St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-02
ST. Paul W. Chicago.

To the Editor of the Globe:
Mr.. George W. Higginson, a contributor
to the March number of the Century Maya
zine, makes forecast of the probable su
premacy of Chicago over all the cities of the
continent, if not of the globe. 1t is net my
purpose to contest anything that may be
avOuched in favor Of that phenomenal city,
except in so far as data assumed may be
found to be imperfect, or conclusions from
conceded data manifestly questionable.
As to i'm perfect data: The writer assumes
that in all the West and Northwest, Chicago,
ST. Louis and Milwaukee are the only cities
having population in excess CT one hundred
thousand. In passing, is it not somewhat
suspicious in a Chicagoan TO be looking for
sympathy to st. Louis: But in good sooth,
the assumption is unjust to st. Paul, unjust
to Minneapolis, and doubly unjust to these
cities considered as a unit. st. Paul has d
population in excess of a hundred thousand;
so has Minneapolis; combined, their popu-
lation reaches quite, or very nearly, to two
hundred and forty thousand.
Again, the writer applauds the rapid growth
of Chi ago. II is admitted, but the sugges
ton is not admitted that the vigor of its
growth has not been surpassed by that Of
other cities. The data show that Chicago has
increased hundredfold in forty years; the
data also snow that ST. Paul has increased .
hundredfold In thirty years.
The writer maintains, with truth, that Chi
cagO stands at a controlling point of the lake
system, except Lake SUPERIOR, and of the
Mississippi system except the upper Missss-
ippi. But ST. Paul Is a controlling point OF
all the lake system, including Lake Superior
aud the entire length Of navigation of the
Mississippi, upper aud lower. To place st.
Paul, however, out of combat, he figures an
ellipse embracing the wheat-producing por-
ton of the continent, and intimates that of
this ellipse Chicago Is queen. The ellipse,
like the intimatiou, is not of very modest
proportions. 1t embraces, 1t Is true, some
what less space than the solar system,
being bounded on its southwark curve
by the Alleghanies and the Rockies,
and on its northward by Hudsou's bay and
Peace river. Trace this elipse on a map of
North America, and you will find that Chi
cago represents neither focus of it. The
uorthward focus is on the banks OF the Sas-
katchewau, the southwark on those of the
upper Mississippi. Winnipeg might by
compromise, be called the northward focus.
81. Paul. by less Of compromise, the south
ward.
And, as 10 the argument derived from the
center Of population and the point where it
is likely to reach its equilibrium: Tue cen
ter Of population is at this moment moving
rapidly in a uorthwesterly direction across
the state of Iujana- Within ten years from
this date, at its present rate of progress
some fifteen miles per year-it will be west Of
Chicago and pursuing the direction Of ST.
Paul
Il seems remarkable, too, that the leading
analogy which Mr.. Higginson gives to sus-
tain the claims Of Chicago IS applicable
rather TO ST, Paul. The analogy is that Of
tie great interior city of China, triple city.
Han-Kow, with its supposed population Of
eight millions, counting in the other two
members Of the -Woehangfou and
Hau-Ysug. Take the map OF China and you
will see that this triple city has-not its Lake
Micbigau-but its Mississippi, and
that the individual cities are
relatively situated to their river
Minnesota, the Hsu-Keaug, as are ST. Paul
West St. Paul and Minneapolis to theirs.
The analogy, then, gives 10 s.. Paul a. tue
head OF great valley, sud not at the side OF
Il. the place OF supremacy. Il IS in vain to
imagine Chicago As in the center OF the North
west and its inevitable entrepot. This It is
not. aud the suggestion Of the ellipse, based,
as it is. on veritaole data, makes almost 4
mathematical demonstration that il never
can be. INTERCHANGE
March / 1883.