The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-19
GROWTH OF JAY COUNTY
PROGRESSIVE AND ALERT PEOPLE
WITH PRIDE IN SURROUNDINGS.
Indiana's Oil Industry Began at Port
ty-Churches Are Prosperous.
,ecial to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
PORTLAND, Ind, Jan. 1S.-Jay county,
once derided as the home of the coon skin
and hoop pole, has come rapidly to the
front within the last few years, and is
now one of the best commercial and agri-
cultural counties within the borders of the
Hoosier State
Not only are the farmers of the county
hard workers, but progressive as well,
quick to adopt any new method or i'm
proved machinery (which will better their
condition. The county now raises magnifi-
cent crops of oats, wheat and corn; also
large numbers of hogs, cattle, sheep and
horses, the sum annually paid out for these
running far into the tens of thousands.
Many who have turned their attention
to stock have become specialists in the
line of raising fine breeds, and it is doubt
full if any other county in the State can
show better ''porkers" than Jay. Sheep
have not been neglected, and when a drove
of hogs or flock of sheep goes from this
county to any of the Indiana or Ohio fairs
Ii is assured that 1t will come back with
liberal supply of blue and red ribbons
The oil industry, in which hundreds of
thousands of dollars have been expended,
has done much toward the upbulding, and
as yet seems only in its infancy. AT the
| present leasers are at work on all of the
available territory, and the opening of
spring will see more drilling than has ever
| been known here before. Already there is
have never before operated in this terri
| tory. Only day or two ago one company
| hauled five rigs into Wabash township,
| where a great deal of work is to be done
| The same thing is true of Jackson and
Bear Creek townships, both of which are
already pretty we'll dotted with derricks
and pumping wells.
Portland was the first place in Indiana
! to strike natural gas and to adopt ii for
| fuel and light purposes, and it was in a
| well drilled within the city borders that the
l discovery ~ de Tha
| find was three miles west of town, and from
! that beginning has grown the.oil belt of the
State.
| This city is now we'll equipped 1t has its
paid fire department and its own electric
lighting and water plants. The electric
| light plant is one of the best conducted in
| the country, and for the year ended June
30 last the street arc lights cost but a
| fraction of what they had under private
| ownership and this in the face of the fact
| that nearly $4,000 had been expended in
making improvements. 1t is thought that
| when another year rolls around the
figures will show that the lighting of the
| city has been actually without cost
| The handsome Carnegie library made
possible by gift of $1,000 from Andrew
Carnegie, was finished and dedicated in
| September. The city is we'll supplied with
Just now the Methodists are finishing a
structure, to be dedicated In the spring.
| which will cost in the neighborhood of
| $4,000. and the Presbyterians have started
| new building, which is expected To rem
| resent an expenditure of at least SIS. 900
| The city is on the proposed route of the
| Muncie & Portland Traction Company and
| of the Dayton. Union City & Huntington
| Railroad, steam line, both of which are
| certainties
Free delivery. with three carriers has
long been established in town and the
| county is the center of eight rural routes
From here runs the only country automo-
| bile route in operation every day in the
| United States. BY means of it the peo-
pie OF Pennville are served twice daily.
| The trip going and coming-a distance of
| twelve miles-is covered in an hour each
| way.