Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-03-11
AMERICAN REsOURCEs.


While in England. Hon. Robert r. Walker
published several letters, in which he endeavor-
ed TO present for the consideration of the peo-
pie of the United Kingdom, some material and
authentic facts concerning the United States
As we have in our midst many persons W hO have
predicted our impending ruin and dissolutiOB,
we condense some facts and Information caicu-
lated to set at rest all apprehensions or misap-
prehensions concerning the future of this great
country.
The area of the United States, including lakes
and rivers, is 3250,000 square miles, being larger
than all Europe. The land surface is 3,0l0,370
square miles, being l,926636,000 acres. We
front on the two great oceans, the Atlantic and
Pacific. No other country produces such va
riety of climate, SOIL forests aud prairie, fruits,
fisheries. animals, vegetable mineral and agri-
cultural products, as this. Last year, our ex-
ports OF breadstuffs and provisions were of the
value of SI0S0O0,000 The United States are
capable of yielding more than double the amount
of agricultural products of all Europe, and of
sustaining more than twice the number ofits in
habitants.
Our maritime front is 5,l20 miles, and our
whole coast-line, up TO the head of tide-water is
1868 miles. Our own lake shore-liDe is 1920
miles.
The shore-line of the Mississippi River, above
tide-water and its tributaries is 1854 miles,
and of all our other rivers, above tide-water, is
1857 miles; in all, ID, 7S4 miles. All Europe
combined has no such facilities for cheap water
communications.
We have more timber than all Europe, includ-
ing most varieties, useful and ornamental; a
greater extent of mines than all Europe, espec-
tally coal, iron, gold, silver, and copper. Our
coal alone is tbirty-twO times as great as that of
the United Kingdom. We have, including cot
ton, more of the raw material for manufactures
than all the European continent.
How we have availed ourselves of the boun
teous gifts of Providence, the following figures
will show:
We have completed, since 1890, 5,782 miles
of canals, mostly navigable by steam, costing
$l50,000000. We have constructed, since 1893,
$4,000 miles of railroad-more than all the rest
of the world-costing over 81 ,300,000,000. We
have in operation on the land more miles of tel
egraph than all the world-a single route, that
of California, being $500 miles. Our lighthOu-
ses exceed in number those of any other cOun-
try; and the tonnage of the United States, which
was, in 1914, l,36S,I27 tons, exceeds to-day
5,5O0,0O0 tons, and will reach S,000,000 tons in
1870. The aggregate product of our gold and
silver mines, during fifteen years, approaches
one billion of dollars; and when the Pacific
Railroad is completed, the total product of our
precious metals, which is, to-day, $lOO,OOOOOO
mum, our mines being really inexhaustable. :
The United States own an immense public do
main, embracing an area of 1856 square
miles, out of 3,250,000 square miles, which
which constitute the territorial extent
of the Union. And this immense do
main is sufficient for thirty-twO additional
States, each equal to Ohio. If our public do
main were as as densely settled as England, its
population would exceed SOC, 100000.
Finally, our national wealth, which was, ten
years ago, So 925aSl oil, is according to the last
census, in 1860, $l6l ,606,068, having increas-
ed I2645 per cent; and will be, at the same rate
of increase, in 1870, $36, ,593 450,585. To devel-
op the minds of our people, elevate their morals,
foster public enterprises-in fact, to aid this gen.
Grafton in its mighty purposes, we have over
four Thousand newspapers of every description
daily, semi-weekly, weekly, and monthly
that is to say, more than Asia, Africa, and Eu-
rope taken altogether; and which are at every
hour of the day, spreading knowledge and NOR
ality among the most active, persevering, and in
teIligent race of the world.-Nelo York Stock
holder