The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-08

In 1888 this country extended in theory
from Maine to Georgia and westward to
the Mississippi. But in fact the white
inhabitants were almost exclusively on
the sea coast. Here and there settlers had
pressed their way into the interior. But
their homes were difficult of access and
constantly exposed to the attacks of In
dams. Most of New York state was still
the home of savages or trappers. Albany
boosted that it commanded the Indian
trade of the North and Northwest, and
was on the only practicable highway to
Canada.
New York before the Revolution had
been a town of 23.06a Inhabitants. But
it had been almost ruined by the, war.
Many of the houses were destroyed. Only
a few streets were paved and those so
badly that Benjamin Franklin said a New
Yorker could always be recognized by the
way he Shuff1ed over the well paved
streets of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia was the largest and most
important city in the country. 1t COLI
tanned over 1900 houses and $4,000 inhab-
itants. 1t was noted for its luxury and
extravaganza. 1t was the scene of the
Declaration of Independence and the seat
of congress. From it ran the great road
summer by hundreds of emigrants to the
frontier. The road ended at Pittsburg, a
hamlet of LOCO inhabitants, which was
the great center for travel to the West.
But the largest part of the colonial pop
uiation was to be found south of Phil
adelphia. In 1883 Maryland, Virginia,
North and South Carolina and Georgia
contained about one-half of the 5000, 8eD
Notwithstanding people in the country.
In fact by the census of 1870, Virginia
contained about rs per cent more inhabi
tants than Pennsylvania, the second state
in size. North Carolina came third, with
a larger population than New York or
Massachusetts, if Maine be excluded
from the latter. BY this census Maine,
Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware,
Georgia and Kentucky each contained
less than 100,00 Inhabitants The ten
states remaining had population of less
than 3,509,068.
The South was also the Wealthiest por-
ton of the country. Virginia was noted
for it's fine tobacco, which had formerly
been the currency of the colony; the
Carolinas for their rice; Georgia for its
pitch, indigo and tar. These commedi-
ties were sent to the northern country,
and in return manufactured articles and
Injuries were imported. Boston and
New York were the chief centers of COM
merce.
In New England the most thriving
communities lived in the seaboard towns
and derived their wealth from shipbuild-
ing, commerce, fishing or storekeeping.
The fisheries, and especially the whale
fisheries, formed the chief support of
several prosperous towns. Nantucket,
which now would be practically deserted
except for the summer visitors, was then
a thriving community, possessing great
shipyards and sending out each year $50
vessels to the whale fisheries The sea-
board towns also acquired wealth from
the coastwise trade, which was carried
on in packet sloops, built and manned
by New Englanders. Maine was espe-
cially noted for the fine timber for masts
Which it possessed.
Aside from these industries connected
with the sea New England was not
favored land. Most of the people were
engaged in farming and the unpropitious
soil furnished them d living which was
poor indeed if contrasted with the luxu-
sious life on the River James, still more
barren if contrasted with what We con-
slider meager living at the present day.
The farm was made to supply almost
everything which the family needed. In
1887 typical farmer wrote: ''At this
time my farm gave me and my whole
family a good living ON the produce of
it, and left me, one year with another,
l5G silver dollars. For I never spent