The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-24
Topeka's Population Shows a
Decided Gain.
What Canvass for Mr.. RadgeB'
Directory Revealed.
INCREASE is OVER 5000
Work Has Been Done With
Much Care
All Additions Are Included In
the Figures Secured.
Topeka's population is 43, ,9eS.

| Topeka's population is 43,99s.
| This figure was given out this MORN
ing by the force of men who have just
completed an exhaustive canvass of the
city in making up Sam Radges' direc-
tory.
In 1900 the government census gave
Topeka a population of 3S.6OS An in
crease of 1o,39O is therefore shown in
four years.
The last directory was put out two
years ago. At that time the population
of Topeka was given as 40.165, showing
an increase of 1888 in the past two
years.
The figure given out today is as near
ly correct as human effort could have
made it. Never before has such a
thorough canvass been made of the
city The force of men which Mr..
Radges has had at work for the past
four months was picked especially for
its competency and faithfulness. Time
was not a factor in getting at the exact
status of the city's population. For that
reason the figure is right.
1t might have been made $4,000, by
the addition of two more names, but
Mr.. Radges will give this approximation
as reliable, accurate and honest.
Mr.. Radges insists that the new di-
rectory will show just exactly 1928
more names than were in the last book
and to insure a correct basis he had
the names in the last directory counted
name by name, instead of again using
the estimate of certain number o.
names to the page as before. This re-
suits 99S-is obtained by calcula-
tion which will be shown in detail in tha
new book.
Not a store building Is vacant in To-
peka today. At every hand new struc-
lures and homes are being bulII, an ev-
idence of prosperity and substantial
growth. An enlarged population meana
an enlarged city.
mot a name will appear / the 1908
directory" said Mr. Radges today
"that was not taken by the enrollers
or compiling force direct, and not one
but what can be vouched for as a bona
fide citizen of Topeka and its suburbs.
For directory purposes all additions
are included in this work. for II
would not be fair to omit so large
a proportion of the outlying districts,
whose people are dependent upon and
transact business in Topeka proper.
Those people, 80 per cent of whom are
employed in the city, have as much
right to a place in the directory of
Topeka as those who reside in the
heart of the city. Admitting that
there are 3,99S of these living outside
the limits of the ward boundaries. To-
peka is left clear 10000, which is
far and away a better showing than
has ever been made by any system of
canvass made for inhabitants by any
other agency. The splendid increase
shown this year is very gratifying to
me for another reason. 1t exceeds any
former increase between dates of pub
lication of my directories. and proves
the accuracy of the work. The meth
cd of reaching this total will be shown
in detail in the directory, with the
actual number, of names in each letter
of the alphabetfzation-
Special care has been taken in the
1T1il lof nnSgfh1a
employed to get at the accuracy Of
spelling names, locating persons and
securing a complete census of the
adult population. The past three
months have been productive of more
business changes than for years past
yet all the changes to date will appear
in both the alphabetical list and the
business directory. In fact, the direc-
tory will spring a few business sur
prises, no doubt, which are contem-
plated for 1905. but which have not
been announced elsewhere. The tele-
phone and small boy awheel have done
much to keep tab on the vacant
houses and as fast as they were occu-
pied, the occupants were listed and
asked where they moved from Thus
another vacant house list was made
and these were visited regularly for
nameS.(
"A great number of new comers have
filed vacant houses in Topeka this fall
and winter, and hardly day has pass
ed since the compilation begun that one
or more families have not been reported
to this office as having come from oth-
er towns to live here.
"In the compilation every effort has
been directed towards accuracy, and the
and death records have been
watched that no superfiuous names
would be printed, and thereby avoid
the charge by rival towns that we were
copying the cemetery records to pad cur
population. When a, marriage occurred
and we had the names Of bride and
groom we cut out Miss Stenographer
and thus lost a name. The reports of
to the health board of
deaths have been copied regularly and
the names of deceased persons omitted.
There is absolutely no padding in this
directory, and Topeka's population is
49, 998 at this time"
Mr.. Radges says the new book will be
ready for delivery as soon as promised,
January 1, and will be up to the usual
standard of excellence. All tine copy is
now in the hands of the printer. the
compilers having comDIs-ed the last
letter of the alphabetical arrangement
yesterday.