Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-11
Union Pacific Director Plummcr's Mis-.
sion to the Puget Sound Country,

arrival did not attract great deal of attcn-
tion, but the occupants of the cars were peo-
pie of national reputation.
The party included John +. Plummer gov
ernment director of the Union Pacific, Hon.
Robert b. Porter, superintendent of the cen
sus Colonel A G.. Paine, president of the
New York x Pennsylvania company an inn
mensc paper manufacturing concern, ana DR.
Charles w. Sanders. The other members of
the party were Mrs. Porter Mrs. Pummer
Miss Plummer Miss Edith and Master How
ard Plummer
Mr.. Plummer was seen at the depot soon
after the party arrived and readily consented
to an interview
1--WE have come out to this part of the
country on a trip which relates directly to
the INDUSTRIAL said he. "Of course my
trip is also in the nature Of an inspection,
but it relates more intimately to the business
which brings these other gentlemen out this
way. We are bound for Puget sound, where
we intend making arrangements to establish
an immense industrial plant, including all
sorts OF manufactures. There have been
several stock companies organized to carry
this project into effect and it Is no visionary
scheme. These companies are backed by
millions of capital. These gentlemen and
myself represent the whole and our trip Is
for the purpose of locating this immense
plant We have decided to locate somewhere
on Puget Sound, but have not decided upon
vicinity are very anxious TO have it located
at various points and we are going ont there
fer the purpose of deciding on that feature
"WhHt manufacturing establishments will
be located therep'
There Will be branch of the American
steel barge company. which is located in
Duluth. This will be a branch of the main
works hut will be the largest nlant of the
company. There will also be a large steel in
sides many other industries which do not
care to mcutiou at present.
"What do YOU think of the recent action of
the Western Traffic association ~
al think it will 20 long way towards
stifrenlng the market yalne OF stocks and in
creasing public confidence in railroad securi.
tlesn
ais the Gould management of the Union
Pacific satisfactory to the government
II think so. There seems to he a feeling
that the road is in good hands with a nrobn5
bilitv of making something of it,n
Mi Pummer then left TO make arrange
meuts for a carriage drive about the city say
ing TINT this WAS the first trim of the other
members of the party to this CITY and he
wanted them TO see what a beautiful and
prosperous city they had rearhed He stated
also that the marty would leave this after
noon in a special train for Denver and 90
thence to San Francisco and up the coast to
Puget Sound. III.
e.
companied by Senator Manderson aud Hon
G. w, E. Dorsey. Mr.. Porter is man of
medium height. dark, with black hair and
gray eyes that twinkle with merriment or
flash fire in giving point to his positive state
ments, He literally bristles with figures his
breath Is laden with figures and he rolls ont
statistics involving millions or billions in a
manner calculated to take ones breath
away,
"1his is nv first trim to Omaha since twenty
:,
pleasantly, ''and | am simply as
tounded at the changes which have
taken place, | knew, of course that the in
crease In nonulation had bee, marvellous but
| must saw / was not prepared for all have
SEEM
"How is work on the census progressiugp,
"Very randy We have $500 clerks Mt
work on it now night and dav. and the com
pendium will be completed in time for the
next congress This will no three wears and
a half ahead of the last census rep0rts, or
course the compiling of the numerous speciaI
data will reouire longer but the entire wort
will be completed about seven wears sooner
than ever before
"rhe figures of the census report show
some verv Interesting facts continued MIR.
Porter The increase in the average area
cultivated in the six principal cereals for
instance. is very marked During the last
decade the average acreage was 13O 500 0nO
against so 600 O00 for the former decade an
increase of 63 per cent The product of these
fertile acres has Increased 53 per cent and
the average value of the crops BE- per cent
Our wool products have Increased from 156
OOO. 900 poinds in 1850 to 24O. .OOO. 900 in 1890
or nearly "a per cent. our nav cron from
35 600 600 TONS to AZ 600 600 tons an
Increase of 70 per cent. our vast
cattle interests from a value of 81 445 600
600 to 81 5O7 600 600 an increase of X ner
cent The average number of farm animals
nor voor has incrsosnd from, 06 0nO oO0 in tho
decade ending in 1850 to 1000 600 in the
ten wears ending in 1870 an increase of Ak
Der cent,
Then again, take the coal product. The
output has increased enormously~in fact, it
has exactly doubled during the past ,caae
In 1850 the output was ID, 900 600 tons, and in
1890 it was l4O 600 600. The distribution of
coal mining over the continent is almost AS
lnterestiug as the iistrlbution of popuation,
In this particular the west is greatly inter
ested. Ten wears ago the country west of tho
Mississippi river did not produce auy coal:
the census will show a production of ID, 600
600 tons west of the Mississippi during 1890,
or 200, ,OOO tons more than the whole country
produced in 1870 The south also has made
remarkable strides in the direction of coal
production. and last wear that region pro
duced Is 600 600 tons of coal. or B. 600 900 more
than tho whole United States in ls70.n
what have Won to say regarding the farm
ers, nlliancegn
membership of the alliance is =, 800 900 but
80,