New-York tribune., 1901-01-04
A CURIOUS TALE OF FIGURES.

Some interesting and instructive facts are dis
covered by study of the population statistics OF
New-Yorlz's counties since the beginning or the
nineteenth century number OF them have made
no material gains for many years: several have
smaller population now than they had eighty years
ago. Cortland County has not varied 5000 in pop
ulation since the census OF 1880. 1t apparently
reached its growth seventy years ago. Greene
IS another county which has not varied 5000 in Its
population in sixty years The FIVE censuses from
1880 1870 showed little variation I'm the population
Of Herkimer. That Of 1870 disclosed decrease I'm
jts population. In the foregoing table, however
Herkimer Is shown to be now making regular
gains The census Of 1890 gave almost precisely
the same returns for jefferson that OF 1850 forty
years before That 1870 showed a loss Of some
400 For the last three decades it has been stead
fly gaining. and by this enumeration its gain
1892. Livingston County has been at practical
standstiI for fifty years. and shows loss by the
present census. Madison County reached its high
water mark In 1sSo-44112 II contained a9.o3S peo
PIE seventy years ago. and has 4o5i5 now. gain
sn two-thirds Of a century of only f50.
The record Of Montgomery County is perhaps
the most singular OF all In 1910 the enumerators
found IA people in the county. In 1880 the pop
ulation had risen 4s75. from which it decreased
20 so SIS in 1850 From that date Il began strong
again. and its population is s7.4ss otsego
had 81 inhabitants In 1890 fell off TO 1855 I'm
1s5a. again 10 81, SO in 1880. and has now
dropped down as a3e. very nearly the figures OF
fifty years ago. Putnam i. another county which
hes not varied much in its numbers since 1870.
It's population then .2ss; n $50 IL had risen
10 Is 40 but now It is 'off' again 13.7s. Scho-
hsrie. which is now slightly on the down grade,
had 27,e02 people I'm 1880. Its highest figure was
ss4se. in 1850 Schuyler. which is also losing,
was at a standstn I'm 1850, 20 30. Seneca's
highwater mark reached I'm 1862 27s; IL had
23l3s in 1850, and has twenfy-four less by the
census OF 1900.
rornpkins has run a checkered career II con-
tsined 1855 people seventy years ago: reached
1915 in 1880 its high point; fell OF 81 400 In 1860
since which it has increased 90 $50 now. II de-
creased In 1890, but shows a small gain by this
enumeration. Ninety years ago Washington Coun-
ty had s4.2S9 Inhabitants. For sixty years there
were unimportant ups and downs. when I'm 1870
its population mad reached 1865, a gain OF 5279
in the sixty years. Since then there has been
variation downward to 45e2i, only .s25 more than
the aggregate I'm Isl0 II may be noted in the fore
going table that Washington has lost at each OF
the last three S3umerations The number OF Wyo-
nsing's population has not varied $500 I'm fifty
years In 1850 it had reached its highest point
g 9l its lowest In 1870 % 1874 Yates had ls OO9
in 1880; its greatest number in 1880 2Os7
chemung. which has long been making large
decennial gains. lost 1904 by the OF 1850.
the only decline In its history. chenango now
steadily retrograding IN population had g. Z3s peo-
pie in $780, GO more than its present population.
Cayuga and Hamilton, although showing slight
gains recently. little better thnn at a stand
still, so far population is concerned. The same
may be said OF several counties which disclose
merely nominal losses. like Greene, Livingston
Orleans, Schuyler Seneca, Washington, Wyoming
and Yates. The foregoing data make Il clear that
a county which shows loss now is no, thereby
preciuded from making gain at the next census
and vice versa. The reader will have no difficulty
In arriving at such conclusion II he will study
the following exhibit of gains and losses carr
fully compiled from tho returns OF the last three
Nevertheless, IL will seen that in 1880
only eight counties showed decreAses and six OF
The eight have continued to show losses az each
~ the succeeding censuses. Therefore IN.
serious consideration is the large increase in the
number OF such counties In 1880 fully maintained
IN The OF 800, but with an encoura r1ne d.
crease sn the sggregat. OF losses. Whether ther.