The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-22

| The number of cities has increased from
ninety-five in 1883 to l52 in 1888. The
increase in number of urban population
-2,766, 500 id comprised mainly in n
few large cities. Thus, the increase in
the eleven largest cities, comprising a
trihe moro than one-half Of the urban
population Of this section, is l,446,0S9,
or more than half the entire gain IN
urban population in this division.
In defining what constitutes a city in
each case, the census office has main
tanned the policy of including only such
population AS lives within the charter
limits, because no other defined limits
exist. In many cases, however, this
does not give to the city all the popula.
ton which naturally belongs to it.
There may be populous suburbs, which
are to all intents and purposes parts OF
the city, whose inhabitants transact
business within the city, who are served
by the same post office, etc, but who
living without the charter limits, are
not included in the city's population.
Thus Butte. Montana, is credited in the
table before us with only 1923 inhabi-
tants while Walkerville, Meaderville and
other camps, whose denizens to twice
that number swarm her streets, are not
credited to her. In the same way Hell
ena is credited with 1884 inhabitants,
only 5000 more than Butte, while East
Helena, Kessler's, B~roadwater's and
other %populous suburban districts which
are a part of the metropolis are left
out. But all the great cities suffer in
this respect. Within a radius Of fifteen
miles of the City hall on Manhattan
island the people are in effect citizens of
New York so far as their business and
social interests & o although politically
they live in different cities, counties
and states. This body of population,
the commercial metropolis of the coun-
try, is considerably in excesso of 100000,
or two-thirds that of London. Next to
London, New York and its suburbs form
the largest city of the globe. There are
some amazing figures in the table OF
cities and towns having a population of
5000 or more inhabitants. The percent
age of increase in some towns is indi-
Gated by the population now, as there
was no population in 1880, or it was so
small that it escaped the census official
of ten years ago. Spokane Falls, Wash
ington, had $50 inhabitants in 1880 and
now it has 1922, or an increase of s.
592 per cent. Tacoma, Washington, is
also a growing place. 1t had 1,09S in
habitants in 1880 and now it has 36,O06,
or an increase of 3,l79.23 per cent. Sc
attic, in the same state, an older town,
having nearly $4,000 inhabitants, has in
creased 1,112.4S per cent.
Ashland, Wis, which did not exist ten
years ago. is Il city of 1856 people. Du-
luth, Mimi, has increased $50 per cen
in ten years. Ell Paso, Texas, with 1856
Inhabitants in 1880, now has 10,33S, or
an increase of more than 1900 per cent.
Iron Mountain, Mich, has been created
since 1880 and has $3.50 population.
Kansas City. Kan, a younger namesake
of the city in Missouri, has increased
more than 1000 per cent, and is a city
of $4,000 inhabitants.
Leadville, Col, once a booming camp,
has decreased, losing "a per cent. of it's
population in ten years.
When it is remembered that the debts
OF these cities aggregate $129,OOO,OOO in
round numbers, and that not one of
them IS governed as it should be, it is
a question whether we should congrat-
ulate ourselves on this exhibit of
growth or not.