The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-11-24

Francisco
day night-four days from New YORK.
The trainers of our constituii,n would
have considered a man entirely beside
himself who would have suggested such |
a possibility. -,
In 1875 the states east OF the Missouri |
river were sending food and clothing |
10 the starving people Of kansas
Thanks to the facilities afforded by The |
railroads the corn crop OF kansas TINS
year is 34O,OO0,oOo bushels.
1t seems but very few years. said
the sneaker, since | made my first trip
10 Colorado. and stopped on my way
al the home of Buffalo Bill, at North
Platte, Neb. on the Union Pacific. Al
| Ogalalla, 81 miles west OF North Platte,
| the Sioux Indians were roaming over
the praries and making more or less
trouble for the early settlers who VEN
tured so far out Of the beaten paths OF
civilization. The Nebraska corn crop
this year covers 100000 acres, and the
yield is 2oO,0o0,o 600 bushels.
Previous TO the construction OF the
| Northern Pacific, the Great Northern,
Northwestern, St. Paul, Burlington,
ana other railways that traverse that
wonderful region known as the wheat
belt" there was nothing to be seen but
! prairie grass and an occasional band or
untamed savages.
Development of Pacific Const.
In 1s49 there came across the conti-
nent reports of the discovery Of gold
in California. but the only means OF
reaching its Golden Gate was by sea
around Cape Horn, or the long and per-
ilous journey. with OK teams, across the
plains. including what was then styled
in our Biographies the American des-
ert. and through the hazardous noun
tain passes of the western part of the
continent The completion of the Pa
cific railroads changed all this. and
opened new fields for all kinds Of enter
prises. in an UNEMPLOYED territory
stretching over more than 1000 miles
TO the west. northwest and southwest
of the Mississippi river, the products OF
which region were practically valueless
until the means Of transporting hem
were provided by the railroads. The
wheat crop of California this year is
100000 bushels. The largest crop
ever produced in California was in 1850.
when owing to exceptionally favorable
weather conditions that state produced
63.0O0,000 bushels. The gold u;put Of
California for the year 1899 is estimated
at S16,0O000O. The vineyards and or
ange groves OF California would be ot
pract ically little value were il not for
the fact that the railroads, by their
trains Of refrigerator and ventilated
cars. make il possible TO transport the
products Of her fertile valleys TO all Sec
tons OF the country.
1t seems but yesterday that the rail-
roads were completed into Portland,
ore, Tacoma and Seattle, Wash. and il
is marvellous that for the year ended
June 90, 1909. there was exported from
the Columbia River valley 16.C00,O0l
4 bushels Of wheat and from the Puget
y sound region 100000 bushels. Ore
: gon and Washington form the north
p west corner of the territory of thu
! United States south of the line of Brit
ish Columbia and are directly on the
route to our extreme northwest posses
5 sion, Alaska. The wheat crop Of tn,
: states Of Oregon and Washington foi
= the year 1899 is Is, 600 600 bushels. There
: was exported during the year endec
= June 90. 1899. from the Columbia rive
: direct 10 foreign ports 100000 barrel
of flour, and from Puget sound point
. 100000 barrels.
T. Colorado. which, with its inexhaust
e. ible mines OF gold, silver, lead, iron ant
y coal, forms almost an empire in itself
:. will produce this year of 1899 of golo
u S24, 0Oo,Oc0; of silver Sli,2O0,OOO; o
IN lead, Si,4OO.OO0. in addition to mag
Is nificent crop of wheat, fruit and ves
o. tables. Thanks to her railroad facil
y ties, Montana is to-day the richest mir
eral region Of its size in the world. Tn
IS latest published statistics-those {
~ ls91-Cive the mineral output of MOI
nc tana as Sj4, 900.
or Without railroads, Kansas. Nebras
u ka, Minnesota. North and South Dak'
no ia, Montana. Colorado, California, Or
II gon and Washington would still be I'll
~ home of savages.
t. Service of American Railroads.
n, 1t is beyond question that America
go railroads to-day furnish the best ser
ic- ice in the world, at the lowest rates ,
M fare. at the same time paying their en-
10 ployes very much higher wages tina
or are paid for similar service in any 9th,
an country on the globe. In the Unite
~ States the frst-class passenger far
nc last year averaged 2.9s cents per mil
~ although on some large railways II
ne average was several mills less than Nv
- cents per mile; in England the frs
ch class fare is four cents per mile; thir
~ class fare, for vastly inferior service.
-, two cents per mile. but only on certa
=" parliamentary trains. In Prussia Il
..P- fare is three cents per mile; in Au
IN tria, 3.05 cents per mile, and in Franc
iai 3.36 cents per mile.
III Our passenger ears excel those
Oh foreign countries in all that goes TO NAL
up the comfort and convenience Of
els Journey. Our sleeping and parlor c
lls, system is vastly superior TO theirs; o
raj to t,,f pi t.,lx hot Cor