Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1868-01-24

tersst bearing securities, and thereby reliev
the people from the burden Of this accruin;
interest? With tho principal so invested
| we could anticipate the maturity Of th
bonds, aud effect thus early the practice
liquidation Of the entire debt.
The total amount anticipated from th'
payment Of these military elaims exceed
100000, and appearances now indicau
that We shall realize the whole amount With
in the present year.
The record here presented, reaching bacl
70 the commencement Of the late civil war
and embracing q period of imminent peri
70 Tie national government, and Of grave re
spsnsibility TO the States, may ts contem
plated with profound satisfaction BY ever,
citizen Of Iowa.
POPULATION.
Twenty-one years have elapsed since shil
condition, and became . member Of the
Federal Union. Within period quite brief
vhen compared with the history and pro
gress Of older countries, this generation hal
witnessed the origin and marvellous growth
Of State thas now contains one million oil
inhsbitAnts, and which, in al The elements
Of continued sdvancemsnt aud enduring
wealth, bids fair 10 exceed the highest All.
ticipaGons Of its early settlers. The rapid
progress We have already made under cir.
cumstaness which, uuring most Of this peri,
Cd, were quite unfavorable 70 . speedy de,
velopmsnt Of our resources. is the result ol
obvious and natural causes. Organized ou,
of . territory which the Fathers had wisely
dedicated to Freedom, with genial and in>
vigoraiing climate, with soil Of unsurpass-
ed productiveness, and amply supplied with
the materials required in the various depart.
msnts of industrial enterprises. the fouada-
tions for the prosperity and ultimate great.
ness Of this State existed ut the very period
Of its birth.
The history Of Iowa as distinct political
organization dates from July 4th, 1883, when
it vas created /. Territory, although j. vs.
not until the 2sth day Of December, l646,
that il became . sovereign State. We start
Cd - Territory, with 22,S59 inhabitants,
aud, at the time Of its admission, the State
contained . population Of 81 1888, principal.
ly confined 70 The earlier settlements along
the eastern border, and in counties most
convenient Of approach from the Mississippi
River. Ofthis population the counties Of
Lee, Van Buren, Des Moines, Henry, Du.
buquo and Jefferson contained over one half,
and there we're only twsnty-one other coun>
ties which, 1t that date, bad reported any
inhabitants at all.
When il 10 considered that The State con-
tains no navigsble streams within its boun>
dsries, that during ten years subsequent to
It's admission il was entirely destitute Of
railroad facilities, and that more than two.
thirds Of the immigration was compelled 10
reach u by toilsome journeys over rude and
often impassabls wagon roads, the subse>
qusnt rapid increase Of our population ap-
pears altogether remarkable.
During the ten years that followed our or.
ganizasion - Territory, the average year.
ly increase Of population wss ll,l96 and
during the succeeding ten years, ending in
1858, the average increase Per snnum wss
46, ,l04. Il will BE- observed that this last
decade embraces the heavy immigration Ne
received from 1854 70 1876, during which
years, - the older citizens will not fail to re-
the population Of the State was
more rapidly than st any other
squsl period Of it history. The total 10.
erease for these two years Vas l93, 400, OF .
yearly average Of 96,700, showing that our
advance durisg this period vas greater than
the entire population under the Nssionai
Census Of l650, end that our incssass in .
single year uss equal 70 The total growth Of
population from the fsst settlement of Tie
Territory up 70 the time ofour admission -
y STATE.
We nov approach period during which,
n consequence Of the late civil war, the pop
alation, commerce and general progress Of
he State Vas seriously retarded. From the
aking Of The National Censes in 1860 10 the
'loss Of he Rebellion, . period Of nearly
i've years, the entire increase Of population
Ees only ~, 1876, producing yearly average
# less than $1,000. In The midst Of 20 much
arrangement and calamity, while the young
md snterprising men Of other States we're
% ger orally devotinR themselves to the pub
ic servies, and while one-ninth of our ovn
,eopls was connected With the natioaal ar.
nies, Is may b regarded - worthy Of note |
hat our population should have increased |
ven 70 shis extent. Since the return of |
'saes. however, the State appears TO have |
developed new energies, aed received won. |
Iesful impetus il every department Of entsr- |
rise. The census returns for 1867 shows . |
ntAl population Of ever 900, ZOO, and An I'd. |
ision since the census Of 1865 Of about l5O,. |
100, or asarly double the total amount Of |
'rowsh during the Ave years which tsrmina>
ed with the Rebellion.
In rsprsseuting the present population of
be Stats have only given the number &C.
ualy returned By the different township |
Assessors, who, in too many instances, are
either accurate nor thorough in their work.
These returns having been made early in
be season, include but little Of the spring |
nd none of the summer and fall immigrs-
ion. They also omit the productions OF the
Ast, and confsssedly the most prosperous
ear with which Providence has blessed our
late. From careful observation and thor.
ugh analysis Of the data thus furnished, l
eel altogether warranted 10 saying that there
~ At this time, not less than . l00, 900 10.
abitants not included in the census Of last |
ear, which, added to the number returned,
i've % one million - the present population
1 the State.
II is gratifying to contemplate that while
re have thus steadily gained in population,
be material wealth Of the State has been
- corresponding rate. and the
Abor and enterprise Of our people have been
rewarded. Upon this subject
he census returns carefully compiled and
by the Secretary Of State, viii af.
ord much interesting and valuable infosma>
ion. 1t will appear that with she advance
{ railroad enterprises, there has bssn rap
4 appropriation Of our vacant domain 70
gricultural purposes, and that far in she in.
erior, and on the western slope, Hourishing
owns, and even cities, have spruug up 81
'oints whsrs, until recently, the adjacent
ountry has remained in its prineval condi.
ion. The rapid and constant yearly sddi>
ION TO the number Of cultivated acres indi>
ates the progrsss Of our agricultural inter
ste, and the immense annual surplus ofgrsin
nd stock, shipped 70 tho markets Of other
;sstes, demonstrate beyond al question that
ur soil and climate are favorable 70 the \
ighsst msssure Of agricultural develop
nsnt.
It is not, however, in the pursuit Of agri-
ulturs alone that the enterprise and wealth
{ our people are advancing. In the gener-
/ development Of our varied resovrces, 9th. |
. departments Of enterprise and Of remu~
el ative labor are likely to command large
hare Of attention, aud realize IN adequate
Measure of success. Our coal, peat, gyp>
um, rock, timber and plentiful supplies OF
'assr, together with The various kinds of
Material, produced within the State, or
eadily obtained in exchange for our own |
fc ductions, present the strongest induce |