Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-02-13


mat 'hey have respectively continued to increase at
hc same rate from 1920 to 1880 And though this Is.
after all, GU, conjecture, Affords imagine, very
near approximation to the truth in regard the three
great districts extending from the Sc coast 20 the AL
lrghany mountain whose respec Give Increase may have
been supposed to have been htle affected by mniyra
tion Tor many years past and affected about a. much
by emigration during the last years. as in the pre-
csduy ten
| The tide ater district. composed of Sc covn
ties, contained in 1910 of white population 1853 27I
~ continued IN 1870. l6l 6s7
III ii has gone to increase al the same rate 1,
conains 10 1880, I7O, 5s5
The middle district, fom the falls of the river
to the Blue Rdge. composed If 20 counties,
contained in 1910 1875 $50
II contained in 1870, 1877 lsG
u contains, at the same rate OF Increase in 80 lS9 369
Total white population east OF the Ridge, in
:, 1880. s59,ss4
Total white population in same country, in
1920, Sls,s7s
increase In ten years, IL, 06l
The Valley district, composed Of II counties,
conta ned in 1919, OF while population, los 355
IL contained ia 1920, l2IO96
Ii contains in 1880, at the same rate of in
crease, Sl35,sS5
There is, think great to doubt whether this
mode of calculation would lead 10 correct results in re-
gard TO the Trans ehany population In 1900 that
great district contaued white population Of but 3d.
S3I Ii was new country, however and il contained
cert0in portion OF as fn- auvi,l land could be
found ia ,he wo Id. The "Kanawha boitom,' and the
"Ohio bottoms, were almost proverbial Jr iheir ferti
y, though for the most part exceedingly narrow
These fertile low grounds sought with avidiy NV
emgranis 10 the west who could go, that time, ne-
her beyond the Mississippi, because Louisiana eong
ed to Spain, nor beyond The Ohio which was OCCUPIED
by the Indian tribes. Through the combined opera.
ton Of these causes, the white po puAtion of the Tans
Aleshany county ncreosed in the ten years, between
I19O AMI $780, from 80 S3i TO 10 944-or the rate
OF SO 81 per cent.
For considerable part Of tn. next years, from
isOo to $50, the country beyond the Mississippi
was still under orsgp rule, and the pu rchasee from
the Indians beyond the Ohio limited in extent
50 that the rans-Aeghany country ia Virginia still
enjoyed the benefit of large irnmigra.ior; and il
have IN incre AHA,
the same rate is in the preceding years, great
was the cure Mt OF emigration 10 the west, but for
the operation OF two causes. One was, that the
finest tracts along the rivers were to great extent
already occupied-lhe other, dat emigrants be IAN,
by this time 10 discover that the titles land in that
country were not so secure beyond the Ohio and
Misss'ippi. Ii nevertheless increased in white popu-
laon from 1924 l0i37I-or at the rate of ~ pey
cent.
From 1910 to 1920 the cause. retardne ito Increase
continued TO operate, and of t increased
force The best laads still the point of
being fully occupied and the landttles continued still
insecure, though perhaps less 1t accordingly
creased in these ten years. but Fl l2 per cent, or
from lO437l TO 1919. could help being struck
on examining this subject, with the steadness s. rrgu-
hriiy with which the rate of increase, dimnished
from 1900 TO 1920. IN the first year. of these
twenty, the rate OF inc ease when COMPARED with ,2
rate OF increase in the preceding years, found
to have diminished 43 per cent. and a fraction. In
the second ten years OF these twenty, the rate of ia
crease, hen compared with that OF The first ten wears
IL ound 20 have diminished IL per aud a fraction
Ii the rate OF increase in the last wears from 1921
10 1851, when compared with that from 1910 To 1920
has fallen of much the rate Of increase from
1910 TO 1920 did, when compared with that from 1900
TO 1870, it has been, in these last years. but I6
l-lO per cent.
From the steadiness and uniformity with which the
rate OF increase diminished in the two preceding Pc
rod it seems reasonable 10 infer, that has gone on
diminishing, In about the proportion. And rea-
sons in abundance present themselves to forfy this
conclusion. The whole raAs-A Allegheny district con-
s,ts OF, first, small proportion # very fine auviat
soil; seconi, considerable proportion particularly In
II, hichis
however, very billy; aud third very large proper
ton, probably four times as extensive a. both the 9TH
ers together, OF mountain land, which will probably not
be cultivated, TO any great extent an hundred ars
TO come Much OF it, in fact, being un cuivable ac-
oording to any American notion Of culvsbiiity. In
d" ne" countries, even oil an uniform surface and
quality, the rate OF Increase continues TO sink of
course as they approach tn: point foil po 9ulstion
But, IN country like his, where each he comI.r is
every year, compelled to hinself with worse
ana worse land, the rate Of increase from immigration
must sink still, ihster. II we add To these con,idsr,
tons the continually Increasing facility of enprafio
from that country, in consequence OF the vast increase
oil steam navigation on The western waters, and the
prodsious quantity Of fertile land brlonging TO the
Uaited States and ALWAYS in market low price in
the Western, Southwestern, and North Wes;ern
States aud Territories, shall still further rea-
sons Tor believing, that the rate OF increase in the
Allegheny country has continued TO ia off, az u
did in the 20 years preceding the last census. III ia
the striking results presented bv critical ~
animation of the tables Of population AMI a resnt
which throws light the question of the pro.
bable future relltirs increase of population in the
q in
the trans Allegheny country, between 1910 And 1920
was Al per cent. HOceT han il between 1900 and
1910, he rate o. increase in the tide water country
between 1910 AMI 1870, was than fifteen times
as fast as it betwesn 1900 and 1910 But ths ia
apart from my present purpose, which is an enquiry
into The actual white population of the trans Aiegha
ny country in 1880.
The inference which draw from the facts have
stated and from others which | cannot take fine IN
state, because am not writing treatise on statistics
is that in all probability, the white population OF The
sghauY ragion has increased in t. last Ten
years, about 6 lilo per cent If this coniecfuraI es
mate be correct, and Of that you Judge, from the
premises stated az well az the present white nom
ulaion Of that district is 1884, l8. The white popula-
alion Of the Valley being, before stated, 1875 3s5
the toai white population West of the Ridge, in 1890
Is 2S9,S7S, having increased since 1890 by 81 $40.
The white population Of the four great districts
then, in 1890, will stand thus;
Trans Allegheny country, 1853
The valley, 1870 3g5
Piedmont, or the mddl, country 1s9 1863
Underwater country, I7O56J
Total white population in $780, 640s12
Total white population IN 1870, SOB ,OSI
increase in fen years, 1871
White population East Of the Ridge in 1890 g5o 03f
White population West Of the Ridge in 1899 $50 SIS
Majority oi white population East Of the Ridge
in 1880, 7O,O56
The number Of the House OF Delegates under The new
Contribution. being 1884, the proper distribution thereof
among the tour districts the principles the equal
representation OF the free white population, would be
follows
Members
/ To-, A -.