Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1867-04-17
Knoxville as a Center OF population.


Knoxville as a Center OF Population
1 have already shows that Knoxville is the most
important town and the center Of country stretch
ing for over two hundred miles in every direction
from II. II may be safely assumed, that with the
completion of our railroads it will have an average
of country of one hundred and twenty-five milesi in
every direction TO support it, of which it will be the
most important market. We have seen that we
have both stock and provision country, it being
adapted to the growth of all the grasses, all the
cereals and all the esculent roots and therefore ca
pable of sustaining dense population Our climate
is mild and equabe not subject TO the extreme heat
OF Southern nor the extreme cold of q Northern
latitude, and permitting out door work nearly the
year round. In January last while the mercury
was from ten to twenty degrees below zero in the
extreme North and West, here it stood from ten to
twenty degrees above it. Combined with q mild
climate, we have rich and fruitful soil. OF min
erals the most important iron, copper, zinc and
lead. Iron is found ell over East Tennessee. Much
of it is said to be of tho very best quality Along
the Cumberland mountains coal is found in mex
haustable quantities In Campbell county, imme-
diately on the line of the Knoxville and Kentucky
railroad, iron and coal are found side by side The
first or nearest coal banks, are twenty-six miles
from Knoxville So near are they to the railroad,
and great is the quantity of coal that it is stated
by the best authority that coal of the first quality
be delivered and sold here for fifteen cents per
bushel, of so pounds, or So IS per ton. weare too
remote from the great exporting markets for pro
visions to be dear. Then, we have mild climate
rich soil, cheap coal, all the important ores,
splendid water power, and an abundance of provis-
ions We lie on the very borders of the cotton
country, where they have not coal nor cheap pro-
visions. This cotton region must be supplied from
abroad with most of the articles manufactured
from iron. We are the nearest to it. and therefore
ought to supply it and, if true to ourselves will
supply it. It seems inevitable that this is destined
to become manufacturing region, and therefore
the seat of dense population. By it we win have
diversified system of labor. While the artizan
tolls in his shop the farmer will till his fields Each
can supply the wants Of the other. This
will create home demand for all that is raised -
Our towns, now languishing will start into new
life The grosOth and prosperity of country is al
Gays truly reflected by the sroloth of its tOCps If
it langushes, SO do they if it prOspers, so do they
In every prosperous and densely populated COM
munity, large town will surely spring up No
more caR the country do without such town, than
the town can do without such country Each is
benefited and grows by the others prosperity.
The great want Of East Tennessee is population.
Population viii give US more labor Labor is, or at
least creates wealth Our farms are too large They
ought to be cut up and divided All men in the
country, as nearly possible, ought to be land
owners. Reduce the size of our farms and we will
have better cultivation. The average size of farms
in Tennessee is two hundred and fifty acres, In
Massachusetts, the average is ninsty-four; Rhode
Island, ninety-six; Connecticut, ninety-nine; and
New York, one hundred and six acres. In East
Tennessee it is probably over four hundred or pos
siby FIVE hundred acres. Massachusetts has an area
of seven thousand eight hundred square miles, and
a population of over one million two hundred thou
sand. Each square mile supports one hundred and
persons. East Tennessee, with an area
of over fourteen thousand square miles, has popu-
lation of little over three hundred thousand souls
and average of twenty-one to the square mile
With the density of Massachusetts, we ought to
have, and can support, two millions of souls. Our
climate greatly superior to hers soil naturally
as good, and adapted to a much greater variety Of
productions. Our minerals and water power are
also superior to hers But even Massachusetts has
not reached the highest point of density of popula
lion. Belgium has three hundred and ninety-seven
10 the square mile, England and Wales three hun
1red and seven and France one hundred and
leventy-six. The average in the United States
Excluding the Terrtories sseventeen TO the square
mile. If our country were as densey populated as
France, our population would amount to over FIVE
hundred millions, England and Wales, to nine
hundred millions. How truly do these figures prove
hat this republic, with its already grand history, is
but in its infancy. Our population doubles about
avery twenty-three years. 1t 1890 it amounted to
nearly 100000 in 1900 to over 5000 900, in 1910
% over 100000, in 1920 to nearly 100000 in
1890 to 100000, in 1870 to 100000, in 1850 to
o. 600 o0o and in 1860 to over 81 100000. It is
estimated that we now have 10000 900 of inhabi-
ants, that in 1870 we viii have $4,000 oOO in 1880
OO0OO0 in $780, 77O0O,O zoe, and that the close of
his century viii witness one hundred millions of /
inhabitants within our wide domains With such
An array of startling figures drawn from the laws |
of past growth aud therefore almost as certain
as a mathematical demonstration, why may we not
expect our own favored section, so rich IN the boun
eous gifts Of nature attractive and so lovely to
start with new life in the beginning Of the new era
and 10 reach that high position in wealth and pop
alation TO which it would seem to be entitled? And
IS the streams of wealth swell and how in WHY NAV
We not expect Knoxville TO grow in wealth and
population likewise To doubt that It win do 40
S to discard the laws that govern the growth of
owns. The history of the world, If examined will
prove that in every densely populated region, even
an interior one, large towns exist In the interior
If the State Of New York, far from the influence of
oreign commerce. have sprung up Albany with
ixty-two thousand inhabitants, Newburg with I5
100, Poughkeepse with l4,726 Rochester with As
100, Utica With %, 900, and Buffalo with $1,000
Many Of these towns are within City miles of each
ther. / take no account of the great number, one
nearly every county, of from FIVE to ten thousand
inhabitants. The same is true of Pittsburg. It is
N interior town, and has population of over co.
90 souls. Commerce did not make it. Like our
wn town it was situated in region combining
mineral and agricultural advantages, which adyan-
ages have been improved by her people Let our
eople do likewise and we too can have Pittsburg.
MORE ANON.
Speaking by Judge Butler. !
Judge Butler, who is running for Congress in the
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