Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-08
1.-THE UNITED STATES"
Splendid Achievements of One Hundred and
Twenty-Five Years.
MARVELLOUS GROWTH OF AMERICA.
Hon. E. Y Webb of North Carolina, Tells What the Country
Was at the Time of the Victory at Kings
Mountain and What 1t Is Now.

boundaries Of North Carolina and
south Carolina were not known or Set
tied. The populated portions OF the
country were along the Atlantic sea-
board.
In those days there were but three
banks In existence; the Bank OF North
America, in Philadelphia, the Bank OF
new York, and the Bank OF Massa-
chusetts in Boston. 1t Is interesting
10 observe that we now have more
than seventeen thousand banking In
stitutions.
About the only modes Of travel and
transportation in those days were by
boat and horseback. In the south
there were no wagon roads and but
few in New England. All highways
were but bride paths or blazed trails
running through an unknown wilder
ness. Practically the only road In the
south ran from Alexandria, Virginia,
via jamestown on to Hertford, New
bern and Wilmington, North Carolina,
ana on 10 Charleston ana savannah.
In those primitive days there were
but seventy-five postofhces throughout
the land, the receipts Of which were
S38,000, and expenditures on account OF
this department were SS2'OO0; Wniie
last year the government spent on this
department alone about $200,000,000.
The mail was carried then by stage
and horseback. Since then there have
been established $4,000 postofices, and
the mail Is now transported by air
tubes and express trains. The prices
of postage then depended on the dis
tance q letter was carried, the postage
usually being paid by the person re-
ceiving the letter or at the place OF
deiivery. 1t cost six cents 20 carry
a letter thirty miles, twelve and half
cents to carry 1t hundred miles, and
twenty-five cents to carry 1t 450 miles.
Now a man in Maine may send his
letter TO san FRANCISCO or 10 the Phil
ippines for two cents, or to the farth-
est part Of earth for five cents.
In 1880 North Carolina had but four
postoffloes, Edenton, Washington, New
bern and Wilmington. South Caro-
lima mad but two, Georgetown and
Charleston.
There was then but one cotton mill
in existence; and now we have about
1000, furnishing cotton goods to the
tarthest markets Of earth. The old
time spinning wheel was found in ev-
cry home, and 1t Is now only relic
preserved from the long ago. Such
machine could spin five skeins of No.
80 yarns in thirty-six hours; while the
modern mule spinning machine, opera
ated by one person, can produce ffty-
tive thousand skeins of similar thread
in the same time. With the old time
loom one person could weave forty
two yards Of cotton cloth In q week;
while now q single person with modern
machinery can produce three thousand
yards in the same length Of time.
The value Of all manufactures then
aggregated twenty million dollars,
A.. ltYnA a. q
thirteen billions Of dollars annually.
The entire imports and exports In 1880,
amounted to forty millions of dollars,
while now they average more than two
billions of dollars.
Education then was but poorly en-
courased, there being but twenty col
leges about like our ordinary high
schools; while today there are about
500 with an enrolment Of two hun
dred thousand students. There were
but two medical schools in the early
days Of the republic and not q single
school Of law.
Only 103 newspapers furnished the
news to the people; while last year
there were more than twenty thousand
of these publications. North Carolina
had but one newspaper. the Fayette.
vile Observer, and South Carolina had
but two, the State Gazette, and the
City Gazette or Daily Advertiser. In
those days the printing Of $50 small
papers in an hour was fine work, while
now we have printing presses that can
print, cut and fold $4,000 eight-page
papers per hour, or 1000 every minute.
The paper in this modern mechanical
wonder passes through the cylinders
at the rate Of 80 miles an hour.
In 1880 New York was the largest
city with $4,000 inhabitants, Philadel-
phia next with $4,000, Boston next with
$4,000, and Charleston fourth with 49,
900. The increase In poulation In the
United States from 1880 to the present
is 1000 per cent. Belgium In the
same time increased her population
204 per cent, England l55 per cent,
Germany 143 per cent, and France but
AZ per cent
The total number Of members Of the
lower house Of congress was 65, each
based on $4,000 population. We now
have 392 members, each based on 190,-
900 population. Had the basis Of this
remained unchanged
since 1880, there would now be 1888
members in the lower branch OF con-
gress; and, had the basis Of 1900 been
used in 1880, congress would have had
but 18 members in 1t.
In those days the entire wealth Of
the country did not exceed one billion
dollars, while now it exceeds 113 bill
lions
Since this battle was fought the Fed
eral Union Of thirteen states has grown