The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-01-09
The Growth of the West.

During the fiscal year ended June
30, 1888, the government disposed of
l6,3l9,076 acres of the public domain
under the homestead, presumption and
forest land laws. This would make
more than one million new farms of
100 acres each In the last eight years
not less than 124,000,000 acres of the
public domain have been located for
settlement, comprising an area of 1884,
$50 square miles, or a greater extent of
territory than is covered by the states
of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Nil higan.
OF this area Dakota contributed 3d.
000,0 acres, Kansas $4,000, 900 ecres
and Nebraska more than 10000 900
acres-an extent of land open to settle
ment and cult yation greater than the
whole of Ohi), South Carolina and
Maine put toge ther. To Judge by the
returns of the land office, the greatest
progress has been made in the North
west during the last eight years. In
that period 59,S04 900 acres (03, 44O
square miles) have been occupied in
Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin and
Iowa and in Dakota, Montana and
Wyoming territories. In Kansas, Mis-
souri,, Colorado and New Mexico 30
76S, 600 acres GA ,525 square miles)
have been sold and located. In the
states of California, Oregon and Ne
vada and in the territories of Washing
ton, Idaho, Utah and Arizona 10000
900 acres more must be added to the
account. During the same period of
eight years 1900, 900 acres have been
opened to settlement in Arkansas,
| I onieiono NTiseiss;Y,; Ia oYJ
Florida. This leaves out of the calcula-
ton the vast area of railroad lands that
have been sold and occupied by settlers
during the last eight years. 1t is esti-
mated from the reports of the mana
gers of the Immigrant railroads that
they have sold 1S,000,0 900 acres since
| 1880. This makes a grand total of
l42, 900, 900 acres, or 222 ,025 square
miles of the public domain disposed of
| for occupation and settlement during
] the last eight years. 1t comprises an
area greater than that of Germany or
France, and twice as great as Great
Britain and Ireland. Notwithstanding
the vast absorption of the public do
main for settlement, there seems to be
no abatement in the mighty onward
movement. While great common
weaths spring up on the western plains
as if summoned out of space by the
wand of enchantment, there is no ap-
parent drain of the populous states of
the East. On the contrary, the older
states, while contributing to the de-
velopment of new communities in the
/ West, continue to grow apace in popu-
lation and wealth as the tide of emigra-
ton from the Old World pours upon
the country's shores. That emigration
from Europe has had mighty share in
one of the most wonderful phenomena
in national development and progress
will hardly be disputed by tie most in
tense nativist. During the last eight
years the emigrants from Europe to the
United States have numbered 1885,
900. The sturdiest, most industrious
and best portion of this immigration
has not halted until it has reached the
prairie homes in the West. No matter
in what spirit our laws shall be framed
for the restriction of undesirable i'm
migration, more potent restraint will
be found when our vast spaces of I'M
occupied land shall no longer be avail
able to settlers. philadelphia Record.