The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-11-14
CEDAR RAPIDS LEADS
REMARKABLE GROWTH OF THIS
THRIVING CITY.
Population Nearly Doubled In the
Last Decade-Center of a PopulOus
ReEiOn-Causes of Its Rapid Adj
vnncement-Natura Advantages

vnncement-Natura Advantages.
Referring TO the six cities of Iowa
that have each a population in excess
of $4,000, the census bulletin No. %,
issued at Washington, Dec "a, 1900,
says: THE entire growth of all these
cities was rapid, but for the last dec
ade the most noticeable rate of in
crease is that of Cedar Rapids, which
shows a gain i'll population of 42.4 per
cent. Davenport is next, with a gain
of 3D."
According to size, Cedar Rapids is
the one hundred and fifty-seventh city
in the United States, while in the mat
ter of postoffice receipts it is the eighty
second city, passing sixty-fve cities of
larger population. 1t is said that there
are 100000 people within a radius of
seventy-iive miles of Cedar Rapids.
something that cannot be said of any
other center of population in the west,
not even st. Paul and Minneapolis.
This city is located almost at the geo.
graphical center of the eastern half of
Iowa, on the Cedar river. This is the
largest river in the state. 1t affords
valuable power and good water
From Cedar Rapids lines of railway
radiate in every direction. Four great
railway systems compete for business
the Chicago and Northwestern the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids and North
ern; the Chicago, Milwaukee and St
Paul; the Illinois Central.
The railroads give direct communica-
ton with seventy eight of the ninety
nine counties in Iowa and have 79S
stations on their lines in the state. The
general offices and shops of the B., c.
r. and n. are located in the city.
There are more than eighty factories.
There are rye mills, -four mills, can
ming factory, cracker and candy facto-
rieS, brewery, soap works, overall fac
tory, cloak factory, cutlery works, car
riage factories, fence works, three
large pump factories, planning mills,
foundries and machine shops and 9th
erS.
There is Il large volume of wholesale
business, especially in dry goods, gro
ceries and drugs.
Seventy-five leading manufacturers
of agricultural implements make the
city distributing point and headquar-
tiers. This immense business supports
the only exclusive transfer house in the
state and the largest one west of the
Mississippi river.
Conventions and large gatherings are
amply accommodated.
Ninety-nine trains that regularly car
ry passengers arrive and leave every
twenty-four hours. Hotel accommoda-
lions are ample, having recently been
greatly increased and improved. The
new auditorium, built especially for
conventions and eXpositions, seats over
5000. Greene's Opera House, a thor
oughly equipped theater, seats 1,600.
There are three national banks, four
savings banks, one trust company, two
building and loan associations. Home
Office of Farmers Insurance company
and headquarters of the Order of Rail
way Conductors of the United States,
Canada and New Mexico are located
there.
There are two daily newspapers, The
Republican and Evening Gazette; one
semiweekly the Slovan-America; five
weeklies-The Republican The Gazette,
The Saturday Record, The Svit and the
Deutsche Zeitung-and one monthly,
the Kvinden og Hjemmet 10000 circu-
lation).
The city library will soon be con-
Quoted in a new building provided for
by Andrew Carnegies recent donation
Of $4,000. The 10000 volumes Of the
Masonic library and the fireproof build
Ing in which they are contained belong
to the grand lodge of Iowa, though they
constantly attract the attention and
patronage of Masons in every quarter
Of the globe.
COe college, under Presbyterian aus
pieces, though nonsectarian In its teach
ing, is growing institution Of elevated
character, devoted to the higher edu-
cation of both sexes.
st. Josephs academy is well known
Catholic school.
Lie SeudT hdpluS buSlueSS COlIeRe
has students from all parts of the Unit
ed States.
The high school is beginning to over
crowd a recently constructed 100000
building. There are twelve other school
buildings, having an aggregate value
Of 100000.
The following organizations have fine
buildings:
st. Lukes hospital, on Episcopalian
foundation, though under nonsectarian
management; Mercy hospital (Catho-
lic); Home For Aged Women; Home
For the Friendless; the Y. NJ. G. A.
There are thirty-six churches, repre-
senting sixteen denominations.
The city has fourteen miles of paved
streets, complete system of sanitary
sewers and paid fire department, with
four stations and twenty-five men.
The water supply is abundant and
pure and comes from the Cedar river
by the Holly system through the gray
ity system of filtration. The streets
are lighted by 236 arc lights, and there
are thirteen miles of electric railways.
The interests of the city are promot-
ed by the Cedar Rapids Commercial