Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-12
Census Atlas.

The Census Bureau has Issued statistical
atlas showing by pictorial presentation the
increase or decrease Of population in each
State of the Union.
The map was designed to give this IN
formation for each county. but In the re-
duced form in which 1t Is printed In Extra
Bulletin No. II II does not wholly accom-
plish that object, but discloses very well
tho facts as to large sections of States.
The buff coloring stands for decrease
Of population y; another shade. approach
ing gray. stands for increase OF population
from 0 to Is per cent; another shade
stands for increase of population from
rs 10 100 per cent and the deepest shade
OF all for increase Of population above
100 per cent" The observer Is natural
" struck with the fact that in very
large number Of counties OF the United
States the population has decreased. The
number Of counties which have apparent
ly lost population" whether from an &C
tpal dininution of inhabitants or from
reduction of territory during the past ten
years, is ASS. In about fifty OF these cases
this reduction Is due to q reduction
of territory consequent upon the lorna
ton OF new counties. In only 1SS coun-
ties had the number OF inhabitants dimin-
ished during the decade preceding 1880"
From the map we also learn that "the losses
during the past decade occurred mainly IN
the central parts of Maine, New Hamp-
shire, Vermont. New York, Northern New
Jersey. and Eastern Virginia (Which from
the summit of the Blue Ridge to the At
lantic has lost population, and scattered
quite generally through Ohio, Indiana
Illinois. Tennessee, and Kentucky. South
ern Michigan and Wisconsin have also SUI
| fered, while in Eastern Iowa large pro-
| norton of the counties have lost popula-
| ton"
In Colorado the mining counties, as q
rule, "have diminished in population,
while with the exception OF two counties
| the entire state of Nevada has lost inhaol-
tants. The mining regions of California
have suffered in a similar manner; and as
the buff tint unfolds the story OF de-
creasing population. so IN contradistinc-
ton the dark gray tells of an increase,
| which has been uniform in parts OF our vast
western domain, Of over 100 per cent"
"a very rapid increase is shown upon
the great plains, and generally throughout
the agricultural regi ons OF the Cordliieran
plateau. Northern Michigan, Western and
Southern Florida, Arkansas. southern
Missouri. and Central Texas also show phe-
nomenal growth, while here and there
| throughout the Southern Appalachian re-
eion are areas of great increase"
In Virginia the greatest increase OF pop
ulation and consequently the darkest
shade on our part of the map IS In the
country of which Roanoke is the centre.
II is noted by the bulletin that Virginia
Is in transition stage from agricultural
TO manufacturing industries. The rich
lands "of the western States are drawing
their farmers away, while other industries
have not yet attained such footing as to
attract or retain population In their
place"
IL census could be taken in Virginia
this wear il would no doubt appear that
we are making very gratifying progress
indeed in that transition OF which the
bureau speaks-a transition which many
| States OF the Union, now prosperous and
populous. had to undergo before reaching
| their present status.