Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-08-27
A Wonderful Increase in All That
Goes to Make the Country Prosper.
ous-History Of Two Decades.
COMPILED FROM STATISTICS,
A Fascinating Account Of American
Progress and Industry and Great
Increase Of Population.

THE Progress of the United States
in its Area, Population and Material
Industries" lately issued in bulletin
form by the government, Is one Of
the most interesting of documents.
1t shows in compact tabular form
the development of the United States
to a great and wealthy nation, all the
material facts being arranged by de-
cades, beginning with 1900 and ending
with 1900. or course any comparison
of the end OF the century conditions
with those found at the beginning OF
the century would show develop
ment from almost nothing to the great
American empire of today.
or far greater importance and inter
est is the growth of the United States
during the last twenty years. Prob
ably no other nation ever made such
rapid strides as the United States has
made since 1880. The official figures
which measure this growth are simply
amazing. Remember that the period
under consideration Is only twenty
years. trihe In the life of nation.
At the beginning of this period the
United States was already one OF the
greatest nations. Its population had
swept across the continent. II had
recovered from the disaster OF the civ
il war 1t had enjoyed years OF large
crops and uninterrupted prosperity.
Yet the development since that time
reads almost like a fairy story rather
than a tale culled from the sober fig
ures of census and other Official sta
tistics.
Since 1880 the population OF the
United States has increased by 80 per
cent.
The aggregate wealth of the coun-
try, "the true valuation of real and
personal property" has more than
doubled-from $4,000. 100000 to s9i,
00O, ,0OO.0 900.
Wealth per capita has increased 80
per cent-from $3.50 to sl,236.
The public debt, less cash in the
treasury, has decreased nearly one
half-from $1,9l9,000,O00 to l,107,OOO.
900.
The debt per capita has dropped
from s3s.27 to sl4.52.
The annual interest charge has d.
minished more than one-half-from
$50, 100000 a year to s35,50O,OO0, and
per capita from sl.59 to "A cents.
The amount of gold coined has in.
creased more than so per cent-from
$62. 100000 a year to s99,OOo,OOO.
The amount of gold In circulation
has nearly trebled-from 1926, 100000
to s611 100000.
The amount of silver in circulation
has more than doubled-sG9. .000, 900,
as compared with $l42,000.00o.
The total circulation of money has
more than doubled-s973 900, 900. com.
pared with $2,055 100000. Circulation
per capita has increased only so per
cent-$l9.41 compared with $26.93.
The number OF national banks has
nearly doubled-2,O56 compared with
1906.
Deposits in national banks have
well nigh trebled--sl ,006 1000, 900 COM
pared with $2.624, 100000.
Deposits in savings banks have al
most exactly trebled-$sl9,000, 900 TO
s2.45O.OOO,OOO.
The number OF depositors in saw
ings banks has increased from 2.235.
900 to 6,1OS,0OO.
That the farmers of the country
have shared In this wonderful increase
of wealth Is clearly shown by further
comparisons of 1880 with 1900.
The value of farms and farm prop
erty has grown from $4,000 600. 900
to s2O, 500. .OOO.O 900.
The value Of the yearly products
of farms has increased from s2,2l2,
OOO, 900 to s3.764 100000.
The value of farm animals has in
creased from sl,Ss2, ,00O, 900 to s2,9s2.
900, 900.
The number OF manufacturing es.
Establishments In the United States has
doubled-from 253,0OO to $4,000.
The value Of the output of these es-
tablshments has increased two and
onehalf times. from $500, 900, 900 to
more than sl3,OOO,O 100000.
The number Of employees in these
establishments has more than doub-
led-2,372OOO to 5.7l9,0O0. The wages
OF these employees has almost trebled
-s9is, ,O00, 900 to s2.735. 100000.
Exports OF merchandise have in.
creased more than 80 per cent. Ex.
ror,s ~ agriculturaI nroducto have