"In a few instances some of us may have more taxes to pay than we did, for the reason that the appraisment of 1909 had a great many unequal valuations. Some were too low, others too high, wherever this occurred, the property valued too low will have. a slight increase, where the same was too high there will be a decrease. Such conditions have now been reduced to a minimum. Any one who thinks his or her property is valued too high in accordance with his neighbor's should make application to the several boards of revision for adjustment. However a perfect valuation is an impossibility.

"The new appraisement of the real estate appears to be about two and one-half times higher than the old valuations. I have increased the value of personal property at the rate of one and onehalf times higher than for the year 1909. This may be a little low or high as the case may be, which would slightly increase or decrease the new levies given herewith, but on the average I think my computations are correct. The rates given here for both old and new valuations cover state, county, school and all other taxes, including sinking fund and interest purposes.

"The valuations given here are as returned by the appraisers and as equalized by the county board of equalization for townships and villages. The changes which will be made by the board of equalization for the cities of Fostoria and Tiffin have not been deducted or added, as these boards have not completed their work. The boards of Fostoria and Tiffin cannot reduce the amount given here, they may increase the same, in such case the rate given here for said cities would be reduced. To compute your taxes, multiply the tax value of your property by the tax rate given above, which will give you the amount of taxes on your property for one year.

"It is with pleasure I give the above information and trust it will enable all tax-payers to more fully understand the new rules used at the appraisement just completed, under the new laws passed by the last general assembly."

Citizens' Telephone & Message Co., (Fostoria)

16,825.00

Farmers' Mutual Telephone Co., (Ft. Seneca)

1,180.00

Citizens' Telephone & Message Co., (Fostoria)

17,481.00

Farmers' Mutual Telephone Co., (Ft.. Seneca)

1,425.00

The soil of Seneca county is well adapted to the growing of corn, wheat, clover and alfalfa. The old theory that only a limited supply of soil fertility was stored in the earth and would soon become exhausted does not hold good in Seneca, for its richness seems inexhaustible. There are different elements of soil fertility in different kinds of soil. Some are richer in one element and may lack some of the other elements. They vary in different farms. What is lacking in the soil can be supplied artificially. Thorough tillage will increase fertility. But Seneca county being on the edge of what was once known as the Black Swamp has a deep soil and exhaustless fertility.

But little information as to the value of land is obtainable, for little farm land is sold or offered for sale, as the owners are loth to part with them. A farm on the Portland road near Tiffin, recently sold at a large price. Most of the land in the county would sell for $100, or more, per acre. The farms are usually small, ranging from 50 to 100 acres, with occasionally one of 200 acres or larger. Many of the farmers have permanent pastures, although the land so

used might be easily tilled.. The farm work is usually done by the farmers themselves, with the assistance of their boys, but when outside help is employed they are treated nicely and are well cared for. Seneca county farmers have learned the advisability of using good seed.

A new era in farming seems to be dawning, and the extension of the agricultural school is the direct result of some advanced ideas by thinking men. It is found that it is impossible for the average farmer to attend an agricultural college, and hence the extension school is brought to his very door. These schools are proving very

satisfactory.

Ohio is a rich agricultural state. Great crops of wheat, corn, oats, barley, hay, potatoes and orchard and garden products are raised. The state also produces large quantities of flax and tobacco and its immense forests of hard-wood furnish great quantities of most valuable lumber used in the manufacture of furniture and agricultural implements.

CHAPTER V

SWEEPING PIONEER PICTURES

"IN PIONEER TIMES," BY THE AUTHOR THE IMPROVED LOG CABIN THE FARMER'S BOY-AMUSEMENTS OF THE PIONEER BOYPIONEER GATHERINGS-THE INDUSTRIES-RELIGIOUS SERVICESJOHNNY CAKE AND HOMINY-PIONEERS AND THEIR TROUBLES-THE SCARCITY OF MONEY-MALARIAL DISEASES TROUBLES MADE THEM NEIGHBORLY-WELCOME TO EMIGRANTS "SENECA COUNTY NEARING HER CENTENNIAL," BY SADE E. BAUGHMAN-TALES OF PIONEER DAYS," BY JESSE E. BOGART "REMINISCENCES OF PIONEER

LIFE," BY A SENECA COUNTY PIONEER.

In the following chapter are grouped a number of contributions to the pioneer history of Seneca county which cover so much literary ground that, as the saying goes, they are in "a class by themselves." They may be said to form the rich background to matters which, in after pages, are brought into the foreground and presented in detail.

IN PIONEER TIMES.

(By the Author.)

The houses in which the pioneers of Seneca county lived have been often described; their form and proportions and general appearance have been repeatedly impressed upon the mind of the student of history. They were built of round logs with the bark on, and side chimneys of mud and sticks, puncheon floors, clapboard roof, with and without a loft or second floor, and all put together without a nail or particle of iron from top to bottom. These buildings stood many a year after the original inhabitants moved into better quarters. They served for stables, sheep pens, hay houses, pig pens, smith shops, hen houses, loom shops, school houses etc. Some of them are yet standing in this county, and occupied, to some extent, in some portions of the county as dwellings.

A second grade of log cabin, built later, was quite an improvement on the first, being made of hewn logs, with sawed lumber for

floor and window frames and doors. Glass also took the place of paper windows of the old cabin; nails were also sparingly used in these better cabins. It was sometimes built near the old one and connected with it by a covered porch. When nails were first used, for a few years a pound of them was exchanged for a bushel of wheat. They were a precious article, and were made by hand on a blacksmith's anvil out of odds and ends of old worn out sickles, scythes, broken clevis pins, links of chains, broken horse shoes, etc., all welded together to eke out the nail rods from which they were forged. The first cabins were often erected ready for occupation in a single day. In an emergency, the pioneers collected together, often going eight or ten miles to a cabin raising, and in the great woods, where not a tree had been felled or a stone turned, begin with dawn the erection of a cabin.

Three or four wise builders would set the corner stones, lay with the square and level the first round of logs; two men with axes would cut the trees and logs; one with his team of oxen, a "lizzard" and a log cabin would "snake" them in; two more with axes, cross-cut saw and frow would make the clapboards; two more with axes, cross-cut saw and broad-axe would hew out the puncheons and flatten the upper side of the sleepers and joists. Four skillful axemen would carry up the corners, and the remainder with skids, and forks or hand spikes would roll up the logs.

As soon as the joists were laid on, the cross-cut was brought from the woods, and two men went to work cutting out the door and chimney place; and while the corner men were building up the attic and putting on the roof, the carpenters and masons of the day were putting down the puncheons, laying the hearth and building the chimney high enough to keep out the beasts, wild or tame. In one corner at a distance of six feet from one wall, and four from the other the bed post was placed-only one being needed. A hole was bored in the puncheon floor for the purpose of setting this post in (which was usually a stick with a crotch or fork in the upper end) or if an augur was not at hand a hole was cut in the puncheon floor and the fork sharpened and driven into the ground beneath; rails were laid from this fork to the wall, and usually nice, straight hickory poles formed the bottom, upon which straw or leaves were placed and the blanket put on. This made a comfortable spring bed and was easily changed and at a little later time, say from 1830 to 1840, the pioneers were living a little easier. Their farms were partially cleared, many of them were living in hewed log houses and many in frame, and even brick houses. Most of them had barns and innumerable out houses. They generally had cattle, horses, sheep, hogs and poultry, and were living in comparative comfort. Their neighbors were near and always dear. Their