The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-09-30
IMPROVEMENT OFATHE OHIO
RIVER
No. LII.


To the Editor Of the Pittsburg Commercial /:
In my last letter / presented the
besring that the increasing population
of the nation had upon the improve
msut Of the Ohio, aud the compare
lively small expenditure yearly for
number of years required, even if thirty
millions Of dollars we're the necessary
outlay to attain the hoped for result
Let US look little into the wealth aud
the increase in wealth of the territory
Of the Ohio valley during the past
twenty years only.
In 1850 the valuation of property,
real and personal, of the seven states
Of the Ohio was s2,0s9, 002 $50 in
1860 it was s5,l7l ,O0l 1877; in 1870
itisgiven in the census at sl0, 726, S39,
3Ol the valuation of that of the
whole United States being only $50,
06s, 1918 ,507. In the eighteen sea coast
states, the valuation in 1850 was given
at &4,32i,577,7l5 in 1860 it was
stated at es,O34, 1874, and in 1870
according TO the census, it is Sl4 ,229,
1872, 3S9. From this it would seem
that the valuation Of property in the
seven Ohio states had increased, in the
past ten years, over one hundred pei
cent, aud in twenty over five hundred
per cent. while IN the sea coast states
it has increased only seventy five pc
cent. in the past ten years, aud abou
three hundred aud thirty per cent. i
twenty years, including in that pcrio
California with her great mineral de
velopemeuts. Under the same ratio
of increase, Is 10 the past ten years
the census valuation, Of the Ohio state
will be 10 1890, or but little over six
teen years from now, over thirty-tw
billions Of dollars--more than te
times our national debt This is allow
ing the increase to be from 1860 I
1870, aud from 1880 to 1890 only one
half that per cent. AT the same perio
the sea.cosst states would, under tn
same ratios, be given at only lit
over thirty billions. IL will easily /
seen by these statistics, how soon tn
seven Ohio states viii as much excee
the eighteen coast states in wealth ,
they will in population.
1t is assumed in all government
tina. craftsmanship is the crowuing ia
ent Of its rulers, aud that the carryir
out of measures which, while meetin
the wants Of the people in the prcseu
prepares at the same time tor 4
r..o..a. ,ooJo 80 sha f,,,ura oan,o, 1.;i
be the most conducive To the contin
ed prosperity Of nation, and the c
penditures, there fore, the least bl
deusome 10 the masses. The imrro'
ment OF the Ohio is not merely qu'
ton Of the transportation wants Of
thirteen million people inha biting n
the seven Ohio states, with proper
value ut ten millions Of dollars, imp'
tant as the question is under such fl
ures but it is a question inside of s.
teen years, Of over twenty five millio
of sectional population aud thirty b
lions or property.
What shall be said for the states
the Mississippi valley, who feel tod
ss veil - those Of the Ohio, the i
perative necessity Of addition to
transportstion facilities Of the natl
of such . grand water highway as tn
~ millions Of money will render t
Ohio (? In 1850 the value Of the r
and personal property Of the eight NJ
sissippi states was returned at OF
S7O5. 803 $50. In 1860 it was sta
n 81. 1881, 564,5 10 1870 it is civ
At S8.Sll 500. 29i, notwithstanding
rrsat losssto four Of the eight states
psrConai property by the consequeen
81 he rebellion. For nearly all
purposes Of national progress the o'