The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-10-23
READY TO CONE IN.
Wyoming Tired Of Old Terri
torial Structures.
REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR.
Great Increase in Property Valuation
More Liberal Land Policy Needed
Money in stock Raising.

WASHINGTON, Oct os-Francis f. War
rem. governor of Wyoming territory. today
filed with the secretary Of the interior his
report for the year ending June 2, lSs9.
The population of the territory Is esti-
mated at $500 to los. osa against Oils in
1870. The people of Wyoming" says the
governor, want statehood. Men who
have bravei all the perils of pioneer life,
have laid broad and deep the foundations
of their future homes, towns and cities,
and nave treasured up the means that are
to uphold the commonwealth, are not IN
mindful of state government, although the
present administration has greatly relieved
the situation by appointing the territorial
officers from the bona fde residents of the
territory where they are to serve; yet the
people know from past experience what II
Is TO live under a territorial form of gov
eminent. by strangers with little or no
knowledge Of the territory, and Indifferent
to its future growth and prosperity"
The assessed valuation OF all property in
1sss was S3l. 4s1 zoo. against Ss.570,0O in
1880 and Sc $4,000 in 1870. These state
ments, the governor says, do not represent
more than one-third, probably not more
than one-fourth, of the actual valuation of
the financial standing of Wyoming. The
report states that bonds of the territory.
bearing per cent. interest, sold at $io6,
and territorial warrants always par, and
are promptly paid when presented.
The Governor urges upon congress the
adoption of more liberal policy in the
matter of surveying public lands. The in
ability of the settler to obtain legal right
TO land settled by HIM for home, il is
eta Tod fnlI ,x,.r, ,rSf
to the government. which receives no pay
for the lands; next, TO the country and
territory, which derive no revenue from it !:
lastly. to the settler, who can obtain no
title to the land and is hazarding his i'm
provements, which are of no value to him in
commercial sense, as he cannot sell nor
mortgage them. Moreover, there are large
tracts of unsurveyed lands which are val.
liable for other purposes than agriculture.
There are immense oil fields and coal beds
and vast forests of valuable timber yet I'M
surveyed. Ii is impossible to protect the
forests from Ihe depredations of unscrupu-
lous men, and the development of coal and
oil lands is retarded by the impossibility of
surveying them under present restric-
tons. The aggregate number OF acres dis
posed of during the last year, nnder the
public land laws. including the sections by
railroads is 30l, 375."
Upon the subject of stock-raising the
governor says: Good profits can be made
in the cattle business today, if properly
conducted, and an encouraging omen of
the future of business is that stockmen are
adopting better methods of management.
A reasonable increase in the price of cattle
produced, which is sure to come soon. will
make cattle-raising in Wyoming one of the
most lucrative industries known anywhere
under the head of legitimate pursuits.
The settlement of farmers and grangers
upon agricultural lands has caused a di-
vision in the area of the open country; but
there yet remains a wide field for business
conducted in the open rangeways, on
every large tract that can be used for graz
ing only for many years. While the contrac-
ton of the open ranges and the decrease
in animals handled in the old way has
necessarily lessened the cattle industry in
Wyoming in the last few years, yet it is be-
lieved that ultimately stock farming. on
combining agriculture and stock raising,
crops now raised on streams and arabic
lands, and live stock ranging outside and on
or near ranges, will geeatly increase the
number of cattle. also the grand weight,
quality and profits in the territory, until
there will be more cattle raised in Wyom-
ing than at any time in the past"