Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-08-15
THE ORIGIN OF CITIES.

HE UkIUIN VI tlilEs1
THEY ALL, n APPEARS, CAME FROM
A VERY siMptE BEGINNING
d u. OsAs~ Tss~s Thsy 0ssv vssy Slowly.
~ S~~ Thsy svvsag o. In shsss osAss'
s-~s ss ,As Nsay Csssss That Hsssis 10
Gsssrsssssss vssvss.
Cisls,, the ceutsrs of tbs moral cd tnfss
Iscsaai activity Of moinsn civilization. csms
from very simple and humble tsgtnningA
Whsn the primsyaI man tegan hrst 10 fsaa
H. ss.~1 Of assctatioa with bis fellows fos
~ pnrtrn~ n ssif dsfsnss. commsrcs OF car
sytng on various branchss Of primitive manu-
facturs he formed with thsD village for the
ssn~s convenient execution Of his proJscts'
II thu trads were carried on BY m this VII
iaxs i,scame . seaport II Il vas the hsed-
quarters u chief IL tecams the capital Of .
trits o. nation, and other Villages paid trih
ute W IT, n IL was pisc~i under the protcc-
ti0u of Deity Il was called holy city Tbs
word Babylon means the city Of the God"
Ths name Hsliopoiis, literally translated. ID
"HoIy City" Troy WAS . sacred city in ths
srusst scnss, having, according 10 the legend,
h~sn built by Neptune. Mecca has besa .
sacs~i city since the tinss Of the patriArchs
~ the DAYS o. THE coSaUERER
II q city was tho central seat Of authority,
like Nlnsvsh, Babylon, the capital Of tho
Pharsohs, Athens or Rome, population flowed
b ". and II became tho home Of learning, the
asta, II civilization In all its forms II 1t was
On the ssaahors, liks Carthage, Al-snndr,r.
Ostia or Marssilles, II berame In ums great
by its commerce.. while it might also Some
times 10 the residence Of the sovereign. IL
thsre were mineral waters they bscsine the
Pssnst u tho~s In pursuit Of health, and VII
lagos we're formed about them. ~ by the
Romans At Aix-la-Chapeils and at various
pDants In Italy. Germany and France. The
habit OF Visiting n,siicinal springs h by no
msans Of modern origin. II station or stop
ping place on ons Of the lines Of trade and
travel h~twcen Asia and Europe In ancient
times WAS of considerable Importance Il h.
came . powerful center Of commerce and
civilization, like tho Arab city Of Palmyra,
who's qucsn, ZenobiA. IL . conspicntns yer
sonage II history.
The origin and growth of modern cities Il
more interesting. After the fall Of Rome
and tho chaos that succeeded the world had,
% u speak. To be recreated. During the dark
Agss there wAs hardly = place In Europs
worth tho name Of city, except Rome, Byzan-
tium, Marseilles, Paris. London and few
others This was the state Of things after tho
Franks and other German tribes had overrun
France, or at the moment when the feudal
system WAS about to be evolved. What are
now called France Germany and Austria had
returned 10 their condition Of virgin forest,
with cioarings hero and there which repre-
srntei small cities. castles with villages at
taehssi or inconsistencies with farms inclosed
by wall When the conqu.rer divided tho
s0bjugatsd country among his subordinates
tho building Of castles began on scale hith
erto unknown.
The castle was located on a hillside, M
near the top Of hill - possible, II water
could h. obtained for the mont about 1t or for
the cattle Wells were generally sunk with
In the walls 10 supply tho lord and his gar
rison. A large number Of retainers were
nsssiei 10 perform the work. to care for the
dogs and horses. 10 cultivate the fields, "a
make Artnor and clothing These could not
always be accommodated within the walls
and were obliged to build their huts outside
but IN near - possible, that they might escape
within in time Of danger. Others who ex-
srcissd trades or who tilied the soii, without
bsiag more intimately connected with the
castles occupants than by tho obligation u
render military service from time to time
heil'si !" Increase the population OF THIS vas
al village. which. II the situation was OF SUI
hc'ent commercial Importance. became IN
time city
rHk FRENCH PLAN IN AMERICA
There was another way In which Villages
vsrs formed at tho same epoch. 1t was Otter
desirable that in some wild forest region tn,
trr.s should he cut down and n plantation
made In the clearing. Then u number o
vasa~ or Sorts were sent to the locality dssig
nats~i and a temporary shelter prepared ioi
them on the edge Of tho forest A tract o
land considerably longer than vide WAS ~
uignei IL each, which was cleared On on.
end Ut each II these tracts house WAS bull,
for each Of thess vsssAls. in front Of which
ran the village sfrset The HOUSES were SUI
nciently near together for the protection Of
ths inhabitants from brigands or wild ami
malls or for the carving ON onyeni.ntly %
individual trades On the ssashore the VII
lnEea, In most cases similar appendages Of
castie>, were aggrnndissd by fishing or com
marcs with other countries As the nouns
sertss Of the middle ages were in reality feuda
fortress they might In the same manner b.
NJ germ Of Villages thAs aftsrward bscam,
citisu.
From H., different beginning. came mos,
II the towus snd cities Of modern Europa
In time The castles disapp~~yed or became
psrhauH q mas Of ruins. but the city re
.na,psiL All over France and Italy are still
su,m viliaxv. or snall citis. marched ON hill
do. CONS Of which. having no special res
suo for hsins. have fall.s, into decay Will,
oxhsru may have lived and 6ouri.h.-i bv fore,