The independent-reporter., 1910-09-15
THE TIDE HAS TURNED
TOWARD MAINE
Many Mime Farms Purchased Dur
Ing Last Five Years by Residents
of Other States.

of Other States.
The department of publicity of the
Labor Bureau is using every means
to increase it's roster of names of men
and women who formerly lived in
Maine. The present list constantly
needs revision, owing to changes in
residence. deaths and marriages. 1t
has been suggested that an effort be
made to get present residents of
Maine to contribute such addresses
as they can.
The preparation of descriptive
pamphlet setting forth Names many
advantages, attractions and resour-
ces. is now going on. This pamph-
let will set forth briefly the banking
facilities of the State, its school sys-
tenn, good roads, water powers, tim
ber resources, farms, transportation
facilities etc. While it is impossi-
bic to do more than touch on a large
number of subjects which properly
find place in such a pamphlet. it is
hoped that it will attract sufficient at
tention to create a further demand
for Maine literature.
Recent reports from the National
Agricultural department show that
Maine land, cultivated by Maine
farmers, now produces heavier crops
than do the farms of many other
states noticeably the states of
Illinois Iowa. Nebraska Kan
sas and Texas. 1t is we'll within
the memory of comparatively young
men that these states were each and
all held out to Maine farmer boys as
districts where no one was poor after
ten years of easy farming upon the
virgin soil. The statistics gathered
by the impartial agents of the Agri-
cultural department show that, not
only are those states producing less
corn, wheat, hay, potatoes, buckwheat
and oats to the acre than are farmers
of Maine, but that the crops in Maine
are worth more per bushel. Yet farm
land is selling commonly in Maine at
from $25 to 500 an acre, while little
much less than 500. The only ex-
PLANTATION of this phenomenon is that
it has been the fashion to look to the
west for farming land SO long, that
the land of the east has escaped the
notice of buyers.
The tide is slowly turning. how
ever, for hundreds of Maine farms
have been purchased during the last
five years by residents of other states,
who have come to Maine to make
permanent homes. The greater part
of these newcomers formerly lived in
the New England states, New York
and the province of New Bruins wick.
Latterly, however, there seems to
have been an awakening of interest
among purchasers from the middle
western states. II is we'll known that
the so-called Middle states are just
now being confronted with an aban-
doned farm problem which is more
acute than that of the older eastern
states, in that it is we'll known that
1t sometimes requires years for SEN
timent on such matters to change.
Many of the farmers who are turning
eastward have Investigated farming
conditions in Maine, and found them
very much to their liking. There is
no doubt but that more will follow
One of Names greatest assets Is
her wonderful water powers. Hun
dreds of prospective purchasers of
such property are earnestly seeking
accurate data regarding them. OF
course many wish to purchase ad-
vantageously and hold the property
for the future, but many others are
seeking powers for immediate devel-
opment. Within a short time these
powers will be developed and indus
tries started in their vicinity. Then
will be inaugurated a new industrial
era in Maine which will place her
we'll up among the manufacturing
states.