Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-09-28
The Growth Of the United States

ent of the last census, contributes to the
October Century paper abounding in
interesting and important facts CLEANED
from the census returns since the first
enumeration in 1870. In discussing the
condition of the United States, at the
tenth census in 1880, he says:
The period between 1850 and 1880
has been marked by the astonishingly
rapid spread of population over the vast
region brought under the flag OF the
United States by the purchase OK Lou
isiana, the annexation Of Texas, and
the cessions from Mexico. The 9S0.000
square miles of Territory occupied by
settlements in 1850 have become 1870
OCO. OF these, 2S4,s have between 2
and 8 Inhabitants to the square mile |;
373. 500 have between and Is; 554,300
between Is and As; 232,O10 between 45
and 90; while 24,559 have in excess of
90 inhabitants to the square mile. The
population of the United States is now
5O,155,7S3. The frontier line of settle
ment is, in general, the one hundredth
degree of longitude as far north as the
forty y-secOnd parallel of latitude, and,
thence north ward, the ninety-ninth and
afterward the ninety-eighth degree.
: The distribution of the population
laccording to dominant Typographical
features may be thus stated: On the im-
mediate Atlantic coast, north, 2,6l6,S92
middle, 4,375,1S4; south, S75,SS7; on the
Gulf coast, I,O55.S51; in the hilly and
mountainous region of the northeast,
Il a traf fhn tai m Nf
the central Atlantic slope, 2.344 ,223; in
the immediate region OF the Lakes
3,049, ,47O; on the tsble-lands and eleyated
/ plateaus of the Interior. 5.T16,3 ,336; in the
south central mountainous region
1895 ,OS5; in the Ohio Valley. 2,442,792
on the south interior table-lands and
plateaus, S,627,47s; in the Mississippi
belt, south, 71O,26s; north, 1891 1852; in
the southwest central region. 2.932,807
in the central region, 4,4O1,246; in the
prairie region, 5.722, ,4S5; In the Missouri
River belt, S35,455; on the western
plains, 223,8i9; in the heavily timber
region of the north west, 1.122,337; in
the Cordilleran region, 932,31i: on the
| Pacific coast, 7l5.7S9.
ATCnUugn tfTu ucrIitofy of the United
States extends 10 the forty-ninth paral.
lei, emily ene-tenth of the population is
found north Of the fOrty-third. But So
dense is the settlement below this line
that, BY the time the forty-tirst parallel
is reached, about one-third OF the popu-
lation has been covered; the next single
degIee extends the proportion nearly to
one-haif. while more than twO-thrds lie
north Of the thirty-eighth parallel. Be-
tween the forty-third and thirty eighth
dwell 29, SOC, 900 of our people. In 1870.
52.S per cent. of the population was east
Of the eighty.fourth meridian. In 1880,
only 4e.4 per cent. was SO placed. Eigh-
ty-four per cent. of the population is
found east of the ninety-tirst meridian !;
81 per cent. east Of the ninety-seventh.
The foreign elements of our popula.
tion have varied widely since 1880. AT
that time foreigners constituted 9.5 per
cent. of the total population; they now
constitute 1873 per cent. OF the foreign
residents of 1850, 43.5 per cent. were
Irish 26.4, Germans; 13.9, English and
Welsh ; 81, Americans; while the
Scandinavians formed less than one Der
cent. Since that time, the proportion of
Irish the other foreign elements has
steadily declined. OF the arrivals in
the ten years ending in 1850, the
Germans were but 25 per. cent; of those
in the ten years ending in 1860, they
were 81 per cent. Between 1860 and
1870, other foreign elements began to
assume Importance through the fast in
creasing immigration of Swedes and
NorwesIans across the ocean, and of
Canadians across our Northern border.
We have seen that the Irish of 1850 con-
stituted 43.5 per cent. of the total for
eign population In 1860. this proper
ton had fallen to $50, and in 1870, still
further, to 33.3. Although the statis-
tics of nationality at the census of 1880
arenot yet published, it is not probable
that the Irish to-day constitute more
than ~ per cent. of the foreign popula-
tion of the country.
To-day. the number of foreigners liv-.
ing among us is . little over $4,000
while the members of the colored race
reach almost the same number. Speak
ing roundly, then. the following is the
table of our population:
Whole number. D.. -. 10000. 900
Foreigners. - -. = 6,5O0,O0O
Total native born. 43,5OO, 900
Colored.... ..... -. 8,500.000
Total native horn whifes OF Ooo oOo|