The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-23
THE following very interesting and scholarly
history Of Virginia I'm miniature is the work
OF Father .Jpseph Magri A. S. T. d.,


historians of the Catholic Church Or. Magri, who
was educated in Maryland and in Rome, has con
tributed number of works on church and his
torica subjects. but in none has he shown more
research and ability than in the article printed
below. 1t is the history of the Commonwealth up
to the year l913.-Editor
Virginia, surnamed ."rhe Old Dominion The
Mother of States and of Statesmen, one of the
thirteen original States, and the most southern OF
the Middle Atlantic division. lies between SO de-
81 minutes and SO degrees % minutes n. lat.
and rs degrees l3 minutes and So degrees 81 min
w long. It's is 1851 square miles of
which 40.262 square miles represent land and 2365
square miles. water Its greatest measurement
south, miles. The boundaries are north, West
Virginia and MARYLAND; east, MARYLAND and the At
lantic Ocean: south North Carolina and Tonnes
see; and Kentucky and West Virginia. The
State contains 100 counties.
Population.-The population of Virginia in 80
2.061.612; whites. 1.3S9,SO9; negroes. GIL
o96; Indians. Chinese and Japanese, 707. The
general increase during the last decade 11.2
per cent, that OF the negroes only l.6 per cent In
1890 the negroes formed 3S.4 per cent of the total
population: in 1900 80 per cent: in 1910 326
per cent; their relative decrease being due b.
since of negro immigration neglect of hygiene,
exposure. overcrowding. poverty and. in many
cases lack OF ambition and energy. or indulgence
in alcoholic or other excuses. The density OF pop
ulation in 1910 51.2 persons per square mile.
The State contains nineteen cities, all, except
Hampton and Williamsburg. being independent of
counties. They are. with their population of 1910
capital OF the Confederacy noted Tor historic asso-
Citations and monuments; Norfolk t67452), Vir
EinlaS greatest Shlpplng port ROANOKE N3fei4) J,
growth; Portsmouth t33,190), a progressive city,
with OF the country's greatest navy-yards
Lynchburg t29.494), known as The Hill City"
because Of It's many hills one of the richest per
rapa cities v the n'ea STATS" 1sr
(202O5). at the mouth of the James River famed
for its shipbuidine and immense shipments to all
quarters OF the globe of coal and grain: Danville
l9o2O), one of the greatest tobacco cities in the
world; >, Alexandri a I5339? OF historic interest
ton (1o604), with fine educational and corrective
institutions; Charlottesville (6.765) the seat of
the University OF Virginia; Bristol (6,247); Fred
eriCksburg (5.S74): Winchester (5.S64); Clifton
Forge s;74S); Hampton (5.5o5l: Radford
(2,714):
The church membership $1,000 was 793,546, of
which the Baptsts numbered 415.9S7: Methodiss,
20o,77l: Presbyterians. 3962S; Protestant Episco-
pal, 2S,4S7: Disciples, 26,24S; Lutherans, 1910;
the remainder consisting OF p , Christians
given as 2S,100 The total value or church prop
er'y OF all denominations in 1906 was sls69a.ol4,
and the church debt, S9?6.367. Owing dearth
OF Catholic Immigration. the church depends for
accessons principally of natural increase and
versions Seventy years ago the Catholic popula-
ton was but 5000 In 1912 the faithful numbered
1900, composed mainly of native Americans Irish
Germans, Italians, Bohemians, Poles. Slavs and
Syrians. with few French. Belgians and other ma
tionalities. There is one parish each for Germans
Italians and Bohemians.
Physical Charact ics.-Nirsina is divided into
six great natural sections: Cd 1idewater, 60 Mid
ley. and CO Appalachia Some make seventh
division into TransA ppal achia. Certain sections
things all differ
greatly in topogra ply. climate, soil and resources
The altitude varies from a few feet in Underwater TO
than 5000 feet in the mountainous regions
The highest mountains are Mount Rogers (5.760
feet) and The Peaks OF Otter (3,993 fee). Nearly
the whole OF the State is drained by five large
rivers navigablc TO the head OF Tidewater and
their tributaries namely. tho Potomac, Rappahan
mock, York, James and Roanoke or Stanton, all
flowing in easterly direction, while the Shenan-
doah. kanawha New. and loston Tennessee
Rivers draiif the VALLEY Because Of the gradual
and sometimes abrupt lowering OF the river-beds
n
which they empty. an almost limitess supply of
State. The State is famed natural wonders
including the Natural Bridge, I.uray. Meyers Mad
son Blowing and Satpetre Caverns, Mountain
Lake Balcony Falls. Natural Tunnel, and the great
Dismal swamp lhrty by miles. extending into
North Carolinal. with beautiful Lake Drummond
fscYen by five and one-half miles, in the centre
Iherc are siXty-cghi accredited mineral springs
The climate is mild, the temperature varying from
an average mean annual OF 81 degrees i'm Tide
water TO As degrees in the mountains. the average
temperature being sc degrees. The rainfall is
Plentiful. averaging from thiry-two to sixty inches
nc border ranges OF mountains protec, the State
rom unusual storms and hurricanes Government
hoaithful belt in the United States
Resources. N agriculture Virginia ranks as one
uct grown in the other States except the tropical
and semi-tropical, thryes upon her soil The total
value of farm lands with buildings implements
machinery and live stock, in 1919 1925 ,o65.-
600. an increase in a decade OF 43.2 per cent The
farms embrace more than three-iourths of the total
land area. or l9,A"5,626 acres, over onc-haf rep
resenting improved acreage. The number OF farms
was 1s4,"l&. OF which 81 per were free Of
debt the average value per farm, including euuip-
ment, beng S3.391, and of farm land per acre
5000 Iidewater, the great trucking section and
the Valley OF Virginia considered the mos, for
tile regions The trucking has Increased 500 pcr
cent in thirty years. In 1910 the Norfolk truckers
shipped 4'55,29o packages OF truck. There are
many varieties OF fruits, including the AlbemarIc
pippins, recognized the best-havorcd Of ali
apples. The orchards numerous some Welding
$500 per acre. The state ranks FIRST in peanut,
{output 4,284,oo pounds; value 81 .240 oool sec
ond III tobacco tontput, l32,979,000 pounds
III 4 N fnIr i'm for
put, "t4,tl3 tons; value, $685.. 0OO1 In l9I,
the yield III bushels was corn. 3S,295. (vaIue
f2ssS6'oool; wheat S,077.00o tS8,7 76 1000: risl
potatoes. 8.711. 900 tS5,668 .0OOl =. sweet
and vans. 5.210.nnN 90. 6Sl nnn1-- 80. q. ~.