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<br />26 <br /> <br />of those four counties increased by only 6 percent between 1940 and <br />1960. However, there was a substantial shift from rural to urban, <br />resulting largely from expansion of the unincorporated "environs of <br />Sterling, Fort Morljan, and Brush. The changes in population patterns <br />for the four countIes are summarized in table 4. These changes are <br />typical of those in the entire Missouri River Basin during the same <br />period. . <br />TABLE 4.-POPUlATlON IN NARROWS UNIT AREA <br /> <br />Item <br /> <br />1940 <br /> <br />1960 <br /> <br />1950 <br /> <br />Number <br /> <br />Percent <br /> <br />Number <br /> <br />Number <br /> <br />Percent <br /> <br />Percent <br /> <br />Urban; <br />Sterling________________________ 7,411 15.1 7,534- 15.7 10,751 <br />~~~;~_o:~~::::: ::::::::::::::: 4,884 ,., 5,315 11.1 7,379 <br />1(2,481) (5.0) 1(2.,431) (5.1) 3,621 <br />SubtotaL_____ _._.n_n____ 12,295 25.0 12,849 26.8 21,751 <br />Rural: <br />Farm__________________________ 24,962 50.7 21,157 44.2 14,708 <br />Nonfarm______________________. 11,957 24.3 13,870 29.0 15,902 <br />SubtotaLn_____nnn__ 36,919 75.0 35,027 73.2 30,610 <br />TotaL~_ ____.".n.__.._nn_ 49,214 100.0 47,876 100.0 52,361 <br /> <br />20.5' <br />14.1 <br />6.' <br />41.5 <br /> <br />28.1 <br />30.4 <br />58.5 <br />100.0 <br /> <br />Note: Bureau of the Census data far Morgan, logan, Washington, and Sedgwick Counties. <br />1 Classified as nonfarm In the 194Gand 1950cansus. <br /> <br />GENERAL ECONOMY AND RESOURCES <br />The economy of the general area in which the Narrows unit would <br />be located is now and has always been based primarily upon agriculture. <br />In the early 1950's, the discovery of oil and gas introduced an addi- <br />tional important basic industry to the area. Important, too, but of <br />much lesser significance to the overall economy, is the mining of sand <br />and gravel. <br />In addition to the basic industries, the usual retail trades and <br />services are practiced in the area. Furthermore, there is significant <br />activity in the manufacturing and processing industries. Raw ma- <br />terials for these industries are obtained largely from agriculture. <br />Various aspects of the agricultural economy have displayed dis- <br />similar trend patterns. Volume of p1;'oduction on a year-to-year <br />basis, for instance, has fluctuated quite drastically, but on a long- <br />term basis an upward trend in production has been experienced. <br />The trend in the number of workers employed in agriculture has been <br />steadily downward and the number of farm operators has decreased. <br />Consequently, individual farm units are increasing in size. However, <br />it appears that the number of agricultural workers has already begun <br />to level off and will stabilize near. the present number. Therefore, <br />taking into account both the long-term volume of production and the <br />number of workers involved, it is not likely that agriculture will <br />lose its position as the leading basic economic activity of the area. <br />Based on present trends, the importance of the petroleum industry <br />to the future economy is expected to decline. The mining of sand and <br />gravel, the third type of basic production in the area, has increased <br />significantly over the past several years. Its importance with respect <br />to construction work is very great, but minor with respect to the over- <br />all economy. <br /> <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />;....' <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />;-'-,. <br /> <br />;.' <br /> <br />~ -- <br /> <br />