The Washington times., 1905-04-28
CAPITAL s GROWTH
PASSES FORECASTS
4A,663 Increase in Popula-
ton Since 1897.
10000 GAIN IN 20 YEARS
Most Marked in Precincts on Outskirts
of City-Two Precincts Show
a Decrease

There are approximately il 663 more
men, women and children in the Dis
trict of Columbia today than there were
eight years ago.
III other words. the present popula
ton OF the District is 322, 40 as COM
pared with 27I, 1872, the number of in
habitants in 1885,, when was taken the
last police census preceding the census
just completed by Major Sylvester and
the Metropolitan police,
The growth of Miss Washington as
shown by the figures has surprised the
most sangufne friends All forecasts of
the result of the police poll fell far
short of the mark.
Major Sylvester proved himself as good
a prognosticator as any. His prediction
was over 5000 less than the actual re-
turns.
He vouclies for the accuracy of the
figures returned by the precinct officers.
The enumeration was made with the
most careful regard for accuracy.
Census Not Completed.
The compiling Of the figures has not
been completed. All inforrna ton desired
from sthe census is. therefore, not yet
available. The completion of the census
book of the Ninth precinct late yester-
Gay made it possible to arrive at an
approximate estimate of the population.
The revision of the figures will not alter
those given today to any great degree.
Estimates OF the population previous
fse sfhess4lr sseEt enumeration varied all
the way from 299, go 10 316, COO Ma tor
Sylvester At the beginning of the census
astaked his reputation as a seer and p
prophet on the latter figure DR. Wood
ward. District Health Officer, used the
Federal census of 1890 as a basis and
computed from this5Fwith the usual per
.
OF about 3G6 000
But. according TO the police Washing
ton has not grown at the ordinary rate.
In twenty years the populari rion has in
creased from 2o3, $50 to over 100000 more,
Growth in Suburbs.
The increase has been in the outskirts
of the city. not in the crowded down
Town sections. All but the First and
Third pfeeints show an actual increase
in population. the apparent falling off in
these sections being due 10 the gradual
displacement OF residences by business
establishments.
The country beyond the c ty limits has
been settled at a remarkable rate in the
past few years These new home build
eEs are nearly all permanent citizens.
Ihougn the figures relating to the color
e inha ablfants have not been completed,
II Is unde1s stood that the greater gain
mas been among the White race.
The apparent decrease in population IN
the Third precinct is due largely to the
transfer Of a big slice Of its territory
TO he Eighth precinct. The Second
precinct also suffered somewhat from
cnahges IN boundary lines
The biggest geins are shown in the
flTth, The old Eighth, and the Ninth pre-
cincts The territory in the preset
Eighth and Tenth precincts was all in
eluded in the Eighth precinct in 1897
except for a portion since added 10 the
Eighth precinct.
The population of the Eighth and
Tenth today is given as 0.2s5, an in
crease cf nearly 5000.
Compiling Statistics.
The clerks in Police Headquarters are
busy today compiling the statistics. The
lIst result OF today's investigation was
to4siaowz that the white inhabitants oil
TIE District number 227,G COZ and the col
cred 81, S3S- This indicates an increase
il eight years of 38.150 among the for
mer. or a percentage of about 20 pei