This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 edition. Excerpt: ...before him showing the marvelous growth of the vast country beyond the Missouri river, a man recently delved into the past history of what was once known as the "Great American Desert," so that he might prepare a few comparative tables. He went so far back that he found a beginning not only in the nothingness quite usual to a new coun and greaseweed and sanddunes, but now comprising a half million acres of irrigated garden lands, and producing last year 16 million dollars worth of agricultural and horticultural products. It is within this section that the greatest development agency of the land, the National Irrigation congress, will hold its sessions, Pueblo, September 26-30. Another example of the change is the valley of the Platte. once a dismal and dry region, produced corn in 1908 valued at 90 million dollars. Superlative expressions only tell the story adequately of the advancement in the "Great American Desert." Kansas values her livestock in 1908 at nearly 500 million dollars. The output of mines of gold and silver dwindles into insignificance when compared with the yearly produc A Colorado Storage Reservoir. try but found also a prophecy that the region, which now produces in various ways over two thousand millions of dollars worth of marketable things a year, was relegated 70 years ago to the position at present occupied by the Desert of Sahara. The period of propliecy was 1843. The occasion was a bill for the establishment of a mail route across the "desert." The place was the United States Senate, and the prophet was Daniel Webster. He knew of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and had read about it. He knew of the Oregon and California trails. He opposed the bill. He called the vast area now...