The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-11-12
.N,Btt' FORM s.NU .uyCNIG.g.V.
IRE famous .uiChigdR FeVcr' Of
1881 To 1886.


Tho first census after the formation OF the
Federal Government taken In 1890, gave New
York population of $40, 100, OF which the
city had 3I,133, and Albany city and county
1916. Beyond Little Falls westward, and
north o. Albany and west OF the Catskll
Mountains, all was wilderness, Pioneers who
ventured as far as where Utica and Syracuse
now stand babe everlasting farewes and scarce
hoped 10 see civilization again. New York was
the fifth State in population, ranging thus !:
Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Massa-
chusets, New York. Within the next ten years
we jumped along from 3i0.120 people to
689051, en- increase OF more than 70 per cent,
bringing the State up to No. in rank. Yer
mont, part OF which was then claimed by New
York, increased in rather greater proportion.
Tho noxt decade shows 359, 0i9 people for New
York, increased in rather greater proportion
Tha next decade showed 959,049 people FOX
New Yorf, an increase Of nearly SO per cent,
nlaiIng her rank No. g Another ten years
gave u, in 1920, 1872, III inhabitants, az IN
crease Of u per cant, and placing tho State
No 1 in rank. Since that period, now more
than BALI century, New York has borne the
proud tide OF " lhe Empire State
The early settlers we're exclusively from New
England, CT rather from Massachusetts,, Rhode
ISLAND and Connecticut, which then comprised
about az there was OF New England. They
brooslt New England energy and enterprise
10 ioavsn the slow Low Dutch clement, and
soon pushed along the Mohawk Valley into the
then bcundless West around the little lakes
~ what WAS afterWard called the "Geneseo
country Al this part OF the State had been
goDbled Up by patents, as they were called
that is, immense purchases made By companies
or single men, chief among which were the
Holland company, al association OF capitalists
IA Holland, who IN 1888, took up $500, 600
acres ia the country west OF and including
Genesee. II the same counties Phelps and
Gorhsm, 10 l739, had secured 100000 acres,
and others got over 1,000,0 900. These great
landlords were troublesome to settlers and
compelled the payment OF large prlces for land
that ought to have been open to all at Govern
ment rates. However, the settlers fonnd by
far the best region then knosn Tor growing
wheat, which was the main reliance for food,
for the raising OF which the limestone region,
stretching from OnondAga to Lake Erie, was
ordained by nature. The country was rapidly
eettled, and grain growing as rapidly developed.
In 1920 the twenty counties west OF Onondaga
and Broome had population Of $40, AL
Twenty years later they had 727, 937-a growth
OF l12 per cent, while the remainder OF the
State Excluding the city, grew only about eix-
ty-fve per cont,
REMARKABLE EMIGRATION.
The rapid growtn above alluded to would
have been absolutely astonishing but for re-
marlabe inteTuptio that carried off hundreds
Of thousands of the younger men and women
of the northern and western part of the State.
This was known as the Michigan fever, just
about the time the cholera aud Mormonism
broke out WITH virulence Con. Coss and other
great landholders in the then Territory of
Michigan, flooded TIE land with stories OF the
wealth OF that country; the rich and easily
cultivated prairies, the genial and salubrious
climate, the freedom OF habits, and all the
bats that would allure adventurers. The re-
suit was a wild epidemic, perfect craze to
"go West and buy farm" The gold emigra-
ilon TO California was something like it, but did
not carry off half az many victims, Nothing
was heard OF from 1882 until the great pau
ic of 1886, but " Michigan" g Michigan" In
Northern New York the excitement was won
derful, and the emigration enormous. Even
the lyric muse caught the fever and here are
come verses OF hcmely ballad that was sung
at huskiug bees and log-rolhngs long before
political singing was thought of:
You have your state OF Yarmouth
But what of all Of that
BE sure The gps are pretty,
The cattle very fat
But who among the mountains
In clouds and snow would stay,
When he could have prairie
Ia Mich-i-gan-i.ai
Then there's your Massachusetts
Once good enough be sure
But now shes ALWAYS laying on
Taxation or manure,
She cost YOU pecks OF trouble.
Yet devil q p. ok can pay;
While an is Scripture measure
IN 4ich-i-gan-l-a.