Smyrna times., 1889-02-27
A Diagnosis of Delaware.
INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF FARM
LANDS.

A Dover correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Record thus writes:
-" Although Delaware is one of the
Oldest States in the Union, having been
settled even before Pennsylvania, it is
only within comparatively recent
years that it has become awake to the
spirit of the age and has begun to put
its best foot forwOrd in order to keen
up with the procession. This is true
both of its manufactures and of its
farming, but more particularly of the
latter. This late awakening has been
productive Of some curious results.
1t seems remarkable that State ad-
joining Pennsylvania, and separated
from New Jersey only by the Della
ware river, from both of which States
thousands of farmers have gone West
to develop its resources, should be ad-
vertising at this day for immigrants to
come and cultivate its soil and build
up its manufactures. Such a proceed
ing Is common enough in the West and
the more enterprising parts of the
South, but it is bit startling to find
that State within 40 minutes ride of
Philadelphia has a board of immigra-
ton, with an English agent, and that
1t publishes by tens of thousands an
attractive little pamphlet entitled
Homes and Lands in Delaware"
which is scattered all over this country
and Canada and sent Europe.
A CHANGE Is COMING.
"Delawareans themselves must think
such a course rather unusual for an
OLD settled State, for in a half aDolo-
getlc tone the pamphlet says:
The inhabitants of this State,
whose fOretathers were among the ear.
llest settlers of America, have ALWAYS
been staid, careful and conservative.
Dwelling III comfort, peace and hap.
plness, they have allowed the world to
move Onin the march of Improvement.
leaving them somewhat behind. But
a change Is coming over the spirit of
their dreams. Recently the attention
OF capitalists and of others has been
drawn to the undeveloped resources of
the State, and new enterprises are
sprlnging up on every hand. The in
PRODUCTION Of the modern facilities of
communication and transportation has
already begun revolution. A spirit
OF activity has seized the people. and
all signs point to the inevitable cOnclu-
sion that the Diamond State will ere
long take her proper place in the very
front rank of progressive cOmmunities.'
THE WORD Is FORWARD"
1t is this late awakening. the effects
OF which have for some time been ap-
parent in New Castle and Kent coun-
ties, and which is now stirring up Sus-
sex, especially since the construction
of the New York, Philadelphia & Nor
folk railroad, that does much to ex.
plain why farmers are, to all appear
ances, doing better here than in Penn.
sylvania. A large amount Of new
blood has been infused into the cOun-
try, putting up the price of land, intro
duclng progressive methods, and to a
great extent changing the character of
the agriculture. Still further improve
ments are bound to come, especially in
sussex county, and in this old territory
a boom may be expected of the kind
more common in the west than in staid
Delaware.
LANDS ARE INCREASING IN VALUE.
The result of this development and
immigration is, as has been said. an
increase in the value of land. in strik-
ing contrast to the great decline which
has brought such distress to a large
part of Pennsylvania and New JERSEY.
The assessments now being made of
real estate in the hundreds have not
yet been tabulated, but there seems to
be no doubt that they will show the
same Increase in farm land values as
those which have nreceded.