The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1892-08-06
WEALTH OF THE STATES.
Figures Which Show That 1t Is
Not Evenly Distributed
The Riches of the Country Lie More
Largely East Than Was Generally Sup
posed - Facts Learned from the
Census Bulletin.


ment by states, in the census bulletin
lately issued, shows how unevenly
wealth is distributed in the different
sections of this country. OF course
these totals are not perfect for purposes
of comparison, rs the assessment laws
differ in the various states, but the
Louisville Courier-Journal claims that
with a few provisos they serve we'll
enough to give one a fair idea of the
relative riches or poverty of the sec
lions. One of the most important of
the provisos is in regard to Illinois,
where the state board of equalization
estimates that the 1890 assessment rep
resents only one-fourth the true value,
OF the property. This estimate is up
held by the IL. that the assessment of
Illinois is but little more than one
third that of Ohio and is considerably
less than that of Indiana, although
Illinois has the great city of Chicago,
within her borders and possesses a pop
ulation nearly double that of Indiana.
In Massachusetts, the assessment is like
" to be a little high as compared with
that of other states, as property there
is rated at pretty nearly its true value.
The figures indicate that the wealth
CT the country lies more largely
in tie cast than had been generally
supposed, although it was universally
known that the east, because of greater
age, was the richer section.
Massachusetts, though one of the
smallest states in size and but sixth in
population. is the third in assessed
wealth, falling less than 20 per cent.
behind Pennsylvania, while New York,
with a population nearly three times as,
great, exceeds her only so per cent.
Her assessment is greater than that of
Ohio, more than four times that of
Kentucky, six times that of Tennessee,
more than fourteen times that of South
Carolina and nearly three times that of
Missouri.
More than onc-third OF the assessed
wealth of the United States is in the
three states Of New York, Pennsylvania
and Massachusetts, and nearly one-half
of it is in the five states of New York,
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,, Ohio and
California. The assessment of Califor-
MIA, though that state is only about
forty years old, exceeds that of any
other state except New York, Pennsyl-
vani;l, Massachusetts, and Ohio, though
Illinois would be far ahead of her if
property there were properly assessed
The six New England states, with
about one-thirtecnth of the population
Of the union, contain one-seventh of
the assessed wealth; Massachusetts, with
of the population having
OF the assessed wealth.
The fifteen states that were formerly
contain about % per cent.
of the assessed wealth and about SO per
cent. of the population of the union.
What was the old northwest territory,
which Great Britain cndeavored to hold,
now the five states of Ohio, Indiana, Ill
nois, Michigan and Wisconsin, contains,
% per cent. of the population and 25
per cent. of the wealth, Illinois being
given her proper assessment, about
equal to that of Ohio.
Some of the far western states, be-.
sides California, are rising rapidly in the
scale of wealth. Thus the assessment
If Washington or Colorado is larger
han that of South Carolina or West
Virginia or Arkansas In fact, the as
essment of Washington exceeds that of
Nebraska, but we must take into con-.
liberation that values are placed on
much higher scale in the new and
Western states than in the old and
astern states. 1t is safe to say that
he newer a state is the more inflated its,
assessment is. There is also another
item to be taken into consid-
ration in estimating the relative wealth
f east and west. A large portion of
he west is owned in the east, while.
cry little of the east belongs to the
ycst.
The smallest state in the union is by
o means the poorest. Little Rhode,
sland, with her 100 square miles, has
higher assessment than those of
wenty-six states and territories Of
he strictly southern states only Vir-
mia, Georgia, Tennessee and Texas ex-
eed her in assessed wealth, and her as
,ssment is more than three-ffths that.
Kentucky. Delaware, the next
nallcst state, has an assessment less
IAN onc-fourth as large as that of
hode Island. The highest assessed
lluation per head is in Massachusetts,
here it is about $965, and tl'n lowest is
the three states of Norl. Carolina,
outh Carolina and Mississippi, where
is about S135 each per human being
! Kentucky the average is about 1865,
Ohio about $500, in New York about
80, in Pennsylvania about $500, in
hode Island about 1920, in Michigan
bout S440, in Virginia about 1885, in
ennessee about $500 and in Georgia
oout S205.