Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-12
AMERICAN CITIES.
Their Increase and the Problems Pre-.
senteu by Their Existence.

ScnCeu Dy ENlStence.
The second in the interesting series
of lectures on municipal government
reform was given last evening.in the
Old South meeting-house, whore Prof.
Albert b. Hart delivered an able ad-
dress upon the rise of American cities,
says the Boston Herald. Said the
essayist: THE fact that there are SO
many cities to govern is one of the most
astonishing in history. A century ago
the whole population of the United
States was less than 1000, 900, of whom
hardly 100000 lived in cities. Now
there are in this country not less than
$50 cities, having a total population of
nearly 6,000.00O; the cities having in
creased sixty times and their popula-
tion nearly sixty times. 1t is evident
that in this rapid displacement may be-
found an explanation of some of the
problems which our cities present."
The rise Of American cities was then
discussed under two sets of questions.
First, a geographical query: What
causes have determined the sites Of
American cities? second, Il social ques-
tion, How many people live in Ameri-
can cities, and what sort of people are
they? In answer to the first question it
was shown that most ancient or mida-
val cities were grouped about a hill for
the reason that they felt themselves in
danger of attack, and sought the most
defensible situations. 1t is not too much
TO say that not one city in the United
States owes its growth to it's situation,
for of the ten large cities seven are ex-
posed to attack by sea, and but one Is
sufficiently protected. The second rca-
son for the location of cities is the con-
venience of commerce. A very inter-
esting resume of the comparative ad-
vantages of Boston, New York, Phila-
delphia and Baltimore followed, and the
commercial and manufacturing phases
of their rise and growth were touched
upon. 1t was of far less Importance that
city should grow than 1t should grow
intelligently. Manufacturing cities
were always more densely populated
than commercial cities, and the over
crowding of cities was one OF the most
serious problems of the day. The Ii
braries and schools OF Boston would
attract one class, while low theaters and
dance halls would attract others. There
were, in 1880, according to the census Of
that year, 2S6 cities with Il population
of over 5000. One hundred of these had
1900; l3l had between 1900 and
10000, while the remaining forty-tive
ran from $4,000 to ! ,20O,00 The num-
Der OF cities increased but slowly from
1880 to 1910, but in the next decade the
ihSiSuoO N'to 90 cav 90 III e'O hipJ ioi-
mer years. Large cities attract more
than their share Of the total growth of
city population. Interesting figures in
regard to the distinction of cite were
then given, as we'll as figures showing
the comparative growth Of the princi-
pal cities of the United States. Up to
1920 Philadelphia was tho first city in
he union. The Erie canal was finished
n 1926, and the rapid leap OF New York
Hat ti.., 10, In,
1890 followed. In IA careful estimate,
based on the presidential votes
of 1884 and 1858, New York
has to-day 100000 people. Phila-
delphia numbers 100000 pop
ulation now, but has to include her SUI
burbs in this estimate. Brooklyn is
phenomenon, with its 1921 900 people.
Baltimore and Boston are rivals but the
former now leads by 500. The princi-
pal western cities, their histories and
their prospects, were then discussed,
and, under the head of distribution of
population in cities, it was shown that
New York had l6 people to house,
Philadelphia .. Brooklyn 9, Chicago 8,
Boston s, ST. Louis =, Baltimore 8, Gin
cinnati ., San Francisco 6, and New
Orleans D. The proportion of foreign
ers to the native population and their
comparative ages were illustrated by
means OF clever diagrams. and it was
shown that even where native popula-
tion was dominant rs regards numbers
its total always included children. while
the foreign estimate OF immigration
was almost wholly adults, 1t behooves,
therefore, the teachers, the churches,
the schools and the governments TO
educate the children OF these ip,mi-
grants, born in this country, up to their
iuil responsibilities and privileges sc as
"A IN ln..l ,.,t i. i
public.