The Red Cloud chief., 1899-12-08

mllilun DuSlcib vi Wut't, DOuth Du-
kota forty-nve million bushels, North
Dakota sixty-fve million bushels and
Montana four million bushels.
"ln IS49 there came across the on
tlnent reports of the discovery Of gold
In California, but the only OF
reaching It's Golden Gate was by sea
around Cape Horn, or the long n
porilous journey. with OK teams, across
the plains, including what was then
styled In cur biographies the Ameri-
can desert, and through the hazardous
mountain passes OF the western part
Of the continent.
THE completion OF the Pacific rail-
roads changed all this. and opened new
fields for all kinds OF enterprises, In
an unexplored territory stretching over
more than two thousand miles TO the
west, northwest and southwest Of tho
Mississippi river, the products OF which
region were practically valueless until
the means OF transporting them were
provided by the railroads.
"The wheat crop OF California this
year is 1905, 900 bushels. The largest
crop ever produced In California was
In 1880. when owing to exceptionally
favorable weather conditions that state
produced 6 1900, 900 bushels. The gold
output OF California for the year 1899
Is estimated at SIC, 000, 900. The vino
yards and orange groves OF California
would BIO OF practically little value
were II not for the fact that the rail-
i VAaIa "a, thAlx tr.la. - ..Etu.~tae
and ventilated fruit cars, make II pos
sible to transport the products OF her
fertile valleys to all sections Of the
country. II seems but yesterday that
the railroads were completed into
Portland. Oregon, Tacoma and Seattle.
Washington. and II is marvellous that
for the year ended June 80, 1899. there
was exported from the Columbia River
valley 10000. 900 bushels of wheat and
from the Puget Sound region, 0,000,-
600 bushels. Oregon and Washington
form the northwest corner OF the ter
ritory Of the United States. south OF
the line Of British Columbia, and are
directly On the route to our extreme
northwest possession. Alaska. The
wheat crop OF the states Of Oregon ana
Washington for the year 1899 is 49,
600 900 bushels. There was exported
during the year sIied June 30, 1893,
from the Columbia river direct TO for
eign ports, LOO, 900 barrels OF -four.
and from Puget sound points 800, 900
barrels. Colorado, which, with Its in
exhaustible mines OF gold, silver, lead,
iron and coal. forms almost an en-
pire In itself, will produce this year OF
1899 Of gold. S24, 900, 900; OF silver, $14,-
zoo. 900; Of lead, $4,000, 900, In addition
to n magnificent crop OF wheat, fruit,
and vegetables. Thanks to her rail-
road facilities Montana Is today the
richest mineral region OF It's size In
the world. The latest published sta
t~istics-those Of 1897-give the mineral
output Of Montana az 3b4, 000. 900.
Without railroads. Kansas, Nebraska,
Minnesota. North and South Dakota,
Montana, Colorado. California, Oregon
and Washington would still be the
home OF savages.
Our passenger service Is the finest
or earth. In the United States last
year the UTbt-cIhbb rates averaged l.S5
cents per mile. although on some large
railways the average was several mills
less than two cents per mile; In Eng
land the frst-class fare Is four cents
per mile; third-class fare for vastly in
ferior service Is two cents per mile,
but only on certain parliamentary
trains.
'In Prussia. the fare Is three cents
per mile; In Austria, 3.06 cents per
mile, and In France, 1886 cents pei
mile.
Our passenger cars excel those oi
foreign countries In all that goes &c
make up the comfort and convenience
OF a journey. Our sleeping and parlol
car system is vastly superior TO theirs
our baggage system Is infinitely bet
ter than theirs and arranged upon {
much more liberal basis. American
| railroads carry 100 pounds Of baggage
, free, while the German railroads carry
. only 55 pounds free. The lighting o
our trains is superb, while the light
| ing OF trains on most foreign lines |,
, wretched."