The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-05-29
THE PROGRESS OF KANSAS.

events in the recent history of this
country is the enormous gain in
population and weaIth made by
some of tho Western States. Iii
nois has been the wonder of the
world in this respect. Iowa and
Missouri were close at her heels,
and Wisconsin and Minnesota Lave
not been far behind. But we be-
lieVe Kansas has been, since 1869,
entitled TO the first place in the
matter OF increase of population.
She Is drawing people from almost
every State in the Union. They
come in colonies, in companies, by
families aud singly. They are
making garden of Eden where
the ohl explorers found only a dcs-
ert and waste. The plains that
were once whitened with the
bleaching bones of the dead buffalo
| are now teeming with countless
herds of native stock. Farther and
farther tAe incoming army of emil
| grants Push the aboFigines and buff
falo back, and perhaps the time is
not far distant when the wild man
and wild animal will be Obliged TO
abandon even the supposed alkali
| deserts of far Western Kansas to the
| hardy settler. The events of the
past five years ON the borders have
been SO wonderful that one more
remarkable event like that would
attract but little attention.
| Twenty-four new counties have
been organized in Kansas since
1870! These twenty-four counties
contained n population last year,
according to the compilation of the
State Board of Agriculture, of To-
900. In 1869 there were no peop!e
in the Arkansas valley. Now we
| count it the richest portion OF
| Kansas, with dozen organized
counties and large population
Sad@wick has n population of TO-
600, and Wichita, its county seat, is
one of the leading cities of the
State. Sumner county has 6 coo
inhabitants. CowleY county H.
600. Harvey county 1900. Reno
county 1000. Five years ago the &c
counties were unorganized, and one
could ride for several days within
their limits without meeting q soil
tary man. Now, on such q Jour
ney, one meets with cultivated
farms, countless herds, magnificent
towns, hundreds of schools and
churches, numerous mills and man.
ufactories, fine roads and splendid
br1dges-Vast improvements on eV-
cry hand. Iu other sections the
| growth and improvements have
/ been equally swift and astonishing.
Let US illustrate Labettc coun-
ty, organized in 1867, had 1872 in
habitants in 1870, and 1896 in
/ VST2 Ann4nRr1nnry
in 1868, organized in 1859, con-
tanned 1864 people in 1870, and H.
DO last year! Howard, counting
but 2.194 in 1870, rolled mp 2l66
it 1879. Butler county, with 3,035
in 1870, numbered 1855 last year.
Usage doubled her population from
1910 to 1919, when the figures show
"A 26S. Crawford, organized in
1867. had 8, l60 people in 1870. and
l09S6 last year. Neoaho returned
TO- POS in 1870, and 16,63S last year.
1t had none in 1864 Other coau-
ties in Southern Kansas show
| equally wonderful changes. In all
these counties, five years ago, the
Traveller could ride mile after mile,
nay hun !red miles, in any direc-
ton without finding a farm or n
house for shelterl
In Northern Kansas the increase
is but little less remarkable. Jew.
ell county, organized in 1870 with
a population of 207. came forw ard
last year with 1880. Mitchell,
which was organized the sane
year, showed 5,501 last year. In
1871, Osborne was organized, aud
last year it contained $3.50 people.
Phillips came into existence in
1872. In 1873, 1876 people had al
ready found homes or its lands.
Republic last year contained 1856.
In 1870 there were 1921. Smith
organized in 1872, had 1856 last
year. And so on. The gains are
indeed enormous in some localities.
SostheFn Kansas SCENE to have
grown the most rapidly during the
last five years, but we are of the
opinion that the northwestern
counties will take the lead for some
time to come.
The population that has come to
US is permanent and fixed. A
large proportion--probably nine
tenths-are farmers and producers
and stock-growers. Kansas has no
large towns to absorb immigrants
like IlliHois, consequently the rapid
increase in Kansas is the more
| noteworthy and important. A
population of farmers is far more
profitable than n horde seeking to
live without WORK. In this partic.
ular Kansas has The advantage of
some of her sister States. We are
to be a commonwealth of farmers.
stock-raisers and horticulIurists.
Below we publish a tabular state
ment showing Ist. Population
by counties In 1850; I'd. P9puia-
.iOn in 1870; 81. Population in
1873, taken By the Assessors, and
estimated where no return was
made; 4th. The year of orgoniza
tion of the different counties. This
is printed that our readers NAV
nnie for fhemseIHaa lie chanrraa