Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-12-15
A WONDERFUL NATION.


A Glance mt the Past and Prophecy OF
tho Futurc-Growth.
Today the republic of the United States
has no rival on the face of the globe In
natural resources, in wealth, IN the gen.
erai intelligence Of its people There is
little use III taking glance over the past,
for nearly every man of intelligence is
familiar with the history of the country.
he Knows that dozen years less than
half century ago the republic of the
United States included thirty-one states
and five territories, if we include among
the territories the District Of Columbia.
The area then was, as it is now, not in
Guiding the Alaska purchase, 5000, 862
square miles. The population was less
than 5000, 900. West Virginia was the
center of population. The population in
the territory west of the Mississippi river,
a territory 2, 1875, $40 miles in extent, was
at this time only 1899, 404. 1t was
supposed that most OF this extensive area
was composed of desert lands and alkali
plains.
The old school Biographies displayed
in conspicuous letters 'sGreat American
Desert, (which by the hand OF man has
since been transformed into as fertile
and productive farms as any in the east.
This trans-Mississippi region today in
cludes twelve states and nine territories,
and the United States census of 1880
gave it a population of 1889, 800. In
1850 the value of all property west Of
the Mississippi river was, in the states,
$500, 704 40 and in the territories $11,-
S24 026. In 1880 this had increased TO
Sc, lis, 200, 900 in the states and in the
territories to So, 994, 900, 900.
The ratio of increase in values through
out the entire country was just as re-
markable. In 1860 the value Of real and
personal property in the United States
was 81, 1856, $50. 1928. In 1880 the value
was $43, GAG, 900, 900. The population has
has increased from 80. 1911, S76 in 1850 to
so, 49,. 500 in 1880. The center of popu-
lation is in the vicinity of Indianapolis,
Ind. The growth in the productiveness
of the soil is just as phenomenal. In
1849 the corn crop was 500, OIL, 104 BUSH
els. In 1879 it was 1,754. 521 $40 bush
els The wheat crop in 1849 was 100,-
485,04 bushels and in 1879 it was
459, 483, 1877 bushels The corn acreage
in 1S49 was 100000 acres; in 1870 it
was GO, 900, 600 acres The wheat acreage
in 1S49 was 10000, 900 acres; in 1870 it
was IS, 430, 1888. In 1868 the mileage of
the railroads was 12,90e. In 1882 there
were in operation ia, $50 miles of rail-
roads.
Ii this percentage of growth continues
in the next half century where shall we
be as 4 nation2 The immigration is in
creasing every year. 1t seems that Eu-
rope is already too full to hold with
profit its rapidly growing population.
Look at the immigration figures and note
the remarkable increase. In 1881 the
number of immigrants were 669,431; in
1882, 768, 992; in 1888, 603, 1922; in 1884,
51S,592; in 1885, 395, 346; in 1896, 334,-
203; 1887, $685. s1. Making a total i'm
migration in seven years Of 3,S19,167.
This immigration will increase rather
than diminish, 1t will be many years
very many years-before the ratio of
population in this republic equals that Of
the older countries today.
In 1880 the ratio of population per
square mile of territory in the United
States was 1910. In the same year the
ration OF population in the British isles
was 2G9.49; in China it was 26059; in
Germany, 1877 As; France. 1859; Japan,
212.89; British India, 223.56; Belgium,
1915. If the ratio of population in this
country were equal to the present ratio
of population in France we should have
apopulation of 531, 846, 5s3. This growth,
at the rate of increase so far observed In
our material progress, would give us this
population in decade less than cen
fury. Thirty years from now, at the
same percentage of increase, our popula-
ton will be 10, 3d. In fifty years
it will be 1876, 214, 1874. There is, indeed,
no limit to the greatness of the American
republic. Detroit Free Press.