Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-09-17
STOPPED GROWING YEARS AGO.
ysverrl settlements In New York Do Not
Respond to the Spirit OF Progress.

ysverrI settlements In New York Do Not
Respond to the Spirit of Progress.
With each succeeding census, state
Dr. federal, the supremacy Of New York
IA the empire state, in population,
wealth and diversity of its industries.
becomes more clearly recognized and
assured, but Notwithstanding the enor-
nous growth which from 1860 to 1890
increased the population from 3,s00,000
to 100000 it is Il fact that in many of
the counties of the state of New York
there is steady falling off in the num-
ber of inhabitants, and Is of the 60
counties of the state have fewer inhab-
itants now than they had 25 years ago.
There have been no changes in the
territorial lines of New York counties
since April, 1854, except through the
addition, by annexation, Of Westches-
ter county townships TO New York.
Otherwise the county boundaries are
substantially the same as they were 70
years ago, for between 1924 and 1854
there were changes in the boundaries of
only three counties. One of the largest
Of the counties of New York, an inn
portant railroad and shipping center, is
Oswego, and it might naturally be sup
posed by persons familiar with state
affairs that Oswego county, of which
the city of Oswego is the chief town,
would gain considerably in population
through the increased trade since 1870,
but actually the population Of Oswego,
which was then 10000, was by the last
census, that of 1892, only 10000 The
population has fallen off 1000 in 20
years, or nearly 10 per cent.
Delaware county, which has been
brought into nearer communication
with New York and Albany during the
last 20 years, has declined in population
since 1870. Chemung is another going
backward county. 1t had 10000 popu-
latlon in 1870 and only $4,000 population
by the census of 1892. Perhaps more
surprising than the decline of either
is that of Greene county, the chief city
OF which is Catskill. Greene county is
one of the Hudson river counties, and
tho improvement of its roads and the
increase of railroad facilities should
naturally, one might think, have added
to its population in 20 years, but they
haven't. The population Of Greene coun-
ty in 1870 was 81 1892; in 1892 it was 81
14l. Wayne county, in the west Of the
state, on the line between Syracuse and
Rochester, has declined from 10000 in
1870 to $4,000 in 1892. Tioga county has
declined in the same period from 10000
to $4,000, Seneca from 27,S00 to 26,S00,
Schuyler from 10000 to 16,sO0, Putnam
from 15.400 to 14,200, Livingston from
$4,000 to $1,000, Madison from $4,000 TO
31,s00, Notwithstanding the continuous
influx of New Workers. and the improved
facilities offered by the Erie railroad.
Various reasons have been assigned
for the falling off of certain New York
counties in population during the past
25 years, and by some persons the de-
cline is ascribed to the unproductive
character Of the soil In many farming
sections of the state. This explana.
tion, however, is by no means the cor
rect one, for those counties which have
fallen off are among the most fertile
In the state, whereas other counties less
favorable to agriculture-Essex county
for instance, on the Vermont, st. kaw'
renee county, on the Canada, and Rock
land county, on the New Jersey border
have increased largely.-N. Y. Sun.