Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-09
CENSUS GROWTH IS GENERAL
Increase in Population Of Small Places ia
Mere Widespread.
IOWA AND ILLINOIS MAKE BIG STRIDES
Heaviest Losses Are FOund In Pre-
dominant Agricultural Districts
North Central Fails
TO Advance.

WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-The director Of
census today made the following statement
Of the increase Of population Of places of
less than 1900 Inhabitants east and west
Of the Mississippi river and the counties
which have decreased in population.
The increase OF population in the states
east Of the Mississippi river was 1871 be-
tween 1880 and 1890 and 1872 between 1890
and 1900.
In the same area the increase In urban
population, meaning thereby all places Of
more than 1000 inhabitants, was 53.1 per
cent between 1880 and 1890 and only S7.2
per cent between 1890 and 1900. Both Of
these statements could not be true unless
the population Of places having less than
1000 inhabitants had been growing more
rapidly in the last ten wears than in the
preceding decade. Such is the fact. Be-
tween 1880 and 1890 the population east Of
the Mississippi and excluding places Of
more than 1000 increased 40 per cent. but
between 1890 and 1900 81 per cent.
Agricultural Districts Lose.
To throw further light on this increased
prosperity Of the small towns during the
last ten years a study has been made by
the census office of those counties which
actually decreased in population during
either decade, after making allowance for
changes in county boundaries. Counties of
this class are predomlnantly agricultural,
and usually have lost through migration to
more favored localities of the natural in
crease OF their population by births over
| death.
Between 1880 and 1890 the counties east Of
the Mississippi which lost population ex-
tended over 151,152 square miles, or nearly
as great as New England, New York and
Pennsylvania. This was nearly one-sixth
OF the total area east Of the Mississippi.
Between 1890 and 1900 the counties east Of
the Mississippi river which lost popula-
ton extended over an area Of 80, 21S square
miles. This is only about one-tenth Of the
total area east of the Mississippi. The
figures show that in this part of the coun-
try an area almost equal to that of New
England lost population between 1880 and
1890 and gained between 1890 and 1900.
Losses in the West.
West Of the Mississippi the changes were
In the reverse direction. that, is the area
losing population was slightly larger be-
tween 1890 and 1900 than 1t was between
1880 and 1890 1884 S62 square miles as COM
pared with 2O6 1858 square miles,, but in the
country as a whole the area of counties
losing population was over 80, 900 square
miles less in the last decade than 1t was
between 1880 and 1890.
To show the influence of this change
the per cent Of total area as defined by
county lines, which shows a loss of popuIa-
ton, has been computed, occasional cor
%rections having been made for the changes
In county boundaries.
In the North Atlantic group the per cent
OF county area losing population between
1880 and 1890 was 26.8; between 1890 and
1900, 2f.9. The corresponding figures for
other groups were: South Atlantic, 10000,
1915; 1S90-1900, go per cent: North Cen.
trail, 1SS0-90. 12.1; 1S90-190O, 1s.1 per cent;
South Central, 1sS0-1ssO, 81 per cent?:
1se0-1soo, as per cent; western division.
10000, 1879 per cent; 1Ss0-1s0O. Sc per
cent.
Increase More General.
These figures show that In four OF the
hve divisions. all except the north central,
the increase Of population was more wide
spread and general in the last decade than
1t was between 1880 and 1890, II the
north central division be divided into two
parts at the Mississippi river. the per cent
of area in the eastern part showing a loss
Of population, fell from 20.9 in the earlier
to 20.1 in the later decade. Contrary In
NAC WCoNOAA hO NAtAoA a. PSA OChN
rose from 10 in the earlier to 22.5 In the
latter decade.
Further analysis shows that a gain Of
population in the last decade was reported
from every county of Minnesota and North
Dakota and every county but one Of Iowa.
In South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas,
on the contrary, there were large areas,
mostly in the western part and sparsely
settled. for which a decrease Of population
was reoorted.
The tide Of migration in 1890 had pushed
up the slopes Of the great plains further
, than conditions warranted and in the last
decade the wave has been receding. depict
ing these areas and filling up the rural
counties of such states as Iowa and I'LL
nois. In Iowa the per cent Of area-losing
population was from 27.0 between 1880 and
1890 to 1.6 between 1890 and 1900. In Iiii-
nois It fell from 2S.6 to 4.6. In other words.
over about a quarter OF each state the
population decreased between 1880 and
1890, only to increase in the last ten years.
In no other important states has there
been SO marked a change.