The morning call., 1891-12-11
THE POPULATION OF THE STATE

The Census Bureau has now issued the
expected bulletin giving the detailed results
of the census as to the population OF this
State. The chief figures we're published
long ago. Every one knows that from some
unknown cause the census officers could
only find 1908, 100 people in the whole
State, being an increase Of 343. 436 in the
decade-S9.72 per cent Disappointing as
this showing is to us. it compares favorably
with the showing made by most of the
States east of the mountains.
The story told by the figures is very
simple. 1t is a record of an exodus of people
from the mining counties Of the foothills
and the Sierra, and migration of these
people together with newcomers to the
large towns and to the counties south OF
Tehachapi Twelve of the fiity-three coun-
ties have lost population since 1880 These
are Amador, Butte, Calaveras, FL Dorado.
Mariposa. Mono, Nevada, PIumas, Sierra,
Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba. In every
case but two the loss is trfling; but Mono
has lost 5i97 two-thirdS of her people, and
/ Nevada has lost S454. over One-seventh of
hers These counties were originally popu-
lated by miners. As the yield of the mines
fell off people moved out The next census,
which will reflect the substitution of fruit
growing for mining, will probably show that
the Sierra has more than regained what it
had lost. The orchards of the State in the
future are likely to increase in the noun
tain counties. They will prove more abid-
ing resource than mining.
Nearly One-hqlf of the total increase of
the State--16O 600 out of a gross gain OF
343,C00-is in six coUnties-Los Angeles, Or
ange, San Bernardiro, San Diego, Fresno
and TuIare. San Diego is the banner
county, with a gain of 305 per cent; Fresno
follows close with gain of 243 per cent,
San Bernardino with 227, and Los Angeles
with 203. The enormous counties of San
Diego and San Bernardino were very thinIy
populated in 1885, and a moderate increase
appears large by comparison. The two
counties together only contained Ii, 600
people in 1880; when they are both thor
oughly irrigated they may accommodate
millions. At the present time San Diego is
not gaining population; indeed. the tide OF
immigration to the section south of Te-
hachapi is setting almost exclusively
toward Fresno and the citrus belt in San
Bernardino. But if measures are taken to
reclaim the Colorado Desert, San Diego
viii be likely to claim, in 1900, the sace
banner place which it occupies in the census
of 1890.
Only one of the twenty-five leading cities
and towns of the State has lost people
since 1880; this is Marysyille, Yuba County,
which has shared the lll-fOrtune OF the old
mining counties. Its decrease, however. Is
small. Among towns which have grown
the largest percentage of increase is in
Pasadena, which has swelIed from a
hamlet with 391 people to a town with
which show up handsomely in the list of
percentages are Los Angeles with gain Of
$50 per cent, San Diego with a gain of 5l2
Santa Ana with a gain of 40 and Fresno
with gain of 6T2 per cent. San Francisco's
gain seems small in comparison-only about
IS per cent; but if Los Angeles be left out
of the list the actual number of new settlers
in San Francisco since 1850 outnumbers the
total population of the four towns above
mentioned by more than two to one.
The future growth of the State and the
direction which it will probably take will
largely depend upon the intelligence and in
tegrity with which the fruit industry is de-
vel0ped. That is destined 10 be the main
industry OF California, and those sections Of
the State will be the chief gamers in popu-
lation which conduct it with Judgment and
fidelity. To conquer the fruit markets of
the world California must produce fruit as
fine as or finer than any other fruit-gro wing
country can produce. and it must be in
genious enough to devise means Of saving
that portion Of the crop which cannot be
marketed as fresh fruit. 1T has to contend
against competitors who have the advantage
of long experience and established connec-
tons. But these are drawbacks which may
be overcome; if they are the fruit counties
are likely to hold the banner place in the
CENSUS of 1000.