Georgetown weekly news., 1855-03-01
NO. 20.
Progress of the Republic.

Says an exchange: In the whole story
of the world, there is nothing that will COM
pare with the rise, progress and success Of
the United States. Among the nations of
Asia and Europe, the inhabitants double,
only once or twice during q century. In
some of the United States the population
doubles every five years. In the way Of
business we are also peculiar peOple-the
prOductiveness of our soil even outstrippiDg
that Of our women.
Let US look at some of the facts In
1898, the whole number of States was Is.
We now boast of 81, which number, in less
than two years will be so increased by an
neXatlon of Canada, Cuba, Sonora, Lower
California, Hayti and the Sandwich Islands,
that what IS now 81 will be 40 Whoever
lives to see the year of our Lord 1875 will
see the American Union extending from the
North Pole to South America. Mexico
Will be represented at Washington, while
Yankee Custom Houses will be as we'll
known IN Central America as thew are in
New York and Massachusetts, BAY. The
population Of the United States in 1898,
was little over 100000. 1t is now
little over Z3OOO,0OO. The population of
New York in the former year was 31OOO.
1t Is now over half a million Baltimore in
1898 contained population of 10000.
Baltimore now boasts Of a population Of
10000 Philadelphia, in 1913, contained
population of $4,000. Her population
now is near by 100000.
In 1898 the receipts into National Treas.
ury only amounted to a little over five mill
lions of dollars. They now amount to
about sixty millions. 1893 the income Of
the whole country amounted to thirty-one
millions Of dollars. The present year they
will amount to near two hundred millions.
In 1893 our exports brought us in twenty
six millions. The exports of 1854 win
amount nearly to two hundred millions.
In 1898 our shipping amounted to five
hundred and twenty thousand tons. Our
shipping now measures over three and half
millions Of tons. In 1898 the area of the
United States was eight hundred and five
thousand square miles. Our square miles
now amount to over three millions.
1898 we had only seven light houses on
all our lakes, rivers and coasts, we have now
three hundred and sevenly-two, In 1898
our post offices only numbered two hundred
and nine, we have now over twentv-one
thousand. In 1898 the number of miles of
post roads in the United States was five
thousand six hundred and thirty-two. we
have now one hundred and seyenty-eiobt
thousand miles
In 1898 the revenue of the post Office
amounted to one hundred and four thousand
dollars. The present revenue is over five
millions Of dollars. So much for these mat
ters, now let us turn our attention to inter-
nal affairs. Previous to the year 1900.
some eight or ten keel boats, of twenty to
twenty-five tons each, performed all the
carrying trade between CINCINNATI and
Pittsburgh. In 1902, the first government
vessel on Lake Erie In 1911 the first
steamboat, (the Orleans,) was launched at
Pittsburgh. In 1929, the waters of Mich.
gan were first plowed by the keel of steam
boat, pleasure trip to Green Bay being
planned and executed in the summer of that
year.
In 1882, a steamboat first appeared at
Chicago. AT the present time the entire
number of steamboats, running on the Miss
issippi and Ohio, their tributaries is more
probably over than under nine hundred and
sixty thousand-a larger number of steam
boats than England can claim, and greater
steam commercial marine than that employ
ed by Great Britain and her dependencies.
Again, we repeat, three cheers for the man
who invented the fourth of July.