St. Clair and Wayne 347 



of these townships into lots ("sections") of one 

 square mile six hundred and forty acres each. 

 The ranges, townships, and sections were duly num 

 bered. The basis for the whole system of public 

 education in the Northwest was laid by providing 

 that in every township lot No. 16 should be reserved 

 for the maintenance of public schools therein. A 

 minimum price of a dollar an acre was put on the 

 land. 



Congress hoped to find in these Western lands a 

 source of great wealth. The hope was disappointed. 

 The task of subduing the wilderness is not very re 

 munerative. It yields a little more than a livelihood 

 to men of energy, resolution, and bodily strength 

 and address; but it does not yield enough for men 

 to be able to pay heavily for the privilege of under 

 taking the labor. Throughout our history the pio 

 neer has found that by taking up wild land at a low 

 cost he can make a rough living, and keep his fam 

 ily fed, clothed, and housed; but it is only by very- 

 hard work that he can lay anything by, or mate 

 rially better his condition. Of course, the few very 

 successful do much more, and the unsuccessful do 

 even less; but the average pioneer can just manage 

 to keep continually forging a little ahead, in matters 

 material and financial. Under such conditions a 

 high price can not be obtained for public lands ; and 

 when they are sold, as they must be, at a low price, 

 the receipts do little more than offset the necessary 

 outlay. The truth is that people have a very misty 

 idea as to the worth of wild lands. Even when the 



