St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-06
The Secretary Of the Interior Discusses
the Unadmittsd Portion OF the
Union.
Particular Attention Drawn to the Vast
Area of Land Being PURCHASED in
Dakota.
Not a Successful Year at T1liing the
SofI--Stock Raising Found
Profitable.
Popular Education - The Chinese
Rfots-- Artesian Wells and Irri-
gatin,. bitches.

mar has the following to say in his annual
report about the territories: The general
condition of the territories shows marked
and. in some instances, striking progress in
population. taxable property, settlement of
land education. the mechanic arts. railroad
enterprises and many other of the elements
which promise to make them great and
prosperous states in the future. The popu-
latiOn of the territory of Dakota for the
year ended June 80 1886. is estimated at
500 900. an increase during the year of
! So. 900. The present population of Mon
! tana is given at ITO. 900, and that of Idaha
at 81. 900. an increase of nearly 10, 600 in
each of these territories during
! the year. Washington territory now
claims population OF 210. 600.
In all the territories the progress of settle
ment as shown by the entry and purchase
of lands, has been marked and rapid. In
Dakota the quantity OF land purchased
| from all sources by immigrants is estimated
| to aggregate 4, 900 900 acres. an area larger
| than that of the states of Connecticut and
Rhode Island. One million four hundred
and four thousand three hundred acres were
acquired from the government in this terri
| tory alone under the homestead and pre-
| ClIplIOu dClo tilC gCdi, duu 10 OlO
acres were located by land scrip. Claims
init ated under the three general land laws
were: Homesteads 7.466; pre-emp, ions.
1884. and timber culture claims. 7,071.
AGRICULTURE.
The past year was not favorable one
! for agriculture in the territories. In Da-
kOta and Montana scarcely more than half
a crop was realized, and from those por-
CATION has not been resOrted to sim lar re-
ports have been received. The farmers in
many of the territories have. however, done
fairly well, because of the introduction of
the greater variety of crops. and especially
because of the large attention given to
stock raising. Cattle in the hands of
numerous holders of small herds have been
found very profitable, notably in Dakota.
| The immense herds of Montana have,
however. almost exhausted the patures of
| that territory. Owners of large numbers of
| cattle have been compelled in some in
| stances to seek paSturage in the British
possessions. and it is thought that the ter
| ritOry has reached the limit of safe produc-
ton under the system of large herds. The
governor estimates that there are now pas
| tured in Montana l. 500. 900 head of cattle,
$780, 900 horses and 100000 sheep. In
Idaho there are 500 900 head of cattle and
horses and 25O, 900 sheep.
| MINING.
The low price of silver and copper has
somewhat affected the production of those
metals. In Arizona the yield is estimated
at: Gold. ST., 900. 900. silver, 81, 500. 900; a
considerable falling off from the preceding
year. Montana reports the gross value Of
the products of her mines for the year at
SIS. $50. 900 gold. $4,000, 900 silver, IS, OOO.-
900 copper and S1.25O. 900 lead The
product Of the mines of Idaho is given
by the United States assayer as follows:
Gold. 81, 33S 6S6; silver, So. OPT. 316; lead.
S639. 069 The discovery of iron ore assay
ing 65 per cent. is reported in Washington
territory. Coal mining has become very
| important industry Oh Puget sound. Over
| 1.000 900 tons have been taken from
single mine near Seattle within the past
seven years. Mining properties in all the
territories, which have remained in the past
| undevelOped or Improbable for want of
adequate transportation. are becoming val
liable as railroads are extended into their
neghborhoOd. The subject of
POPULAR EDUCATION
has already received great attention in the
territories. In number of schools. aggre-
and value of permanent school property
Dakota, for instance. is in advpnce of many
of the states of the Union; and Arizona
claims to have expended greater sum per
capita on children enrolled in the public
schools than any other state or territory.
The status of school lands in the territories
should be fixed by legislation. Thousands
of acres of these lands have been farmed
for years by settlers who can Obta n no t. tie
to them. The territories are not
authorized either to sell or to re-
ceiye rents for these lands. as the
title remains in the United States.
The development of the territories during
the year has been impeded by the Apache
raids in Arizona and New Mexico. by
Chinese labor troubles in the Northwest.
and by Mormon troubles in Utah and
Idaho. This last subject is treated more in
detail in the resume ven on another page
of the reports of the Utah commission, and
of the governor of Utah. In Idaho and
especially in Washington territory, the
presence OF
CHINESE LABORERS
who do not seek to make permanent homes
or to identify themselves with the interests
of the people. has been source of disturb
ance. Your attention is particularly in
vted to that portion OF the report of the
governor OF Washington territory relating
to this subject, and the official correspond
ence pr nted as an appendix thereto, winch
set forth in full the extraordinary measures
to which the executive was COM
PEELED to resort in order to protect
the lives and property of Chinese residents |
There is general appeal from the terri
tories for national aid in developing their |
material resources. In the forests of West |
ern Washington the pastures and grain |
farms of the central plains, the diversified |
and semi-trOpical products Of irrigated |
lands in Arizona and New Mexico, and the |
rich mines of all the territories the nation |
possesses noble heritage. The care and |
management of this. our sole remaining !,
public estate is well worthy |
of the most thoughtful attention. |
The present condition of the territories !
presents many questions of wide interest
and of general concern. If the mountain
Gus regions about the fountain heads of our !
great continental rivers should be denuded |
of timber alternate floods and low water. |
affecting great extent of county. would |
probably result. The intelligent care of the |
forest growth of the territories in such |
way as to permit its necessary use by the
people, and, at the same time, prevent its
WANToN DESTRUCTION,
is therefore question of much more than |
local Importance The est blishment,
under suitable regulations, of great timber
reservation in Montana and Idaho has al
ready been brought to the attention of con-
gress, and perhaps would be of praet cal
value in connection with the work now
being carried on at Lake Winnebagoshish.
1t is urged that the system of irrigation
necessary to render immense areas of fer !
tile land IN the territories inhabitable is i'm
possible to small holders; that the sinking
of artesian wells, the construction of ex-