Putnam patriot., 1908-08-07
The uniied States in i7se.

Of twelve -tstes- Rhode Island. the lasf Of the original thirteen ;o enter the nioD, teing admitted May 15 Of
 the same veal Vermont, the nrst ad-
 diiion. was admitted in the following
 year, before the results Of the first cen sns was announced. Maine was part
 Of saehusetts, Kentucky wa- part
 of Virginia, and tie present states of ! Alabama and Mississippi were parts of Georgia. The present -tales of Ohio.
 Indiana. ilIinoi. Michigan, and Wis consin, with part of Miunesota. we're l known n the NortWest Territory, and ! the present state Of Tennessee, then H part of North Carolina. was sgen 10 De organized as the Southwest Territory. Tine United -tales was bounded on the west by the Mississippi river, be- yond which stretched that sast and uu- explored wilderness belonging to tue spanish King, which was afterwards ceded to the nited States bY France as the Louisiana Purchase, and now comprises the great and populoas States of south Daketa, Iowa, Nebras- ka, Missouri. Kansas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, and portions of Minnesota, Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, col0ra- do. New Mexico, Texas, and Louisia- ma. The Louisiana Purchase WAS not eousummated for more than decade after the first census was taken. On the south was another Spanish colony known as the floridas. The greater part of Texas, then part Of the colo ny of Mexico, belonged 10 spain and California. Nevada, Ltah, Arizona, and portion, Sey ada. tah, Arizona, and portion Of New Mexico, also the property Of spain, although penetra- ted here and there hy Yentursome ex= plofef- and missionaries, were, for the most part, An undiscovered wilderness.
 The gross area of the nited states was s27 .sfi square miles, but the set tied area was only 2a9.e}5 square miles, of about 29 per cent ot the total Though the afea covered by the emu.
 nefaiion iH 19H seems very small when compared with the present area of the hiied -taics. the difficulties which confronted the census takef were sast. ly gfealeE than in la9o h mnnY lo= ealites thefe aefe na fehde. and where these did exist they wefe faor md Ire. qgeHtly impossible. bridges were al mezl unknown tfansr raifatiun was entirely hY horseback .laes ar His nte eoaeh i journey as long as thai from New York io Washington Aas asefio0s undertaking, requiring eight daYs un= der the most favorable conditions. Western New York #as wilderness, Elmifa and liinRamtan being but de= lAched hamlels The territory west ef the Allegheny mountains. with tbe eN- ception ef 4 portion of Kentucky, WIS unsettled and scarcely penetrated. ne. troll and Nineennes were tee small and isolated to merit consideration, Phila. delphia was the capital of the nited States. Washington was mere Gov ernment project, not even named, but known as tae Federal City. Indeed, by the spring of i7gi. only one wall of the White House had been constructed and the site for the Capitol had been merely surveyed. New York city, Tn l790, possessed population of only 3d, ,i5i, although II was the largest city in the United States; Philadelphia was second, with ss ,o22; and Boston third, with ls.5ae. Malls were transported in very irregular fashion, and cores. Pondenee was expensive and uncef-
 ain.
 There were, moreover, other difficult ties, which were of serious moment tn laan, but which long ago ceased to be problems tn census taking. The in- habilant-, having ne experience with census taking, imagined that some scheme for increasing taxation was in- volNed, and were inclined to be eau lious lesl thsS should veal too much of their own affairs There wa. also opposition to enumeration oil religious gfounds-a cuuntof inhabitants being regarded eN many Il, cause for divine displtasHfe The boundaries oi towns and other minor divisions, and even those of enunties, were n maay eases unknown of not dcilned at ait The hitherto independent states had been under the eoattel Of tue Federal Government for >o short tiue That the different -eelinns had aot vet been welded into an harmonious nationality in which ihe Federal authority should be unprecedented and its instructions promptly ansi sally oheycd.