Soils, Agriculture and The soil of the State varies in character, but for the most part is fertile. Originally the southern part of the State, and as far north as the Wa bash, was covered with a very heavy growth of forest, mostly of hardwood trees. North of this were low prairies interspersed with sand ridges and dotted with hundreds of small lakes. This region is now found very productive of cucumbers, melons and small fruits in the sandy parts. The richest lands are the alluvial valleys of the streams and the drained prairies. The forests have so far disappeared that the State is now encouraging tree planting. Agriculture is the chief industry of the State, although statistical returns show the products of manu factures greater than those of agriculture. This is partly due to the fact that the profits of manu factures are greater, partly to the fact that new material which is largely agricultural product enters into the value of manufactured products, and partly to the fact that statistics of agricul tural products do not include the large amount that goes into the of agricultural labor. In 1910 there were 344,454 persons engaged in agriculture as against 310,402 in manufacturing and mechanical industries. The reported value of farm products in 1914 was about $210,000,000. The chief agricultural products were corn 154, 191,465 bushels, oats 43,113,793 bushels, wheat 38,450,121 bushels, potatoes 4,489,961 bushels, hay 1,883,356 tons. The value of animal prod ucts was about $80,000,000; of forest products $4,000,000; of orchard products $3,500,000; of dairy products $16,000,000, The value of the poultry raised in 1914 was about $3,600,000, and of the eggs produced $15,000,0001 Minerals and Mining Industries.—About one-fifth of the surface of Indiana is underlaid by coal, workable veins having been found in 19 counties. There are at least 7 distinct veins of workable thickness, varying from 3 to 11 feet. The coals of the State are of two classes-.- caking or bituminous, and non-caking•or block coal: The latter can be burned in blast fur • naces without coking. The production in 1914 was 15,696,921 tons, valued at over $16,000,000, • the State ranking sixth in the Union as to quan - tity and seventh as to value of the product. The number of people employed in coal mining was 20,702. Another important mineral product is petroleum, the production of' which is a com paratively a new industry. In 1908 the oil prod uct of the State was 3,283,629 barrels, valued at $3,203,883. It largely increased—over one third -- after 1902, but has since fallen off, the production in 1914 being about 1,500,000 barrels, valued at $1 per barrel. Next in value to coal of the mineral products of the State is building stone, of which the chief varieties are the oolitic limestone, the blue Devonian limestone, the gray Niagara limestone, and sandstone. The oolitic so-called because of minute fossil shells resembling a mass of fish eggs, has be come celebrated throughout the United States on account of its superior qualities. In 1901 In diana was first in rank in the Union in the pro duction of limestone for building purposes, and fifth in rank as to building-stone of all kinds, the product being valued at $3,028,145. The production of building stone in 1914 was $3,500, 000; and there was a further quarry product of about $2,000,000, used for cement, lime, road making, etc. There is also a large production of cement and lime. Good clay is abundant throughout the State, and brick and tile making are extensive industries. Kaolin and glass sand are also found in quantity in several counties, and are profitably mined. Natural gas has been found, b.y sinking wells, throughout a large part of the State. The supply at one time reached a daily flow of 900,000,000 cubic feet. It served to draw many manufactories to the State, but the pressure is now decreasing. In many places its cessation 'has been followed by a flow of petroleum. Many other minerals have been found in Indiana, but not in quantities of com mercial importance.
The manufactures of In diana are chiefly a development of the past 40 _years. In the earlier period manufacturing was confined almost wholly to supplies for domestic consumption, and was chiefly conducted at the homes the people. In 1914 there were re
ported- 8,022 manufacturing establishments in the State, employing 197,503 wage-earners, and producing goods of the value of $730,795,000. The nine leading industries, ranked according to value of products in 1914, were: (1) iron and steel works, product $58,883,000; (2) slaughtering and product $51,066,000; (3) foundries and Machine shops, product $48, 881,000; (4) distilling and brewing, product $43,420,000, of which about three-fourths is credited to distilled liquors; (5) railway car construction and repair, product $42,156,000; (6) flour and grist mills, product $37,488,000; (7) automobiles, product $29,390,000; (8) car riages and wagons, product $21,569,000; (9) lumber and timber, product $21,034,00O.
The value of flour and grist mill products and lumber and timber products have remained nearly stationary for the last decade, but slaugh tering and packing have increased. The no table increases, however, have been in iron and steel work, machinery, and various forms of vehicles. The central position of Indiana gives facilities for distribution which will presumably cause a continued advance in manufacturing industries.
Commerce and one tenth of the people of Indiana (in occupations) are engaged in commerce and transportation. The navigation of the State is limited, being confined to the Ohio River on the south, with the lower Wabash and a small part of the White River, and Lake Michigan on the northwest. The canals of the State are practically aban doned except for water-power. The railroads furnish the chief means of transportation. Com merce is chiefly domestic, but both exportation and importation are steadily increasing.
Indiana has no fisheries of com mercial importance, though it has waters that might be made valuable. Recently laws have been passed for the protection of fish, and some interest is being shown in their propagation.
Railroads and Street The rail road mileage of Indiana, in 1914, was 7,232 miles, exclusive of second main and side tracks. In 1850 it was 228 miles; in 1880, 4,320. Rail road lines extend through all but three counties in the State. The chief railroad centre is In dianapolis, from which 14 lines radiate. These are connected outside of the city by a belt railway. The valuation of railroad property for taxation in 1914 was $208,941,570. There are street railways in all of the cities and larger towns, the total aggregating 195 miles. In 1899 there began an extraordinary development of electric interurban lines. By the close of 1902 about 400 miles of these were in operation, and 500 miles were under construction, while new lines aggregating over 1,000 miles were pro jected. The interurban mileage in 1914 was 2,085 miles, and the total valuation $26,965,732, which is about one-seventh of true value. These lines have made a material change in the trans portation of both passengers and freight, and will apparently furnish large competition with the steam railroads. One of these lines operat ing between Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. has added sleeping-cars to its equipment.
State The assessed valuation of the State in 1914 was $1,967,434,189, of which $1,291,549,845 was for realty property and the remainder for personal and corporations. In dividuals are permitted to deduct bona fide mortgage indebtedness from their schedules to the amount of $700. The total number of polls is about 450,000. The State tax levy for general State government was seven cents on $100, and 50 cents poll; for the benevolent institutions 10 cents; for sinking fund 1.5 cents; for State tuition—which is distributed to the school dis tricts for support of the common schools— 13.6 cents and 50 cents poll; for State institu tions of higher education seven cents; voca tional education one cent, making a total State levy of 40.1 cents and $1 poll. The reduction of the State debt was begun in 1889, when it amounted to over $10,000,000. On 31 Oct. 1902, it had been reduced to $2,887,615.12, on which the annual interest charge was $101,565. The bonded debt (1914) was $604,548, all domestic debt to State educational institutions.