Ottumwa weekly courier., 1878-07-24
Western Improvemeuts.

The Philadelphia Inquirer. in
speaking of the improvements in the
West, says: An unofficial but well
authenticated estimate puts the land
sales by our Western Railroads, du-
ring the first half of this year, at
l,25O,OOO acres, the largest sales ever
made within the same period of time.
We can hardly speak Of this as an in
crease, because, as compared with
this great amount, the sales of last
year and former years are wholly in
significant. The facts of the case
have to be considered by themselves
to ascertain their meaning and bear
ing on the welfare of the country.
In the first place, it must be remem-
bered that these immense real estate
transactions do not consist of sales
by one farmer to another farmer, in
volving a mere change of ownership.
They are sales, ninety mine times in
hundred, of wild forest and prairie
lands to actual settlers, involving the
breaking up of virgin soil and the
opening up of new farms. This means
the addition to the country's resour-
ces of SO much new property, so much
actual wealth of the most substantial
character. Estimating these purchas-
es by actual settlers at 100 acres each
"a fair average-we have Il, 500 new
farms added to the agricultural re-
sources of the country within the last
six months.
Secondly, it must be noted that the
railroads hold their land grants in
alternate sections, the Government re-
serving every other section for sale
and preemption. For every farm
sold by the railroads it is certain that
at least an equal quantity Of Govern
ment land has been taken up, SO that
it is we'll within the truth to cay that
| l,25O,OOO acres of the public lands
have been settled upon, coincidently
with the sales of railroad lands. APP
plying tha same estimate Of average
acreage we have l2.5OO more farms
actually put under cultivation within
the half year. This gives 5000 farms
all told, or at the rate of $4,000 farms
per annum.
This is no fancy figuring, looking
well on paper, but amounting to uoth-
ing. These arc facts, full of signifi-
cancc, and if not stated with exact
accuracy, at least not overstated. Ii
is right and reasonable to calculate
that these $1,000 farms added within
the present year to our cultivated area
will represent fully $4,000 families
who will rapidly become producers
and consumers. They will produce
the things which our manufacturing
communities need and they will con.
. sume the things which our mAnufac-
turers have to dispose of.
The concurrent increase of foreign
emigration indicates where the great.
er proportion of our $4,000 new fam.
lilies are coming from, and this emf.
grafton is largely due TO our incrcas.
ed exports. Seeing American staples
and American manufactures, Ameri-
can flour and beef, American tools
and fabrics gradually occupying their
markets, the people of Europe, and
especially of Germany, are stimulated
to seek better fortune in a laud &C
blessed by nature, and SO enriched by
commerce. The fact that we are free
from all danger of war, and that no
military service is required here, also
undoubtedly has its attractions; but
in this there is nothing new. The
additional impulse to the migratory
movement, of late becoming so no.
ticeable. has undoubtedly been i'm.
parted by the exhibit we are making
of our prodncts, goods, wares and
merchandise Ia the markets Of the
Old World.