The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-05
Butte Department.
REPORTS ARE ALL IN
A Large Attendance at the Chamber
of Commerce Meeting.
ESTIMATES OF POPULATION
. he Sub Committee Gives Figures
on the Valuation of Sites Within
the Limits prescrlbed-As to
the judicial district.

The chamber of commerce met last
evening to receive the reports OF me
committees appointed to select the in
formation desired by the postotiice de-
partment relative to a public building
in Butte. There was a large attend
ance. The committee on population IN
1855 and 1895 and probable population
in 1905 presented the following report;
To the President and Members of the
Chamber of Commerce:
"Gentlemen-Your committee, APP
pointed to consider the questions asked
by the supervising architect of the
treasury department in regard to the
proposed public building in Butte, beg
leave to report as follows: After care
full consideration. we have placed the
population of the region using the
Butte postoffice as follows. In 1885,
IL coo; in 1895, 80, 900. These figures are
mere estimates, as no figures have
ever been compiled which can be ac-
cepted as authoritative on the popula-
ton of Butte Our conclusion respect
ing the proper number for 1895 has
been reached by the concurrence of the
following calculations:
"First-In 1894, 1000 votes were poll
ed in Silver Bow county, of which
nearly all were cast within the limits
of school district No. 1, the boundaries
of which are practically coterminous
with those of the district served by the
Butte postoffice. In July, 1888, the
number of children under the age OF
81 in this district was 9.793. These are
the only absolute figures that can be
given, but considering that we have
thousands of people working in the dis
trict who have been in the country but
a short time and that a strict regis
tration law confines the ballot TO
American citizens who have resided in
Montana for ait least year, we cam
not place the number of women and
non-voting men at much less than
20, 900.
"Second-The Butte Water company
supplies about two-thirds of the people
and has 1900 accounts Allowing 10
consumers for each account "a very
low estimate), we have $4,000 as two
thirds of the population.
"Third-Last year the public library
issued So, 900 books for home use and
35 900 for library use. This is patron
age as large as usually obtains in east
ern cities of from 10000 to $4,000 in
habitants. From these three sources
we conclude that the population of the
city I'm 1895 was upwards of $4,000. This
is equal to something more than two
for every name in the city directory,
smaller multiple than any other city
will admit In arriving at the popula-
to the directory Of that year, and used
the same multiple as in estimating the
population in 1895.
What the population may be in
1905 il, of course, a very difficult matter
to estimate. 1t is the opinion of your
committee, however, that IL cannot be
less than twice what II is now, and
how much more cannot be guessed.
The Butte mining district proper COW
ers an area of % square miles, and at
present furnishes steady employment
at good wages to 1000 men in the mines
alone, to say nothing of the thousands
| who pursue other avocations. At pres
ent the hotels and boarding houses are
| crowded and desirable residences are
very hard to obtain. The value of
| buildings erected during the last year
was $3.50 10000. and there is every indi-
! cation Of a steady increase i'm this di-
rection in the future. The certain
| growth of the district depends upon
| it's exhaustive and valuable deposits
of copper. which at present is by far
the most important mineral product
| and the production of which must in
| crease as long as the application OF
| electricity to the use of civilized life
| continues to grow. But II does not do
| to forget that besides its own ores the
| Butte smelters reduce to-day those
| from mines a hundred miles away and
| that ii is already the center of supply
not only for mining supplies proper
| but for all of the necessaries and luxu-
| ries of life to a region far beyond its
own borders. If this is true to-day, II
| must be certain to largely increase In
| the immediate future.
I'm all of our calculations 50 far, w
| have carefully abstained from figuring
| on silver. But some of the most val
bic deposits Of silver in the work
| are ar our feet, and whenever its valu
/ s even partially restored there will b.
| no lizniT TO The development of our city
! All questions regarding site have beef
| referred 10 II. NJ. Patterson and Col
! onel jerks as a special committee ant
| -ha.r repor; is filed herewith. Respect
! fully submitted.
John Caplice.
John u. Davies.
| ssT~nnan.a