Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-19
WHEN UNCLE SAM BUYS LAND.


WHEN UNCLE SAM BUYS LAND.
Deals In Which More Than Half Mil
lion Square Miles Were Involved.
Since the American colonies threw
Off the CALLING yoke Of English rule
and became an independent nation,
Uncle Sam" has been the largest real
estate dealer the world has ever pro-
duced.
Instead Of trading in a few town
lots or an occasional thousand acre
farm, the government has transacted
wholesale business, dealing In thou
sands of square miles and on three
separate occasions the transfers have
involved more than half a million
square miles each.
Commencing with the purchase from
Napoleon in 1903 of what is known as
the Louisiana Purchase" tract Of
S75,025 square miles, extending from
the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian
border and from the Mississippi river
to the Pacific ocean, for which $15,-
100000 were paid, the United States
has bought land whenever opportunity
presented itself, until no European
power owns a square foot Of territory
on this continent with the single ex-
ception Of England, who still retains
her Canadian possessions.
Originally the English colonies were
supposed to extend from the Atlantic
to the Pacific coast, but in reality no
effort was made by them or the moth
er country to occupy any part Of the
unknown country west OF the Missis-
sippi river. Even their attempts to ex-
pand beyond the Allegheny mountains
were strenuously and successfully op-
posed by the French for many years.
BY virtue Of owning land on both
sides of the mouth Of the Mississippi
river, Spain claimed control Of that
river, thus shutting In without an out
let all the country west Of the then i'm
p6SSdDle TnOuHtdluS.
Later Spain was forced to cede the
Louisiana Territory to France, but her
sovereignty lasted a comparatively
short time. When Napoleon had be-
come 80 involved in wars that he stood
alone against the whole Of Europe he
saw the utter impossibility Of protect
ing his American possessions against
the superior navy of England, and
gladly seized upon the opportunity to
rid himself Of something he could not
hold and at the same time put $15,000,-
900 gold dollars into his Golfers In Par
Is. Mr.. Jefferson, president Of the
United States, no less gladly accepted
the chance Of acquiring the territory
at an almost nominal cost, and at the
same time taking the first step toward
what afterward became known as the
Monroe Doctrine America for Ameri-
cans"
This territory of S75,025 square
miles, nearly eighteen times as large
as the state Of New York, contains the
great gold. silver and copper mines Of
the Black Hill and the wonderful prai-
rle lands which have become the
granary Of the world. For this rich
country the United States paid 22-3
cents per acre.
Think Of buying eighteen states the
size of New York for $15,O0O,OO0. the
cost Of one bridge across the East
river
Our next royal customer was Fer
dinand VII OF Spain.
Having squandered his ready cash in
vain attempts to regain his South
American possessions, he was sadly In
need Of money to keep up his dissipat-
ed court and licentious indulgences,
which had cost his country so dearly
in men, morals and money.
Ferdinand's minister Of finance hav-
ing exhausted every source from which
funds could be procured, suggested the
sale Of the Land Of Flowers" Florida,
as a last resort. Negotiations were
entered into with the
United States, which resulted in the
transfer of this jewel from the Spanish
crown to the starry field Of the Union
flag. Thus, for $5,500,000, sufficient to
enable Ferdinand to continue his ex-
travagant pleasures for a brief period
Uncle Sam became the possessor OF
7O,1O7 square miles Of territory, and
one more European thorn was drawn
from North America.
While the cost, 123 cents an acre,
was considerably higher than the Lou
isana Purchase, 1t must be remem-
bered that in those days Florida was
much more accessible than the terri
tory west Of the Mississippi.
In 1S4S. after the close of the war
with Mexico, that country ceded to the
United States 523,SO2 square miles Of
land for the sum Of $13,250,000, $3,-
$50, 900 Of which was to be paid to the
citizens Of the United States who held
war claims against Mexico.
This magnificent property included
the present states of California, Ari-
zona and New Mexico, containing some
of the richest mineral and agricultural
land in the world. The cost was
little less than Al cents an acre.
Thaoa nurohocpo from Franco Snain