Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-13
Wealth and Population.

We have tO-day-lfter so richly end0wing
our schools, universities, internal improve
ments. and public charities and aSylumS-
we still have left unapprosriated 5,OOO.UOO
acres of public lands open for homestead
settlers. We are. too, only Ill the early
manhood of our life: Yet we feel in recount
ing that we have i'll present wealth and
power our pride and love for the republic
will be gratitied. Our taxable property
was, in 1850, 5l.000,00O in lSGn, 500. 600
900: in 1910, S1d4.SlS $50; i'll 1919. S211.0O0.
coo; in 1916 $500 00O, COG and in 1901 il is
$500. 900. 900. From d cotton crop not eX-
ceeding 1000 bales thirty Years ago Texas
mas become this day the largest cotton pro
ducing state in the Union, reaching $50
900 bales, and in 1891 il will reach 4.000OnO
! bales. Her annual exports of cattle We're
estimated at So. 900 600; wool. 81 800, 600:
hides, Sl.S00000: beef in barrels, 81 300
000 and fruits and other exports, $1,000
900 in 1876. and in 1891 these values are
quadrupled. Our increase III exports and
imports, foreign and otherwise, is unpar-
alleled in modern states. Look at
Galveston alone Her exports in 1873
were S2!9,336326. Her imports Ill 1876 We're
$25, 059, so, while i'll 1891 her exports and
imports reached nearly 500, O0O, 600. Since
in 1876 we began 10 ship abroad again, beef
and hogs, and our industries have so won
derfully developed. our exports of life-SuS
tanning products have fallen below our i'm
ports and will so continue. What is true of
Galveston is. i'll the same proportion, true
of Houston, Dallas. Fort Worth. Austin and
San Antonio, the great trade centers of
Texas. Our growth in population has been
not less wonderful than our progress in ma
terial wealth and power. The population
of Texas in 1880 was 2l2.000; in 1850, 600,
600; in 1870, Sl0,00 in 1876, approximatiug
200 900 and i'll 1890, lisp 900 From the
official estimates our increase of population
from immigration alone is annually 100000
persons. How long Will it take US to march
abreast and to the front. even of the great
states of the Union? The state of New
York has about o,OOO,000 and Pennsyl-
vania >, 500,GO0 population. In i've years
we will overtake the 'old keystone, and
in ten years stride alongside the great met
ropolitan state of the Union. In the next
two decades we will have over 6. 00O, 600 of
inhabitants standing Sentinels within our
gates To her sisters who are outstripped
by US in the race. Texas. shall, in that day
of her power. extend her strong arm and
warm heart, docking shield TO shield as
our fathers did at Bunker Hill, Yorktown
and San Jacinto. Applause.
have now spoken al great length of our
mineral resources. of our immense forests,
Of oar best lumber for commerce III the
world. of that not far-distant future when
the great new West" OF which Chicago,
St Louis and Kansas City are the heart
proper ocean outlet through Texas Seaports
We are at Galveston, Sabine Pass, VelascO.
Arkansas and Houston 900 miles nearer to
the magnificent erain-growing section of the
Union than is Boston or New York. Cotton
anu sugar and grain seek the nearest routes
to the sea. Why may we not compete for
this trade, We are now grasping each
other with iron hands, and to-day the trade
between Chicago. st. Louis, Kansas City
and the West with Texas is counted by
millions, which was but nominal ten years
ago. When the bars at Galveston and other
ports shall receive an appropriatiou-only
sheer justice''-from the government,
when ocean steamships shall, as they will.
land at Houston and the Pass and Velasco
and Arkansas, Texas ports will handle the
great grain trade OF the West in the ship
ment to Europe and South America. Our
iron and copper and coal fields will ere long
yield a source of wealth rivaling Pennsyl
vaniaspr the iron and coal fields of the old
world. Applause.