Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1879-08-08
VINO Are SEEKING NEW noMEs.

WHO ARE SEEKING NEW N les.
Official statistics have been published at
Washington which give startling informa-
ton as to the number Of people VIII have
come West, during the year enliDg with
June, 1879, or who have availed themselves
Of the benefits Of the Homestead law to Sc
cure public land in the various new States
Of the Union.
The area Of public lands which have
been taken under that Act within the year
10 greater than the State of New Jersey,
comprising . little more than 5000 GOO
acres. As the records show that the aver
age number OF acres settlers take is 100, i
IL estimated that the population OF the o.
Oo0, 900 acres Of public lands taken can not
be less than 10000 persons, including the
families Of settlers. The amount OF land
taken last year is especially remarkable be-
cause there had been . decline Of home
stead entries for several years, said to be
the result Of the hard times which follow
cd the panic of 1873. The falling of in
1879 was nearly 1000, 900 acres. and in
1877 the entries aggregated only 2,17s.0oo
acres. tits evident that the tide OF lmmi-
grafton into Western States is sweeping
forward to . Hood once more.
There is undoubtedly . strong inclina-
tIon on the part OF the poorer classes Of
many cities to try their fortunes in rural
life. and the agitation among Roman
Catholics and Israelites as to colonization
has added strength to the movement from
city to country. And while homestead en-
tries have been made in great numbers by
residents Of the United States, the
stream Of foreign immigration has
been very large. and the accessions
to the population Of new States
have been greater than most persons
would easily believe. The record Of home
stead entries for sixteen years shows that
NO less that 46, 1871. 760 acres of public
lands were taken. allowing 100 acres to
each Of the SS4, s4s entries. Kansas has
been the ~favorite State with homestead set
tiers, although Nebraska and Minnesota
have not fallen far behind in the number
Of acres taken. Dakota, Colorado and Ne
vada are attracting large numbers of set
tlers u present, and their growth is likely
to be rapid for some years to come. I'm
less present indications are deceptive, a
movement has begun which is rapidly to
populate the vast nnoccupied territory Of
the United States. and carry the demand
for public lands beyond the highest point
reached in the most prosperous times Of
the past.
The great increase in homestead entries
during last year is taken as an indication
Of the revival Of business throughout the
country. and not without reason. But it
also indicates the growing conviction that
agriculture is the great interest of this
continent. The vast expectations OF our
grain and meat to Europe. and the pros
pect that foreign markets are to make
much greater demands upon us, are at
tracing the attention Of multitudes to
agricultural pursuits, and agriculture is
evidently receiving q new impetus in the
United States. Prosperity is returning,
foreign nations are charging their contri-
buttons TO orr population. and agricul-
tural life is winning thousands from a
wretched existence in cities-these are
which the record Of the last year
makes apparent.
Nh. SHERMAN. by way of helping his
boom, employed a statistician recently 10
take a new census of the United States aud
This able person. whose name
b Elliott. threw his eye over the scene and
figured up a total population of ~. 395. 900.
For oratorical Purposes Mr.. Elicit wculd
grant license to say so, 200 900. By placing
he figures At this altitude Mr.. Sherman is
bile to show that the National debt, d.
Fided per capita, is only $40 %. The
number Of persons in the country who do
lot happen to have that amount about
hem. will give the casual thinker an idea
4 the emi-hopelessness Of this thing. 1t
mounts to s2I5 50 for every family Of s;x
,ersons in the land. and is : sort Of first
mortgage OF all that they possess. We
nay remark. however that some able cisi-
ems are able to establish in the minds OF
Iuperfcial people the idea that this Ma
ional debt is . National blessing.
- @
TIE own Of wicasset. in Maine. is the
Attest municipal defauiter. With a popn-
aticn Of a,ooo and . property valuation of
1878 .S9s, it managed. BY railroad building
md borrowing money in every way. TO rnn
Up . debt Of S26i SAL and to raise taxes to
he cheerful rate Of AIS pei. cent. The
people now say the town Is dead. its bust
less is dead and they are unable to pay
axes any more. They propose to compro-
with their creditors, Tennessee fash
on. At the rate Of fifty per cent. OF the
OF the debt. with -four per cent.
interest.
rom Mississippi has caused a division Of
among the whites. The bull
aoser and the poor white trash encour-
Age tho exodus. believing that white peo-
pie viii ill the places Of those negroes who
The large farmers take the opposite
view, and predict that the exodus will ruin
lhs agricultural interest. Possibly that is
Hhst the bulldozer cares very little about.
|
PUBLIC OPINION.
Shown by the Press of the Pa
ellie Coast.
sHARoN's SUCCESSOR.
From the Silver State.
Another term for Sharon il almost GER
lain. and nothing can prevent it but the
OF members next year who will