The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-01-07
A FARMERS EXPERIMENT.
New Jersey Experiment to Improve
the Condition of the Husbandman.

the Condition of the Husbandman.
While the farmers in the South and
West are endeavoring to better their
condition by the formation of a farm
ers' party which seeks political control,
their brethren in a small section of
New Jersey are preparing to give an
other method trial. For twenty
years past farming pure and simple
has been getting less and less protita-
BILE in most of the Eastern States. 1t
has now come to the point in some
sections when either new methods
must be tried or the farms abandoned.
In certain parts of the counties of Nor
ris, Somerset and Hunterdon, in north
ern New Jersey, it has been almost
impossible for the farmers to make any
change in their methods. If they grew
fruit or vegetables the expensive
haul to market would exhaust the pro-
fit, for the railroad facilities in the
section amounted to next to nothing.
The Morris and Essex Division of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
runs through Morris county, and the
New Jersey Central through Hunter
don, but from one road to the other is
twenty-five miles. 1t is very fertile
country, where small fruits and vege-
tables could be grown very profitably
if it were not for the expense of get
ting them quickly to market. The
large corporations controlling rail-
roads in northern New Jersey have
from time to time made SURVEYS
through this section, and the farmers
have waited with what content they
could for the railroad which was al
ways coming, but which never came.
Three years ago a young man, the
son of farmer in the section, who
had been in the West, and had prac-
tised somewhat as a surveyor and en-
gineer, returned home, and endeavor-
ed to interest the various towns on
the line of road which he proposed
to build from Morristown to White
House in Hunterdon county. This
would have required the building of
twenty-five miles of road, and the
amount of money required, some $780,
600, seemed so great that the protector
found it impossible to obtain a concert
of action in the various towns and
neighborhoods the road would traverse.
After many disappointments he aban-
doned this method of procedure, and
concluded to build the road in sections,
a little at time. His first section was
from White House to New German
town in Hunterdon county, a distance
of five miles. He formed company
called the Rockaway Valley Railroad,
and got the farmers along the line to
subscribe for the stock and bonds.
They paid these subscriptions partly
in money and partly in work and
material. Where the grading was
not too heavy each farmer has
done the grading of the road as it
passed through his place. The cross
ties have been furnished in the same
way, and money has only been used
for bridge timber, iron and rolling
stock.
1t is an edifying spectacle to see the
farmers at work building their road.
Each laborer is a shareholder, and he
seems to feel, as he handles his pick or
shovel, that he is working for himself.
The first time l saw them at work
was amazed at the vim and energy dis
played. did not then know how the
road was being graded, and it oc-
CURED to me that the particular gang
of men must have been composed of ex-
ceptionally good material, or have the
most efficient of foremen. 1 was short
ly afterward introduced to the fore
man. who was guiding a huge four
horse plough, and. l learned that he
was not only the foreman of the gang.
but the vice-president of the company.
He said that he had to do no urging at
all. as each man seemed inclined to
give to the work the best that was
in him. These same men, 1 dare say,
when working on their road tax can
kill time and do as little work as the
oldest soldier who ever shirked his
task.
Many thousand of peach-trees have
been planted in this section, and all
the farmers are preparing to try other
crops than those which have proven to
be Improbable. An era of hopeful
ness has set in, and these sturdy farm
ers, whose great-grandfathers succor-
ded the starving army of Washington
during that awful winter when the
Continental army was encamped at
Morristown, are now trying to save
themselves. I have no doubt that
they are making a much more sensible
effort than those who are seeking the
assistance of the general government
in their material affairs. Gitnler
Speed IN Harper'S Weekly.