The Washington times., 1901-11-04

Change Noted by Health oiiicer'
noes the Federal census Of 1890 show
The actual population Of the District OF
Columbia? This question has been raised
bv the Health officer, and upon II rests
the question of the death rate and II
fact all the percentages Of disease anc
mortality worked out in the statislics oi
that department. A low total Of the popa'
lation will give a high death rate ano
hieh percentag ges of disease. while the
high total OF population would figure cut
the population was accurately enufhd'sf-
ated that the percentages Of death and
disease would be reliable.
DR. Woodward in his last annual re-
port. called attention to certain facts
relative TO the Federal census, as com
pared with the police censuses which
have been taken in q way to throw some
doubt upon the validity Of the former.
'.'rhe Federal census Of 1900, he says.
.has shown disappointingly small
population for the District of Columbia.
The total number Of inhabitants enumer-
ated was but rs. us. Of which the whites
were, 49,. .Ols and the colored S6.l02 while
recert police censuses have justified the
expectation that the population would be
not less than 2S5.oJ0.
1.-The results of the police censUses had
baen consistent with enc another. and
with the Federal census of 1890 while
they do not show, apparently, any con-
sistency with that of 1870. as the follow
ing statement indicates The Federal
census of 1890 showed white population
of I54 $50 and colored population Of iJ,-
81. making a total of 230,a92. The popula-
tion Of the District by the police census
rs taken at different times is indicated
In the following statement: June, 1857,
white 1855, colored 72. .522, total 2lS, ,157;
June. 1892. white 1850. colored S4.sH, total
25s. Isl; December, 1894, white ls3,5l6, col
ored $685. total 27o5l4; April, 1891. white
lSs, ,457, colored sS325, total 20. .7s2.
''The increase from year to year, while
not great, had been reasonably large. and.
for a community of the character OF that
OF Washington, satisfactory. When, there
fore, the Federal census of June, 1900
shows on comparison with the police cen
gus Of April, 1897, an increase in the white
population of but 2,559, and a decrease in
the colored population of 1,623, making a
total increase of but 936. in somewhat more
than three years. It is apparent that there
have been some very unusual and remark
able factors at work 10 modify usual cor
ditious. OF that one or the other Of these
enu1erations Of the population is incor-
rect. a careful consideration having fail
ed TO show the presence Of any factors
liable to curtail the usual increase in the
population, the latter hypothesis is at
least reasonably well sustained.
As to which of the enumerations is IN
error there may be honest differences Of
opinion, but as the police census was
made by men familiar with every nook
uniforms commanded respect. and the
summing up Of the returns done by men
whose gradually increasing experience up
TO the last enumeration ensure accuracy.
It would appear that the chances Of being
correct were much in favor Of the police
census, the Federal census of June. 1900,
Showing probably less than the actual
number Of the Inhabitants.
while accepting this as a fact, the
Health Department has not felt justified
In rejecting the returns OF the Federal
census of June, 1900 in the computation
OF its vital statistics OF the District, be-
cause of the absence of an actual eutIfn-
Grafton to demonstrate its inaccuracy
The vital statistics for the year ended
June 30, 1901, have, therefore, been based
on an estimated population for Deem
ber 1850, IN the computation OF which
both the police census of April. 1897, and
the Federal census of June 1900 were
accepted as correct. Such estimates show
"ullt populallOn. OF iJZ,4l3, a cOlOred
population Of S6.4G7. and a total popula-
tion Of $3.50"
With this as a basis the Health Officer
has made an analysis of the population by
color. sex and age for use in computing
the mortuary and disease statistics OF the
Department This shows a white male
population of s57l1, or $3.50 per cent Of the
total. white female population OF 9S4
or s5.29 of the total. making 1872 l2S white
persons In the District upward of five
years OF age, or 6s.S9 per cent of the
whole. A similar computation for the
colored population gives males IS. 80 or
1913 percent OF the whole, and femal.