The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-12-06
INFLUENCE OF TROLLEY
IT IS INDUCING CITY FOLKS TO
MOVE TO THE COUNTRY
Electric Railways by Doubling and Triple
ing the Radius Of a City Enlarge
Suburban Districts - Electricity =
Nullifyer Of Isolation.

Nulilfyer Of Isolation.
II is noticeable TO those who study
the statistics Of the census that the
rate OF increase Of our large cities is
becoming less, and while the ratio Of
urban population Is larger than II ever
was before in the history Of the coun-
try, yet If one puts aside the false
data due to the enlargement Of city
boundaries and the absorption Of sub
urban districts within municipal linn
It's, It is very noticeable that the rate
OF increase Of population IN the denser
centres has become less.
The reason for this is found in the
general extension Of two applications
Of electricity, while a third has
played no inconsiderable part The
trolley car has perhaps been the larg-
est agent In the redistribution Of popu-
latlon, making 1t possible for the peo-
pie to live at considerable distances
away and enjoy the very great ad-
vantages of urban life. This Is par
ticularly noticeable in cities Of the
intermediate size. Twenty years ago
cities Of the second class were much
condensed in area for the reason that
practically every one walked 10 and
from his place of work, and for this
reason the residence areas crowded
upon the business districts as closely
as possible. The horse car Of those
days was at best a poor thing, and it
was not until the coming Of the swift
er trolley that it was possible for the
ordinary man of business or labOrer
to live more than half a mile, OF such
a matter, from the scene of his daily
task. To-day all that is changed, and
as consequence the residence district
in all such cities has vastly extended,
and people not uncommonly live any
where from ten to twenty miles away
from their places of business.
To double the radius of a city means
to increase it's area four times. The
trolley, by its duplication and tripli-
cation Of the city radius, has enabled
very large territories to be included
in the suburban districts Of towns,
with the result that houses have plen-
ty of room around them, the people are
no longer compelled to live close to-
gether, and to this degree a very i'm
portant social revolution has been
wrought, and, indeed, Is still in pro-
cess Of extension. No one can deny
the benefits of a freer life and the
immense social, sanitary and other adj
vantages which have followed the in
PRODUCTION of the trolley car, and the
consequent extension of residence
neighborhoods.
But another agency has not been
idle. The principal objection to coun-
try life has been it's loneliness and the
absence Of those conveniences which
differenciate the city house from the
/ country residence. The loneliness, by
which is meant the lack of intercourse
with neighbors, has been in a great
degree removed by the telephone. Per-
haps the best work that the independ-
ent telephone movement has accom-.
plished has been the pOpularization OF
the telephone and its introduction al
low rates into sparsely-settled neigh
borhoods, thus removing the bugbeal
of isolation which has been so Ions
a complaint of the rural resident. But
the telephone has done more for those
living in the country and in the coun
try districts surrounding cities thar
to furnish them a means for socia
conversation. 1t has proved itself ;
very practical and valuable addition
to the farmers means for making
living. By putting him in immediate
touch with his markets, whether 70
selling or for buying, it enables him t
conduct his business in a much NOR
business-like way than formerly, whel
the isolated gardener or truckmal
loaded his vehicle in the early hour
Of the morning with the produce 0
his fields and drove to town withou
the slightest idea of what he woul
receive for it or whether he woul
sell it at all.
With the telephone multiplying tn
isolation of the country districts an
the trolley car providing quick and II
expensive means of transit, the sui
urbs have become, in a sense, part c
the town. 1t is no longer a case {
rus in urbe, but rather the reverse
for the town has gone into the countr
and carried with it those two impor
ant agencies, while not far benin
comes the electric light making
once more pleasant and more safe IL
highways and lanes of the countI