Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-01

proximately two centuries there was
an aggregate population of 8, 100000, oc.
cupying more than 100000 square
miles Of territory. In 1850 more than
half of the inhabitants were in the
New England colonies and most of the
remainder in Virginia; but from that
date the proportion in New England
steadily declined. and the proportion
in the southern colonies increased.
Three cities of the Atlantic seaboard
have continued from earlier times to
the present as leaders in that region
not only in the number of their in.
habitants but also in prosperity and
influence. From it's foundation In
1850 until the middle Of the eighteenth
century Boston. was the most populous
town In the American colonies. Phil
adelphia then took the lead which il
retained until it in turn was passed
by New York, after the establishment
of constitutional government. Hence
each of these three cities at some
| period has been the leader in popula
| ton.
All of the great area lying south
of the Potomac must be regarded as
having been distinctly rural in the
colonial period. In North Carolina,
one of the larger commonwealth,
even as late as 1890 no community ex
listed in which the population exceeded
1000 Inhabitants.
In 1890, 500 per cent of the popula
ton was male and 49.1 per cent fe.
male. In 1900 the proportion for the
entire United States had changed but
little, being 50.2 per cent male and
1913 per cent female.
One the basis of the proportion
shown in 1900 there would have been,
in 1890, $4,000 children, as compared
with more than 100000 actually
enumerated. The twelfth census
showed less than 100000 children in
the United States. If the people of
the republic were as prolific as they
were 100 years ago there would have
been over 100000 more children in
the United States than were actually
reported.
In 100 the aggregate population Of
the three leading cities-Boston, New
York and Philadelphia-was approx.
mately 1880. Ninety years later the
aggregate population of these three
cities was $4,000. In 1900 the popula-
ton of the three was 5,291,791 An
increase of $4,000 in the first century
OF existence is therefore to be COM
pared with an increase of 100000 in
the second.
The population of the United States
, increased nineteenfold from 1880 to
1900. and nearly tenfold in the area
, enumerated at the first census. This,
. increase of the New England states
, has been slightly more than fvefold,
} that of the middle states fifteenfold,
and of the southern states a little
more than skiold.
| The white population of the United
, States increased from 3,172,444 in 1870
to $500, 1856 in 1900, or POLLS per
: cent; the negro population increased
during the same period from 757,37G
: to $3.50 or 1868 per cent
The total value of all property in the
republic at the period of the first cen
sus was probably not less than $500,
, 100000 and not more than 100000,
, 600, The standards of value at that
. time were much less than they are
= now. Hence, in terms OF present val
!. ues. it is probable that all property il
, 1890 was worth approximately one bill
; lion to one billion and quarter dol
, lars. The total per capita wealth il
n 1890 was about Sl71-ln New England
;. S1SS; in the middle states, $l45; il
> the south $217; but on the basis o
n present money tables these figure,
!. should at least be doubled. i
n The number Of slaves in the United
n States in 1890 was approximately 700
0 900. Slaves were owned in eacl
n state and territory Of the union OK
cept Vermont, Massachusetts, an,
g the district of Maine. About one
n fourteenth of all the slaves In tn
h United States we're owned outside o
IS the southern states. AS slave stat
If Virginia ranked first, reporting nearl
D 100000,