The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-04-10
The United States in 1910

rhree years ago the Greater North Dakota association
nut on an editors writing contest. the subject being
"North Dakota in 1910" About Is North Dakota editors
took part and produced a wealth Of readable and val
,,able material. The future Of North Dakota was painted
In bright colors.
The Judges believed that some of the North Dakota
writers were over-enthusiastic but now comes Floyd
Parsons, one Of the country's leading statistcians, and
offers q similar forecast for the United States that
makes our own writer's look over-modest by comparison.
What Is more, he does not let his imagination run wild,
but figures everything out on q statistical and historical
basis.
He starts out by asserting that even with our restricted
immigration and present birth rate. 100000 more
people will be added to our population by 1910. II the
critical reader can accept that stupendous figure as a
possible fact, he will be prepared for the impressive list
Of mid-century wonders that follows.
Because Of these new millions added to our Inhabitants,
Parsons estimates that the country will have to produce
four triNion more heat units, one and a half billion more
pounds Of sugar, eleven billion more gallons. of gasoline,
one and a quarter billion more pounds Of copper. six
million more tons Of iron ore, sixty million more pairs
of shoes, seventy million more barrels of cement, three
million more motor cars and trucks, two million more
bales of cotton. over three thousand more tons of rubber.
seven million more telephones. and 100 more horsepower
per 1000 inhabitants.
W. are told that every modern house 10 years from
now win be run by . dynamo. and will contain about
1000 feet Of wire and pipes, with at least so outlets for
electrical and gas attachments. There will be glass In
the windows that will let in unadulterated sunshine, but
keep out the public gaze. skyscrapers will be 100 stories
high; passenger buses will carry 100 passengers: better
roads will be built. and more Of them.
Railroads will be electrified and will continue as the
backbone Of American industry, but there will be q lot
Of mergers. Inland waterways will be linked up into a
9lOO0-mile system and will include the Missouri river.
Tugboats fitted with the endless-track principle Of trac-
tor propulsion will be used In all shallow streams. The
generation now growing up Is pictured as air-minded.
Flying will become safe and common, and travelling men
win think nothing of covering 10000 miles q month sell
ing hardware and canned soup. Canning will become a
billion dollar industry.
Farming gets the biggest share Of attention In Parsons
forecast. OF the 81 per cent OF our land area that can
@roduce crops, only . quarter Is being utilized at present.
Ten years from now we are going to consume practically
all the farmers can produce, with only q small amount
left over for export. Bigger areas will be farmed and
there win be . tremendous increase IN the use Of ma
chinery and fertilizers. The present trend toward crop
ss will continue and prosperity Will return to the farm.
The people have grown into the habit Of calling this
ne electrical age. but according to Parsons. It has not
vt arrived. The country, he says. Is Of present using
niYn,sky.aeyen billion ktlowatt HOURS. but taat viii Be more
tim doubled BY 1910, and the use Of electricity on farms
ytkancsease III pr cent. Last but not least there viii
s1e srSR3d masket ~ coal Ia lSso. which ought = -
hh6ffxsxniag news - ths mine operators and b~riquetters
u ths l-iaGou4 slcps afes q North Dakota.