The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1900-12-29
WHAT OF The oLo CENTURY,

NNtNFNh ~ ANh@ N@S 0@NNA
What has the century that is about Il
pass Into recorded history done for the
human race, especially that portion
Of II composing the great American
union OF stalesg One hundred years agS
the United States consisted of fourteen
states. four territories and the Distris
of Columbia. The total population was
5,30s. 4sS, according to the census, about
1000 900 less than the present popula
ton Of New York state. Ths receipts Of
the federal government we're about $40,
600. 900. and people complained OF bur
deHsome taxation just as they do now
The national debt was about SIS 0o0. zoo
The total number OF pos,ofiees was 90S,
Oar present postal system With its per-
feet handling and quick dispatch Of mails
ut such low rates OF postage, had not
been dreamed OF by the statesmen OF
those days. The postal revenues were
$3.50 s0l. The amount paid in pensions
was $6I,l3173. This year it is $l40,-
000,010. The total tonnage OF the mer-
chant marine was 672..92 toas. The
regular army consisted Of 1851 officers
aud men. Jefferson had Just been
elected president to succeed John Adams.
John Jay was governor OF New York.
and its population was 5S9,O5l. New
York city had a population OF G0,4s9.
There were seven daily newspapers in
the city and much of their news was
from three 10 twelve months old When
published. Two ofthe papers, the Com
msrcial Advertiser and Evening Post,
still survive. The revolution was about
hall as far away then as the civil war is
now, ard most OF those who disiin-
guished themselves in the former were
atill in publ. life. One hundred years
ago there were no national bank system,
no savings banks, no steamships, no
steam railroads, no ssr cars, no cleo
+ trio vehicles, no canals, no telegraphs,
no telephones, no anthracite coal for fuel,
no steam mills, no steam printing
presses, no harvesting machines. no
steam threshers, no spinning machines,
no steam drills, no cotton gins. no cook
Ing ranges, no sewing machines, no type
writers, no electric lights, no inuminat-
ing gas, no kerosene lamps, no public
water supply in cities, no photographs.
no pivements, no sewers. Pretty ESuch
the whole known world was discovered
and settled by men who sailed the sea
with only the wind as a motive power,
and who Travelled on land on foot, or
with horses and oxen. The ox-team was
great civilizer. Instead OF stoves and
ranges and heaters. the open fireplace
served for cooking and heating purposes.
Springs and rnnnings streams and wells
furnished the water supply. The we'll
sweep, and the curb, crank and bucket
preceded the pump and water pipe
Wool, cotton and wax were spun by
hand and woven on hand looms. Nearly
every family had its spinning wheel and
loom century ago, and many had shoe
makers kits. Grain was cnt By hand
sometimes with a sickle-and threshed
with fail. Many laborers wore leather
hreeches. Buekskin shirts and coonskiA
caps were common. Purs and skins
passed for money. Settlers were coming
over the Allegheny mountains and set
Ting in the far off wilderness along the
Ohio river and tributaries. The Ohio
company and other land grabbing corpo
rations pushed their schemes through
congress and bri5ed congressman Just as
they are bribed today. The country
west OF the the Mississippi was an un-
known and unexplore,I wilderness. With
the knowledge and advancement OF the
nineteenth century to 90 by, what may
we expect from the twentieth century?