Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-03-28
TAXED TO DEATH.
FARMERS RUINED IN THE BANNER FARMING
COUNTY OF WEST VIRGINIA.
Fearful Record Of Mortgages Piled Up On the
Famous Brooke County Farms-Lands
Deprecated Almost One-Hali
In Value
Special correepoadonc1 ofne Rlgi.l-r.

NEII-sBURC, W. Va, March 2j.-Th
voice Of agricultural discomfort is hear,
nowhere in the land more clearly thar
in this, the banner farming county o
West Virginia. 1t has come to pas
that the famous Brooke county farms
which once raised hundreds Of head o
sheep and great herds of the finest eat
tie in the market. are steadily depreci
ating in value, and the heaviest crop.
are gathered by the mortgage holder anC
money lender. While they have the
blessings OF the home market, Will,
around them are all the evidences OF
prosperity i'm protected industries
the farmers of Brooke county
have been losing ground steadily
and they are now I'm far less prosper
Gus condition than they were ten year,
ago. Lands which sold for SO and SlO(
an acre then can be bought for one-hali
or two-thirds that price. The owner.
of magnificent farms have hardly been
able TO make both ends meet. and the
records of the county clerks Office show
ance ON the wrong side during the years.
Debts have steadily accumulated and
within the last few months more than
one seemingly prosperous man has gone
down under the ever-mcreaSing burden.
THE MORTGAGE RECORD.
With view Of aScertaining the de-
preston existing among the agricult-
ural interests of the county, the repre-
sentative of the REGISTER paid visit
10 the Office of the County Clerk. and
personally inspected the record and land
books. They record a remarkable state
of aiTairs-onc that will be- startling to
men who have not felt the heavy bur
den which unjust taxation has laid
on the agriculturaliSt. Between 100
and 175 mortgages have been
laid ON Brooke county property within
the last year. This is the debt burden
for one year in a population of 1000
people.
1t is easy TO give dozens Of examples
of Individual loss and ruin. The Thomas
Brady farm i'm Cross Creek district is one
of a large class. A few years ago Il
piece Of 43 acres brought $50 an acre.
Recently the same piece was put up ut
public sale for debt. Ii brought 81, 543,
or little over SO an acre, clear de-
probation i'm value of 40 per cent. An
other farm of 40 acres located in Cross
Creek district recently sold for 1850.
Five wears ago il changed hands and the
consideration was s., 400. There is even
A MORE NOTABLE INSTANCE
than this. 1t will readily call itself to
the mind Of every citizen Of Brooke
comfy. Ten years ago VIM. Hammond
was one OF the most prosperous men of
this section. His magnificent farm
Of 3GS acres was one of the best
located In the county. Hammond
was a man OF wide business enterprise.
His farm alone was estimated TO be
worth 50. 600. Two years ago the COM
munity was aStounded by the news of
William Hammond'S failure and an in-
veStigatiOn showed that debt upon debt
had been recorded against his estate un-
til practically nothing was left. When
Hammond's affairs were settled up his
farm went from him and the purchaser
secured il for SIS. 567, or hardly two
thirds of its value. Cases OF this kind
are not Isolated. Unfortunately, rs the
business men told the representative of
the REGISTER, they have been the rule.
The Kuhn farm of 900 acres in Cross
Creek district was recently sold to a
well-knOwn business man Tor $3.50.
Five years ago. the assessor of the county
told me that this land would be conSid.
cred cheap at $40 an acre, or 90 per cent
more than the price which was paid for t.
ASSESSED At THEIR VALUE.
An examination of the land books OF
| this county shows another fact which
/ will Doe revelation TO many people
| The latest assessment Of lands wa
made several years ago. Since thai
| time the depreciation in values has
/ steadily continued, and to-day farms in
| Brooke county are assessed in cases f0l
sums exceeding their value at any sale
I I'm many other cases, the assessment j,
out of AN proportion To- the usual rate Oh
other forms of property. The Thomas
/ Hartley farm was purchased short
/ time ago for $1,000. 1t Is to-day as
Sessed at $4,000. But there is a more
remarkable case than this. On tn,
beautiful Hill just back of this city
stands fine old family residence. owneC
/ bv am estimable lady. The residence Is
situated ON a magnificent $50 acre tract
OF farm land. The owner of the prop
erty offers il for sale, and ask!
ST. 900 for it. The land books show thai
the property has been assessed for year.
az 81. zoo. Ten years ago this property
was considered one of the most hand
some estates i'm the whole Northern
/ Ohio Valley. 10 could not have beer
purchased for less than $4,000 or Sl4,
600. II was then that the aSSesSmen
was made. and to-day it represents 10.
per cent. instead of 80 per cent. OF the
value of the property.
CONTINUALLY INCREASING BURDENS
The history of farm lands in this sec
ton is full OF instances As striking a
any of these given. Farming has ceaS
ed To be- profitable industry, and the
farmers occupation is practically gone
Look again at the land books, and SCI
how many Of the mortgages recorded OF
farm property during the yea
have been released. 1t does not TAX
long to figure the number. 1t is jus
six Two of those were released by TIM
law. The hand of the money lender
closed down on the unfortunate borrow
ers and their lands were sold for TN
debit The four others were released b,
the farmers selling all or part OF thel
lands nj sacrifice i'm order to raise TIT
money and escape accumulatlng inter
est. During the two years ISIS ant
1850 not a farm mortgage has Oeen pal'
i'm Brooke county by the farmers raiSln'
the money and liquidating the debt
The secret OF this wide and crushing
depression is not hard to find. 1t wa
lexpresSed i'm one comprehensive sen
ltence bv a farmer who said TO the KEG
LISTER representative to-day; "Whateve
we buy. we Ouy OF men who are pro
ltccted from competition by a tariff wall
Whatever we sell, we are compelled L
sell in this country and to men VINO cal
buy where they please.
BUYING DEAR AND SELLING CHEAT.
No better explanation Of the bligh
which has come on the agricultural IN
Itcrests of the whole country. and whlcl
ihaS been felt so disaStrously in thI
county. can be asked. Between tn
upper and neither millstoncs of pro
tected" buying and competitive selling
the farmer has been crushed until tn
last dollar is squeezed out Of his pocket
Tor what value is the "home market L
the farmers of Brooke county whel
Chicago dressed beef. produced on tn
vast plains of the West. is put on TN
table of the consumer at Wheeling an'