Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-05-28
TOPICAL TALKS.

| lnF ulHtpNfiA VI AlHtTlVus or lot Nlt lNSl
four centuries. lie puts the coming value
of The gold produced in the four hundred
years at $500, 303, 900. and of the silver
produced at S0,72G,O72,500. This sum
mary, however, gives no basis of com
parison as TO quantity, which is the es-
sential element of the comparison. Mr..
Preston, however supplies an approx
mate estimate of the number Of fine
ounces of each metal produced. which
were 3DT, 1nl ,S23 fine ounces OF gold and
| I,522, 0UI,Il6 tine ounces Of silver. In
| other words, during the past four hund-
red years the production of the two met
ais has been In the ratio Of nineteen
| ounces of silver TO one ounce Of gold
| On the basis of production alone. there
fore, one ounce of gold is equal to nine
teen ounces of silver. This estimate,
however, would be on the assumption
that the demand for one metal is pre-
| cisely equal to that for the other, which
Is by no means true. At present there
is Il much greater demand for gold than
| for silver, so that the market value
shows . wider divergence than could be
dcdnced from the ratio of supply alone.
1t is interesting to note that more
than one-half of the great quantity OF gold
and silver taken from the earth in four
| hundred years no longer exists as money,
loss been preserved In other articles of
value. The last estimate of Director
lee S1 pat ~! me Eolu money ~ me word
yer money ot S3,II. 700 900 The re-.
mainder Of the gold and silver produced
IN four centuries TO the stock on hand at
the discovery of America. has either been
lost or mas gone mo ornaments plaIa
And other articles ot value.
A recent census bulletin respecting
the results of irrigation In the West af-
r,r1y s,,n., irtorasting facts ne ia tho
i''''
prAcucRpilliE' progress ana Xll'lES"r
bringing the sterile soil Of this country
into nrofitnble agricultural use through
A. - 20 ,.,Ia,,,i ,,,,;..,,,,, oe H.
thc means "l Hrllhcinl hiuistuIc' " ny
estimated 5l2,OOOOOO acres rcclaimahle
arid lands. only nbout 3031 3S1 had been
.,t,..a, g., ,.,.,,,,,,,... ,,.r,,,, ,,,, o.,
i'"''''''" ''''' " l'
sus was taken. over one-hall OF ny was
In lie states of California and COlori-
ia. lie great bulk IL the remainder wa n
In tho Rocky moltntain states IND only
GGG.0G5 acres in the Dakotus. Nebras
the land thus reclaimed, estimating that
IN the latter named states al $500 per
" "Cr ANU nr o r uvaroee fnr The whole area
600. The total cost Of bringing me de-
SItIt mus nnuH. "u'i ~ ns w." of brin,y-
ing water TO the arid land was SS.
per acre, and the annual cost In muin-
tanning ;he irriggtlng chn1nels Slu, per
e,r, hcin "'T Irr;Sotcd tbot portion Of arid
territory now rich with fertile fields was
utterly worthless, it is readily seen how
profitable becomes irrigation enterprise,
me figures show also that bur modi-
cum Of such lands capable Of rcdcmp-
tion have thus far been brought under
wntar. 50 thnt irrigation in this country
il stili in its incipiency. However. with
The completion OF the extensive irriga-
lion systems in Colorado, Arizona and
Washington the total Of reclaimed land |
will double the present figures Thpst
enterprises will be materially advanced |
and n norton of them completed during |
the present season.
The demand has been formally made
by the radicals of the democratic Storth- |