The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-02
SOME CENSUS ESTIMATES.
Superintendent Porter Thinks the
Population of the United
States 64,500,000.
Some Men Who Think the Multi
plication Of Printing a Ma
tional Calamity.
Probability That Illinois Will Take Third
Rank from the Buckeye State
Enormous Gains in the West.

Said Washington correspondent of tn
Cincinnati Enquirer to Mr.. Porter IN his
interesting round in the census office:
"Can you give some figures which can
print to anticipate the census?'
"Yes; but with the understanding that
YOU are not to give them out as.the official
figures of this Office. The census bureau at
every point is sensitive and tentative. We
try to anticipate from all the information
we can gather the ultimate results we are to
get at in enumeration. The question you
ask, if we can not anticipate the ultimate
result is the reason why We like to accom-
modate the press. Among the inquiries we
constantly meet here are those concerning
the growth of printing and periodical
literature. That has been the stand
ard of the American statesman from
the commencement of the census busl-
ness. It is only of late that some men have
discovered that the multiplication OF print
ing is a national calamity. The same thing
was discovered by Gov. Berkeley in the
seventeenth century when he thanked GOD
that there was not printing press In Viz
pinia. I regard the vital statistics which
are to appear in the census as the next i'm
portant thing to the enumeration of the
number of people in the country. The OBJ
iect of such census is to acquaint your
magistrates and leaders with the resources
of their land for such thing, for instance,
as war. You want to know the area COW
cred by disease, and what kinds of disease
affect the physical nature of your soldiery.
Among other remarkable things we are
SC $C
Get the name of every veteran of
the civil war. OF these we estimate
that there are about l 400 600 to GOO, 600 in
the land. Where we do not get the soldiers
name We get that of the widow. The idea
is to keep an everlasting roster of those who
paid the tribute of life or services to the
civil war. We do not omit tho confederate
side of this inquiry. We are also going to
present from the census bureau to the
ton in the land in the year 1880, SO that the
library of congress have museum OF Its
prints like the British museum. Now will
have copied for you our estimate, however
imperfect, of the population of the United
States as we shall take it in the month OF
June"
One of the division subordinates took a
table instantly to q typewriter, and IN
about an hour after left the census office
got this list of figures:
Inc pOpulatlOn OF Ine OAi'eu 'oa'oe Al
the wear 1880 was sc, 1000 600 and about one
seventh 1t is estimated that the popula-
ton in 1890 will be nearly G,5OO,OOO. The
exact figures put down by the surmisers are
64,422 ,sO7. They, however, reckon that
three of the divisions of the country which
they have estimated are too small: they
nut down Oregon at about 100000, Wash
inpton at 225, 600, and Wyoming at $4,000,
and say that they are all too small. Inc
probabilities. therefore, are that the Amer
lean census, if correctly surmlsed, may De
something like g. 600 people.
In the next census, as sulmlsed, Dut not
officially proclaimed, the population OF the
state Of New York will be 6,252,OOO, an in
crease of nearly 1,20O, 900, for the population
ten wears ago was less than 100000.
The next state in Importance in the CEN
sus of 1890 will be Pennsylvania, which is
surmised to have more population than
New York ten years ago. Pennsylvania has
increased according to tho surmlse about
l.O7OOOO in ten years. 1t falls behind the
state of New York only about 800, 900. though
the ratio is nearly the same as in 1850: By
the computation or prognosticatlon of the
census Office, the population OF illinois III
1880 is about 10000 more than the popuia.
ton of Ohio. Ohio led Illinois in 1880 BY
about 10000. This would make Illinois
the third state in the union. The popula
ton of Indiana is put down in this prognos
tication at nearly 2,374.OoO. an increase o
about 100000 in ten years. Texas IS pu
stands in the rear of Indiana, and some
what in advance of Massachusetts, which Ii
recorded by guess-work at :, lO4 600.
Michigan shows a surprising increase il
ten years. Her population 10 now put dow
at COS 900, an increase of about 100000
Missouri has also made remarkable gains
and is supposed to have about 2, 100000 PEG
pie in it, an increase of nearly 600, 900.
Virginia is put down in the estimate 9
the census bureau, provided the figures
hnr,r v,Sv 4 oh
received are correct. as hav1ng olmln,sh n
somewhat in population. She had ,5l2 &C
ten years ago, and is now supposed to hav
100000. while West Virginia has game
about 125.00O people. and has run up
742,OOO which is nearly the populatio
recorded of Dakota.
apprehend that Dakota will not |
found as populous in the summer of 1880 I
has been heretofore considered. 1t IS s
down in this estimate as not two states, o'
one, and with a combined population
743OOO. which is about 2l,OOO more than Il
population of Connecticut.
Arkansas is estimated by our friends
the census bureau to be now over l.OOO,O
people, whereas it was only So, 900 ten yea
ago. / should think that there might
some exaggeratlng: !.
crease of some 25O,0O i'll ten years. Mi
sissippi is supposed to have increased abo
225,0OO in the same interval.
Maryland is put down with the large POI
ulatlOn OF l,lg2uUU an increase OF 400
100000 Wisconsin is estimated to ha'
gained nearly 100000 in ten years, and
stand above the figure of 100000, or pc
haps $4,000 more than the present popul
on of Tennessee.
South Carolina is supposed to have gain
about 100000 Inhabitants in ten yeal
Even Nevada is estimated tie have lncreas
her population, which may be q matter
dispute and to have just put 1900 peoI
upon the g. 900 she had IN 1880.
Minnesota is put down at nearly l 20
coo inhabitants, an increase of about 81
OOO Louisiana is rated at an increase
about 275.00O and to have over l,2OO,'
people. Kentucky is given an increase
about $50. 600, and has perhaps 1.97s,OO
habitants. 1t is rather amusing to see
this year of 1880 how many states are
down at either 100000 or 1,9O0, 900. &c
gia is recorded as probably having LIS!
600 people. Iowa is estimated at 1.95O.(
little less than Kentucky. Kansas she
An astonishing increase, and is credi
with l,673,0OO. Nebraska is put down
this prophecy at having over 100000 7
pie clear or Within about $50 coo as mi
as South Carolina. New Jersey is e
mated to have about 1.4l4 600 people.
orado is modestly estimated al about >
co., an increase of nearly 100.
however, and California is set d,
to be about 100000. The pc
lation of the District of Col
bia is thought to be about 2Sl,oo, on