 The city 's progress continued through the Reconstruction era with numerous " firsts " : construction of the opera house ( 1870 ) , and orphanage ( 1876 ) , and installation of telephone lines ( 1878 ) and electric lights ( 1883 ) . Having attracted freedmen from rural areas , in 1870 the city had a black population that totaled 3 @,@ 000 , made up mostly of former slaves but also by numerous persons who were free men of color and educated before the war . The " blacks " comprised nearly 25 % of the city 's population of 13 @,@ 818 that year . 
 The city <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>progress continued through the Reconstruction era with numerous " firsts " : construction of the opera house ( 1870 ) , and orphanage ( 1876 ) , and installation of telephone lines ( 1878 ) and electric lights ( 1883 ) . <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>Having</mark></a> attracted freedmen from rural areas , in 1870 the city had a black population <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>totaled 3 @,@ 000 , made up mostly of former slaves but also by numerous persons <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> free men of color and educated before the war . The " blacks " comprised nearly 25 % of the city <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>population of 13 @,@ 818 that year . 
Da city  progress continued through tdaReconstruction era with numerous " firsts " : construction of the opera housee ( 1870 ) , and orphanage ( 1876 ) , and installation of telephone lines ( 1878 ) and electric lights ( 1883 ) . Done attracted freedmen from rural areas , in 1870 thdaity had a black population totaled 3 @,@ 000 , made up mostly of former slaves but also by numerous persons was free men of color and educated before the war . Thedablacks " comprised nearly 25 % of the day  population of 13 @,@ 818 that year .