Telegram-herald., 1890-07-02
SIXTY THOUSAND
Souls Can be Found in Grand Rap
ids Proper.
An INCREASE OF $4,000 IN TEN YEARS
Or Counting the Probable Suburban
Popaiatioa at 10000, an Increase OF
Js,O0O-Fred :. Clark Allowed 10
Give an Approximate.


well" said Special Census Secre-
tary Fred :. Clark, "whats your guess
today on the population of Grand
RapldsP'
''S0xty-hye thousand"
"You are wrong. and yet not 80 far
out either. am in position to speak
little more freely. superintendent
OF the Census Porter mas given me per.
mission TO give an unofficial approxi-
mate of the result of the census in
Grand Rapids, and on that basis you
are just 5000 out. | Approximate the
population of the city proper TO he
$4,000. This, of course. does not IN
clude our large suburban contingent"
This seems quite drop from the
prevailing idea, doesn't it?'
"Ies, somewhat; but the heoverestimate
IS easily accounted for. Ten years ago
large tracts. north, south, east and
west, were void of buildings; now they
are all built over. People saw this
large and steady building boom III pro-
gress and naturally conceived the idea
that population was increasing IN like
ratio. They were wrong. These build
lugs were the homes of wOrkingmen
who had previously densely packed the
blocks IN the city. Thus you see while
the area of building covered lands
was largely increased. the population
did not keep pace. For instance, when
| asked an old resident how many he
estimated certain district would fig
ure, he carefully considered and placed
| his estimate at 20C0. ] had figured II
would he about the same. Results
show 1000. The same question was pro-
| pounded as 10 some Of the blocks. Take
| for instance Powers Opera Housebsock.
| We figured that the resident population
OF that block would go 1T least 90 souls.
1 The census showed that there are ex-
| actlv three families vino 1--we there.
| However, there Is, think, no cause
| for dissatisfaction. In 1850 our popu-
| latIon figured 32 900, today we have
| say, 6O 900, an increase of . ,00O. | am
| able % say, too, that the work has been
well and thoroughly done. I'm order to
make a test, opened up the most diff
cult district and went over the ground
again, verifying as | went. The result
reflected greatcrediton the enumerator.
feel sure that when the ofiicialreturns
are published the result viii
bC very near what have
| told you, $1,000. One thing
VIII swear to. never tackled a
tougher task in my lIfe, but, though
the work has been hard, / don't regret
10, as ann sure 10 has been thor
oughly done. There may be some who
/ VIII take exception To the returns, bat
the astute business men OF the city
VIII. l think. be with me-"
The Board of Trade has been having
4 canvass conducted OF the suburban
/ population outside the limits, under the
supervision OF Eugene Carmichael resi-
dent agent for X. l.. Polk * 60 the
directory publishers. They do not feel
inclined TO state what the result is, but
10 may be safely pred ioated that that
territory has also been somewhat IN
Aated and the suppOstiOus twenty
10 twenty-five thousand will, wneu
the facts are known, not much
exceed 10000 or 1900. But should
that be the figure. still healthy aud
cmneutiy satisfactory growth is shown.
THIS territory - now 20 all intcnts and
purposes, part of the cty and will Ger
tainlv become so wncn the next session
of the legislature occurs. We viii then
count oar population at least 10000.
| an increase IN ten years of 50. .0o0
I souls