Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-28
COUNTIES AND THEIR DEBTS.
A New Set Of Statistics Prepared By
the Census Onlce.'

A New Set Of Statistics Prepared BY
the Census Omcs'
balletin showing the financial condition Of
counties was issued today BY the Census Office.
Mr.. I. Campbell Copeland, who Is in charge Of
this work. has prepared this preliminary bull
letin, which shows the bonded, floating, gross
and net debit sinking fund, available resources
and annual interest charge Of the several coun-
ties of the United States.
1t Ii stated that "a few counties in sparsely-
settled states and territories have failed to re-
spond to the repeated calls OF this Office. It 10
not likely, however, that the returns from
these counties will make much difference in
the total herewith presented, which may be
fairly taken as the county indebtedness of the
country for the census year. In securing the
reports from minor civil divisions il has been
impossible to obtain them for exactly the same
date. In every case the fiscal year ending as
nearly as possible to the census year, which
closed May 81, 1890, has been taken"
Within short time, it Is announced. this
bulletin will BIO followed BY similar exhibits
rotating to the financial condition Of munich
Paiifies and other minor civil divisions having
debt-creating and taxing powers.
accompanying the bulletin are several SYM
bolic maps designed by Mr.. Copeland and
intended to illustrate the geographical distri-
UutOu VI couuty OeDt ana OF AvaliNDI0 re-
sources. They will also enable those interested
TO ascertain the general range Of indebtedness
in particular counties
SHOWING DKBrs BY MAPS
The gross debt for 1890 Of counties are shown
in the following maps; United States, New
England states, middle states. southern states,
western central states and western states and
territories. On the map Of the United States
are also placed symbols showing the bonded
debt, the gross debt and total available re-
sources Of states and territories. summary
Of what the statistics shows is AZ follows: In
the New England states it is noticed that YER
mont is nearly free Of debt and that the debt
Of Connecticut is very light Massachusetts
and some Of the southern counties of New
Hampshire show a heavy debt
In New York the debt has accumulated In
the southeastern counties more than in other
sections, but there are in that section groups
Of counties totally free from liability. There
Genesee. Wyoming, Erie, Chautauqua, Cat
taraugus and Allegany, in the southwest, and
Wayne, Ontario, Seneca Yates, Schuyler and
Chemung. more toward the center, all without
gross debt, while on the north and northeast,
starting from Lewis county, Q semicircle of
counties without debt is formed by jefferson.
Saint Lawrence, Franklin, Essex, Warren end
Fulton, with Washington in close proximity.
VIRGINIA AND THE SOUTH.
Nearly ali of the debt of Virginia IL along
the western boundary and in the southwestern
section. In the central and eastern sections Of
this state there are not more than eight or nine
counties from which debt has been reported
Sussex, Powhatan and Stafford counties have q
comparatively heavy debt, while the debts of
Norfolk and Southampton do not exceed 81, 900.
Nearly all Of the counties in the southwestern
section OF this state running through the
extreme of the boundary line are free from
liability. The counties in West Virginia having
q debt are nearly all centrally situated.
The only section of North Carolina having q
large gross debt is the southwestern. Cumber-
land, Craven and Durham counties have q
large gross debt, but the section most heavily
marked comprises Mecklenburgh, Rutherford,
Henderson, Mcdowell and Buncombe counties.
Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas,
Mississippi, Louisiana, and northern and south
eastern Texas show but little solid black on
the map. The counties Of Texas, except those
referred to, are more or less involved but
throughout the state there may be found
counties entirely free Of debt
There is a marked difference in the indebted
ness of the southern and eastern counties of
Kentucky and those Of the northern and west
ern sections.
THE WEST
In the western central states tho counties of
Michigan are nearly oil free froca debt. Wis
consin also makes good showing. The west
ern counties Of Ohio show heavy debt, while
those in the northeastern part of the state,
with the exception of MRhoning, Stark, Holmes,
Knox and Tuscarawas counties, have no deb:.
The counties In the southeastern section having
debtare Belmont, Muskingum, Perry, Lawrence
Meigs, Hooking, Vinton, Morgan, Noble and
Athens.
Throughout Indiana, more particularly in
the northern counties. the gross debt is very
considerable. Illinois has . large group of
counties In the northern section and another
group, consisting Of woodford, Mclean, Liv-
ingston. Iroquois, VermiiOn and Edgar coun-
ties, without debt Of any kind.
The southern counties Of Minnesota, particu-
larly those of Faribault, Freedom. Mower,
Fillmore and Houston together with Waseca,
Steele, Dodge, Oimstead, Murray, Cottonwood
and Watonwan have at present no outstanding
debt. Tho same may be also said of the group
formed by Dakota, GoOdhue and Wabasha
counties.
The northwestern counties Of Iowa are some
what heavily involved but on the northeast,
running down toward the south, there are quite
number of counties.
The counties in the northern portion of
Missouri are heavier in debt than those toward
the south and east One group, composed Of
Usage, Gasconsde, Crawford, Washington,
Saint Francois. Sainte Genevieve, Perry, Mad
ison, Iron, Reynolds, Carter, Wayne, Cape Gil
rardeau, Scott, New Madrid and Mississippi
counties has no debt.
In North Dakota only five counties are with
out debt South Dakota has more counties
free from debt and the debts are smaller.
Although Nebraska shows a considerable
scattered debt. here and there on the map may
be found small groups Of counties without liza
bility. Pierce, Cedar and Dickson counties in
the northeast corner and Clay, Fillmore, Saline,
Jefferson and Thayer counties in the southeast
may be mentioned as instances
The counties in Kansas IRE heavily involved,
there being only one group free Of debt, and
that stands in the southeastern corner of the
stasc. comprising Neosho, Crawford and Chero-
kee counties.
HEAVILY INVOLVED.
In the western states and territories few of
the counties comprised In this group are free
from debt and some are very heavily involved.
Oregon seems TO have the only group of coun-
tics without liabilities. That group il situated
in the northwestern section of the state, and
comprises Gillian, Wasco, Multnomah. Wash
ington, Clackamas, Marion, Linn, Sherman
and Lane counties.
or tho territories Utah has the largest num-
Dor Of counties without debt
THE GENERAL RESULTS.
During the census decade from 1880 to 1890,
290 new counties came into existence and an
increase Of % per cent Of bonded debt is shown
with decrease OF 81 per cent of floating debt,
making an increased gross debt of 16 per cent.
The gross debt Is now over $l45, 000, 600. The
bulletin states that there has been O remarka-
bic increase (2l8 per cent? in the bonded debt
OF the New England states, a. will be seen In
the SUMMARIZE The middle states show de-
crease Of per cent, tho southern states an in
crease Of Is per cent, the western states an in
crease Of 81 per cent and the territories an in
crease Of !. 1S5 per cent in the BONDED debt.