Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-07-25
THE PRAIRIE EMPRESS.
The Progress Of the Most Won
derful Of the Western States.
Kansas Makes Good Her Emblem
attic Name in Many Directions.

Kansas Makes Good Her Emblem
attic Name in Many Directions.
quested the republication of Governor
Martins North American article THE
Progress of Kansas, at the time Of its first
appearance, we now give very full synop-
sis. 1t is very interesting, especially to
every citizen OF the state not only but to
every one who expects to become citizen.
"Thc Both of May. 1854, when President
Pierce signed the Kansas Nebraska bill, is
taken for the starting point of this review
of the states history Seven tragic years
followed-years filled with the noise of con
tention; with fighting by day and burnings
by night: with startling revelations Of
human heroisIn, patience, self-sacritice, des-
peration and depravity, the scene closing
with natural calamity in the form of IA
drouth, when for seven months not drop
of rain fell upon the parched and gaping
earth; and Kansas on the goth Of January
1861, was admitted into the union as a SOW
ereign state
On the day Of her admission the young
states was Wrapped IN mantle of new
fallen snow. But scarce had the snow
melted III the brcezes and sun of spring
before the country was enveloped in the
flames Of civil war, and with it came for
Kansas, four Years crowded with trials
greater than those that marked the pre-
ceeding seven years The report Of the
provost marshall general of the United
States army made in 1867, shows that
Kansas contributed more soldiers to the
army in proportion than any other state of
the Union, and that the percentage of Kan
s;ts soldiers killed OF wounded was also
greatest
At the end of eleven years the young
state faced the future with almost empty
hands. At Tie date Of her admission, she
had a population but little in excess of the
number given by the census in 1860, viz:
101 ,206 The census of 1865 showed that
that the population had grown to 140. 49,
an increase Of 32, 973--really acquired dur
ing the year Immediately preceding the
census.
The territorial limits of Kansas embrace
80, 21S, 900 acres, a country which may be
described as a rolling prairie, one-third
larger than England, il. the shape of a par
allelogram Ace miles long and 200 miles
wide. 1t in 1885 the entire population Of
Kansas had been distributed over the i'm
mense area each human being would have
had nearly one square mile to himself or
herself
To reach this region there was in 1865
but one line of railroad touching the state
at only two points On the extreme north
eastern border, and but one waterway-the
Missouri river
The homestead law was, after the war,
made especially liberal as regards ex-sol-
diers, allowing them to deduct from the
five years Of settlement and cultivation re-
vuired the terms of their military service.
Kansas began Immediately to fill
up with a brave, hardy, and
patriotic population. The system of land
grants to railroads gave Kansas railways
which the state would probably never had
otherwise, and threw upon the market mil
lions of acres of land contiguous to the
lines, sold at low prices and on long time.
Most of the railroad, as well as the govern
ment land was sold in quarter sections of
1850 acres each-the area which experience
has shown to be sufficient for settler and
his family
In five years, from 1865 to 1870, the pop
ulation increased from 14O, 179, to 364 1893,
or at the rate of 1895 per cent 1t was
during these years that the ''disbanded
volunteer was seeking "a home and the era
of railroad building was fairly inaugurated.
The next period of five years, from 1870
to 1875, would probably have shown an
equal ratio of increase but for the financial
crash of 1873 followed in 1874 by a stimuli
taneous visitation of drought and grasshop-
pers, and these, in turn followed by an
aftermath of liars, who spread exagger
ated accounts of the calamity. But in spite
of hard times, grasshoppers and laid
seekers" Kansas had acquired in 1875,
population of 52S, 349 inhabitants
From 1876 to 1880, Kansas made great
progress: the population swelled to 800, 096
From 1880 to 1885, the population in
creased to ,26S, 562, or fifteen persons to
the square mile. But in 1885, occurred
the most remarkable immigration ever
known, and the population of the state is
now fully [, $50, 600
This population in all its increase-from
14G, l49 to | go. 000-has shown striking
uniformity of character, the native born
maintaining to the alien born an unvarying
ratio of eight to one, and there are twenty
five whites to one colored person
The wealth of the state hrs undergone
parallel augmentation In round numbers
the true valuation of property in Kansas in
1860 was S3l 900 600; in 1865. $72 ,000. 600:
in 1870. Slss, oe1, 600; in 1875, S242. 900
900: in 1886 1921 ,J10, 600 and in 1885,
$3.50. 000. 900.
The value of farm crops in Kansas for
the five wears ending with 1870 was in
round numbers, $50, 900 900: for the next
succeeding FIVE years, s135. oo0, 600; for the
next five wears. 1884 0d,, 600 and for the
five wears ending with 1885, 500, 900, 600
Growth in population and wealth is not
gratifying if there be not a corresponding
progress in intelligence. Kansas has made
as great advance in the matter of popular
education as in material wealth In 1861 !
she expended for the support Of common
schools or'y 81 700; in 1885 the expendit |
ures fol the same purpose aggregated !
s. 259. 40. From 1880 to 1885 she ex- /
pended in common schools x12 800. $50 In /
the twenty five years of her experience as /
state she expended II the cause Of common |
school education So, 2l9, 202 This money |
has been well spent In 1880 there was in /
Kansas only p, 900 persons over ten years |
of age who could not read
The greater pars OF this expense is met |
f1y taxation. but there is In reserve the per |
maaent school fund Of the state which now |
aggregated 8. 500. 0lra, with a million acres |,
If land vet unsold. The interest Of this /
f,,,S - bv constitutional ,,rJy;Siou spi 1