Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-05
FARMS AND FARMERS.
Wealthy City People Have a Hank
ering for Country Life.
MANY ACRES CHANGING HANDS.
Values Generally Low, but the Prospects
Favorable for q Reaction.
HOME MEFARMING PAYSIN PENNSYLVANIA

The farming interest of Western Pennsyl-
vania is Of more Importance than it gets
credit for. While it is not conducted on
anything like so large scale as in the
| West, it supports in comfort. if not in af1u-
eRce, large population, and has surplus of
all the leading products of the soil, con-
siderable part of which fnds its way to the
Pittsburg markets. The effect of this is two
fold-to keep up constant supply and to
keep down prices.
With view of obtaining information con-
cerning this great industry, visited gen.
tleman yesterday who, for 20 years, has been
engaged in the business of buying and sell
ing farms, and has acquired a large fund of
information on the subject.
Is farm property in Western Pennsylvania
| increasing or decreasing in value? he was
asked.
1t is rather sluggish just now, was his reply.
may say, he continued, that it is active by
spells, in this respect being unlike city prop
| erty, which is nearly always in demand. While,
| as 1 said. farm property is rather sluggish,
there has been a better inquiry for it during
| the last month than for the previous half year,
which, think. will develop and work great
improvement in values. AS a general thing,
prices of farm lands are lower than they were
| two years ago, or even one year ago, but the
| outlook is so promising that anticipate an ad-
vance within short time of at least % per
| cent The cheapness of Western lands is one
| reason for the depression under which Penn
| sylvania agricultural interests have been and
are suffering. Lands in any of the Western
IN L;a Offor
at $50 an acre are, in my judgment. sure to
bring S75 in year or two.
Why do farmers want to sell outf
Several reasons might be given. There are
great many old people who, on account OF
their children being scattered, are unable to
carry on the work without hired help. and this
is not always satisfactory. So they sell the
farm and go to live with their children. Then,
again, one of the boys goes off to the city to en-
gage in merchandising and the farm is mort
gagged to give him start By and by he fails
and the farm has to be sold to pay his debts
The country is filling up very fast and families
are dividing-some getting married and others
engaging in other pursuits. This causes the
sale of many farms, SO as to give the children
their portion.
Are there many farms for sale in Western
Pennsylvania?
Comparatively, no. Inc supply ID not up TO
the demand at present prices 1 would like to
have at least 200 more. 1 could find sale for
them in a few months. At least 100 properties
of this kind have passed through my hands in
the last two or three months.
Who are the purchasers?
cannot give you the names for publication,
but you may look at them on the book. Gen
orally, as you see. they are psople of wealth
who buy with two objects in view-as a safe in
vestment and to secure the advantages of
homes in the country. They almost invariably
pay cash.
Does farming pay in Western Pennsylvania?
That depends upon proper management and
good judgment in the selection and rotation of
crops more than anything else. Whenever a
farm is well worked it pays as there is a steady
demand at good prices for everything produced.
Only yesterday heard of a man who invested
$500 in apples and sold them at profit OF s275.
Everything produced on farm brings cash. 1
can't see why it don't pay.
Do many of the business men of Pittsburg
own farms?
Yes a great many of them and many more
are wanting to buy Here (referring to his
book is banker who wants $4,000 place.
Here is a retired shoe merchant who wants one
worth about the same amount. Here is prom
inent oil dealer who wants to trade city prop
erty for farm, and SO on for page or two
One of these men said to me: The reason why
] want farm is to provide place for my fam
lily in summer, so that won't have to send
them away to any of the regular resorts. 1t
will be better for them; besides, the saving in
expense would soon be enough to pay for the
farm.
suppose country people are as anxious to
come to the city as city people are to go TO the
country?
Well, hardly. The most of them have some
knowledge of the difficulties of city life, and
prefer to remain where they know they can
scratch out a living. Now and then, however,
run across a granger who wants to try his
luck in the city and offers his farm in exchange
for city property. The most of those who
make the change live to regret it My advice
is, after an experience of 20 years or more
Stay on the farm, where you are sure of llv-
ing. Farmer boys especially run great risk in
coming to the city, and the majority of those
whe try the experiment make shipwreck of
themselves.
Assistant Librarian Scubber, of the National
Museum, of Washington, has discovered a neat
real estate operation in Florida lands which |
he describes as follows: "a short time ago |
received by mail a deed to lot in a town in |
Florida from railroad company there, with |
letter telling me that IL wanted to accept the |
property free l could do so by recording the
deed. For that purpose sent 81 Is to the Re-
corder with the deed, and now 1 own the lot.
1t looked like snap, but found out that the
company hired clerk to record the deeds and |
themselves received the fee. There are about |
ten lots of the size they gave me to an acre; SO
they received sl2 10 per acre for the ground /
from the fees, and you could buy all the land |
about that place you want for 81 25 an acre |
from the Government / am not looking for |
snaps now. 1 want to pay hard cash and full |
price for whatever get"
Ewing Byers, the Allegheny real estate |
brokers, have moved into their new office No. |
SO Federal street, first floor, and for starter |
closed up $4,000 cash sale of the property |
No. "a Ohio, Fourth ward, Allegheny City, be- |
ing four-story brick building of Il rooms, hall |
and storeroom, with lot 2Ox90 feet, through to |
Hemp alley, for Martin Boschert to Thomas
Kenyon, the well-known wholesale and retail
merchant, Of Federal street. The price paid is
equal to 81, 500 per foot front.