The Indianapolis times., 1936-05-01
U. S. PREPARE
new FOREST IN
| BROWN COUNTY
Rehabilitation Work Among
Hoosier Farmers Also
in, Progress.
BY TRIsTRAM COFFIN

In the march of civilization west
ward across America, families from
Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and
southwestern Ohio settled in the
hilly, rough country of what is now
Brown County, Indiana.
Isolated from large communities
by rocky hills and their own taci-
turn natures, the Brown County
residents have become famed for
their vernacular and customs. BY
1890 the population of this area
had reached a peak of 10703.
Then poverty struck. Heavily
wooded areas we're stripped of their
trees and forest industries no longer
could provide a means of livelihood.
Population Shows Decline
More and more land was placed
under cultivation, and as year after
year farmers planted the same
crops, fertility of the almost barren
soil became depleted. Topso!l was
washed away by heavy rains. AS
timber resources declined, so did the
population. BY 1880 there were only
5168 persons living in Brown Coun-
ty.
Since 1880, practically every house
has been re-occupied and some new
log cabins have been built as a re-
suit of the back-to-the-land move
ment, common to the poor land
Nf cOf1fIarto T,oiioroa
Economic pressure forced land
owners to cut off second growth
timber as soon as it approached
cordwood or mine prop size.
Conditions Among Worst
Concerned by soil erosion and
forest destruction, the Division of
Land Utilization and the State Ag-
ricultural Experiment Station, Pur-
due University, made an investi-
cation.
This survey revealed physical,
economic and social conditions in
Brown County were among the most
serious in the country. The Fed
eral governments Resettlement Ad-
rninistration began as a project the
purchase of 10000 acres of poor
farm land in the county for con-
version to forest use. BY March 81
this year, 1880 acres were under
option. Total cost of the develop
ment is estimated at $685. ,480.
Government officials have said
the purchase will have beneficial
effect on local public finances, be-
cause while much of the land is
now tax delinquent and producing
no revenue, the local government
nevertheless must spend money for
roads and schools.
Other Areas Hit
Looking ahead to the future, the
government experts expressed the
belief that If families are moved
to better land, they will become
better taxpayers and the develop
ment of the forest land will in
time provide new source of
wealth.
These land-poor farmers, barely
existing in scrubby cabins, know
and like the land and would make
good farmers if they had fertile
soil, government officials have
stated.
The Resettlement Administra-
ton found other communities in
the state where soil erosion had
seriously affected the economic life
of it's inhabitants.
The acquisition of 10000 acres
in Martin County at cost of $247,-
900 was begun as project, total
cost of which is estimated at $724,-
1863. Working with the resettlement
organization, the National Park
Service purchased 5000 acres in
Ripley County for $144,000 and 6265
acres in Pulaski County for $751;
568.
Recreation Centers Developing
The latter two tracts are being
developed as recreational centers for
low wage industrial groups and
youth organizations. Thus the re-
moval of impoverished farmers to
better lands will furnish factory
workers and children from smoky
cities an opportunity for healthful
out-of-door recreation, it was point
ed out.
The three-fold Rural Resettle-
ment Administration program of
aid to farmers, establishment of
low-cost housing and prevention of
soil erosion includes the rehabilita-
ton Of Hoosier farmers through
loans.
Pressed for farm upkeep funds,
many Hoosiers were unable to pro-
vide sufficient collateral to obtain