The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-01-08


burg.
The complete figures ofthe Eleventh
Census tor the towns and cities Of the
country are not accessible, but many
of them have been published from time
to time during the progress of the
count, and from these fragments it
is possible to frame reasonably accurate
figures for the more important towns
and cities of many of the States.
These statistics show that Pennsylvania
has 81 cities with 49, 900 or more in
habitants each, and IS towns with be-
tween 5000 and 10000 each. Vlr-
ginia has only or 10 cities OF more
than 10000 inhabitants each, and not
more than an equal number of towns
with $, 700 to 10000 each. Now there
is something in this that is worthy OF
the consideration of those who are try
ing to block the wheels Of sudden
progress. Can it be shown that Rich
mond would be menace to the sta
bility of the nation if its population
should be 100000 instead OF 10000!
Or can it be demonstrated that $780,
900 people could not dwell around and
about the homes of Norfolk's present
$4,000? Roanoke has about 10000
inhabitants; but there seems to be no
reason why $4,000 should not thrive
there as we'll as in Lancaster, Pa. The
population to which any State or re-
gion is entitled cannot be determined
by any arbitrary rule. So long as
there are business opportunities or
SO long as there are resources calling
for development, just so long will peo-
pie gather and establish their homes.
In this respect Pennsylvania possesses
nothing that Virginia cannot duplicate.
1t is in Pennsylvania that the coal and
iron industries have reached their high
est development in this country, but
this development had beginning like
everything else that man has made.
Virginia has the resources that are re-
quisite for the basis of industries as
great as those Of Pennsylvania, and it
is an assumption of omniscience to as
sert that Virginia's people and indus
tries shall not grow as those of Penn
sylvania. What has been done al
ready in Virginia is but a beginning,
and no man can say what shall be the
limit of possibilities. The same causes
that built up Pittsburg, Allegheny, AL
toona, Erie, Lancaster, Lebanon,
McKeesport, Bethlehem, Scranton,
Wilkesbarre, Pottsville and the like in
Pennsylvania will bring into existence
scores of such cities in Virginia. The
talk about too many towns in Virginia
is arrant nonsense. One might as we'll
set out to prove that the world is fiat
and travels around its orbits on wheels.
With four more RiChmonds, five new
Danvlles, ten new Roanokes, four ad-
ditional Norfolks, ten Lynchburgs, a
dozen Stauntons and twenty Peters
burgs there would still be room in Vir-
ginia for some 50 cities of $4,000 in
habitants each, about IS towns of 10,
900 population, and say 100 towns OF
5000 people each. And even then
Virginia would be no more crowded
than is Pennsylvania to-day. If those
alarmis;s who seem to think that Vir-
ginia is in danger of being uncomfort-
ably crowded would think of these
facts for few moments it might re-
store their peace Of mind.
And what of Tennessee, that State
of magnificent minerel and agricul-
tural resources? Must we believe that
this State is overcrowded like the rest
of the South ? Tennessee has an area
Of 5000, square miles, and her pop
ulatlon numbers 1,763,723 according
to the latest count. As this is but 49,
6S to each square mile, there appears
to be no uncomfortable crowding in
Tennessee, or if there is we have yet to
learn of it. New York comes close to
Tennessee in area, but her population
is more than three times as great-5,-
oSI,o35, and yet New York seems to
have no trouble in finding room for all
her people and occasional thousands of
visitors without enc:oaching upon thous
ands of acres of forest lands and
mountain wildernesses. Perhaps Ten
neSsee may also accommodate a few
millions more ofpeople without driving
them into the mountains. Since 1880
Tennessee's population has increased
22I,564, which would make about
three cities like Nashville or Ten of the
size of Knoxville. More than one-half
Of the increase has been absorbed by
five or six cities that have upwards
900 each, leaving not much over
for the increase in small
d for the population of en-
aces. Had the increase
hSwell the population
200 instead of to
Of population
greater than
eNew York.
b. ;sity IN
e. exist
eondi-
e2f a
Sip