Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-04-30

s7.3: of foreign born. 1921. In 1850 the
west had only Sc per cent of the total
population of the union. In 1900 it had
27.5 per cent. NJ. Henry Il. Reed, sec
Rotary of the Lewis and Clark centen-
NAL to be held next year at Portland,
Oregon who coilaborates Il mass OF in
teresting and vital statistics in an arti-
i Gle IN the April North American Review
gives an interesting insight into the
magical progress which the great
west has made in less than two genera
tons. In ls4S. q member of the United
Estates senate in the course of debate
said contenptuously that the territory
then known as Oregon was worthless
for agricultural purposes and that he
| would not give pinch of snuff for it.
Yet the Oregon country. as Mr. Reed
j.explains, has given the union three
states and part of its territory has
been taken TO form two other states.
| 1t has 100000 farms, valued at $780,
100000. It's occupation by Americans
was the direct cause of the annexation
of California.
Mr.. Reed includes Louisiana and
Arkansas among the 10 states and 1
territories which he groups into the
great west The other states of the
group are Colorado. Idaho, California.
Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Montana. Nebraska, Nevada. North Da-
kota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas,
Utah, Washington and Wyoming. In
| 1870 the only cities in these 10 states
which had population exceeding 1907
600 were st. Louis, New Orleans and
| San Francisco In 1900 there were 10
[cities with a population greater than
! 100000. The area. of this new farms
opened since 1850 is nearly equal In the
aggregate to the land area OF the orig
| inal thirteen states. North Dakota,
with a population of 100000, has more
| farming land. under cultivation by
/ 100000 acres than has all New Eng
Hand, with nearly 20 times the popula-
ton. Iowa has $4,000 more farms than
all New England combined. Texas, with
3521g0 farms, leads the union.
The west had in 1900, 2.os6,74S farms,
/ as against 1880 in 1850. The value
/ Of the farms of the west was nearly so
per cent OF the aggregate value of all
d farm lands. The value of the farm
products of the United States In 1900
was s4,73s.11s.752. The value of west
I.srn farm products was $1,000, 766,slb.
I'm 1900 the west produced 431,96s.90o
bushels of wheat, 1.s6S,9S3.943 bushels
4 OF corn. $4,000. 600 bushels of barley and
/ a54 100000 bushels of oats Ut leads
/ the rest OF the country in focRs and
1 herds. In 1900 the aggregate number
/ of dairy cows. other neat cattle. horses.
mules, sheep and swine in the west was
I12716a.4so OF the total exports of the
1 UnibSsd States in 1901 the west reported
s354.6s2.o75. or % per cent. This does
Include the enormous quantity of
western pIoducts which are brought to
4 eastern ports for export. In 1900 the
west produced 80 per cent of this ma
tion's gold. and SO per cent Of its silver.
In 50 years California yielded gold val
Med at 1885, 1877, otl0--about one-eighth
Iof the total gold production of the world
i in that period. One third of the stand-
/ ing timber of the country. it Is esti-
mated Is in three western states
Ioregon Washington, and California.
The lumber product of the west in 1900
was s1s4,1351eS The railroads of the
i ives. constitute As per cent of the total
mileage in the United States. In 1850
there were 81 banks west of the Miss
lissippi river with deposits aggregating
1 $4,000 600. In 1902 the individual de-
4 nosits in national banks alone amount
ed 10 $3.50 100000, and the loans and
discounts to s6l5.ooo,000.
"A hundred years are but day. The
| changes OF the past century are only
a promise of the progress of the years
a promise of the progress OF the
opened the exposition of 1904 can no
more conceive what the great west will
ibe in 2O04 than Jefferson could foresee
4 the present from his view point Of 1903
But 1T will be a greater, broader and
better country that American intelli-
! oanca will build tomorrow.