The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1859-04-06
No. 81

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ton, is the richest agricultural State in the
Union.
Taking our total population at $50 ,000. and
subslracting $50, 600 for the population of this
city, which h exclusively engaged in mechani
cal and Commercial pursuits, we have as very
high estimate The number Of 500, 900 engaged
in agrcullHra. which may be equally divided
into free and saye. Considering the latter as
capital and dividing thd 81 surplus
products of the State By tbs numssS itsa.
some very extraordinary results vii lol0k
The surplus in exportable production Of the
agriculture Of this State, may be thus stated:
Sugar $50 900 valued at S24 900
Molasses --bbls. 100000 4,500,000
Cotton------------ bales 900 % 100000
All other produces ----.--5 000000
$50 100000
Dividing this sum BY the white population.
it would give over 5000 to each man, woman
and child, or one thousand dollars to each adult
male" AS no allowance is made for the num-
Der Of persons scattered throughout the State,
who are engaged in other than agricultural
class, must, we think. much exceed the actual
number
"We are not considering the total production
or wealth Of the State, but only its surplus, the
profits of It's industry that which remains after
the consumption by our whole population"
After alluding to the hay and other products
Of northern States, which End home consump-
ton, but which are included to swell the esti.
mated wealth and production of those States,
the Delta says:
'Of these various articles, Louisiana produ-
ces quite as much as any State in the Union
The article Of wood alone, as fuel for the hun
dreds of steamboats, that ply our rivers. is one
of great value and would if we could ascertain
the figures, tend greatly TO swell the sum Of
our wealth. OF corn, too there is raised in
the State, quite as much, if not more. than is
consumed; and as for hay, our prairies yearly
produce crops which we are not required, on
account of the geniality Of our cline, to gather
quite equal TO the boasted production Of north
ern States.
''And this enormous production Of Louisiana
still leaves one hall Of the area of our State un-
cultivated, undisturbed, unoccupied. The best
of our lands have yet to be drained and deyel-
oped. Others have not been brought into cul
tiyation on account of their inaccessibility and
the scarcity of labor. What are now cultiys-
ted, are beyond all question. the most productr
i've and valuable in the United States"
ANOTHER SwINDLE-The Louisville Journal
of the 9th ult., says: Anothergigentic atteinps
to swindle the government to which brief allu-
sion has heretofore been made, is fully devel-
oped and exposed by Occasional, the trench
ant Washington correspondent Of Forney
Press The object Of this sehene i q ohtaia
possession Of the territory 81 Rock Island, ii
the State Of Illinois, containing aboutnine hun
dred acres of land, estimated to be worth two
millions of dollars. II was set apart as a mill
tary reservation in 1915, but of late years
spectators have tried to get possession of it
by means Of squaster sovereignty, though their
efforts until recently have been thwarted by the
active measures of the war department After
Buchanans Inauguration, among the many
fraudulent combinations made to punder the
government was one headed by senator Jones,
Of Iowa, and Maj Lindsey, to locate squatters
on Rock Island build cabins, and then set up
preemption claims
The former faithful government agent was
removed by Mr.. Buchanan, aud another ap-
pointed, who has aided Jones and Lindsey, by
allowing their tools to squat and build on the
island. Il seems, however, that the rogues
could not hold together, and two parties have
arisen, each claiming the property. 1t Is said
that one party is represented by Montgomery
Blair of Washington City. wLo was recently
solicitor to the court of claims, and the other
party, Jones, Lindsey & Co, bv young Mr.
Fitch, son of senator Fitch, and United States
district attorney for the northern district of llli
nois, in which this island is situated. Well
may "OccasionaI" ask: "Is it not remarka-
bic feature in this transaction that United States
senators, and United States attorneys and so
Iicitors should be parties to q scheme to defraud
the government of the United States out of .
large and valuable tract of land worth millions
of dollars, while their duty is, under their oath
Of office, to protect the rights and interests Of
the United States against such attempts?"
As the supreme court of the United States
has already settled the principle against these
dissemblers, the Journal adds:
According to that decision. these would DO
preemptioners can have no claim whatever to
preGmption ON Rock Island. Occasional also
states that the commissioner Of the general land
Office has decided, or is about to decide, in
favor Of these preGmptors, but is understood
that the secretary of the interior is opposed to
it, aud will overrule such decision if made.
Anticipating this last result the consprators
are trying to procure an act of congress con
frming their pretended preemptons, and it is
said that on application Of senator Jones and
others of his associates the committee on pub
lie lands of the house of representatives have
already agreed to report in favor of giving
Rock Island, now worth couple of million of
dollars and daily increasing in value, to gang
Of plunderers for one dollar and twenty-five
cents an acre, or little over eleven hundred
dollars! These are the facts of this astouna-
ing case, but il is hoped that the timely expo
sure of this scheme will prevent its consum-
nation.
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Mr. Jacob Strawn. of Illinois, justly has
gained the title of the great farmer Of the west.
Tie Rockford III J Republican says:
Twenty years ago be came to this