Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-10
National Growth
BY j. t. MORTALITY

The following are few of the
more important facts showing the
marvellous growth of the United States
since 1776, the year when our Declare
ton of independence was given to the
world;
Our population was then about $780,
Goa. 1t is now, not including that OF
our distant ocean islands, something
over 10000. OOO-probably 95, OOO,O 900.
Philadelphia, then our largest city,
had population of $4,000 at that time.
New York our largest city now, has
a population of about 100000
We then had only five cities with a
population of 5000 or more We now
have about $50 such cities.
The gross area of the United States
was then $4,000 square miles. 1t is
now, including Alaska, but excluding
our island possessions 100000 square
miles.
The annual output of our fisheries
was then worth about s250,000. 1t Is
now worth about $55,000,000
The annual value of our lumber
product was then about S5,000,000. 1t
is now about 800. 900.
The annual value of our mineral
product was then about 100000. 1t
is now some $4,000 100000 or more.
That of our farm product was then
about 5000, 100000. 1t is now about So
600, 000, 900.
That of our manufactured product
was then something less than $1,000
600. 1t is now about $4,000, 100000.
Our first steamboat, the Clermont,
made her appearance on the Hudson
river in 1907. Now thousands of them
are plying daily upon our river, lake
and ocean waters.
rai1rood vyhnrann hnrSnE
were used for pulling the cars, was
constructed in Massachusetts in 1925.
We now have in operation about 225,-
900 miles of steam railway, apart from
sidings and yard trackage-enough %
engirdle the earth nine times.
In 1914 our first telegraph message
was sent from Boston to Washington
city. We now have about 900 miles
of poles and wires.
About 1875 our first telephones came
into practical use. We now have about
IA, 600 of them.
Our foreign commerce then amount
ed to about $40, 100000 annually 1t is
now $4,000 900, 900 and more.
The total amount of money then IN
circulation among our people was
probably less than $15,000,0O0. 1t Is
now about $3,0O0,0O0.000
I The total wealth of our country then
was less than s5O0000,000. 1t is now
about $125, 000, 900, 000-probably $4,000
| 900 600 at least more than that of Great
Britain, which. among all the other
leading countries of the world, ranks
| next to the United States.
/ There were then only few scores
of schools scattered about in each OF
the colonies. We now, in the year
| 1910 have about 275,000 public schools
giving employment to about 800, 600
| teachers and supported at a cost or
about 1925, 100000 annually. This state
| ment, let it be borne i'm mind, does
not include any of the several descrip-
lions of private schools to be found
throughout the length and breadth OF
! tho land.
There is. probably, expended within
the limits of the United States today
three-fourths as MUCH money for edu-
! cational purposes aS~in all the rest or
| the outside world.
| There were then published in the
colonies about forty newspapers. We
now have all told about 21,5OO news
papers and periodicals.
In 1916 we were thirteen puny col
onies, struggling as best we could
against great odds to start out upon
career of our own as one OF the
sovereign powers of the earth. We now
| consist of fifty fourishing states and
| territories, making up the magnificent
! constellation of the Union"
In 1916 we were but an obscure orb,
pale, glimmering and scarcely visible
l'amid the smoke of battle, in war
for freedom then already begun. We
are now, however, a mighty sun, so TO
speak, proudly stationed at the very
| zenith of the worlds political sky,
there to remain, as we trust, for ages
yet to come, a splendid luminary of
| the first magnitude, from which all
other nations will derive light, heat
and vitality, and around which they
will revolve in their respective orbits
as but twinkling stars.
''Thy Sun is risen and will not set
Upon thy day divine
For ages Of unborn ages yet,
America are thine"