Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-12
Elevation OF the Population above
Sea.h.GYei.
AN INTERESTING EXHIBIT

AN iNiSnESilfp E6hlbII.
Census Bulletin No. So, Just Issued, gives an
interesting table, showing the distribution OF the
population of the United States IN 1870 and 1SSg
In elevation above the level Of the sea- This table
shows tfat nearly one-fifth of the inhabitants
nVe DelOW 100 leet, I. e. along the immedlt G
seaooaTd and In The swampy and alluvlal re
glons OF the south; mo. than tWo-nfths beIo &
50O feet; more than three-fourths baiOW | 0o0
feet, while 81 per cent live below 1000 feet
In the area below 500 feet IS Included nearly
gaged In manufacturing and most ot.that en-
gagged in the culture OF cotton, rice, and sugar.
The interval between the 500 and / 500 foot
contours comprises the greater part OF the
prairie states and the grain producing states OF
the Northwest. East OF the 9stl meridian the
contour OF / 500 feet IS practically the upper
limit OF population, ali the country lying above
that elevation being mountainous. The poO-
uiatiOn between 1900 and 5000 feet IS found
mainly On the slope OF the great western
plains. Ia this region the belt between 2.o00
and 5000 feet is almost everywhe the debat-
able ground between the arid region OF the
Cordllleran plateau and the humid region OF
the Mississippi valley. Above 5000 feet, trri-
cation Is almost universally necessary for suc.
,ooo and !, 600 feet, ana more markedly between
5,Co0 and G,O00 feet, the population is
decidedIy In excess Of the grade or
grades below, 1t. This Is mainly due to
TIE fact that the densest settlement at high al.
tltpdfS IN the C0rdilleran region is at the east
eTn base Of the Rocky Mountains ana in the
valleys OF the Great Salt Lake, which regions
lie between 1000 and G,ol0 feet. OF these the
extensive settlements at the base Of the noun
talns In Colorado are mainly between 5000 aud
6,GOO feet. Above 6.000 feet the population
which Is confined, OF course, to the Cordilleran
region, IS almost entirely engaged In the pur-
suit OF mining. and the greater rart OF ir IS TO-
Gated In Colorado. New Mexico. Nevada ana
California ' ''''N
Examining the Increase Ia population in the
several divisions during The past decade, there
VII! be noticed a decided increase In tbs lowest
grace, Que TO TIE increase In our seahcard towns
and cities; also gain, though rot as decided
In the grade or 100 10 500 feet, with more
marked increase between 500 to coo feet. BE-
tween LOCO and 2 200 feet the increase has been
nearly 90 per cent. In this grade the effect Of
Immigration in new and previously unsettled
regions appears as in parts or Texas, Kansas
Nebraska, Dakota and Mlnpesota. A0ove 2,OGJ
feet the Increase, though shall numerically. Is
proporttonally very great. Between 1900 apd
5000 It IS more than 100 per cent, due mainly
10 tie newly awakened interest III niaing To
this cause may also be largely attributed the
increase In population in the higher attitudes.
q computation, based upon the few facts here
submitted, shows that the mean elevation of
he population above the sea Is about 700 feet,
The mean elevation OF The surface OF the United
States has been estimated at 2G0C feet.