New-York daily tribune., 1865-08-14
OUR CITY-THK CENSUS.

A most exaggerated estimate of the probable
population Of our City, under the State census
now being completed, has been widely copied
into our columns among others. 1t assumed
that our present numbers slightly exceed One
Million. The ascertained facts warrant no such
presumption.
Our City was divided by the Secretary of
State into 439 Enumerators Districts whereof
final returns have already been received from
$40. These show an aggregate population OF a
fraction over Six Hundred Thousand (60l ,02).
Should the remainder average the same as
these, the total population Of our City will
be 7l3117.
1t is highly probable, however, that the
districts last to be returned, or the returns
from which have been sent back for cor
rection, will prove considerably more pop.
ulous than the others, though the aid of the
Police was invoked TO form the districts equal in
population as nearly as might be. But, assum-
ing that the 60 districts yet to be returned will
average twice as many inhabitants as the 80
already returned the total population of our
City will be 825, ,2l3. We doubt that it will be
found much to exceed Eight Hundred Thou
sand, since the tendency of the time is toward
diffusion over a wider space, by the aid OF
steamboats, and railroads. Hardly half those
who do business in our City are residents
thereof.
Our last preceding State Census (le55) was
taken by Election Districts. The principal
difficulty experienced was from the unequal
size of the districts, some Of which reported
from eight TO ten thousand inhabitants, and
occupied three or four months in the enumera-
tion To remedy this inconvenience in 1865,
and to give to each appontee as nearly as could
be ascertaned beforehand, an equal amount OF
labor, the Police Commissioners were requested
to make preliminary return Of the population
bv families, which was done in March last, and
the result was furnished upon set of enlarged
outline maps, with the estimated population OF
each separate block marked. These maps have
proved of the highest value to the Department,
as affording an approximate indication Of the
distribution of the population, and from them
the Enumeration Districts of the City have
been laid out. In forming these districts for
census purposes, it was not found practicable to
follow Election Districts and their subdivisions,
but in every case tho Ward and Aldermanic Dis
trct lines (the latter being also Assembly District
lines) were carefully regarded, and the results
will appear separately for each. The appoint
ments were made late in the month of May, and
the work generally began on the 9Th of june it
being the first Monday of the month, and the
day on which, by existing laws, the Census is
ordered to begin. The number Of Districts
originally assigned was 42s but deaths, resig'
nations, sickness and the failure of appointments
to reach the persons addressed, through mis-
carriage of the mails, in several instances pre-
vented the Census from being commenced as
early as desirable In some Of these cases, the
original Districts were subdivlded and new ap-
pojntments were made, so soon as the vacancy,
from any of these causes, became known. The
Department felt tselfjustifed in making these
even when it was obvious that