Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-12-30
WHOLE NUMBER 469.

The STATES OF THE WEsr.-Since
the Mexican war we have admitted some
new states, and formed some new terri
tories west Of our previous trans Missis'
sippi settlements. The states are Cali
fornia, Oregon, Nevada and kansas.---
Then we have formed the following ter.
ritories, that are fast pressing towards
state>dom--Dakotah, Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Nebraska
and Washington. But few have yet be-
gan to realize the importance Of these
twelve states and territories, whose vast
mineral wealth and great agricultural re.
sources are now attracting population,
and promise in another century to have
double the people that are now in the
entire country.
California has 157 ,637 square miles of
territory, which is equal to England,
ireland, Denmark and HanoYer, which
have a population Of thirty two millions.
Oregon has 94,248 square miles of ter
ritory, which is nine tenths as large as
Prussia with seventeen millions of peo-
pie. Kansas has 8l,3l8 square miles of
territory, equal to Belgium, Naples, the
Netherlands and the Roman states, with
seventeen millions of people. Nevada
has $1,000 square miles of territory,
equal to Portugal, Greece and Bavaria,
with ten millions of people. These four
states, which have come in since the Mex
lean war, are therefore equal in area to
England, Scotland, ireland, Denmark,
Hanover, Prussia, Belgium, Naples, the
Netherlands, the Roman states, Portu-
gal, Greece and Bavaria combined, which
together have a population of seventy
five millions.
The territories viii average much lar
ger. Dacotah has $4,000 square miles,
which is equal to all the New England
states, New York and Ohio. Colorado
has l04,500 square miles, which is about
the same as Pennsylvania and Virginia
united. New Mexico has 121,2 POI square
miles, which is equal to Maryland, Dela-
ware, North Carolina and Georgia. Ar
izona has l26, 46 square miles, which is
equal to Florida, Alabama and two such
states as MASSACHUSETTS. Utah has 106,-
1872 square miles, which is equal TO Mis-
sssippi, Louisiana, Maryland and Mass
sachusetts. Idaho has 326,375 square
miles, which is equal to six states like
Illinois; or France, Great Britain and
Ireland. Nebraska has 1885 square
miles, which is equal to Kentucky and
Ohio combined. Washington has 10000
-quare miles, which would make ten
states like Massachusetts, or sixteen like
Connecticut.
The total of these states and territories
is million and half Of square miles,
which is equal to Austria, France, Great
Britain, ireland, Prussia, Spain, Turkey,
Sweden, Norway, Naples, Portugal,
Greece, Rome, Saxony, and Switzerland
in Europe; or they would make thirty
two states like New York. 1t is only by
comparison that we can realize their vast
ness. But when we come to estimate
their value as mineral lands, we can make
no comparison, for they have the wealth
of the world within them. For agricul-
ture and commerce, no other portion Of
the globe surpasses their advantages
and in climate and healthiness they are
all that can be desired and still they are
only one half of our country, which, at
peace, and under the government as it
was previous TO 1860, comes nearer to
heaven than any other place we know or
read of-NeaoJuryport Herald.