312 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS . 



machinery afforded the chief attraction, and aroused the greatest 

 possible interest. Only one exhibit compared with them in 

 popularity, another comparatively new labor-saving device, 

 the sewing machine. 



There was definite increase of population in all the agricul- 

 tural states, as shown by the census and by the school statistics. 

 Illinois, by the United States census in i860, contained 1,71 1,915 

 people; in 1865, by the state census, 2,141,510, a gain of 

 430,000. The number of scholars of school age rose from 

 472,000 to 580,000; the number of teachers increased by 2500. 

 Wisconsin in the five years gained 90,000 population, 47,000 

 children of school age, and 460 teachers. Minnesota, the newest 

 state, gained 78,000 people, and showed an increase of 900 

 teachers. Iowa gained 180,000 people; Kansas, 35,000; and 

 Nebraska, 30,000. Aside from natural increase, one source of 

 the increase in population was foreign immigration, attracted 

 partly through the active personal efforts of agents in Europe, 

 sent out by states, railroads, and private individuals, partly through 

 descriptive pamphlets, which were sent broadcast. From 1861 to 

 1865 some 45,000 immigrants, on landing in New York, con- 

 tinued their journey to Illinois ; 23,000, to Wisconsin ; 7000, 

 to Iowa; and 5000, to Minnesota. There were many refugees 

 from the border and slave states, especially in Illinois. Although 

 it is impossible to measure this movement, numerous references 

 in the press and in the reports of railroad presidents leave no 

 doubt that it was strong. In 1863 it was reported that one-third 

 of the land sales of the Illinois Central Railroad were to these 

 Southern settlers. 



Then there was immigration from other states, especially from 

 the East, where there was a pronounced tendency towards de- 

 population of country districts and small towns. In New York 

 State, out of a total of 948 cities and towns, there were 505 

 that decreased in population from i860 to 1865, 463 of which 

 had shown an increase in i860 over 1855. In Massachusetts, 

 out of a total of 385 cities and towns, 197 showed a decrease 

 in 1865 over i860, and 102 of these 197 had shown an increase 

 in i860 over 1855. The same conditions existed in Rhode 



