The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-30
CALIFORNIA CONDITIONS.


mittee of the State Board of Trade esti-
mates the increase of population of Cali
fornia from 1880 to 1894 to be about I'D $40,
giving the State a population of l ,422, TAO.
The estimate was not carelessly made.
The report contains an elaborate analysis
OF the various means by which it was
arrived at and furnishes good reasons for
the belief that the conclusion is not far
from the exact truth.
The gains of the several sections of the
State are estimated as follows: Southern
California, including the counties of Los
Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernar-
dino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ven
tura, increased 81 ,303; San Joaquin Valley,
including Fresno, Kern, Kings, MADEIRA,
MERGED, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and
Tulare, increased SO, 40S; Sacramento Val
ley. including Butte. Glen, Colusa, Sacra-
mento, Solano, Suffer, Tehama, Yolo and
Yuba, increased 80, 7S5; the bay counties,
including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin,
Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sonoma,
increased 27,605; the south coast group,
including Monterey, San Benito, San Luis
Obispo and Santa Cruz, increased II, 494 !;
the foothills group, including Amador,
Calaveras, Ell Dorado, Mariposa, Nevada,
Placer and Tuolumne, increased &c, 537;
Humboldt increased 1886; Mendocino,
1888; Shasta, 4612; and Siskiyou, 1927.
1t will be noted the estimate for San
Francisco is not given. The rate of in
crease, after the careful analysis noted, is
calculated upon the basis of the fall cleo
tons, on the ratio of five persons to each
voter, comparison of voters to population
in the census years showing that ratio to
be about correct. On this basis of calcula-
ton, however, the population of San Fran
cisco has decreased since 1890 by 7S2. This
fact will detract from the value of the es-
innate, as it is certain that the population
of San Francisco mas increased instead of
diminished. Taking the increase shown
in the interior of the State, however, as
basis, the committee asserts that if no
greater ratio of increase is obtained the
population of the State in 1900 will be
about 1,S00 900, but there is reason to be-
lieve that with the improved conditions
the ratio will be augmented and the census,
at the close of the century, will show Cali
fornia to have $500, 600 inhabitants.
A report by A. N. Towne on the indus
tries and general condition of the State
makes an even better showing than that
of the committee on immigration. The
census of 1890 credits California with only
10 per cent of the total population of the
United States. 1t had, however, at that
time 3.4 per cent of the total improved
farm lands, 2.6 per cent of, the rail-
road mileage, 4.S per cent of the value
of farms and livestock, 3.5 per cent
of the value of farm products, 2.3
per cent of the output of manufactures,
3S per cent of the gold, 81 per cent of the
silver, SO per cent of the asphaltum, 81
per cent of the wheat, % per cent of the
barley, % per cent of the beans, 60 per cent
of the wine, SO per cent of the sheep. all
the raisins and all the olives; and for public
education expended 3.5 per cent of the total
expenditures of the country.
While California cannot claim to be the
greatest State in the Union, these figures
attest that her people are the most pros
porous and the most progressive. Their
energies, coupled with the wide area of
the State and its boundless resources, will
eventually win for it the first place in the
Union. There is every reason moreover
to believe that the decade now opening
will be more prosperous in broad sense
than any the State has ever known. The
renewed interest in manufacturing enter
prises, the wide areas brought under irri-
CATION, the revival of mining, the sub
division of big estates, all these will natu-
rally aid its advancement. Californians.
therefore. have good reason to be satisfied
with the prospects ahead, since, with fair
degree OF energy and cooperation, all of
them can be speedily realized.