The Newtown bee., 1905-06-02

real estate was read with much inter
 est by the writer. It was startling
 commentary on the present status O
 rural real estate as a "valuable cOnsid
 eration," or standard of value. A sub
 head of the article stated, "Prices
 Rule Low" Again, in the text, il
 the assertion, Flow prices ruled.
 There is no doubt that the writer
 could have gambled on that fact, al
 any odds offered, and won out. It if only stating trite fact to say that constantly depreciating in value. Ii
 was long, long ebb. It was perigee
 tide in rural realty but like all other
 tides it was bound to turn, and il has turned. In fact the period of lowest ebb was at least two years ago, since which time an upward tendency in value has been apparent, slight as yet and slow of development, but as sure as slow. In any commodity when values depreciate the downward tendency, or racceleration, is much more marked than is the recovery when the reaction finally comes. A farm that was considered worth, at conservative valuation, BIO, 900 20 years ago would to-day sell for scarcely one-third that amount, and then only if highly inn PAoNOA oA0 III OdO IAAh OA SOAOAO1OA. Under ordinary circumstances with conditions relatively similar to those of the past, it would require probably 30 to 35 years, at least, for the values Of 20 years ago for farm property to again obtain. In any section of this grand old commonwealth hundreds of farms, and good ones, too, with at- tractive, durable and cOmmodious buildings thereon, can be bought for much less than it would cost to replace the buildings alone, and even if re- placed would probably be less substan- tial, as buildings of to o-day are not as were 20 years ago, notwithstanding "union" labor and ''Trust' materials which should, if all we read and are told be true, form composite of Qual- ity uneQualled and invincible. But numerous as are tthe~farms for sale their number is not the legion of two years ago. Those who are wise to the real conditions know that the bed rock level of low prices has been reached A large number of small farms of the cheaper class have passed into new hands during the past few years. In a large percentage of these cases a na- tive of the sofia New Englander- moved out when the sale was made, or Woo ouO !doo OCOupdAu III uuS CdS6 O1 the abandoned farms, and family of foreign birth, usually the purchasers, moved in. In some sections so many of these changes have been effected that the foreign element very largely prepOnderates over the native. This, however, while interesting as subject for sociological speculation is foreign to the subject of this article. It may, however, be made the basis of a future article.
 It is very evident, however, that these brothers of foreign birth are not without business acumen, and that in a marked degree. They read aright the signs of the times and back their judgment with their money. And money talks," to use an expressive instances l have in mind, has one of these foreign investors in our rural real estate been previous resident of the locality in which he has seen fit to cast his future lot. In many instances they resided in the most thickly pop ulated districts of New York City and had done so for years. This may be but the preliminary of great migra- tiOn of certain element of our urban population from the congested centers to the rural districts. If so they have without doubt selected the psycholog- ical moment. There has never been a time since Connecticut was colony when homes could be bought as cheap be time in the future, near or remote, when present prices will again be the rule. If there ever was time when country real estate was worth consid- ering as an investment, that time is the present. And the reason does not have to be sought. The factors that will make most for appreciation of values in farm property will in large part be logical product of the future. But their full fruition will be matter of years, not decades, and when they shall be with us in their full maturity 90 per cent of the farms of Connecti- cut, and of every other state, will be worth as much and doubtless more than they were during the period of inflated values just after the Civil war.
 While pronounced influx from city to country would materially augment values, yet it would be too much to expect that such influence would cause an upward trend of over 50 per cent under any combination of the most favorable circumstances.
 That there will, however, be a min imum increase of at least 300 per cent over present values is as certain as the laws of gravitatiOn. And this will take place during the next 10 years. Plainly, l mean that in 1915 the average value of all farm lands in Connecticut will be 300 per cent great CT than at present.. II say 90 per cent because the remaining 10 per cent, con- sisting of land immediately adjacent to the cities and larger towns will not, owing to the nature of the factors causing the increase, experience rise in value as marked ratio as land more remote from market centers. To accomplish this great and, to those who retain their present holdings or invest at present prices, profitable change in land values the commercial leaven Ia term use for want of bet ter one) must be found, upon analysis, to be powerful in action, universal in application and absolutely permanent in all it's attributes.
 Without considering the possible effect of movement from the city to the country, the effect of which would at this time be extremely uncertain even if we knew it was coming, we find that there are three great causes and Salutary in their effect upon rural real estate values, and fir om their na- ture no man living can stop, change or limit their action. The development of all are essential to the material progress of this country, and while the immediate promoters of such develop ment are not interested one way or the other in farms in Newtown, Rox- bury or elsewhere, it yet remains a fact that the success of their under takingS means a great deal to even the