The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-01-10
Prosperity cr Indiana.


The /, lin,p,lis : 'niin,l siys: There
is 90 : ate ia the Union Whose growth
in population aud wealth j. more re-
marx bic than tina, "s onr own STATE In
dana. Her people iiave Increased mt /
they number more than two hunslrcd
anl siNty-two times the population o:
l>ul. while the ucighborng State, Ohio.
has les than lifty-nine times the mum
Der Of Inhabitants she hal n the begun
ming OF the century. Illinois has male
cNel g,eaier gains than ourselves. ow-
iig 10 her more advantageous position
a highway OF commences The popu-
lariiy of Miiana's prosperity lies in the
fact ia Il the State has many difficulties
To contend with. none OF which were
encountered by the Surrounding States.
but that la spite of such natural draw
backs she has ilourislicl with marvellous
prosperity. The fertility of Ohio's
grand priirieS far exceeds that of the
low-lying fields of Indiana, of which
such .sigc proportion have to be res
cued by artificial means from the con-
diiion of waterv wastes before they can
be adapted 10 agricultural purposes. The
conformation. Too. OF our territory made
the work ot reclamation more than or
diuariiy ar,iuous and expensive. the vast
extent of deid-level Offering no natural
facilities for drainage. In this respect
the advantages possessed nv The neigh
boring States are unbounded. Ohio has
in addition her mineral deposits. which.
by their closer proximity To the popu-
lous Eastern States and the sea-boari.
have been developed with greater rapi-
diiy than has been possible i'm the case of
Indiana Their advantages of river and
lake navigation. also. have been of the
utmost Importance To both Illinois and
Ohio. Ani vet. with all these combin-
atioas OF circum>tances.that would have
lei any enc to suppose fifty years ago
that Indiana would fall far behind in
prosperous development. she has MAIN
tanned her place nj least OF par with
any Of the Others. 1t was. however. a
rough experience through which the
Strife passed before il could be said that
the future was assured of success. BY
too much vehemence of progressive ac-
tivity at one time. anxiety and trouble
weae lai | in store for MANY wears. The
canal aud;railrosd undertakings which
were entered into with reck,essness
about thirty years a@o were all too much
for the resources of the community at
that time. anl for years afterward the
State w ls'con>tantlv in danger OF being
hopeles-ly prostra.ed. But the strug-
giles of the men Of those DAYS provided
the foundation upon which the rising
ani,future generations will build their
good fortunes. The railroads have been
the main instrument in the work Of
bringing the State up TO its present de-
gree Of advancement. Their aid has OFF
set the natural superiority of other
States. and by steadily pressing them.
40 matter what else was Obliged to- be
disrcgir.led temporarily. the common
wealth has overcome all her embarrass-
meats. and to-day can show between
three and four thousand miles of rail-
way. and freedom from hinlrance Of
any kind TO extend still farther her sys-
TEN of great publir works II is tri-
umph'of energy aud perseverance, over
natarl. obstacles. and those Obstacles as
sisted for time bv too much con idence
of the men who contendcl against them.
The record j. excei,cl by that of NO sis
ter com munity.