Ashland County, Ohio - Chapter 38: Statistics, 1880

j '1 he Population of A.hLtnc County. - - i'lie Value of Re.. I and Persona! | Property. - The Industries of the County.- -The Amount of Eaxj l lion. - The Future of the County.

The population of the county has fluctuated considerably in the last twenty years. This is attributable ! to many causes, among which ;s the lute war. Brioi to | i860, the size of farms averaged from forty to one hunj dred and sixty acres. There were also many families occupying small farms At the opening of the war, and I during its progress, the major part of the able bodied young and middle aged men entered the sei-iec. For I the first eight years after the opening of the contest, all ; the surplus products of the farmers commanded unusually high prices, and the agriculturalist was enabled to ! purchase the smaller farms adjoining the homestead. The ; inferior buildings, previously erec led tnereon, were re- | moved or destroyed. The result was, that at the close of the war hundreds of returning soldiers were com;. died j to quarter in the ullage-* and towns, or remove from the j county. This and the mortality attending the war, reduced the population about two thousand in the decennial period between i860 and 1870. 1 he voluntary

Very few men fully appreciate the effect of adding five or ten mills to the aggregate of taxation, but when the subject is fairly presented, and the effect of such increase shown, it will be less difficult to enforce lessons of economy.

No subject can be more interesting than that of the industries of the county. The prosperity and happiness of the people depend largely upon the industry, frugality and intelligence of the farmer and mechanic. Let us look at some of the results of each of these branches of industry :

From the first settlement of the territory now constituting Ashland county, the people have progressed, quite rapidly in all that contributes to their intelligence, prosperity and contentment. The agriculturalist occupies fertile lapds that yield abundantly; and few counties, of the same area, can exhibit more culture and wealth. The county is estimated to contain two hundred and sixty-seven thousand four hundred and fortythree acres of land, which is divided as follows:

The actual cash value of the real and personal property will exceed twenty million dollars. The best lartn lands sell readily from sixty dollars to one hundred dollars per acre, depending somewhat upon their location.

The question of taxation is one of much importance to a free people. Taxes, economically expended, in the enforcement of just and equitable laws, cannot be the subject of criticism and complaint on the part of the tax payer. The grand duplicate of Ohio shows that in 1S74 Ashland county was required to pay the following taxes : this amount arises in local taxation. It will, therefore, be, in the future, a question for the economist to investigate and settle so as to prevent abuses in that direction.

This is a stupendous sum, but falls short of the actual value of the property enumerated perhaps a half million of dollars. This discrepancy arises from the fact that no property is valued at its actual cash value for taxation. There are other branches of industry equally interesting to all classes ; and we will now give further details.

The greater proportion of the foregoing product:, is sold and consumed within the limits of the conn tv. From these exhibits it will be seen that the occupation of our people is largely agricultural. It is true, that th manufacture of wool, leather, and machineix, forms a part of the industries of our people; and it would be interesting to give those items, if it were possible to ob- ; tain the figures. In gathering statistics, these items have ! been overlooked by statisticians, and we deprived the ! pleasure of their publication.

In conclusion, it will be seen that while our people possess fertile lands, pure water, and a healthful climate, they are rapidly advancing in all the arts of civilization, and can look with pride to the future.