The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-04-18

The grey-headed pioneer who trayersed these
regions fifty years ago, and saw nothing in bis
wanderings but the unbrokeH majesty OF q
Western W ilderness, or the boundlessness Of the
great prairies, now when he follows the trail he
once travelled, comes to the great city in whose
streets and squares he is lost. The past he re-
members as a dream-the present he conten-
plates with wonder. admitting the reality, but
not perceiving the mighty spirit that moves the
world around him.
The West is the standing-no. 1t is the nov
ing wonder of the age-perhaps of humanity
But TO return to the capacity for production.
Suppose of the three hundred and thirty or for.
ty thousand square miles, twoh hundred thousand
could be reduced to cultivation, and allow it to
average a product equal to 90 bushels of wheat
per acre, it would amount to 100000 miles
4 $40 acres each-l28, DOC, 900 acres q 20 bush
els==2 sec, 900 900 bushels of wheat, worth, at
so cents.,one thousand two hundred and eighty
millions of dollars. equal to twelve times the
the whole foreign exports of the United States.
In the United States IN 1910. there were pro-
duced between 600 and 700 millionsio of bushels Of
grain; the seventh part of this was Wheat
Take then the seventh part Of the above pro-
duct, reecollecting too that corn is produced in
the proportion of two or two and a half to one
of wheat, to the acre. and the actuai' product of
wheat would be above three hundred and sixty
five millions of bushels. or more than four times
as much as is now produced in the u. States
Our corn, oats, rye. hogs. cattle, horses, sheep,
and cotton, would be in proportion. Allowing
five bushels, IN addition to other grain potatoes
meats, fruits, &c.. for the support of each indi-
vidual, including persons of every age, per year,
and we would have the food of seventy thres
millions OF people. But take out one third of
the region for cotton, sugar and tobacco, and the
result would be provisions for nearly fifty mil-
lioas.
The actual developement OF the country, thus
improved and productive, is in rapid progress
While politicians are consending about princi-
pies Of public policy and of administration (sub-
jects that are worthy ofdiscussion and grave con-
sideration) society," is advancing. improvements
in field culture, garden culture. in building for
comfort and convenience upon economical prin-
ciples. are found every where, but especially in
the West. The plough is improyed-the har-
row used more generally-the art 'of manuring
better understood. The census will present in
Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky
Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and
Missouri, eight millions five hundred thousand
inhabitants. Include Iowa and Wisconsin, and
and we will have nine millions ;include Alabama,
partly in the valley. and we shaffhave nine mil
lion. seven hundred thousand inhabuants.
:, These facts as to population, and capacity for
production, show the absolute necessity of hay
ing opened between the south west and south.
and-north-eastern portions of the Union, the
best and most direct channels of INTERCOURSE
. The North make in abundance what is needed
by the South, the West, and the Southwest;
: the West and the North Vest produce the arti-
cles needed by the north and eastern portions Of
the Union, either for consumption or for export.
All these interests will be promoted by opening
up such thoroughfares as that indicated in tho
: commencement of this article. A,survey Of The
map Of the country will point out the routes,
and the necessity for the improvements-espec-
tally will it appear that there ought to be a per-
manent channel opened along the valley. OF the
Wabash from Lake Erie to the Ohio river. This
would render the navigation perfect from New
York to New Orleans, and also open to Boston
the same markets, by m cans of her railwats.ss9
A RESIDENT OF THE WABASH VALLEY.
F