The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-26
HISTORY OF THE PURCHASE.


1
It's Marvellous Growth Since Acquir.
ed by Thomas Jefferson.
The Louisiana Purchase, the centennial
celebration of the acquisition of which was
the purpose of the banquet last night, was
secured from France by President Jeffer-
son in 1903. The territory acquired by
the purchase covered S97,931 square miles
and contained 81, S73,920 acres.
The Louisiana Purchase proper en-
braces the entire States of Arkansas, Mis-
souri,. Iowa. Nebraska, North and South
Dakota, nearly all OF wyoming, Colorado.
Montana, Louisiana, and Kansas, a part
of Minnesota, the whole Of the Indian Ter
ritory. and a part of Oklahoma Territory.
The. sum paid by President Jefferson for
this vast expanse of what is now the
United States was S11, 250 600. In 1890 the
value of real and personal property alone
ly $500, 100000, and in that year these
States had population Of 100000.
Despite the opposition of the antian-
nexationists, President jefferson, follow
ing the Democratic policy, began the ne
gotiations which resulted in the acquisi-
ton of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1900
the total area of the United States was
S27, Si4 square miles. jefferson saw that
the Louisiana Purchase would give control
of the Mississippi and would double the
area of the United States, and when the
French cession was completed. the United
States covered an area of ,725,175 square
miles.
In 1900 Napoleon compelled Spain to
make a secret cession to France of the
territory included in the Louisiana Pur-
chase. The First Consul then prepared to
send an army to New Orleans for the pur-
pose of establishing his authority in his
new possessions. The Government of the
United States at once demonstrated against
such proceeding.
Bonaparte was in trouble. France was
threatened with wars at home and the
English enemy hung over the possessions.
Napoleon then said: They 1.-THE English
shall not have the Mississippi, which they
covet. ] have not a moment to lose in put
ting it out of their reach. think of ceding
it to the United States. In the hands of
this growing power it will be more useful
to the policy and commerce of France than
if I should attempt to keep it,
The French counselors disagreed and
Napoleon then said: 1T is not only New
Orleans that / will cede 1t is the whole
colony, without reservation"
Monroe in some manner guessed later on
that the cession of Louisiana would mean
the whole territory, and was mainly in
strumental in effecting an agreement as to
the terms of transfer.
President Jefferson then appointed James
Monroe and Robert r. Livingstone to ne
gotiate the purchase. Livingstone was
han tcfn to a,,I
sent as Minister Extraordinary. Both were
eminent Americans who had contributed
aid in the establishment of the American
Republic. The Marquis de Marbois acted
as the agent of France. On April 80, 1903,
the terms of transfer were agreed upon and
Louisiana was coded to the United States
The American Governor took possession
of the purchase on December 20. 1903, the
American troops entered New Orleans, and
the French and Spanish troops marched
out. The occupancy is cited as one Of the
grandest events in our history.
The boundaries of the Louisiana Pur-
chase were finally fixed as far west as
Montana and as far north as Minnesota,
extending to the Canadian line. The ter
ritory embraced produces nearly all of the
gold, silver. and wheat of the country,
and the value of the resources can hardly
be estimated
Inc area OF the purchase Is seven times
that Of Great Britain and Ireland. more
than four times that of the German En-
pire, or OF the Austrian Empire, or of
France. more than three times that of
Spain and Portugal. more than seven times
the size OF Italy. and twice that of Egypt
ten times that of Turkey and Greece, three
times that of Sweden and Norway. and
six times that of the Japanese Empire. 1t
is also larger than Great Britain. Ger
many. France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy
combined
1t produced in 1896 1,1i5. 1877 .Os1 bushels
OF corn, valued at s191. Sl2. $40. and ISL
395, 1S6 bushels of wheat. valued at Sill
iSs.251, and 26O,S221 us bushels of oats val
ued at S4l. $780, 66. Thus the total value
Of the production of corn. wheat, and oats
alone for one year amounted TO S3ii. 96I, 1873.
while the cost of the territory was but
81. $50 600.
Colorado alone produced In 1896 gold.
silver. copper. and lead valued at 49,, 1854,
)33. The cattle and sheep in Colorado are
valued at SS5 1000, 900. Live stock in Wyom-
ing is valued at 1900. 600. Montana pro-
iuced $4,000, 900 In minerals In 1897
From an UNEMPLOYED tract OF country in
1909 the Louisiana Purchase has become a
great. wealthy, populated group of States
and Territories. embracing over 200 cities
and with population of over $4,000. 600.