Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-01
PITTsBURG, SUNDAY, FEB. !, 1891
VALUES OF LOCAL FARM LANDS.

When William L. Scott sounded the key
note of Cleveland's disastrous auti-tariff
campaign BY his famous speech against the
Carnegie industries, he was almost hyster-
ical over the damage these protected indus
tries wrought upon the farming interests.
THE DISPATCH then undertook to show the
other side of the situation. 1t insisted that
the greatest boon which could beiall farm
ing district was the establishment of manu-
featuring concerns in its neighborhood. To
offset Mr.. Scott's hyperbole, which de-
scribed a farmer on the high road to the
poorhouse, its reporters travelled the county
of Allegheny and part of Westmoreland to
discover the actual condition of the agri-
cultural classes 1t is needless to say none
were found in the poorhouse who had been
farmers in Western Pennsylvania, but that,
on the contrary, for many miles around
there were ex-farmers whose lands had be-
come so valuable by the creation of manu-
featuring plants in their vicinity that they
no longer needed to follow the plow or dis
tress themselves over the dry or rainy sea-
son.
4 A curious further illustration is now at
hand. The city of Pittsburg was itself in
the farming business. 1t had Poor Farm
up the MonongaheIa which it bought at a
few hundred dollars or less per acre, and by
reason of the growth of the same Carnegie
industry was able last summer to sell at a
few thousands per acre. Needing new
quarters, it advertised the other day for an
other farm, and rs the scope OF competition
was wide, it is interesting to note the bids.
They run up from $500 to as high as $500
per acre. This shows how valuable farmers
lands become when they have good home
market for their products. In limited
way 1t is an evidence that the best thing
which can befaIl any section of the country
is to have home consumers for the products
of the farm.
But while these figures illuminate most
agreeably tine diverse of the dark picture
which MIR. Scott painted, they should have
different significance for the city authori-
ties. We are scarcely so optimistic as to
believe that, even with Chief Elliot's best
knowledge OF the gentle art of husbandry,
wheat or corn can be grown upon even a
three hundred dollar per acre tract
as cheaply as it can be produced and
afterward bought from the cheaper grounds
of the Northwest, where climate, peculiar
fertility of the soil and other circumstances
Of special adaptation incontestsbly exist. To
get back good interest from the high-priced
lands of Allegheny county the most profit
able use of them would be in the line of market
gardening, or the production of such other
specialties as best meet local demand. In this
view we agree with the idea of Mayor Gour
ley, that in place of spreading out over hal
or quarter of a township for Poor Farm
the most economical results will be obtained
from a tract not exceeding say 100 acres
This would save great deal on the city
investment 1t would also direct attention
TO the forms of cultivation which yield mosi
productivity in money.
Councils and Charity Department have
the matter as yet wholly in their hands
We trust they will act wisely about it.