Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-11
THE GROWTH OF WASHINGTON.
interesting Statistics from the Recent
Census.

n, iatlOn Oh the District OF Columbia, as
sfbwn by the report made by the local
census takers. although indicating healthy
progress, is scarcely equal to what might
have been expected in view of the elegant
Snd costly improvements that have been
made during the past five years. The
somewhat disappointing result is doubt
less partially due TO the fact that the
Aoating population is never as great dur
ino the odd years, when Congress is not
in session, as in the even years, when that
body is always in session for six or eight
months. including June, when the national
census is taken. 1t must be borne in
mind also that large communities cannot
increase at the rate of small ones.
II seems that the population is now
0O3 459. In 1880 it was III, 624 and the
increase has been 25,s35. At the same
rate of progress for five years more the
census OF the district Will foot up 233, 051,
ann will show an increase of 30 ,421. The
ratio will be 1920 per cent.
Between the years 1870 and 1880 the rate
of increase was 84.S7 per cent. At the
heginning of that Edccade the population
was 1871, 700, and the gain in ten years was
45024.
The fact will surprise most persons who
have not given particular attention to the
subject, when they learn that the increase
of population was at a far higher ratio
between the years 1860 and 1870 than it
has been since. In 1860 the District con-
taIued 1850 inhabitants, and in 1870 the
number was 13l, 100; 80 that the gain was
So $40. or at the rate of 75.4l per cent. 1t
0ppears. also, that the increase between
1870 and 1860 was more rapid than it has
II, 81.
ton of the District was 3 ,6S7, and IN 1860
il was 750S0. The gain was therefore
%. 1898. and the ratio OF increase was 47.19.
But the most rapid progress made by
the District of Columbia was during the
first two decades of its existence as
separate community. The census of 1890
was taken before the present county of
Washington was divided of from Prince
Georges and Montgomery counties in
Maryland. Georgetown existed as a cor
porste town, but Washington did not, and
the population of the new county Of
Washington, when surveyed, was less
than 1900. Alexandria on the Nir-
GINA side was then a part Of the Dis
triet, but it having been retroceded to
that State i'll 1876, it is now out OF the
question. in 1900 Washington county
contained LA persons, aud the increase
\ during the preceding ten years had been
at the rate OF 200 per cent. or more. In
1910 the population of the county was
4 l5.47l, showing gain in ten years Of
1927, an increase Of 80 pei cent.
IN 1920 the population was 23,3S6, and
the gain had been I 800 in ten years. or ut
the rate OF 50.S3 per cent. During the
81 succeeding ten years there was c0nsd-
4 cradle decline i'm the rate of increase.
4 The gain was 6,925, and the rate Of in
4 crease 20.6S per cent.
From 1890 to 1910 there was a great eX-
4 Odus from the Atlanta Southern States to
& the Southwest, and the District OF Column
4 ba felt the effects of it. Maryland in
Il creased in those years only $4,000, Vir-
gnia increased $4,000, North Carolin 15,-
s. eco, ard South Carolina $4,000. The Dis
& trict of Columbia was then a purely
southern community, and its inhabitants,
ike those Of the older Southern States,
81 emigrated West and Southwest. The
result was that in the ten years there was
only a gain of 3, 4S4 inhabitants, at the
rate Of 11.51 per cent.
But from 1910 the city of Washington
81 and District of Columbia began to rally
and to show signs Of rapid progress. The
population, which in 1910 was but 80, 745,
rose in the succeeding ten years to 81, 6S7,
the gain being 1892, or at the rate OF
j3.l1 per cent.
Prior to 1860 the colored population Of
81 the city, free and slave, failed to keep
pace with the whites. The total number
shown by the census Of that year was
only 1876. But the war afforded oppoT-
81 mnity for thousands Of slaves to escape
from the adjoining States of Virginia and
Maryland, and to take refuge in this city.
The result was that in 1870 there We're
IS 404 Of that race in the District, show
ing threefOld increase in ten years. In
1880 the number had risen to 1886. The
increase was is, 1872, and the rate of IN
crease 9T30.
The white population in 1870 was S.
2lS, and the gain in ten years was %, 72S
or at the rate of 1857 per cent.
The recent census taken by the city
authorities shows that the whites number
81 1921, which was IA gain in five years of
n 1925, and the rate of increase was I5.47
III per cent.
The cOlOred population, as just reported
s61.188. In 1880 the number was SO, $685.
Inc increase in five years has been, there
iore, 1892, and the rate Of increase has
been 1913 per cent.
The recent census takers have reported
the number of births during the past year
among the two races separately, from
81 winch 1t appC ars that there were 2,l9l
white children born, and 1881 OF the col
ored race, making a total OF 3, 1913. These
nSures, obtained probably IRON the Board
u Health, show percentage OF births to
reputation among Lne whites OF l.Ol, anu
among the colored people OF 2.27. The
omcers of the Health Department state
Ilat the colOred people are much more
ready and prompt TO report births among
tlem than are the white people; and some
ulowance for the apparently wide differ
tnce in the facundity of the two races is
Dc explained by this fact. Neverthe-
,ess, the margin Is, doubtless, largely in
l@yof ct the colored race.
bQt this rapid multiplication of the col
; eleu population by births is Offset by a
sr greater death rate than prevails among
sue Nhite people. The statistics on this
s4uleet, wherever they have been taken,
Nofth and South, are uniform in oharac-
iney show that the colored people
. II I'e Oh al rate fully 80 per cent. greater
: heh lae whites. The statistics are nj
tnVst exclusively those Of the cities, and
W. u,ie Is reason to suppose that the case is
uyl so Dad IN the country.
lae annual report Of the Health Officer
d llt District for the year ending June
!9i shows that the total number OF
- was ASIA, of which 1916 were
Nhite persons and 2,28s were
o'eQ' But these figures greatly eN-
80 she report OF births during the same
49,; aud II the birth rate could bee re-
o " az lull and correct, 10 would follow
C ene District Of Columbia would In a
Htb years be depopulated were IL not for
n 4. NHaaN