Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-02-17

1910 with that Of 1920. and ascertain
ing thus the actual increase &c ponula.
ton IN each division between those ne
RODS, ASSUME that they have rpspcc.
lively continued 10 increase at the
same rate from 1890 Ia 1850. And
though this IL. after all. but a conjec
ture, u affords, I imagine. a very near
approximation To the truth, In regard
TO the three great districts extending
from the sea coast To the Aiisrhany
mountain, whose respective increase
may be supposed to have been little ar.
tectcd by immigration, for many years
past, and affected about as much by
emigration. during The last ten wears,
a. IN the preceding ten.
The Underwater district, composed Of
30 counties. contained, ia 1910, Of
Waite population, 1921
~ contained IN 1870, 16i, 6S7
u mas gone on TO increase ut the
same rate. IL contains, in 1850, 10. SOS
The middle district, from the falls of
the riverto the Blue ridge, compos-
ed of - counties, contained. in
ioio' 1855. $50
~ Contained IN 1870, 1877. 1855
u contains. NJ the same rate of in
crease; in 1859. ls9. 800
Total white population cast of the
ridge, !" 1850. 359.934
Total white population in same coun-
try IN 1920. 3is.s
,n@1esse IN ten years, ll.06l
The valley district, composed of Is
countless contained. in 1910, Of
white population. los. S55
u contained, IN 1920, I2l. O96
IL contains. in 1880. at the same rate
oil increase, .i5j.3S5
There is, I think, great reason 10
doubt whether this mode OF calculation
would lead to correct results in regard
to the trans-Alleghany population. IN
1870 that great district contained n
white population OF but $685.. IL
was new country. however. and il
contained a certain portion of "a fine
aiIuvlai land a. could be found in the
world. The 'Kehhawa bottoms and
the Ohio bottoms were almost proven
bal Tor their fertility. though for the
most part exceedingly narrow. These
fertile low grounds were sought with
avidity by emigrahts 10 the west, WIN
could GO, at that time, neither beyond
the Mississippi, because Louisiana be-
ionsed TO Spain, nor beyond the Ohio,
which was occupied by the Indian
tribes. Through the combined opera.
ton of these causes. the white popuIa
tiun Of the trans.Alleghanv country in
creased, in the ten years between 1890
and 1900, from 3S,s34 to 20, 9l4--or
at the rate Of 9Sl per cent.
For u considerable part Of the next
ten years, from 1900 10 1910, the coun-
Try beyond the Mississippi was sill
under foreign rule, and the purchases
from the Indians beyond the Ohio were
limited IN extent. So that the trans
Allegheny country in Virginia still Gu
joyed the benefit uf large immigra.
ton and il would probably have gone
on To increase at nearly the same rate
as IN the preceding ten years, So great
was the current Of emigration to HE
west, but for the operation of two eau
ses. One was, that the finest tracts
along the rivers were, to a great ex.
tent, already occupicd--thc other. that
cmigrants began, by this time, To dis j..
cover that the titles to land in that
.
the Ohio aud Mississippi. II never
iheless increased in white population
from %, 01f 10 1OI,51I-or at the rate
OF - pes cent.
From 1910 90 1890, the causes re &.
iarding Us increase continued to ope
rate, aud some Of them with increased
force. The best lands were still near
e. the point u being fully occupied,
and the land.titles continued still inse.
cure. though perhaps less 80. 1t ac-
cordingly increased, IN these ten yesrs,
but p per cent, or from lO4.5.I 10
1919. could not help being struck,
Un examining tbs subject, With the
-tesdgness and regularity with which
the rate Of increase diminished from
1900 TO 1920. In the fret ten years
Iof these twenty, the rate sc increase
when compared with tie rate 81 IT,
crease IN the preceding ten years, Is
found to have diminished 10 per cent.
and a fraction. Ia the second ten
years 81 these twenty, the rate Of IN.
cfease, when o0inpaicd with that Of tie
FIRST ten years, j. found TO have diniin
Ishei 81 pes cent. and fraction. II
the rate Of increase ia lhc last ten years,
from 1880 TO 1850, when compared
with that from 1910 10 1920, has fallen
OF a. much rs the ratc 90 lncre4se frsm
1910 10 1920 did, when compared with
The estimate made IN my rrmsfts address
! esi to the conseniiOn. b. fore shudsd ~. -.
formed on thc ssrse pfiat piss. bot - ,igiai,