The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-11
CITIES OF THE CENSUS.
The Position orsevera1 cities Likely 70
. ne Changed In 1900.

New York SUM-
There were only seven cities In the
United States that By the Federal census
of 1880, had more than 400. 600 inhahi.
tants. New York, Chicago. Philadelphia,
Brooklyn, st. Louis, Boston and Balti.
more, In the order named. Bstween
500, 900 and 4oo. COO, n measure Of populs-
tion quite frequsnt in European coun-
tries. there was none In the United
states, those most nearly approaching
the 800. 900 mark being San Francisco
and Cincinnati. each having almost the
same population, and Cleveland and
Buffalo following with more than ESQ 90.
Since the census Of 1890, Brooklyn has
been absorbed into the GREATER New
York, the boundaries Of Chicago have
been enlarged, and the growth In popuia-
tion OF other American cities has NOT
been 20 uniform as TO make it probabls
that each will retain the position it held
in the census Of ten years ago.
Nsw York, which 10 now q city Of
LEGO. 600, will. Of COURSE, remain 1T the
head and so far at the hend that any Sc
rious thought OF actual rivalry from any
other city mny be dismissed. Chicag o
has now "olAi med population" OF
/. see, 600 sou. 900 more than IL b I'd In the
last Federal census and one-half 80 large
as the present population of New York.
Whsthsr Chicago has now rs large pop
ulation ms some OF Its Inhabitants sseert,
or whether 10 is likely to have such q
population In june. II somewhat short OF
the mark et present. 10 not q q mtter OF
much concern, In view OF the fact that
no other American city so nearly ap-
proaches ID, and henos the position Of
Chicago ss the second In population In
the United States and the first In Illinois
secure.
Philadelphia, as In Benjamin Frank
Inns time. retains u position Of promi-
hence among American cities, and 10 10
now third on the list with . population
of 1, 500, 900. philadelphia, which long
enjoyed distinction as the greatest city OF
the country territorially, has forfeited
that position since the last United States
census, New York having an area OF
more than 800 square miles, Chicago Of
lsS and Philadelphia Of only $50 The
position OF fourth city on the list among
American municipalities formerly occu-
pied BY brooklyn. cannot be nxsd In ad :
vance OF the official census In June. Two
cities expect Il, baltimore and st. Louis
By the census of $50, the population
Of st. Louis was 1900 and OF Balti.
more. 434. coo. st. Louis is now claiming
Y
tsrisl difference when It Is considered
that both estimates are. TO some extent,
conjsctural being based upon estimates
rather than upon asoef tained results. To
most persons it would seem Probable that
ST. Louis In the this region Of the West
has been increasing more rapidly in pop
ulation during the last ten yesrs than
conservative and substantial Baltimore.
In the Presidential election OF 1896 the
total vote OF Baltimore WIS 106. 674, and
of st. Louis. III, $50. which would seem
to indicate, other things being eqnal,
that st. Louis, with more than 1000
voting population In excess Of Baltimore,
rad at ths established ratio Of other
American cities, comparing the number
of voters to the number OF inhabitants,
10000 or 5000 more population than
Baltimore.
What yer may be the claims OF rival
cities as TO fourth and fifth places, In the
census of 1850 Boston Is secure In sixth
place with population of SOC, coo. the
other Important cities being San Francis
90, with claimed population OF $50. coo;
Cincinnati, AGO 900; Pittsburgh, s25. COO;
Cleyslsnd. 100 900; Buffalo, 400. 900; New
Orleans. 800, GOD; Detroit $50. coo; Wash
ington, 2D.0on; milwaukee,, go, 600; Lou
isyille. 225,o0O; Newark. $4,000; st.
Paul. 2oo, e00: denver, leo, 600; Minneap-
oils. 2oJ.000; Indianapolis. 2JO, O0l-or
nearly that.
Generally speaking, Eastern cities
have gainsd more through annexation
and absorption of tsrritory than those In
the West, a ciroumstano which accounts
to some extent for the greater growth Of
some Of the older cities.