Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-07-10

CHANGING at the map, with the naviga-
BILE waters of the Mississippi Valley, over
10000 miles in extent, before US, constl-
tuting the farm, the granary OF the
world. we are reminded that, from
the standpoint of century, there
was wide expanse of trackless
wilderness behind the narrow fringe of
white settlements which bordered the
Atlantic-that the thirteen colonies have
swelled into thirty-seven States and Ter
ritories, and capitals which may vie with
many of the Old World now dot the land
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Among
the grand results of the system of small
proprietary interests founded by the
fathers-that policy which favored the
appropriation of the public lands by act
ual settlers in small tracts, in considera-
ton of nominal sum of money-has
been the erection of an empire which
may properly be termed the region of
cereals, embracing the States of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wiscon-
sin, on the east of the Mississippi River;
and Missouri Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas,
Nebraska and the Territory of Dakota
on the West This vast region, in ex-
tent, surpasses the united area of the
British Islands, France, Belgium, Hol-
land, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland
and Italy, embracing 749, 372 square miles.
The region of cereals embraces ISL ,736
square miles, or 481, 106,908 acres, of
which 1927, 789, 1888 acres lie on the west
side of the Mississippi River The total
population of this region is, in round
numbers, 14,000,000 nearly 100000 of
which are on the east side of the great
river. Compared with the same extent
nf 1,o 1oI
portions of Europe, the cereal region is
capable Of accommodating a population
of at least 1904 100000 souls.
Within the limits of Ohio our public
land system was inaugurated. Only
few isolated tracts now remain at the dis
posal of the General Government. The
present value of the farms of Ohio is
$1.054,O00, 900; the value of the farm i'm
plements and machinery is 25692, 900,
and the live stock is worth $150,000 900.
Public lands have disappeared from u
diana, and the value of the farming uten-
sils, etc, of that State has reached $1S,-
O00 coo, and the cash value of the farms
is estimated at $230000,000. The results
of progress of little more than half
century are summed up in true gold
value of 81 800, 100000 The cash value
of the farms of illinois is placed at
$920,506, 346, and of agricultural tools and
machinery $35,000,000 The climate of
illinois presents variety of temperature,
while it's natural communications en-
brace lake and river navigation of
nearly 1000 miles. The commerce of the
State has reached magnificent proper
tons. It's railroad tonnage is worth at least
$1,500,000,000 and it's leading city, Chi
cago, exports annually 00,000O00 bushels
Of c,.oi fnIi rro,n 70 +
1898, 240, 578, and it's farm implements and
machinery, $13,711,S7 Less than one
fourth of the State is still occupied by
farms, and less than one-eighth has been
brought under cultivation. In addition
to its cereal crop, the wool, lumber,
and ore of Michigan reach a hand
some figure. Commercially, the State has
400 miles of lake navigation along it's
shores, and water communication with
the Atlantic, thus having access to vast
thermal trade. Michigan has still many
acres Of public land, as also has Wiscon-
sin, whose public lands originally en-
braced BASIL 800 acres Only one-seventh
of the whole area of the State is now I'M
der cultivation. Missouri reveals to the
agriculturist regions of the greatest fer
tility, while to the miner wide range of
mineral products is accessible. Less than
100000 acres of public lands remain to
be disposed of. Iowa is phenomenon
among the new States west of the Missis-
sippi and one of the leading in the cereal
region. The cash value of it's farms, en-
bracing 20,O00O00 acres, is placed at 1898,
100000. The State possesses greater nat
ural advantages for crop-raising than
Minnesota. It's wheat is said to be the
choicest raised in the cereal region and
commands the highest price at Chicago,
and the -four made from it is worth more
than any other flour in the New York or
Boston m ,'|"t Minnesota has Just en-
tered upon che second era of it's glorious
existence. Kansas is also phenomenal
State and is destined to become an en-
pire. That portion of 1t which was once
called the "Great American Desert" has
become one of the most productive
regions of the great West. Nebraska,
although in it's infancy, is young giant.
The grazing region of the State COM
prises 23,000,000 acres Dakota has yet
over 100000 acres undisposed of, and
so rapidly has migration passed into the
Territory that the public surveys have
failed to keep pace with the advancing
column of settlers.
A glance at the characteristics of the
States embracing the great cereal region
OF America will show vast geographical
and social differences, strengthened by
variety and rivalry, but all blended, bal
anced and unified, each State eXerting an
influence peculiar to itself, but fra
tsrnal sentiment permeating all. The
ten States enumerated, planted over
an area exceeding 100000 square
miles, present to our view the magic
creations of pioneer energy inclosed
within perennial frame, nor is that pio-
neer energy yet crushed or emasculated.
The official statistics pertaining to the
cereal region present brilliant problems
for the study of progressive statisticians.
. The following figures, obtained from Of
fetal sources, will show the grain pro-
duction of the cereal region under or
binary conditions. Of course, the volume
of production can be increased to an al
most indefinite extent. We give the
bushels of wheat, corn and oats raised