The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-10-09
Statistics About Charleston.

Even dry statistics have in them
much of interest when they relate to
topic which is attracting much public
attention, and just at present when the
misfortunes of the people of Charleston
excite the sympathetic interest of the
entire country an array of figures con
corning the population of the over
thrown city, the social condition and
occupations of its people has in it much
to excite public interest. The New
York Sun has gathered from the census
report of 1880 a large amount of Stats
teal information. Charleston is
thoroughly American city. In no other
city of the Union, Richmond ex-
cepted, is the proportion of foreign
born inhabitants so small and it APP
pears to be constantly on the decrease.
OF As, $50 inhabitants in 1880 only 1892
were foreign born, and of 1884 peo-
pie in 1888 there were but $3.50 who
were born in countries other than this.
10 show how small this proportion
really is, it may be mentioned that 40
per cent. of Chicago's population and
33 per cent. of Boston's are foreign
born. Moreover, 50 per cent of Char
leston's inhabitants are natives of South
Carolina.
The number of people actively enl-
ployed in 1880 was 20,325, of whom
49, were males. Very few of the
females were employed in manufacture
ing Enthusiastically seventy-six. The
othere were either domestics, saleswO-
men, or employed in some similar ca
pacity.
OF the male workers 4, 632 were en-
gagged in what are described i'm the
census reports as professional and
personal service That is to say they
were professional men, servants and
day laborers. Three thousand nine
hundred and five were employed in
manufacturing pursuits, 4,349 in trade
and transportation. which includes not
merely merchants and railroad men,
but clerks, truck drivers and handlers.
There were G36 carpenters and ioiners,
and 1922 masons Unless this number
has largely increased there will be
room in Charleston for thousands of
carpenters, bricklayers and builders
from abroad. In fact, il is reported
that masons are now receiving Sc per
day for their work. This seems
rather eXtortionate price for labor
when the laborers are so fully aware of
the heavy losses of their employers.
There were, in 1880, 1874 manufacture
ing establishments of all sorts from
soda water manufactures up. The
total amount OF capital invested was
81, us, 800; and the value of the manu-
features for that year was nearly
So, 600, 600. Since 1880. however, these
figures have been increased to four
times the amounts named, for Charles
ton had something of boom in manu-
features, the principal of which is the
manufacture of fertilizers.
The property valuation of the city in
1888 was S22,543, 423, of which Sl4.
500 600 was real estate. The tax ratio
was $3. 10 per 800.
At the time the tenth census was
taken. and, too. at the present time, the
majority of the people of Charleston
are colored. They arc not. with but
few exceptions, at all well to do, and it
is upon the white population that the
loss falls most heavily. When, too, it
is taken into consideration that the bus
mess blocks and manufacturing estab-
lishments were owned by compare
tive few, it will be more readily COM
pretended how great are some of the
individual losses.
The statistics given above will per-
aaps enable those who read them to APP
preciate more fully the present condi-
ton of Charleston. -KanSas city Jour
nal.