Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-03
Daily eagle
THE ORIGIN OF CITIES.
THEY ALL, 1T APPEARS, CAME FROM
A VERY SIMPLE BEGINNING,
In the Olden Times They Grew Very Slowly,
but Now They Spring Up in Short Order.
Some of the Many Causes That Result in
Congregating People.

Some of the Many Causes That Result in
Congregating People.
Cities, the centers of the moral and intel
lectlal activity of modern civilization, came
from very simple and humble beginnings.
When the primeval man began first to feel
the need Of association with his fellows for
the purpose of self defense, commerce or car
rying on various branches of primitive manu-
facture he formed with them village for the
more convenient execution of his projects.
If the trade were carried on by sea this viii
lage became a seaport. If it was the head
quarters of a chief it became the capital of
tribe or nation, and other villages paid trib-
ute to it. If it was placed under the protec-
ton of Deity it was called holy city The
word Babylon means the City of the God"
The name Heliopolis literally translated, is
"Holy City" Troy was a sacred city in the
truest sense, having, according to the legend,
been built by Neptune. Mecca has been a
sacred city since the time of the patriarchs.
IN THE DAYS OF THE CoNoUERER
If city was the central seat of authority,
like Nineveb, Babylon, the capital Of the
Pharaohs, Athens or Rome, population flowed
TO 1t, and 1t became the home of learning, the
arts, of civilization in all its forms. If it was
on the seashore, like Carthage, Alexandria,
Ostia or Marseilies, it became in time great
by its commerce, while it might also some
times be the residence of the sovereign. If
there were mineral waters they became the
resort of those i'm pursuit of health, and vii
lagos were formed about them, as by the
Romans at Aix-la-Cbapelle and at various
points in Italy, Germany and France. The
habit OF visiting medicinal springs is by no
means of modern origin. If a station or stop
ping place on one of the lines of trade and
travel between Asia and Europe in ancient
times was of considerable Importance it be-
came a powerful center of commerce and
civilization, like the Arab city of Palmyra,
whose queen, Zenobia is a conspicuous per-
sonage of history.
The origin and growth of modern cities is
more interesting. After the fall of Rome
and the chaos that succeeded the world had.
so to speak, to be recreated. During the dark
ages there was hardly place in Europe
worth the name of city, except Rome, Byzan-
tium, Marseilles, Paris, London and a few
others. This was the state Of things after the
Franks and other German tribes had overrun
France, or at the moment when the feudal
now called France, Germany and Austria had
returned to their condition of virgin forest,
with clearings here and there which repre-
sented small cities, castles with villages at
tached, or monasteries with farms inclosed
by wall. When the conquerer divided the
subjugated country among his subordinates
the building of castles began on scale hith-
erto unknown.
The castle was located on a hillside, as
near the top of hill as possible, if water
could be obtained for the moat about it or for
the cattle. Wells were generally sunk with
in the walls to supply the lord and his gar
rison. A large number OF retainers were
needed TO perform the work, to care for the
dogs and horses, to cultivate the fields, to
make arnor and clothing. These could not
always be accommodated within the walls
and were obliged to build their huts outside,
but as near as possible, that they might escape
within in time of danger. Others who ex-
ercised trades or who titled the soil, without
being more intimately connected with the
castles occupants than by the obligation to
render military service from time to time,
helped to increase the population of this vas
sal village, which, if the situation was of suf-
ficient commercial Importance, became in
time a city
THE FRENCH PLAN In AMERICA
There waSs another way in which villages
were formed at the same epoch. 1t was often
desirable that in some wild forest region the
trees should be cut down and a plantation
made in the clearing. Then a number of
vassals or serfs We're sent to the locality desig-
mated and a temporary shelter prepared for
them on the edge of the forest. A tract of
land considerably longer than wide was as
signed to each, which was cleared. On one
end of each of these tracts house was built
for each of these vassals, in front of which
ran the village street. The houses were suf-
ficiently near together for the protection OF
the inhabitants from brigands or wild ami
mails or for tee carrying on conveniently of
individual trades On the seashore the vii
lagos, in most cases similar appendages of
castles, were lggrandized by fishing or COM
merce with her countries. As the monas-
teries of the middle ages were in reality feudal
fortresses they might in the same manner be
the germ of villages that afterward became
cities.
From these different beginnings came most
of the towns and cities of modern Europe.
in time the castles disappeared or became,
perhaps, a mass of ruins, but the city re-
manned. All over France and Italy are still
seen villages or small cities perched on hill
sides, some of which, having no special rea-
son for being, have fallen into decay while
others may have lived and flouriShed by force
ct soue special industry. The French car
ried the manner of clearing a forest and
founding village TO America. 1t is notable
in Detroit, which was laid out in long, mar
row strips of land, one end of which was on
the river and tie other end mile or more
back in the country. The houses were built
along the river and formed compact vii.
lage, whose population was always near to
gether at night, while the men cultivating
the fields were never far apart in the day
time. This method of arranging the farms
was convenient as means of defense from
the Indians.
The world no longer moves on in medieval
fashion Cities are not now slowly evolved
from network of crooked lanes and alleys
by process that goes on for hundreds Of
years, as at that gloomy epoch. They spring
up in a day, as during the prevalence of the
gold fever in California or in a new crusade
Of emigrants. as in Oklahoma, and are laid
out with painful precision by the square and
compass and not by the accidental develop
ment of population. If our development
goes on accelerating its r&se of spred in this
manner neither steam nor electricity will SUI.
ice fifty years hence. New ana more effect
i've motive powers will have &c be discovered
San Francisco Chronicle.
BOYLE, THE ex-PRlEST.
To Hang the Day After Thanksgiving On
less North Csrolina's Executive Interferes.
a priest upon the scaffoldi Rare sight, in