, 1872-10-09

CITY, and salu.es its readers E1th -welcenaa ant
congrStula.ion-
g.. TIE EoP1LAG1cN cE CHICAGO
The population OF Chicago, 1t this time. is one
Of those questions Concerning wl4lc!: ::,sre a-e
unlimited s:eccIatiots and varied estimates, some
:oE:which are altogether fancifu1- It's impossi-
h,e to make anything more. than ~ apntoxa:na-
ton Fortnna:cly, Chicago stands in no need
Of cxtIarasaat statements concerning her bIsi-
ness her growth, or her Increase Of population.
The truth il sufficiently wonderful: vlthoutre-
sorting to eEasSeratiou. ie $780, the Federal
census numbered the inla3!1a2ts OF Chicago at
ALTO; fye yesrs later, t.e Stats census showed
L, ,053; in 1850 this Yas increased, TO- % eG3
in 1856 it lad reached So, 600: and il
1850 the number WAS 1o9, ,2aG.> The State
ce.ssns of 1865 exhibited = population
Of IT'S, ,4a2 end the Federal census OF 1916 re-
turned population Of 2aa. 900. Ths city census,
TAKEN month la:eg, showed i population OF
SOC. Cos. These figures ten lac tale Of the ex-
,uaordinasy growth of tie city in point ot: rofp-
lation- A,..
The fire. took> >pilsce in sea>on Of naazam!
Piled commercial prosperity: Ordinarily, the de-
stzuctioa Of 10000 buildings would have driven
the population Of city elsewhere. For few
weeks there was IN exodus Of families VINO
sought temporary homes with friends in
other places As 9. general thing,
the maie population. remained IN the
city, The depression and Interruption OF bns
ness were Of short duration. The work Of clear
ing away the debris offered employment to thou
sands; in few weeks, not only an the laIor Of
Chicago WIS at work, but hundreds Of men from
distance came hitllar to find work These peo-
rle found employment all through the winter
and spring. As sooa as the season permitted,
mechanics poured into the city IRON. all direc-
tions, and have net only found constant work,
but the work promises to continue foz mlny
years to come Merchants and manufacturers
have come Lither to remain permanently. The
1aborers who cane to worE to clear away Tie
ruins lave also become permanent residents.
Though much has been done to rebuild Chi
cago, the work Is By no means completed
The Improvement is rot confined to
the burnt district; it extends to all
parts Of the city, md for many years to cone
there will be unfai1ing employment for all kinds
Of skilled ana u,.s1ined laborezs here In the
sa1ae time, manufactures have got such start
that they promise to rival IN importance the Or
dinary commerce Of TIE city. In esery direc-
tion in the suburbs there hare been n1anted all
manner cf factories, mills, and chops To !ebor
in these, the country has sent rs he. best work
men, These people are here, not for Season,
nor for Job, but to stay. Within the last two
months, thousands Of these wo-hnen hare sent
tor their families. All over the prair:es, on tho
west and southwest, there hare been erected
cottages and homes for t5ese people Of the
expanding aecessions to the population
eince the fire, IS per cent win probably remain
here permanently. With the rebuilding of the
old burnt district, work in Chicago Eln not
cease. The old ratio of ineeasc 7sin not be
diminished. The establishment Of fTe-liznits
has already l.sd its effect In districts .Hhera
brick and sto1a buildings we're ooce considered
impossibilities, there are now Thole blocks of
such edSfccs. There are 10 moro costly wooden
structures- Already, the raost re5elEous oppo-
rents OF restrictions upon the building OF wood
en- houses Laye discovered that il is more eco
nonical TO- erect permanent buildings The
work of covering districts now occupied by
wooden houses with stone, iroo- and brick he's
set in, and with yigor, and. for many years to
come this city VII furnish the best field for ell
kinds OF mechanical labor.
The Census OF Septesnba1, 1879, taken for tho
School Commissioners, u1akcs an exhibit: OF
the present population which is probably .5out
right It shows population, On the LIST of Oc-
tober Of 367 1863, ,.or II increase Of aboat 20 050
Einee June, 1870
The table Of population by wards shows some
extraordinary changes The Fifteepth Ward, in
the northwest part Of the city, has oEer Il. GOO
inhabitants. Wards &, s, and hzye each
over $4,000, and Wards 2nd u ovor 10000
Wards i, 2, ~, End 20 have made out little
y,rou-ees in raro3p;nu f},eir 1oa1 oaou!atio9