The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-30


tations which have been abandoned since
the abolition OF slavery, have been sold to
new settlers in the South, cannot he sta
ted. The disposal may have amounted to
5000 acres u year, and it may have risen
to 100000. There isno way OF ascertain
ing how much It has been. All that can
be said is that the acreage sold has been
very large.
This table given above begins with 1872.
because that was the year OF heaviest i'm
migration since the discovery Of the CONT
nent, and because the land sales were also
enormously large. The effect of the hard
times Is shown by the falling of both in
immigration and sales OF land in the years
following 1878. Now compare the two
years OF 1872 and 1875 In 1872, there was
an influx OF 40, 1883 aliens to the United
States, and sale OF about {, SOC, 900 acres
Of new land to new settlers. 1t is thought
that nearly 100000 people went into the
new regions Of the West and South inthat
year. Nearly all OF them, plainly, were
new immigrants to the United States from
Europe aud China. Some OF them were
former residents OF the Eastern States OF
the country, but the East did not lose
population in LIE, for the places ut home
OF those who went were more than sup
piled by immigration, and the East gained
in population in 1872 as well US the WOst.
But in 1878, the iacts were very differ
emit. The sales Of new land amounted to
the enormous quantity Of lI,O00,0 600 acres
at least, while the immigration TO the
country was less than 10000. 1t Is GER
tainly known that not over one.half OF
those 10000 OF newcomers went south
and west. Vast numbers Of them went to
different destinations. The records OF Cas-.
tie garden and other landing depots show
that the scarcity Of farm laborers and good
household servants in the State Of Now
York and other parts OF the east resulted
in OBTAINING nearly half OF the immigrants
arriving on this coast in this part Of the
country. Some Of the newcomers went
10 Canada. few thousand became SER
wants and residents OF the Pacific coast
cities. Not over $4,000 Of the immigrants
Of 1878 went to the new States and Terri.
tories. Yet tho sales OF government, rail-
road and Texas public lands, added to the
large sales OF private lands and the migra-
ton to western towns, show that at least
8OO,OO people took up their residence
| in the new parts OF the west and
southwest during the calendar year 1878,
The number OF tarms'and town lots taken
up was about l40, 1000, the average quantity
ofland per family being one hundred
acres. This may seem asmail average size
for a farm in the west, but while il is true
that the new settler can acquire one
hundred and sixty acres by homestead
and presumption entry, il he desires, the
letters received by the Tribute show that
the average is not so great as th0t. The
average OF all the sales appears to be about
one hundred acres to the family. Now,
families will average about four in number
and this, with the migrations to western
towns, estimated at 10 per cent, easily In
dicates an accession Of 10000 TO the pop
ula,ion OF the west aud southin 1878. Now
OF this 600, 200 it is evident that at leas
$40, 900 OF the new settlers were from tht
older States OF the country, and that thu
population OF the east has been diminish
ed in 1878 by that number OF people.
The heaviest migration took place iron
New England, the Middle States and Wiz
Vinia, These regions have been the mos
troubled with q surplus oil unemployed
labor: and they have been Of late TIL
scene OF active canvassing for emigrant
by Western land agents, who, while ad
ycrtlsing their own lands, have also don't
much good by calling attention to tho fer
tility and cheapness OF tho government
; lands, a thing they did not care to do par
ticularly, but which was one result OF theI
operations. Private advlces received b
the Tribune report that these persons, VIII
, have gone West and South, are in geners
citireSs Of intelligence and some sma
!: means, and mostly non with families
: Many Of them are thrifty farmers. Alarg
!. nroporttan arc mechanics, who, being Of
81 work, have drawn their deposits out (
!. The banks, aud, rather than st4Y IN, ii
! East and eat up their gccumulations, haN
d aiken their money aud furniture West an
begun the world anew They have gor