Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-06
CHEAP FARM LANDS.
An Opening in Indiana County for
an Enterprising Capitalist
BUSINESS OUTLOOK REVIEWED.
Everything Favorable for Rushing Trade
the Coming Autumn.
THE HOLIDAY CAUSES A BOOM In HATS

Indiana is considered one Of the best egri-
cultural counties in Western Pennsylvania,
but land there is not valued at fancy prices.
A Pittsburg gentleman located on 200-acre
farm near Homer City, in that county, sew
eral years ago. Later he removed to South
America, where he engaged in business, and
where he still resides. His wife was in the
city yesterday and placed the farm in the
hands of Fourth street agent, with in
structions to sell it at $50 an acre.
Considering that it is well improved, and
has all the necessary buildings. good fences,
large young orchard and several never
failing springs, this is certainly very low
figure While city properly maintains the
advance begun six or eight years ago, farm
land has failed to hold its own in the same
period. Farming seems to be losing its attrac-
uons in Western Pennsylvania, where 1t is no
longer considered paying business. Are not
the farmers themselves responsible for this un-
natural state of affairsf
Concerning the business outlook, Manager
Wigley. Of Dun & Co.'s Commercial Agency.
says: "The result of careful inquiry at all
points in our district indicates that the wheat
crop viii be good. Oats are looking well in
most places. but the crop is not yet safe. Corn
is backward, on account of the continual cool
and wet weather, but under favorable condi-
tons Will make a good crop. Potatoes, hay,
fruit and other farm produce lie all reported as
excellent, and the wool district is getting fair
market for the clip. In parts Of West Virginia
the continued rains have been boom for the
lumbermen, enabling them to float their logs to
market freely add cheaply, and railroad build
ing in other parts of that State contributes to
rosy promise for the future. In Eastern Ohio
nearly all the manufacturing towns report a
healthy state of affairs. Mills and factories are
running with fair amount of orders. and
though prices are in some cases unsatisfactory,
labor is well employed and toilers receive the
benefit of the weekly pay rolls
"Our rural territory in Western Pennsylva-
mia is chiefly dependent on the coal.mining and
oil-prodacing industries At present both of
these sources of wealth are somewhat de-
pressed, and the great rainfall on the western
slope of the Alleghenies, which eliminated in
the Johnstown disaster and the temporary en-
barrassment of railroad facilities, destruction
of sawmills and loss Of lumber have all con-
spired to indicate a rather gloomy future in
the section designated. Yet even there the
prospect of an abundant harvest holds forth
the promise of silver lining behind the pres
ent cloud. The wage question remains unset
tied, but no great difficulty between employers
and employees is anticipated. Building is per-
haps more active than ever before. II the crop
reports in all parts Of the Union should prove
as favorable as those in our immediate district,
we shall expect satisfactory condition of
trade the coming autumn"
Agreat many hats were too small for the
heads of the wearers yesterday morning, in con-
gentlemen's head gear did a rushing business
Apropos of this Liberty street merchant told
good story on one of his brother dealers
Some time ago there was q convention of
produce men held in Milwaukee, which was
attended by delegation from Pittsburg one
or two Of which were in the habit Of taking an
occasional glass Of beer. The sober ones of the
party singled out one of these weak brethren
as the subject Of practical joke. Ascertain
ing one evening that he had returned in a
happy condition from a visit to several of the
breweries for which Milwaukee is famous they
purchased hat of the same quality and ap- |
but Of q smaller size than the one he |
wore.
After he had retired for the night, the old
hat was removed and the new substituted.
The gentleman awoke bright and early in the
morning, dressed himself with his usual care.
and picked mp his hat Trying it on he thought
there was something wrong with 1t, but he
didn't know what. He examined it carefully
and tried it on again. Still it wouldn't ft.
While this episode was going on his practical
jokers were watching the performance through
a transom, and greatly enjoyed the discom-
future Of their victim. Finally, after an utter
failure to bring about a correspondence be-
tween the head and the hat, he settled down to
the conclusion that the former had undergone
a remarkable growth during the few hours he
had been sleeping, or the latter had mysteri.
ously shrank, and he didn't know any better
until he reached home, and the mystery was
explained to him. The effort to bribe his com.
panions to silence has cost him several boxes of
cigars.
In no Item is the contrast between prices in
England and the United States more striking
than in the relative prices. at the works. of
Connellsville and Durham coke. These two
cokes are the typical cokes of their respective
countries. They are the typical blast furnace
fuels. The output of the Durham coke is by
far the largest in Great Britain being probably |
more than half of the output of that country.
while the Connellsville district produces more |
than half of ths coke made in the United |
States. But Connellsville coke is selling, SO il
is stated at the mines at 9Oc to 81 ton of 1000
pounds while the Durham coke sells from l6 to |
20 shillings per ton of 2240 pounds, or reduced |
10 the same unit as the American price, from |
So 46 to 81 80 a ton. or from about 31< to ~ |
times the price of American coke
There are three reasons why coke in the |
United States is selling cheaper than in En- |
gland, namely: Lower wages, the less value Of |
coal in the ground. and the great stretches of |
necessary in this country to |
bring the materials for making pig iron to-