The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-16

lAu An eVeQLlul 1lhLOI11 huu IL CAu ue
said OF her, as OF the "huadred and forty
and four thousand" that she has come
up to her present status through great
tribulation." From the time she was
orgauizsd as territory in 1854 up almost
tn the time Of her admission rs State in
1861, she was . battle ground, Whereon
was fought the great preliminary battle
between the free and the slave States.
All through the war that succeeded this
contest she was rent and torn by the Jay
hawkers Of both armies. And since the
war she has had her full share Of misior-
tunes in the shape OF drouths and grass
hoppers. Bat nevertheless, despite all
these tribulatiols, she has astonished the
world by her extraordinary growth in
population and wealth.
THE GEOGRAPHICAL cRSTRE.
Kansas is the geographical centre of the
United States, as you will see by q map Of
the Union, and it is therefore meet that
abe should be Q great Commonwealth
State that all Americans can be proud Of.
In point of area and in point OF production,
AID in point at railroads, schools aud wide.
spread intelligence she ia indeed one oi
the empire States Of the Union, and when
she emerges from her present youth into
the full maturity OF years she will proba-
bly, rank as the imperial State in oil that
vSst domain that lies west OF the Mtssis-
sippi river aud north Of the Indian Terri
tory.
Already, although not half settled, she
produces about one-eighth Of the corn crop
OF the United States, and about one.tenth
Of the wheat crop, and pretty much the
same proportion as respects oats, hay and
live stock. In corn and hogs she is COM
ing rapidly to the front, and in wheat,
cattle and sheep she Is high up in the
column. As yet she has but fourteen in
hahitauts to the square mile, and yet she
has about q million and aquaFteE OF peo-
pie. What will her population be and
what will her development be when, as in
Massachusetts,, she has go people TO the
square mile. The assessed val1e OF her
wealth, all told, in 1860, was only about
SIS, ,OO0,00J To-,lay ths true value Ia
about $500, ,OO0, 900. Despite all OF the
Ihindrarces Of her early history, and the
drawbacks Of later date, this wealth has
nearly all been created out OF her soil by
the pioneer class OF poor and hardy imni-
grants. There must be great deal in q
soil and also great deal In people that
can show such record.
0fthe ninsty.ive ecounties in Kansas but
tiity.oue Of them were so lar settled as late
"a 1870 as to have even county organtza'
ton, and the population at that date was
only four aud one half TO the square mile
OF the whole State, as against fourteen to.
day. The general opinion was that west
of longitude 9S the State was practically
untillSble. There are to-day eighty-tw1
organized counties and the outposts Of sue
cesaful tillage have been pushed west a
far as the Tooth degree. The doubts about
Kansas, or rather about the west half oi
IL, at thedate named, were justified by the
fact that the centre Of population has mol
steadily advanced westward, but has twice
receded eastward; and 20 strong have
been these doubts, even during the pres
eut decade, aud 90 diaproportioned the in
\ tiux OF immigration into the east half ol
the State, that to-day the center OF popula
ton Ia east Of where it was in 1880. Ii
other words, the center Of population il
still within the eastern ona-third OF tht
States area.
A CHANGE IN PRo0REss.
But there is now a very marked chang
in progress-one that II 1t itcontinuss vii
place this center far to the westward il
the next five yeara. ! refer to the in
creased rainfall and to the increased crop
Of the west-as far West as the Tooth de
gree, and even farther. In consequence
! Of this marked change in rain and crops
continued for the last three years, a grea
stream OF immigration has taken up it
fiow across the Stata from the older eonn
ties, as well as from other States OF tn,
: Uuion, 70 the country lying between thr
, Tooth and 10lst degrees, aud Uncle Sam
public landp, 30 long dead on his hands
90 to speak, have been going of like no
cakes. Even here in Southern kansaa
} on the border OF the Indian Territory,
/ have witnessed a steady procession o
. canyassed wagons, filed with household
effects, including children, bound West
To the counties bordering on the 1Olst de
gree. And in addition to these actual set
tiers who have gone bag and baggage b
take up claims aud squat on them at once
8 have seen quite hegira Of people who
[ leaving their effects behind for the pres
emit, have gone out and entered claim
under the various acts known as home
! stead, preemption and timber culture Gcts
In fact, history Is once more repeat
ing itself here in the West One OF Ties,
: periodic movements westward is again il
!; progress. The pioneer Is on the march a
in the DAYS Of old.
= The theory in regard to this increased
rainfall that ands wide acceptance here Il
9 the old one that iSexpressed in the sayini
that "Hercules helps those who help them
selves" In other words, that as you turn
: up the soil, plant trees, and lay down rail
road iron, so you induce the meteorological
conditions that precipttate rain. You ar
pointed TO the taGt that this present bal
Il way part OF Kansas was once 1lRssided a
t q rainless country but that II nowis hlssn
|, ed with the "sarly and later rains, th
, same Is the eastern portion OF the State.
. As TO how far this theory Is reliable
= will not attempt to argue. Fact Is bette
, than theory, and whether the increases
2 Tsins have been caused in the way referret
: : lto, or whether they have occurred becans
|. Of the increased snowfall in the Rock
4 mountains, matters little, Ths esSentia
matter OF concern Is as to their cnntlnu
anGe. II they continue Kansas will 500
be settled clear to the Colombo line, sul
n her 81 600 square miles viii bloom g u
n rosa throughout Its wide Sres.
There are thoae who holding 70 diaeI
Z ent theory a TO reliable rain fall In tn
d extreme West, are taking measures 70 suE
,. plamant its DEFICIENCIES by means Of irrigl
!. ton. Both Colorado end California hRv
\ shown on q small scala VhRt aan be don
3 by irrigation. Therefore, about ib0 mile
d west ol this, in Finney county, compGn
r Is building on pretty large scale egnl
/. that taps the Arkaulas river at Gards