Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-07-14
THE GROWTH OF CITIES.

his heart.
THE GROWTH OF CITIES.
The science of statistics is distinc-
lively a modern one and is as much
indebted for the materials of its elabor-
alton to the United States as to any
other country Prior to the COM
mencement of this century there was
no Thoroughly reliable census of any
European country The first formal
census of the United States was taken
in 1890; the first in Great Britain not
until 1901. The population of any
country at given time before the pres
ent century is a matter of conjecture,
admitting of wildly varying estimates.
The less civilized European countries,
the republics of South America and all
the nations of Asia and Africa are
still without any statements of their
population that can be received as
even approximately exact. AS to
China and Japan, which used to figure
in geographical text books with mar
vellous accounts as to the size OF their
capital cities, the results of recent in
quiries have shown such statements to
be utterly unreliable China, instead
of having q population of $50, 900, 900
or 500, ,000,0 900, as is still generally
believed, is found to have less than
200 100000, while the enlightened
government of Japan has decreased by
half the figures it used to palm off
upon confding foreigners.
Under these circumstances it is not
strange that the laws of the growth of
population should, until quite recently,
have been so little known that previ-
Gus estimates of any given census
were usually very wide of the mark.
President Lincoln, in a message to
Congress in 1862, committed himself
to the absurdity Of saying that the
child is already born who will see our
population reach 100000 900. Charles
Sumner and the members of the Con-
gressional Census Committee of 1869
felt no hesitation in announcing before
hand that the census of 1870 would
reach total of 42,500,000, whereas it
fell short of $4,000, 900. On the other
hand the accurate methods pursued
for many years by DR.. Farr, the Brit
ish Registrar General, enabled him
to forecast the population Of London
ut the census of 1871 within 5000 of
the official return. On equally good
authority we are now informed that
the census of England and Wales, to
be taken next April, will aggregate
not far from 26,000,000, as against 22,-
7l2, 2GG in 1871.
While the usual rate OF increase of
civilized countries is now reduced to
the domain of science the growth of
cities cannot be predicted with any
similar accurancy. In the United
States there is uniform tendency to
exaggerate the population of our grow
ing cities, and each decennial census
demolishes great many air castles
built upon directories and tax returns.
The population of the chief American
cities by the census Of 1880 is now
known with near approach to accur-
acy, and whileChicago and ST. Louis
are deeply disappointed at not passing
the half-million milestone which they
long ago set up, there is no reason for
them to be dissatisfied with the result
Abnormal growth in very large cities is
not u healthy feature, and they are
rather to be congratulated at having
settled down to steady, regular in
crement. The results of the new CEN
sus will surprise the average reader in
many particulars. The order of pop
uation remains as it was in 1870,
with rare exceptions. Chicago has
attained the fourth place among Ameri-
can cities, numbering 475,000 to 375,-
900 in st. Louis Boston has out stripp-
ed Baltimore with 10000 and $780,
900 respectively, while Cincinnati,
which retains the eighth place, lags
behind with 10000. Pittsburgh has
about 154, 900 and Allegheny about
SO, 900. The greatest surprise is in
the growth of Cleveland and Milwau-
kce, amounting TO 10 and 80 per cent,
placing them respectively at l58,OOO
1870, 900. Buffalo and Washington
uFcrHpc ioVIvVVt Whit boh'o''ip h"7
rapidly climbed up to $4,000. De
troit and Providence have passed the
100, 900 limit, and take rank as seven
tccnth and eighteenth among our great
cities. Among the lesser cities, our
readers will probably be surprised to
learn that Kansas City rcasbed G5,-
600; indianapolis, 77,000; Minnoapo-
lis, As, 900 st. Paul, $4,000; Reading,
Pa, $4,000; Lowell, Mass, Gl,O0O
Denver $4,000; Wheeling, $4,000
Wilmington, $4,000; Quincy, ILL.,,
10000; ST. Joseph, Mo, $4,000;
Chester, Pa, $4,000; Pawtucket, II.
l., $4,000; Camden, n j., $1,000;
Waterbury, Conn, $4,000; Mcriden,
10000; Peoria, H., $4,000; Spring
field, Mass, 81 800; Springfield, ILL.,,
10000; Dayton, Ohio, $4,000 and
Elmra, N. Y, 2l,500. The returns
of other cities, not yet received, will
probable afford equal surprises. New
York has exceeded | 200, 900, Philadel-
phia attains nearly $4,000, and
Brooklyn more than holds her relative