The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1869-01-05


In twenty years, provided only the same ratio
Of increase ID population, agricultural develop
ment. extension Of railroad facilities, &C., be
maintained that has marked the history OF the
past enty years. there win be one acre out OF hve
Of all this vast aggregate under cultivation wnicn
would be 52,275,s6S acres. Wheat, rye ana par
lev would average ever twenty bushels per acre,
oets over forty and corn over fifty but suppose
We say the entire average of grain raised shall DC
twenty bushels per acre. this will give NJ the enor-
moue quantity Of 60,gl0, 2S7 200 bushels: num-
her too vast to be conceivable. But the popula-
ton will havo been increased in the same ratio a.
the population OF the West has increased during
the asttwenty years, and large quantity OF this
produce will be consumed at home. If We sup
ose this 1872 atS acres Of land IL held. owned
and worked by say family of Ave persons for
every fifty acres, the agricultural population
would be is 217 sos. We have made the oalcula-
ton that five bushels Of breadstuis will iced
single person. rs the population Of the world runs,
allowing nearly one pound Of bread each per day
for ono year. This would require 76,0ss.o2
bushels for bread. Two hundred million bushels
more would be required for feed for live stock,
and the balance would be sold for city consump-
ton and export to neighborng States and foreign
countries. If St. Louis should get one-third, or
one fifth. or even tenth Of the vast remainder
she would have grain business Of immense pro-
portions, requiring hundreds of elevators and
thousands Of barges to handle il and carry it to
market.
He is not wise farmer who stakes an entire
years labor and expenditure upon the success OF
one kind of . CROP Neither would it be healthy
p-cxnsssion to grow only in Que direction. There
fore With this vast accession to the grain trade,
other important enterprises must 60 hand in hand.
Our manufacturing, numbering, packing, mercan-
tile banking. insurance, marine, and all other in
terests would naturally keep steadily abreast OF
the grain movement, and thus will the st. Louis
nf he = 0ntH
Of the two great valleys which are so naturally
tributary to her.
Assuming uP-wHY MAY VIZ NOT srccEKp9 /.
When these things are all considered, what pos
siblc chance has Chicago in the future altar We
have returned to specie payments after We hsvs
provided ample facilities for transporting and
handling the grain. after We have cut down our
sbominable charges and wiped out our miserable
style Of weighing with steelyards tho entire COM
msrce Of our great eity-after We have covered the
Ievees with warehouses, that produce can be kept
out Of the mud without paying skiddase, and out
Of the rain without paying tArpsulin hire, and
can be received and shipped with as little
likelihood of damaging on rainy days, as on
dry ones-when We have manifested this much Of
progress in the grain business We say. all the
grain which will cross the Mississippi to 60 to
Chicago by rail- and thence East by lake or canal,
will hardly be worth the mentioning. All the vast
fields Of iowa, Minnesota, kanrss, Nebraska, Da-
kotah, Colorado and Missouri, (not one acre in .
Thousand Of which is yet developed, considered
IN me aggregate VII pour .ne'l rivers = plo-
dace 10 On unenalng ana snnuAny inole..'ns
stream down me MYERS o. ing mis'sAPPi ssuey,
ana 70 Market VIA ~" oliesns'
-. Leuis WI, .e point o. departure ana oes-
unsuon LOT iight narges, ornging al .ne way
from 5000 to 10000 bushels of grain each. Here
The gram VII oe massed IN the various elevators,
consigned to st. Louis commission merchants.
Elevator receipts vili be issued Is chicago, ana
the commission merchants vili sell the grain by
Inspection e. one cant per nusnei, most hkeiy, OF
ior one ana rail- per cent AZ AL events, ana II