Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-10-31
The Census Of New Mexico.

The population of New Mexico, as an
nounced yesterday by the censu office,
is somewhat of a disappointment to the
people of the territory because they be-
lieve and have grounds for the belief
that New Mexico is the home of more
than 200, 900 people. 1t is known that in
the western states. especially, there
were hundreds of people not enumerat-
ed owing to the difficulty of reaching
many small settlements and camps far
from the highways of travel and locat-
ed in mountain Businesses. Whether the
number of people thus skipped in New
Mexico runs only into the hundreds or
into the thousands, it is difficult to de-
termine.
sui even as the figures stand, New
Mexico has no reason to be ashamed of
it's growth in the past ten years. While
the United States as a whole increased
in population not quite q per cent, New
Mexico increased over 26 per cent in
population. Colorado and Utah gained
only a few per cent more, and that
probably only because those states were
crowded with tourists during the
months that the census was taken.
it is found that the southern counties
gained most in population. 1t must not
be forgotten at the same time that sew
| aral of the older counties lost consid-
| arably in area and in population by the
creation since 1890 of Union, Chaves,
Eddy, Guadalupe and Otero counties,
The largest gains in population We're
undoubtedly made by Chaves and Eddy
counties, probably over 100 per cent
since 1890. San Juan county m next
| with a gain of SO per cent. Then comes
Grant county, which has increased its
population 81 per cent; Socorro. which
shows an increase of 25 per cent, anC
Colfax, with an increase of q per cent
| which would probably reach so per cent
X that part of the county which is now
in Union county We're taken into con.
| sideration. Bernalillo county shows {
gain of 16 per cent, bona Ana of 10 pei
| VIII INlo Thllloo VI y lNA ~ III lto
| of 4 per cent. Santa Fee lost one-fourtf
Of l per cent in population, but an ac'
curate census would undoubtedly show
a small gain, and now that several hun.
bred more miners and smelter hands
have been employed around San Pedro
! and in southern Santa Fe county, thu
| gain would be quite a fair one. Mora
county lost about 2R per cent in popu'
lation, but that is only apparently
for Mora gave up part of it's area tt
Union county. Sierra shows a decline
in population of II per cent, due to thu
| closing down of silver mines and silvel
reduction works. San Miguel shows al
apparent loss in population of u pei
cent, but that is only apparent, because
large slices of that county went toward
the creation of new counties. The sam
way Lincoln county, which shows al
| apparent loss in population of 40 pei
cent, gave up half of it's area to Chaves
Eddy and Otero counties. Valencia
which lost 20 per cen of it's population
is, with Sierra, the only county which
shows an actual loss, and that is not a
great as the figures indicate, for ii
those two counties the enumerators hal
to contend with exceptional difficulties
and the census of 1890 was very faulty
Taken altogether. therefore, New Mex
leo is to be congratulated upon it.
growth and progress, and indication!
are that when in 1910 an accurate cen,
sus is taken, New Mexico will have
crept up far toward equalling the popu.
lation of Colorado. The census alst
shows that from a numerical standpoin
the territory is entitled to statehood
The census will also make a little, blu
not much difference in the Legislative
apportionment, and will have som
bearing upon the political complexion
of the legislatures in the future, for al.
though the greatest gains were made II
districts which are now considered
Democratic, the Republican vote ha'
grown very largely Of late years II
those same districts.