Dodge City times., 1889-02-21
THE STAR OF EMPIRE.
The Gigantic Strides Of Civilizatioa I'm the
Northwest

I
The Gigantic Strides Of Civniz.tioa I'm the
Northwest
The proposition made in Congress to
charter company to colonize o large
and fertile region in Montana is one OF
the significant events connected with
the growth of the West. Although Or
ganized as a Territory in 1854, almost
the whole of Montana until o recent
period was an unbroken wilderness ex-
cept the strip trayersed by the Northern
Pacific Railway and few spots occupied
by mining towns. The Territory is
rapidly filling up with immigrants, who
push on through Dakota to occupy and
cultivate its valleys abounding in fer
tility. Like progress in other Territor-
les attests the tremendous growth of
the West.
In the absence of other reliable Stats.
teal data the returns of the General
Land Office show how gigantic have
been the onward strides of civilization
in that region during recent years.
During the fiscal year ended June 80,
1888. the Government disposed of 49,
3l9,O76 acres of the public domain I'M
der the Homestead, Preemption, and
Forest Land laws. This would make
more than one million new farms of 16O
acres each.
In the last eight years not less than
124, 600, 600 acres of the public domain
have been located for settlement, COM
prising an area of 1913, $50 square miles,
or greater extent of territory than is
covered by the States of Illinois, Indi-
ana, Ohio, and Michigan. OF the area
Dakota contributed 100000 acres ;
Kansas, $4,000, 900 acres, and Nebraska
more than 5000, 900 acres-an extent
of land opened to settlement and culti-
vation greater than the whole of Ohio,
South Carolina, and Maine put to-
gether.
To Judge by the returns of the Land
Office the greatest progress has been
made in the Northwest during the last
eight years. In that period 59,SO4, 900
acres (93, 40 square miles) have been
occupied in Nebraska, Minnesota, Wis
consin, and Iowa, and in Dakota, Mon
tana, and Wyoming Territories. In
Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, and New
Mexico, 29,768.O00 acres ga, 525 square
miles, have been sold and located. In
the States of California, Oregon, and
Nevada, in the Territories of Washing
ton, Idaho, Utah, and Arizonia 19, ,OOO,-
600 acres have been opened to settle
ment in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, and Florida.
This leaves out of the calculation the
vast area of railroad lands that have
been sold and occupied by settlers dur
ing the last eight years. 1t is estimated
from the reports of the managers of the
land-grant railroads that they have sold
Is, S,OOO, 600 acres since 1880. This makes
a grand total of 142,O0O,0OO acres, or
222, ,055 square miles, of the public do
main 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 domain for settlement,
there seems to be no abatement in the
mighty onward movement. While great
Commonwealths spring up on the West
cru DldluS as IL SuiuuiOueu Ou1 VI SpdCo
by the wand of enchantment, there is
no apparent drain of the populous States
of the East. On the contrary, the
older States, while contributing to the
development 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 the emigration from Europe has
had mighty share in one of the most
wonderful phenomena in national de-
velopment and progress will hardly be
disputed by the most intense nativist.
During the last eight years the emf.
grants from Europe to the United States
have numbered 4, ,25O,O0O. The sturdi-
est, most industrious, and best portion
of this immigration has not halted uptil
it has reached the prairie homes in Me
West No matter in what spirit our
laws shall be framed for the restriction
of undesirable immigration, a more
potent restraint will be found when our
vast spaces of unoccupied land shall no
longer be available = settlers. Unless
We annex Canada and Mexico our re-
manning arabic lands will soon have
been disposed of.-Philadelphia Rec
ord.