Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-23
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Daily eagle
SETTLEMENT DAY.
e Very Peculiar Observance In a
Pennsylvania Town
How the Mennonites and Dunkards WIND
Up Their Business Transactions on
the LIST of April of Every Year-A
Great Day for Every Body.


Nowhere in the United States can be
witnessed such peculiar method of trans
acting business as that which yearly oc-
ours In Chambe rsburg, Pa, upon the 1st
day of April, which is the great settlement
Cav. and has grown to be such remark
able and established institution. In Ian
easter County, Pa. there is some approach
to the practices here observed, says q oor-
respondent of the Globe Democrat, but the
Imitation Is only partial, and more improved
business methods are in vogue there. The
peculiar custom of crowding the business
transactions Of the whole year into one day,
of transferring thousands Of acres Of some
of the most valuable farming land in the
country, and making hundreds of thou
sands OF dollars change hands in few
hours Is spectacle which amuses those
acquainted with the business methods OBJ
served elsewhere in the United States, and
has in it many quaint and interesting feat
hres.
1t Is difficult TO explain how the custom
came to be observed. AS far back in the
history of the country as the Oldest inhab-
liant can recollect it has been the practice
among the farmers here, particularly
among the Mennonites and Dunkards, two
religious sects which are very strongin the
country, to so arrange their affairs that al
their transactions in money and land
should be consummated on April !. All
agreements for the sale OF land are so
drawn as to make the title pass on that
day, no matter how far distant IL may be
from the date Of the agreement, and all
payments upon the land are arranged so
that they will fall upon tho 1st day OF
April of the next or succeeding years.
Leases of farming lands to tenants upon
shares are drawn In the same way. This
arranging for the 1st OF April for settle
ment day Is not only q universal custom as
to the land transactions, but 1t is carried
into money lending and money borrowing
in all its phases. When money is loaned
and Judgment given in security the pay
nents are all arranged 80 as to fall upon
April 1, and it is the same case where mort
cages are given, sale notes for cattle and
farming machinery bought, and the public
sales by farmers are dated in the same
way. Into the private transactions be-
tween one farmer and his neighbor across
the road and across the fields the custom
has also crept, IN til 1t now thoroughly per-
vades almost every form of business trans
action tie farmers ever have occasion to
enter into.
AS result Of this strange arrangement
the great settlement day is the greatest day
of the year to the farmer, his wife and his
family. It is dreaded by the attorneys,
courthouse officials and bankers, as
well as by those who have payments to
make and no money to meet them. Early
on the morning of the 1st the town begins
TO assume an unwonted aspect of business
activity. From all points OF the compass
the farmers teams arrive In quick success
sion and overcrowd the hotels with guests.
Their wives and daughters, eager to make
their annual purchases of supplies, quickly
fill the stores and gladden. the hearts Of the
tradesmen, while the fathers of the fam
lies make their way to the banks, court
house and lawyers Offices and begin
the active business Of the day. The at
torneys have the deeds and title papers al
ready prepared, the banks have laid in a
heavy supply Of currency, and the county
officers have engaged extra clerks for the
great rush. The first act of many of the
farmers Is to go to their banks and draw
put their deposits in cash. The average
farmer neither pays with checks nor accepts
checks. Uncle Sans greenbacks are the
only things for which they win hand over
their deeds or satisfy their judgments and
mortgages. They look with great suspicion
upon O check and have decided preference
for greenbacks rather than for the yellow
back gold certificates or the silver certif-
Gates.
Many have disdained the use Of banks
and boarded up their money at their homes.
An old leathern wallet, tied around with q
knotted shoestring, will often disclose thou
sands in large bank notes. In every nook
and corner parties Of two and three can be
seen counting down their money, improvts-
ing q table out Of store-box upon the side
walk, or any other convenient object
Many thousands of dollars are openly dis
played and carelessly handled, and 1T would
seem to be q rich feast for pickpookets, but
somehow they have never invaded these
preserves. Homespun and plain jean cloth
ing, broad-brim hats, overcoats with capes,
many with hooks and eyes instead Of but
tons, gave the wearers of the costumes a
quaint appearance. The plain clothes gave
no sign of the great wealth in lands, stocks,
bonds and cash which some of them possess.
One peculiar feature of the transactions
is the liquidation of many debts by single
payment. 1t often happens that a
group of six or eight farmers all
have money owing TO or from one of
the others. A owes B $500 and B has
arranged 10 pay 70 = the money ne mas re-
ceiveS from a, and so on. If the first
debtor is slow in paying all parties are put
back, but when the exchanges once begin
TO be made they follow one another rapidly,
and it is not uncommon to see 5000 or
$4,000 of debts paid with few hundreds in
money. The business of the banks Is
enormous. The transactions of the Ma
tional bank in these payments on Monday
alone footed up to nearly sl,0Oo,0O0 For
years past efforts have been made by law
yers to divide up the business so as 70 ex-
tend it over several days, but they have
been unsuccessful, and every year the
crowds and the total Of money transactions
grow larger. Strange to say, with all the
hurry and excitement, few mistakes are
made, and the farmers still regard it as the
best and easiest way of transacting their
money affairs for the year.
CENTRAL AMERICAN TRADE.
4 Field of Commerce which Should Be
Controlled by Yankee Merchants.
The republics of Central America,
Costa Rica. Guatemala Honduras.
Nicaragua and San Salvador, although