The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-24
POPULATION is 1880
CITY DIRECTORY FIGURES SHOW A
SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE.
verifies the Recent Census Taken by
Postmaster Sahm-Increase Of Al
most 10000 I'm One Year.

The city directory for 1896 will come
from the press in about two weeks. II
shows an unusual increase In the num-
Der OF names 1t contains. The fig
ures are not yet entirely computed. but
with most of the work done. and the rest
estimated, IL shows that there will be about
s., eco names, which, counting two and one
half persons for each name, would show
the population of the city and suburbs 10 be
16915O. The directory of last year. COM
puted on this basis. showed the population
to be 1885. making an increase during the
year of nearly 5000 people. The computa-
ton for 1894 showed IA, 995 people. Thus the
increase in the last year has been more than
three times as great as that of the year be-
fore. When August Murphy, local manager
of the r. L. Polk Company, compared the
result of his figures for this year with
those OF last he was very much surprised
but only for moment. He knew that his
work had included the same territory both
years, and that the work did not embrace
any additional class Of names. After mo-
ment's thought, he remarked that the in
crease was not surprising when he consid-
cred the reports that had. reached him
through the canyassers. While the work
of gathering names is in progress all va
cant houses are recorded, and the last work
Is 10 Hidhc d maj trip 10 tueSe houses 10
see If they have been rented since the first
CALI In that way an accurate list of va
cancieS Is Kept. In 1894 the number or va
cant houses was several times larger than
in 1885, and another noticeable fact was
that many of those who had moved into
houses that were vacant on the first round
were from out of the city. To prevent du-
plication everybody is asked IL they have
moved since the time the canvassers started
on their rounds. II so the place of their
former residence Is taken. 1t was this work
that developed the fact OF the great num-
Der of people who have come here from
other places.
A short time ago Postmaster Sahm had a
careful census OF the city and suburbs taken
porting his claim for several additional car
riers These figures showed the population
to be between $4,000 and 10000. Mr.. Sahm
was very much surprised, and although the
work was carefully done. he could scarcely
convince himself that there not some
mistake. The same surprise was expressed
by Mr.. Murphy, but when the figures of the
postoffic census were recalled he was thor
oughly satisfied that no mistake had been
made.
The computation at the rate OF two and
one-half persons to each name that appears
in the directory is considered most con-
sentative. In most cities the number taken
When il is considered that only the names
OF those persons who earn their own liv-
ing and widows who are the heads of fam
lilies are taken in making a directory, 1t
will be seen that the ratio OF two and one
half is not too high. but more likely to be
too low. The figures given include all the
suburbs. which would take from the emu
meration of the city proper about 5000 peo-
pie. leaving the net population of the city
leo $50.