The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-08-18
Property Values in the sOath


Property Values in the SOath.
N. o. Plcayune.
In 1852 the real and personal property
assessed in the southern states aggregated
S2,4S9, 900. 900, which was al per cent of the
total for the whole country,.aud rs much as
had the New England and middle states COM
bined. 1t is very true tina! these figures do
not chow the relative absolute wealth of the
various sections, but they approximate it.
The census of 1860 showed that this prop
erty valuation had grown TO 81, 86l, 900 900,
or about 100 per cent, and the proportion of
4O per cent. 10 the oDtlro assessment Of the
country was maintained. During that decade
tho New England ststos had added 10 their
tax rolls only $4S00O0 600, ard tho Mid
die states 81, l80,000,000 the one being IN
increment Of 43 and tho other of 70 per cent.
Though the growth Of property values in
the western states for tho period was very
great ia percentage IL was less than in the
soath by S578,000000
The decade ending in 1870, which EN-.
braced tho war period, entirely changed the
relative position of the sections Southern
property had shrunk TO 50, ,OO0, 900, or
less than it was in 1852. Allowing some
thing for improvement in values between
the close of hoslilities and the date at which
that census was tsken, the shriuksge
OF taxable values in this section
brought about by the war could
not have been less than $4,000
600, O00-a sum greater than the entire debt
contracted by the federal government during
the conflict. If we estimate the slave prop,
erty at 81 900, 100000, which il a liberia! a.
ure, 1t embraced only onebthird the loss Ia
yalue,.
During that decade, however, the western
states valuations had grown so per cent.
reaching $4,02G, 100000, and the New Eng
land and middle states had advanced with
greater strides.
Coming down to 1880, we find the figures
OF valuation in the southern states had drop
ped down to So. 226, 100000, while the west
added another billion and a half, and the
middle states neary billion, the compsri-
son standing as follows:
Section. 1870. IssO
Nbw England
states $50. s3,7l7, 562, sol 50 ,l0o Il3, 500
Middle states. 4,S93, 12S, $40 58lGCgg In
southern states. 2,453, 253,Si0 2,22G Ia All
Western states. i,026, 1865, 1868 b,512 1859 $50
Pacific states and
territories .,, 1885 Gs3, Ol6, 0si
" -
Total..."... sl3 sos, O9G,s93 SIC, 25s ,C6i, leo
While this showing may seem at first
view rather disconraglng, little reflection
will suggest that tho future ia likely to wit |
ness the greater appreciation in southern
There is certainly no good reason |
why property values in the south should be |
ess to-day than ia 1860. 0mitting slaves.
he southern tax rolls, before the war, ae
sregsled $S,861 100000, while now it is
u ,635, 600, 900 less than that. The popula |
ion, agricultural productions and manufac- |
uring interests have grown enormously. la |
vi that goes TO create property values the |
outh is certainly far ahead of what she was |
n 1860. The land is "a productive, and |
here are more hands to cultivate it. Build. |
ngs, Improvements and implements arc both |
more numerous and more costly than twenty |
ears ago, and the political future is more |
ettled. Confidence, however, has been lack
ng, and that Ia no longer the case.
We have for example, OF late, outside !!
capitalists fnning Ind buying railways for
! mere so4An The Southern holders Of the
ecuritiesfk not appreciate the true value
If what Ealey owned. Mining properties,
mill siteA. .nber forests, are being picked up |
he same way. We shall see shrewd invest,
RS coon coming in and buying farm lands
md urban property. They are already get
log control of the swamp lands and reclaim,
ng them. The boom 10 all kinds of south
IN property has not yet begun. There is
DOM for an appreciation to tho extent not |
'nly of millions, but Of hundreds and thou.
snds Of millions.