Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-25
OKLAHOMA.
Wonderful Growth and Prospects of
the Youngest State

| tTc IOunScSt Stdte.
! Oklahoma, the forty-siNth State in the
| numerical order of its admission To the
confederation, is a striking illustration of
the marvellous development OF this coun-
| lN in alth and in all productive re-
sources While its condition of statehood
| was in process Of creation Oklahoma was
| lalidly growing in population aud other
wise IN importance. so that When its
| boundaries We're defined ard settlers who
Had been waiting for the signal Of lawful
| entry 'ilon the virgin soil, leaped across
the border there WAS the nucleus for a
population composed of the most cner-
@ctlc pioneers the world has ever seen.
| 1T tho time of its admission to the Union
| IN November. 1901 it had a population OF
| .iU~o the State now has two cities
with an aggregate Of 35,00,. six with $3.50
ana l. with an average Of 3.7J0 making
| a population Of nearly 1000 in cities
alone. It's area Of ~ 436 square miles is
| by no means occupied exclusively by aeri-
cutullsts: il has large business enter
! priscs. rs shown lv it's 3l2 National and
%. stat banks with an aggregate capital
or both classes amounting to ST go 600
surplus Of S35lo,0n deposits Of g. 5000 oo)
and total resources Of $95,5oo,coo
IN thc Nenr Of its nativity Oklahoma
raised 23,'oo1o bnshes of wheat, though
| it WAS an Nnfavorable season fer that
| crop: 1l3.2'0.""1 bushels of conn and $50
| Nv, bush'ls of oats. AT the beginning of
| more than 100000 head Of cattle and
l.tN.T" hogs In the season of l$if- 1907
ne yield of cotton was 3l5"0,0O0 pounds.
which was worth on the farm. $40. o00. 40
The returns from fruit culture and IRON
minor crops amount to many millions and
it is nov. next to Kansas. one Of the
greatest agricultural and livestock states
In the Union. hence the above noted at
traction Of banking capital and of produc-
tive entor prises to The State.
Wher Kansas cilahoma'S sister State
on the north, WAS, in 1861. born into state
hood, it had = population Of lO7, 1c6 in its
ar a of 5000 square miles: Okla homa rad,
rs above shown. l,i"0.Wd inhabitants
in an area 12.oho miles less. In 1880 the
former had one million of population,
nearly half n million fewer than the new
est State. an infant OF six months old.
has now. When nine years of age. or II;
1870 Kansas reported yield of 2333 Goa
bushels Of wheat 1f 66G,U'n of corn and
%G66.0oH Of oats. ard its live stock
was but little in excess of one million
head: the contrast Of this agricultural
growth With that of the newborn State
is Slrprcmg
When Kansas and it's neighhor We're
discovered" the territory was a political
battlefield. by reason of which Northern
enterprise and capital contributed largely
to its Development and Kansas especially
was energetically exploited as an ideal
haven for Immigrants and as a most at
tractlve field for the occupation of those
at the East who We're seeking settle
ment in the West In every conceivable
way Efforts We're made to Argument the
n"prlatcd area Of the State as a foil to
the encr"acmnent Of the less desirable
politically. inhabitants of States across
the line Of Mason and Dixon: notwith-
standing such efforts. however. its growth
was small, compared with that of Okla
hona. during the corresponding period
1t IS true that the Civil War contributed
much to arrest the growth of Kansas in
its childhood. and it was not until the
tide Of immigration swert over the en-
ti"c Southwest territory that Kansas
showed 1sm, substantial development BY
yoa"s old. the number Of National and
state banks was 1893. With 4 capital Of
- millions: surplus Of Il and profits of
l IS millions: Oklahoma row has
greater n,mher Of hanks by almost four
hundred. with nearly an equal capitali
zatrn. hut % "a millions larger deposits
though only six months Old.
With such start this in the race
for supremacy between the Youngest and
one Of the oldest Of the States in the
Southwest hat may be expected in the
near future? Kansas probably offers bet
| ter opportunities than does Oklahoma for
| industrial enterprises she is gridironed
with railroads which convey her products
| nent. and she is the largest grain-growing
state in the country. she has though
practically attained her full measure of
| agricultural development, while oklahoma
has StnpendonS possibilities in her nun
| dreds Of thousands Of acres of land which
| are capable Of yielding vast quantities Of
| cereals, enabling her to take first rank
| among the ~ain-producing States of the
| Southwest. With her mineral resources
her ideal CLIMATE. her diversified crops
her cattlr-rh'sine industries 50 promising
| it will not be long before Oklahoma will
attract a largely increased population and
| surpass in material wealth any Of her
| competitors. The newer States that Will
| in the near future. he added to our fed
| Grafton. can scarcely hope to surpass her
| in agricultural growth: they NAV. how
ever. make greater progress In mining de.
| velnnment. Though the banking field OF
! Oklahoma has been well covered. as il
| shoyn ~ the above record. the growth of
| the State will doubtless be so rapid that
| increased facilities will be demanded and
| he promptly provided IF these new
banks shall he rs successfully conducted
as have been the institutions that were
| organized last wear and that passed
| through the crisis nnscathed, their in
| crease will ho welcomed not only by her
reorle hut by all who regard banking
| d"ve loproent as evidence of prosperity
| n. y. Fnancier.