The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-08-24
a yye.tern Empire Illlaeis..

In speaking of the progress OF events in
the great western heart Or this 1coun try----
where States become mighty empires N q
single generation-tbe New York Tndepend-
Western States of the American Union Tho
eighth edInitted since tho adoption Of the
Federal Constitution, having an q AREA Of e4,-
io5 square miles, and divided into lof coun-
ties. The progress If this State WITHIN The
last forty years, and especially the last
twenty, makes IL one OF the wonders of TIM
West; indeed. of the world. !, II ~ saA ON
pire In ttself, having greater sgricu1tufsl and
commercial resources than all the colonies put
together at the time Of the Revolution. ls,lso :
In ,s, 1870 =. p0guln;S% vi = $500
t76,lsa in ls40, 5L470. in 1850 4 TOO, 900 IN
1859, and in 1879 II will be about 3,ooo,o0o.
In 1858 there were in 4 tho State i $50 900
white persons under the age Of twcnty.one
years, ~ sscertained by the school Genius;
and now there are 2, 900 ,529 under the ago OF
twenty-six years, This. Is, marvellous
growth in the element or Population.
Twenty colleges and universities thirty.
one fAmsle colleges, scininarics and soads-
mics; nine theological schools and three
medical sohools-the whole accommodating
q; tsS ssi rS GSG pSRs and eG.sss 600:
sNheSoSp w sVvo WIS r'Ytui W SDtVVVsVSyp ~
3ays-these are the educational installations
and appliances which Illinois has created for
her sons and daughters. q The schooffund of
the State amounts TO u, 34s, $50 aud in 1903
the State psid ss,4so,ssl for common school
purposes. .54 Irh ID "a
The value of agricultural products In. 1883
and 20 Was sI, jfT2s and in iss9 and so Il !
was s514o+,il4. In 1910 the value Of pro-
iucss including homemade goods was su7,-
s53; In is+o II was 81, 02l, js2 and IN 1880 IL
was els, 07l,0s In 1850 the establishments |
II the State for manufactures and the me
'hanic arts had an invested capital Of %, $685.
3s7i employed l2,0ss hands, al sicost for Il.
Dor Of 50, 2s6, 24e, and for raw material Of o..
sl5. 1871 and supplied products 70 the amount
of slL236,o73. These fgpres indicafe rapid
acceleration in the Industrial thrih,
The railroad system OF Illinois 10 not yet
twenty years old. In 1850 there were but L
twenty miles Of railway in operation in the
whole State; in 1881 there we're $50 miles,
costing about :, 800, 900; in 1860 there were
. zoe Mills ce:sing ST. ,ss SSs snd in isS7
600, 900. carrying 5000 900 tons Of trsfic, |
valued nt t75,ooo, 900 The, products COM
prising This tonnage are mostly agricultural;
and but for the system Of railroads with |
which Illinois i now enriched they could Of
'ourse, ind no market. Many Of them are
and would not on ordinary roads
,ear transportation 10 any considerable dis
ance. Illinois Is largely indebted for her
growth during the last twenty
years 10 the influence Of Der numerous rail-
'osds, connecting her rich and almost bound
es' prairies with m ample market. AT che
present time her annual federal tax amounts
o s24 600 BOO. During the late war she .sas-
aimed her full proportion Of the burdens Of
hat memorable struggle. She has the honor
4 furnishing us two Presidents in succession,
nd in one Of them one Of the most distin.
uished Generals Of any age" 30 r. 1.''