Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-03-28

Tho figures OF 10000 as the cstimoted
population of Wilmington have often ap-
peared in print and possibly have just as
often been disputed.
1t is, of course. an important question
for the people of Wilmington to DO exactly
informed upon aad they are entitled to
tho best information that can be gained on
the subject,
One Of the city officials who has and is
using this estimate Of population for Will
:ninEton Is Registrar William Z. Il. Colqu-
houn Of the Board Of Health. A repre-
sentative OF IlIE GAZETTE therefore
called anon that gentleman and obtained
from him inc following information, which
conatitutcs his huseS tor Claiming the poptt.
lation al this city TO be not less than IO.OUO.
First. on the ratio OF increase during the
pass decade The population in 1850 WAS
a2,li% III 1880 IL was u, AL. This is All
increase Of IL per cent for the ten years, or
u per con: per annum.
Eronl dune 18th. 1850 to June 10th, 1881
is tuar Years. Then at the annual ratio of
increase lust referred TO "a! per cent 80
should, for those four years have total
increase Of is per cent or ll,0M. This,
addca 10 the census population of 1880. is
| q. ,i3l. we would have u population July
! LIST, 1891, OF lass.
But the Legislature of 1893 added Kent
| mere and Eastlakc, and to the figures
| say 100 IN the former and i5D in the latter
case, This allows FOR population figure
| uG 10, 33s Us the estimate.
Mr.. COlquhuuna second computation is
based upon the vote Of last fall. The en-
tire vote pui!ed in the city was 1860,
| which, on basis OF one voter to five per.
SOUS, gives q population figure Of 1000.
4 His third bass OF computation for vii.
| mihgtoi's population is upon the house
ccnsus. The ni.nbcc of dwelling houses
in the City Of Wilmington, July LIST, 1870,
according TO United states census, was
1900. according To tho report OF Build
ing Inspector nohl there have since been
built l.o09. Ihis afford, u total to July
list, 1854 Of 1900 Now, allowing for 75n
empty houses, IN estimate which Mr..
Colquhoun deems high, there are II, L3u
occupied dwelling houses in tho city. NJ
lowing tive persons to each house tie
population figure afforded is II, 20.
Register Cu.quhoun's fourth basis Ol
computation is upon the school census.
The number of children attending pubic
private and purochiai schools in tl!is city is
l0,i50 On the basis OF pupil TO per.
SONS, the population figures are 13,lSj.
The ratio of school children to tht
whole population Of the United States il
to 10, but the average IN the cities | Il
>. Wilmington can boast OF being u littlt
higher. According to the census OF 1870
LHls Guy WAS 10 ~ III ou, j 10 u III ",
tot. As will be seen Mr.. Colquhoun ha!
used the figures ! to Z.
Registrar Col9uhoun remarked that it il
true that guessed figures are almost Away!
lnagniiied. Net the estimate OF 10000 rs
Wilmington's population cannot be called
q guess. The figures arc computed ~
those used by all statis,icians and are th'
!, only authorized ones obtainable. The,
arc those used by the United States govern
meDt secured through its census agents.
1t will be noticed that all the compute
tons make the clty's population in exccs
OF 10000. MIR. Colquhuun allows for ,lG
deaths in the year, the death rate pc
thousand being 1865.