Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-30
THR AMERICAN NORTHWEST.
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

VIII De greater movement OF people
seeming permanent homes into this reKion
curing the next decade than ever before
known.
me seven states represented BY the
congress include q per cent OF nj, the
territory or the
Seven States Are United states.
Thinly Populated. s snu are e.p,ole.
natural resources. Of supporting a dense
population. although at present they have
less than six million people The wonder
iui increase that has been made in this
direction, however. IL Indicated by the
1act that during the last ten years they
nave increased their population by nearly
two million. which Is just half Of their
population In 1900. In other words, while
the United States. as q whole has IN
creased its population a little over 10 per
cent during the last decade. this great
northwest increased 20 per cent. and the
Increase In wealth. public and private I'm
provement and land development has
been commensurate with the growth Of
population.
No other part OF the world contains
larger areas Of rich mineral wealth more
easy Of access. besides it's enormous Tim
Der acreage and other natural RESOURCES
The wonderful fertility Of the soil Il
demonstrated by the variety, quality and
quantity OF the crops raised. The enor-
nous apples, potatoes and other products
shipped east are regarded as almost ah-
normal In size. although representin9 the
average production Of the northwestern
states. From these seven states last
year came IS per cent Of the wheat crop,
15 per cent OF the OATS 80 per cent OF
the barley. q per cent OF the wool and
81 per cent OF the max seed produced In
the United States last year. These are
only examples OF what these states al
ready are doing In providing for the de-
mands OF commerce. Their dairyfng in
dustries are becoming important, and
there are numerous other activities al
ready Well under way. Last year the
their acreage. Within the last ten years
the improved acreage in these states has
increased over 30 per cent, and the aver
age value Of the farm lands has in
the total value Of all the farm lands
and buildings from N.440. TT 600 to
1900. 614. 600. Here one sees in their
greatest perfection the highest grades Of
improved farm machinery: No old-time
ana harvesting OF the great farms, al
though there are IN the vicdnitiee Of
towns supplying market facilities thou.
sands Of small truck farms operated by
small farmers
A pregnant source OF aid In the de-
velopment Of this great territory Is the
excellent railroad
Good Railroad facilities. which
Facilities Offered. t s c"mm.na Of
the markets. Three great transcontinental
railroads cross these states, giving them
almost an eight OF the railway mileage
OF the entire country. While the average
mileage in the United States was about
miles for every 10000 peo-
pie. in this region 1t IL hfty-two miles.
so that the railroad communication here
is practically double that OF the average
throughout the country.
A feature Of the agricultural develop
ment of this great region has been the
scientific methods which prevail for the
of the land. Profiting by the
examples Of the abandoned farms In the
east, the northwestern farmer, who. per-
haps, was born and reared upon an old,
WORKOUT farm in New England. took
early precautions against the possibilities
Of similar conditions in the new terri.
tory and the state authorities are Coop
Grating with the farmers In this matter.
Instead Of concentrating their efforts
upon the production OF an annually de-
creasing yield per acre OF a single grain
the farmers are trying to see how great
q variety Of crops may be raised upon
the same acreage. This IL especially true
in the Dekotas. and the results are prov.
ing satisfactory.
The development OF Alaska 10 another
matter to which this Northwest De-
velopment Congress win give considers.
ton. It will be conspicuously represented
Ia the great products exposition, which u
one Of the means by which the league
will demonstrate the possibilities Of the
country. The FIRST of these eHpoo1Gooo
win be held in Minneapolis next Novsm-
Der, and win be an event Of su13c1ent
Importance to draw great crowds to that
eity, where exhibitions will be mAAo ~
III the products Of the great n0rthWoUk
Gymnasium Glasses 70 Exhibit.