Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1918-11-22
Increased Farm Value.

Farms IN the South which III years
ago went begging at $40 an acrs
are now selling at $100 and over,
says Lucius +. Wilson of East Dor
set, Mr.. Wilson has just returned
from a trip South to Brunswick,
Ca, and Gaffney, S. c., during
which he took the opportunity to
observe the benefits which that Sec
ton has received in the way of War
prosperity"
At Gaffney, he saw four different
farms sold at auctions. One of
them was a farm of 345 acers with
no improvements except shacks for
negro laborers, their total value
being not above 500. Ten years
ago Mr.. Wilson was down in the
same part of the country and at
that time refused farm land of a
better character than this farm at
price Of SIS. an acre. Yet the
other day the Gaffney farm was sold
at price figuring $105.50 an acre.
War prosperity has enhanced the
value of southern agricultural land
many hundred per cent, and has
spread hundreds of millions of
dollars amongst southern farmers.
Nobody will arise to say that the
farmers of Vermont have enjoyed
any such increase of income from
the war. But some are saying, and
very wisely, that Vermont can share
in the after-war prosperity of the
country.
One of the ways in which Vermont
can do this is suggested by a safe
ment made the other day by Edward
f. Trefz of California, campaign
director for the Patrol Committee
of Vermont. Mr.. Trefz comes from
the orange-growing section of the
state. In certain valley in the
"Frostess belt' there are farms
which have recently changed hands
at $500 acre. Not far from them
still in the frostless belt, are other
farms equally good in soil and cul-
tivation, for which buyers refuse to
pays $50 an acre.
And the simple reason for the
greater difference in values is that
the $500 land is bordered by good
roads, over which trucking is speedy
and easy; while the $3.50 hand is on
poor roads. 97"9gca -b9ao@o t-oI
America is beginning to ~ Under
stand that one of the causes of
allied victory in France was the
hitherto little-advertised work of
the engineers in building hundreds
of miles of good roads.
If the Vermont farmer wants
more profit for his produce he must
be able to get it 10 market at
lower cost for teaming. That
means good roads allowing a larger
load and quicker haul. If he
wants to sell his farm to some
of those who have made their
pile in this war he must have good
roads near his farm his place
readable and valuable for the
prospective buyers. If he wants
the population of Vermont to in
crease, so that he can have roads
that are as attractive as the road of
any other state.
1t is such facts as these that are
accountable for the steadily growing
support of the State to the program
of the Patrol Committee of Vermont,
whose first tenet is better roads.
Reports from all over the state
where campaign director E. F. Trefz
if engaged in a three week speaking
tour show that the Patrol Committee
idea is taking hold as soon as it is
understood.
The farmer of Vermont, the
business man of Vermont, wants his
share of prosperity. He has work
ed hard for it, early and late, winter
and summer; and he deserves it.
The Patrol Committee is seeing to
it that the Patrol Committee idea
is being advertised far and wide