The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-12
Department Of Commerce and
Labor Issues Some Figures
Regarding Territory Included
in Louisiana Purchase.
is LARGER IN AREA
Than the Original Thirteen
States of the Union.
Population Is One-fifth That
OF the United States.

Some interesting data regarding the
present productions of the area in
cluded in the Louisiana Purchase are
given in a publication just issued by
the department of commerce and Ia
| Dor through its bureau of statistics
entitled Territorial and Commercial
Expansion of the United States" The
information is summarized as follows:
The land area of the Louisiana pur-
| chase exceeds that of the original
| thirteen states, being S75,025 square
miles, against land area of $780, 44
square miles in the original thirteen
states. The states and territories
which have been created in whole or
in part from it's area number four
teen, and their population in 1900
was 14,708,616, against a population
of less than 100000 in the territory
at the time of its purchase. Their to-
tai area is nearly one-third that of
the entire Union, and their population
about one-fifth that of the entire
United States. They produced in 1899,
1874, 100000 bushels Of wheat, and in
1903, 374,000,000 bushels, at a value
in 1903, of $685., 100000, their total
wheat production being nearly so per
cent. of that of the entire United
States. They produced sos, 000,0 900
bushels of corn in 1890 and 973.SS4,-
900 bushels in 1908, with a value in
1903 of 1852, $4,000, their total corn
crop forming 40 per cent. in 1890 and
in 1903 over 3 per cent of the total
corn crop of the United States. Of
oats they produced in 1908, 331, 000,-
900 bushels or AZ per cent. of the
total product of the country, with
valuation of s99.0OO,00O. Their pro-
duction of barley in 1903 was valued
at over S25, 100000, and of rye at over
$3,O00,OoO; while their production of
Irish potatoes in 1908 was over $34,-
OOo, 900; of hay, $1,000, 600, and OF
value of the agricultural products of
the states formed from the Louisiana
purchase, including in that category
simply wheat corn, oats, barley, rye,
hay, and potatoes, was in 1899 given
as 1852, 0O0,O 900, and in 1903 it had in
creased to 1855, $4,000. The wool
product of these states amounted in
1894 to 61,871,357 pounds, and in
1903 to S9,853,500 pounds, or 80 per
cent. of the total wool product of the
United States, with an estimated value
of about $16,OOO,000, or more than
the cost of the entire area. The value
of the farm animals in these states
uary l. 1904, the value was $1,119,-
$4,000. Add to these easily meas
ured farm products the estimated
value of the wool, the sugar, the dairy
and poultry products, and the pro-
portion of the live stock annually
turned into provisions, and it may be
safely estimated that the agricultural
products of a single year amount to
100 times the original cost of the
area; or. in other words. that its cost
is repaid by 1 per cent of the agricul-
tural products of each recurring year.
Mineral Wealth.
The product of the mines is also
of very great value. The coal pro-
duced in this area in 1902 amounted
to 100000 tons, against 100000
tons in 1890; the iron ore to 1859
900 tons in 1902, against 1,269,0OO
tons in 1890; the silver product of
1902 to $37.S37,576 in coming value.
against s44,799,99S in 1890, and gold
$40, 800 in 1902, against $1O,65O,-
900 in 1890.
Banking Statistics.
The prosperity shown by these fig |
ureS is further evidenced by the bank |
ing institutions of the states formed |
from this territory. Their capital |
stock amounted in 1908 to over s103,-
10000, against about $98, 100000 in |
1890; their circulation to $56,453,00O, !
against $15,644.000 in 1890; their
loans and discounts in 1903 to $780,
1000, against $3.50, o16,ooo in 1880,
and their total resources in 1903 to
s1,713,S $780, 900, against $746, 903, 900 |
in 1890, while still more gratifying
evidence of the prosperity of this sec
posits in national banks in 1903
amounted to $47122O,O0O, against !
6,609,000 in 1890, an increase of
more than 100000 in individual
deposits during the period.
Educational Conditions.
A study of educational conditions
shows equally rapid and gratifying
development. The pupils enrolled in
he public schools in the states in
question in 1890 numbered 2,5SO,495,
employed numbered, in 1890, S9,55S,
Ind in 1902, 1f0,263, and the expen-
iiture for public schools in 1890 was
$50, 2S4,752, and in 1902. $45, 3O1.677.
1t high schools in 1902 was 1921,
With 1854 teachers; in attendance at
normal schools, 49, 33 students with
80 teachers, and at higher educa-
ional institutions. 45,S02 students and
,446 teachers. The total figures of
he number of teachers and attend
lnce of scholars for schools and edu-
,ational institutions in the fourteen
tates formed from the Louisiana
purchase show: Teachers, in 1890,
'5,365; in 1902, 121,253; attendance
n 1890, 2.67O, 541; in 1902, 3,617,699.
Newspapers.
The number of newspapers and Pc
published in this area in
$50 was 4,759, and in 1903 the num-
Der was 5,741; the number of post
,ffices in 1890 was 1914, and in 1903
t was 16,437; the miles of railway in
operation in 1890 numbered 51,823,
md in 1902 there were 62,403 miles
,eing operated. or nearly 81 per cent
# the total railway mileage of the
country.
Future Possibilities.
The power of this vast area with it's
and mineral wealth to |
ustain a population much greater
han that which it now supports is
by a comparison of it's area
With the area and population of the
countries of Europe. The
otal area is S75,02 square miles and
3 slightly less than that of the United
Netherlands, Belgium, Ger
many, France, Spain, Italy, and Switz-
rland, whose total area is SS5,
quare miles. with a present popula-
ion of 202. 363,573, as against a pop