The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-09-10
NAMES ABANDONED FARMS.
Com'r. Lyons Ascertaining the Number
With a View to Advertising Them.
State House Topics.
+ Kennebec journal

One of the main features of the forth
coming report of Thomas j. Lyons,
commissioner of labor and industrial
statistics, will be the results OF an in
yestigation which has been conducted
by the bureau with a view to ascertain
Ing the number of abandoned farms in
the State, and also for the purpose OF
adopting some means whereby people
from other States may be induced to
come into Maine and take up those
but for summer homes. This advertlS-
ing of farming properties has been ex-
tensively carried on in the other New
England States, with beneficial results,
and it is the belief of Conn. Lyons that
it can also be done in Maine.
1t will be- remem bered that early in
the current year Conn. Lyons sent out
to representative citizens of the varl-
Gus Maine towns circular relative to
farming conditions in their respective
towns as we'll as industrial conditions
in general, the circular being sent out
in response to many inquiries which
had been received at the bureau from
people residing in other places who
wrote for the purpose of finding place
in which they could purchase farm or
secure TEMPORARY or permanent EN-
ployment, with Il view OF establishing a
home for themselves and families and
becoming residents and citizens of the
State.
In order to put the bureau in pos
session of the facts as to the needs and
OPPORTUNITIES of the several towns the
above circular was sent out, there be-
ing embodied in it series OF 3Oques-
tions relative to the number of farms
for sale in the several towns, the num-
Der of acres, the distance from the rail
road or the center of the village, the
estimated number of farm labOrerS who
could find continuous or temporary en-
ployment in the town, wages, demand
for additional female help ON the farms,
or at other occupations, wages, also
wages paid in the different mechanical
trades, the question of rents, the rate
of taxation for 1907, etc. From the re-
plies received in this way a great deal
of valuable information has been Sc
cured in the way of statistics, which
will be included in the report.
Commissioner Lyons is thoroughly
in sympathy in the movement for adj
vertising the State of Maine with
view to getting people to come here
and take up the farms which have been
abandoned There is not a rural town
in the State, he said, that has not It's
quota of abandoned farms, and there
is no reason why these farms should
not be sold and put to some good use,
so that they should be source OF profit
to the owner and to the town.
That the work has been done IN
Maine is shown by of 1slesboro. In
1890 the valuation of the estates in the
town, all resident, was S266, 721, while
the valuation in 1907 was S1S1,Sl9 in
resident estates and 1921, 491 in nom
resident estates, the latter figures
showing the results of inducing people
from other places to come there and
build their summer homes. The town
now maintains its public schools for 30
weeks in the year, has built fine pub.
lie library, and is in condition OF
prosperity that it could not have other.
wise realized. And the same is true or
other places, not only among the coast
resorts, but inland as we'll. 1t is the
desire Of the bureau to advance the in
terests of Maine by advertising her at
fractions in such way that those who
are looking for a farm or a place IN
which to build a summer home may be
induced to come here and do so.