Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-21
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.

first successful experiment with electro
telegraphy was made, though it had been
the subject of investigation some years
previous. A wire was stretched from
Washington to Baltimore in 1874, and
soon after extended to New York, and
very rapidly throughout the country and
the world, till at length the earth is cir
died, and time and space are literally
annihilated. The author of this wonder
full discovery still lives in the enjoyment
of a green old age, rich in honors and
the substantial reward Of his genius.
Twenty. five years ago ocean steam nav
igation was new thing, and its practical
bility had just been demonstrated. True,
years before, little steamship known as
the Savannah, had crossed the Atlantic,
but her daring feat had long been forgot
ten, never, perhaps, to be recalled, had
not the Western world been wakened
one morning by the astonishing news
that the Sirius, small English built
steamship had arrived from London
The Sirius was soon followed by the
Great Western-and thenceforth ocean
steam navigation became fixed fact
Before, there had been no steamships
only teamboats-useful craft on lakes
and rivers, and other inland waters-but
the idea that steam could be made avail
able for navigating the ocean had long
been secuted in high places.
Twenty-Five years ago there were no
steamships of war, but ocean steam nav
igation having been demonstrated as
practicable, the nations ceased to build
sailing vessels for war purposes, and rap
idly substituted steamships.
twenty-five years ago most of the in
ventions ofagricultural machinery, which
now so tighten the labors sf the farmer
while they increase his gains, were un-
known. Who ever heard of the reaping
machine till it made sensation at the
London Exposition in 1892 1t must
have had brief existence before that,
for it was sent, perfect engine, from
Chicago to London; but how few had
ever heard OF it, and now who would
think of working even twenty-acrc farm
without its aidP
Twenty-Five years ago thera were rail-
roads with locomotive engines, but they
date only few years anterior. The
writer of this well remembers reading
the account of Mr.. Stephenson's first
success in England, and he has not for
gotten when the first short line was put
in operation in this country. Twenty
five years ago railroad Doanection be-
tween the Hudson river and Lake Erie
was scarcely completed the Erie and
the Hudson river lines were hardly
thought of, and in the great West, where
the railroad may be said to have achieved
its greatest tripmphs, it had no existence
at all. If the last twenty-five years did
not witness the origin Uf the railroad, it
has seen its wonderful expansion, until
this country and Western Europe have
been converted into gigantic gridrQns hr
the crossing ald inleTlaylna Of iron
bands, and all other modes OF land travel
have become nearly obsolete, and five
mile Journey in an old fashioned stage
coach is more to be dreaded than a hun
dred miles in a rallcar.
twenty-five years ago California was
uneNplorel and uninbabilod, save by the
Indians and few Mexican piYfnilFars
and outlaws, and its wealth of precious
ores was well kept secret; aud the
othsr gold producing States and Terrific
ries-Neyada, Colorado, Arazona, Mon
tana, and ldaho-now so familiar TO
every ear, had no existence, save as they
formed parts of the great unexplored far
West Of the Rocky Mountain region.
Twenty-Five years ago . hundred thou
sand dollars vas considered q magnih-
cent fortune, to WITCH. iboBGh faanf as-
pired, few attainedi and the num6eF IN
the metropolis of the Western World
whose estates reached this agsFe cauld
be counted on ones fingers. There ar
mora men in New York today hose
annual incomes reach one hundred thou
ssnd dollars, than there were twenty-five
years ago OF those whose entire posses
sions amounted 10 az much. Twenty
Eve years ago there were, possi5iy, hsii
a dozen millionaires in the whole coun-
Try. To-day they may be counted BY
hundreds
twenty-five years ago the population
Of the Empire State was less than two
and half millions
twenty-five years ago the population
of the entire country was only seventeen
millions. To-day it is nearly forty mil
lions
Twenty-Five years ago there were
twenty-eight States in the Union. To
day there are thirty-siI, with half a
dozen more to be added within a few
years r
The world moves but such wonderful
strides as il has made within the last
twenty-five years former generations