Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1859-01-27
whose house in New York negotiated and
sold many Of our bonds. - . 4
MIR. Humphreys thus writes:

ASKING me influence OF the Geological Sur
vey Of Missouri abroad, / take much pleas
ure in adding, that it would Be most diff
cult 10 estimate the value Of your Reports
abroad, and the aid they have already been
In extending q knowledge of the wonder
full resources Of Missouri, both in the Uni
ted States and Europe. lnmy opinion, they
have done much TO influence capitalists in
buying your bonds. have used them free
ly On al occasions, 10 the greatest advsn-
tOge, and have found they have given o
degree Of confidence in the ability of your
State, and its future greatness, that bat for
your survey would have remained conp.r-
a,iyely unknown abroad should consid.
er 1t most detrimental TO the best interests
Of your whole Stale 10 leave Ibis great work
Haiil it shall be comp'e'ed.
am, very respectfully yon-s.
SOLoN HUMPHREYS.
Any enc VINO desires it. can obtain the
opinion of our State Auditor, from hi, own
lips; and think you will find it as favora-
Bile as any yet given on this point Besides
these testimonials, | wonld mention the fac,
that the Hannibal and ST. Joseph Railroad
Company and the Pacific Railroad Compa.
ny, have had geological surveys made of the
country lying along The lines of their res
pectlve roads, at an expense Of several thou
sand dollars, for the purpose of increasing
The value of their lands and bonds. These
companies are practical men, and know by
experience the value of such surveys; and
in doing this they were governed by pecu-
mary considerations alone.
Now, will any gentleman present say how
much these reports, this schedule Of our
landed estate, have appreciated our bonds?
Have they not increased their value as much
s one cent on the dollar? ! think every
gentleman will agree with me that one cent
on The dollar is a very low estimate. And
yet one half Of that, only FIVE mills on the
dollar, will give on the S25, OO0,OOO of our
bonds 1925, 000-a, much as the survey
will cost.
One item more on this part of the sub
jsct. refer to the influences of our survey
upon the sale Of the public lands in this
State. As near as | can determine from the
reports Of the general land Office, and from
our State Register, about Is 100000 acres
have been sold and added 10 the tax list
slnoe our first reports were made. This is
about as much as was sold previous 10 that
time. Now, the increase of these sales
over and above the sales previous 10 the
survey, and over and above the increase in
The neIghborihg States may be safely esti-
mared OF from 100000 TO 10000, 900
acres. This increase must be due in the
main TO our railroads and geological sur
rey. That these sales are due in part to
the survey is indicated by the fact that these
sales have increased almost rapidly in those
counties remote from, yet reported rich in
soils, coal and minerals, as in those near
the railroad lines. These statistics Of the
Auditors reports are conclusive on this
matter. To illustrate The matter, select.
ed three counties which meet these condi-
tions, and the lands and valuations of each
from 1858 to 1858 inclusive. are given in
the following table:
1855. 1856.
Acres: Value. Acr's. Val.
psny......'ls,6l7 $3.50 23,e55 s5,sI2
Atehiscn.. .64,655 4CO,6S2 9s,552 46s,2U3
1857. 1858.
A. Acres .sa Value. Acr's. Val.
Putnam 80. 173,G3s 545.275 154.3i9 e97,67O
Atchison. ,l99 1,l2O,753 25O,74S 1,2o6,945
In 1855, reports were published decsr-
ing that all Of Atchison and Putnam are un-
dsrlaid with coal beds, and that Atchison
has a superior soil. 1t appears tina, the
sales OF lands in those counties have rapid
ly increased since that time. In Alchson
l66,093 acres have been sold since that re-
port was published, and only 64,655 before,
and in Putnam the sales since 1860 are
44,756. In 1857, l reported fancy rich in
mineral; and from tina, year to 1853, SO, 1859
acres were sold, much more than all that
bad been previously sold in the county,
Many ether counties would give result,
equally satisfactory.
Again, these engaged in selling the gov
eminent lands in the State best know what
will facilitate their sales, and their opinion
Of the influence Of our reports in their cir
culars and advertisements I will only
mention the firms of Lefiiingwell, Clark
& Co., ST. Louis, and WIN. Frazier & Co,
Pittsburg: the former haze ten full octave
pages and two plates from the reports in
their circular, and the latter one whole
column in small type in an advertisement IN
htsouiS 1ucso ldCtS | anu many
others might be added, as the proof that our
poor flint ridges and slopes are the best Tor
grape culture) show very conclusively that
our reports have had great influence in
securing the rapid sale of our public lands.
and adding them 10 the taxable property Of
the State, one half, Of least, OF the increased
sale, may be attributed to this cause
These 100000 acres. valued at So so
would yield an annual State revenue OF
$4,000, and revenue 10 the counties Of
about as much more; and at the ow ralua.
tion, 81 25, they would yield an income 10
the State Treasury equal 10 what the sur.
vey costs. Should the rate of taxation be
increased TO meet our State Indebtedness,
the revenue from this source would be pro-
portionally greater.
Would time permit, l could prove that the
increased value Of land and the capital
brought into the State through the inf ience
ri