making
money stii there is this to saw that the purchss.
ing power of the money they receive IL much
greater than in the previous years that none of
them without money. The country merchants
pay their bills promptly TO the wholesale dealers I'm
the city, and this shows that their customers. who
the farmers paying up thcr bills and 1t also
shows more than almost anything else, that business
Is In q healthy condition.
THE MOVEMENT or CROPS.
The crop movement this year has been larger than
known before. This has been owing principally
Of TO the extraordinary large crops of every
kind. Wheat. corn barley and tobacco carly in
the market, and the latter two owing to cs,raor-
binary demand and to satisfactory prices. being
disposed OF a month in advance of their usual time
OF wheat and great deal ID held in the hands Of
tho producers in hopes OF rise in price, though
still larger amount went into market early and was
sold Tho bulk of these crops IL probably still held
in tho grain centres of IN. West though some has
been exported. The shipncnt1 OF hogs nave been far
greater mp t. this time than to corresponding date
In any recent year.
Bnt little can be said W. concerning next years
crops. There Is an increased acreage ~ wheat and
hurley and other fall crops but II ~ not much more
than the usual growth from year to year. The clear
ing up of farms by which good deal Of labor othcr
wise unemployed was brought into use. will naturally
bring about this result, bur still II will be APP
parent six eight months from now when the crops
There IL little disposition yet ~ invest surplus
capital in farming operations Especially is this the
case with the present low prices. OF course there
are always people who have surplus money seeking
Investment who naturally put IL In farming property
being the safest way 10 Keep It, but that class is
not larger than usual this year Ia other branches OF
business there Is still less Of this disposition.
The profits in all kinds of mercantile bust
ness have been so reduced to make that
inviting while most Of the manufacturing ranks
already overcrowded. IN iron aud its products there
is some show ~ revival Of trade, hut IL has not yet
taken shape enough invite capital or 10 fully
employ the old capital formerly invested In II aud
which has been lying idle for three tour years past
One noteworthy tact about capital is that very little
~ IL goes into purely speculative channels. Two or
three years ago great many of tho farmers and bust
ncss throughout the country regions went into
Wild spcculatons. buying pork and grain margins,
that means. There il scarcely anything Of this kind
now.
There has been no iaarkcd Increase Of wealth In
this section. A. before noted the extraordinarily
large yield 81 grain would have brought with Il y
that the price II brings IN barely remuneratiyc. not
sidcs a. cconoinzc. which is perhaps moro hopeful
who were IN debt getting out of IL and those who
DOMESTIC TRADE.
Local trade is believed to be improving, though
gradually. The expiration OF the Bankrupt law.of
course made II necessity those who were greatly
embarrassed either to get rid Of their debts by bank