The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-10-16
NUMBER ~.
Progress OF new Orleans.

The returns OF the census, So Iar as received,
justify the expectation that the population o..
the city of New Orleans will bc shown to be
near 100000. This is result rs astonishing
rs it is gratifying. 1t shows that New Orleans
is at this moment one of the most prosperous
and most rapidly increasing cities in the I'm
ion. The common opinion was, that in the
race for position among the cities of tins coun-
try, New Orleans had been distanccd by many
other communities in relation to whose pro-
gress, in population, the most incredible estm-
atcs had been formed, and the most cxtrava-
giant predictions ventured. 1t had been sup
posed, and the supposition was backed by as
sertions so emphatic and dogmatc that VIC
had been left far in the rear BY Baltimore,
j{eSpn, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and even Chica-
fSS, But it appears that the calculations in re-,
gard to the population of those cities has not
been verified, while New Orleans shows pop
nlation much larger than her most sanguinc
friends had claimed. In number of inhabi-
tants she exceeds any of the cities named rs
her competitors, except Baltimore, and she is
not far behind even her.
One remarkable fact in the history of New
Orleans during the last twenty years has been
the discrepancies and fluctuations Of popuIa--
ton that have been exhibited by the various
erumarations made during that interval. By
the United States census of lS4) her popula-
tion was returned at 100000. This was much
larger than had been anticipated, and subse-
quent investigation led to the belief that a ma
terial error had been committed in the returns
for the third municipality. In ls47, a State
census. taken under the Constitution of ls45,
showed population of only $1,000. The
United States CENSUS of 1850 returned $4,000,
which was, probably, very nearly correct
Again, in 1853, State census was taken un-
der the Constitution of 1852, and this showed
Il population of l49,000-an increase Of &c.
600 III three years. In 1858 another State
CENSUS was taken, which gave return of l37,.
000.an actual decrease of $4,000 in five
years. There being much dissatisfaction with
this result, the city ordered another census to q.
he taken, the returns of which did not matcri-
ally differ from the first. We could not claim
a greater population than 100000, and thua
our representation in the Legislature, compar-
cd with that of the rest Of the State, was scr-
olsly diminished. The decrease was with
reason attributed to the severe epidcmics with
which We had been visited in 1853, '54, '55
and '5s-a greater number than had ever be-
fore occurred in New Orleans during an equal
periol-and to the effects Of the commercial
panic Of 1858. After that year New Orleans
seemed to take Il sudden start in ADVANCE
Her trade increased with marvellous rapidly;
the price pf real estate rose to an unprcccden-
ted height, and rents went up in sucll-a man
ncr as to show that population was being aug
mented in an unprecedented ratio. But no
one supposed the increase to be as great and
as rapid as it really is. Indeed, no city IN the
United States has increased, during the Ast
two years, in anything like the proportion &x-
hitited by New Orleans. While, during absf
ten years, from 1850 to 1860, We have gail
$4,000, Or 66 per esnt--a rate fully mp to tis2 t2
of the most fourishing cities of the countr
in the two Years from ls57-sxto 1860,
have gai1aH9 200, or over as per cent
rate D. not equal'ed,s we venture W
OF cO1lsF, We tannot reasop1, expect that :.
such an extraordinary rate Of progress will be
maintained for any great length Of time; but
we can reasonably hope tbat with continued
health and with proper cxcrtion on tile part
of our citizens to develop the resources of New
Orleans, she will, before many years, assume
her natural position as the sccond, if not the
first city, Of the Union.
Ner Orleans Drlta.