Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-11-06
THERE ARE 62,4S0,5l0 OF Us.
Official Figures of the Cen
sus Enumeration.
GROWTH OF 1884, ,757 IN 10 YEARS.
Beside the Alaskans and the
Indians.


WASHINGTON, Oct. 3t.-The twelfth
In the series of census bulletins was
issued to-day on the population of the
United States. The bulletin says: The
population of the United States on June
LIST, 1880, as shown by the first count
persons and families, exclusive of white
persons in Indian Territory, Indians on
reservations and Alaska, was 62, ,4S0, $40.
These figures may be changed by later
and more exact compilations, but such
changes will not be material. In 1880
the population was 80, ,t55,7S3. The alb
solute increase in the population in the
10 years intervening was l2,324,757, and
the percentage of increase was 24.51. In
1870 the population was stated as 49,
b5S,3T1. According to these figures the
absolute increase in the decade between
fs7O and 1880 was 1857 ,4l2, and the
percentage of increase was 30.0S.
Upon their face these figures show
that the population has increased he.
tween 1880 and 1890 only 7,345 more
than between 1870 and 1880, while the
rate Of increase has apparently dimin-
ished from 30.0S to 24.57 per cent If
these figures were derived from correct
data, they would be indeed disappoint-
ing. such reduction in the rate of in
crease in the face of theenormous immi-
grafton during the past ten years would
argue u great diminution iii the fecun-
dliy Of the population or Il correspond
ing increase in its death rate. These
figures are, however, easily explained
When the character of the data used is
understood.
1t is well known, the fact having been
demonstrated by extensive and thorough
investigation, that the census of 1870
was grossly deficient in the southern
states, so much SO as not only 10 give an
exaggerated rate of increaseof thepopu-
lation between 1870 and 1880 in these
states, but to affect very materially the
rate ot increase in the country at large.
These omissions We're not the fault
nor were they within the control Of the
census office. The census of 1870 was
taken under Il law which the superin-
t2ndent, General Francis A. Walker,
characterized as clumsy, antiquated and
barbarous, and was admittedly grossly
defective. Many omissions were known
To have been made, especially in the
southern states. There is, of course, no
means Of ascertaining accurately tbeeX-
tent Of these omissions, but in all proba-
bility they amounted to not less than
100000.
There is but little question that the
population of the United States in 1870 |
was at least 40,000,00O, instead of 49,
55S,371 as stated. If this estimate Of |
the extent of the omissions in 1870 be
correct, the absolute increase between
1870 and 1880 was only about 100000 |
and the rate of increase was not far
from % per cent. These figures com
pare much more reasonahlywith similar
deductions from the population in 1880
and 1890
Omitting from consideration those
states in which the census Of 1880 is
known, or is presumed to have been
faulty, the rate of increase between 1870
and 1880 in the remaining states has
been very nearly maintained in the de-
cade between 1880 and 1890. Referring
TO the principal table of the bulletin, the
census of 1870 is known, or il presumed
TO have been deficient in nearly all the
states Of the South Atlantic and South
ern Central divisions, while in the North
Atlantic, Northern Central and Western
divisions no evidence Of inc0mpleteness
has been detected
The following table shows the popu-
lation OF the several states, as found by
the census enumeration Of the years
1890, 1880 and 1870.