Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-24
THE DISTRICTS POPULATION.
How the Unofficial Count Compares
With the Police Census.

As stated IN yesterdays STAR the result of the
unofficial count Of the District census made by
Supervisor Dingman shows the population OF
the District TO be DDS leo. Chief Clerk syl-
vester of the police department, who had
charge of the police census in 1856. and again
IN 1855. made an advance estimate of 22s, 744
as the figures which would result from the cen.
sus just completed.
MY estimate" said Mr.. Sylvester to a sTsR
report today. satisfies me of the correctness
OF the police census. although the last census.
In 1885, was questioned by persons interested
In showing large population. In making the
estimate made my calculations on the police
census La 1885 the figures were POS. 459. while
IN 1885 the population was 2IS l57, an average
increase OF 4.S99 each year. The difference
between the police census two years ago and
the government census now is 0.OO3 or a yearly
average OF about 5000 which further yerifies
the correctness Of the police census. The police
census, II anything. was more accurate than
the government census. although / think the
latter is very nearly correct
''Supt- DmSman followed very nearly the
methods adopted by the police department.
with the exception of the boundaries of the
working district Supt Dingmans advance
estimate, which was based on the police figures
was 23l. 600, only 5000 out of the wav The
result OF the government census gives the
itself upon the correctness Of its figures. which
Was disputed at the time"
WHERE THE INCREASES ARE.
Speaking of what sections were increasea
Chief Clerk Sylvester said that that could not
Yet be determined. lie thought the largest
increase would be found in the county. while
IN some sections of the city there would proba-
bly, be a decrease. In Georgetown. he thought.
the increase would be much larger for the past
two years than 1t during the three years
from 1885 TO 1883, when there was an increase
OF only ten. or an average of less than four
persons a year.
Mr. PARKER THINKS THE FIGURES Low.
The president of the Board of Trade. Mr.. M.
NJ. Parker in speaking Of the estimated census
returns, said that he had expected that the
census would show much larger population
IN the District than the figures given Indicated
The work of taking the census iu nv
opinion, he said, was done too hastily.
There ought to have been more time
to the necessary supervision that
work of such importance demands. have
no doubt but that the actual population OF the
District is at least 10000 greater than the re-
turns show. However, the increase of the
population indicates that this District ia en-
joying steady, healthy growth and there is
every reason TO expect continuance Of the
prosperity which has been enjoyed during the
past decade
THE PoPULATIoS AND THE MAIL
superintendent Bell, OF the city delivery a
the city post office, said to a STAR reporter this
afternoon that there is really no fair COM
parison between the rate OF growth of the citv
and OF the amount of mail delivered .'We can
count on an increase of IA per cent year in
the amount OF mail We handle. " said Capt Bell
This great discrepancy can be accounted for
In part by the cheapening OF the rates of po.-
tage and by the growth Of the business inter-
ests of the city. People write and receive more
letters than they used to and this makes
L vast difference everywhere, and this il aug
mented too in this city by the tremendous in-
crease in the amount of government mail mat
ter that passes through this Office"