The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-22
The drain produc. Of this Region.

As one Of the signs OF the times that
show the change that has taken place
agriculturally in this section OF the coun'
try in the last two or three years, We quote
the following paragraph from the Wash.
ington (Pa.) 0bserrero Of yesterday:
"George Davis, the grain dealer, on
Tuesday last commenced the erection ot q
steam air grain elevator on the CHARTERS
Railroad track, at the foot OF West Beau
street, this borough, 1t Is 10 be 10 feet
long, 20 feet wide' and two and half slo-
ries high, having capacity Of about
twenty car loads Of grain. Its the inten.
tlon TO have the building completed in
thirty days, This is an enterprise which
the town has long needed, and we COM
mend Mr.. Davis enterprise.
Three years ago this region Of country
was importing wheat and flour from the
West. The Pacific Mills Of this city, own
ed by Messrs. N. & ]. Pollock, bought a
large amount Of wheat in Kentucky and
other sections Of the country, but to-day
the same parties are not only fully sup
piled from the surrounding country, but
are constantly shipping a surplus to the
Eastern markets. The excess OF grain in
the Ohio river counties, on both sides OF the
river, and In Washington county, Pa, is
now very large quite sufficient indeed to
be worthy of the attention OF the railroad
carriers. To some slight extent grain raising
has been substituted for wool gowing, on
account of the relative change in the price
Of wool and wheat. Wedo not mean that
grain raising-especially Of wheat-has
been found more profitable than
wool growing by our farmers, but
still there have been cases where
farms that have been in sheep pasture
for many years, and that have been
brought up to high productive condition
thereby, have been turned over to grain
raising under the stimulus OF high prices
for wheat. How long this change will
continue is one of the problems of the
future. There was time, years ago,
when this region was great grain grow
ing section, and when immense quantities
otflour were shipped from points in the
interior and along the shore to New Or
leans. But when wool growing was fairly
introduced generation ago our farmers
found in it q much needed recuperative
agency for their exhausted lands, especial.
ly their washed and wasted hillside
lands, and as its profits were more certain
than grain raising the latter industry was
gradually superseded. Tho whirligig OF
Of time, however, by virtue OF the muta.
tons that are constantly going on in the
industries of the country, has brought
round another period OF surplus grain
raising in this region. It may probably
last as long as the price OF wheat keeps up
TO paying point, but it is hardly to be
supposed that in these days Of cheap trans
portation the high priced lands of this re.
giou can compete very strongly for great
length Of time with the richer and cheap.
er grain lands OF the West. In old times
the lands nearest 10 the sea board markets
enjoyed Q protective tariff through the
high ratesiot transportation, but all that is
changed in these days, when wheat is car.
red from Chicago to New York as low as
six cents per bushel. i.-'