Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-08-16
FIGURES OF CITIES.
CENSUS BUREAU ISSUES SOME
INTERESTING STATISTICS.
New York Tops Isl MunicipaIities
in Area. Receipts and Exrendi-
tures-Statistics on Public UtfIi-
ties and Per Capita Debt.

The census bureau has issued a bull
letin Oh statistics for 1904 of cities
having population Of over 10000, the
cities covered numbering Isl. OF these
New York held the largest land area,
209,21S acres, New Orleans with 125,-
600 acres and Chicago with 1882
ranking next. Hoboken with So acres
had the smallest land area. The total
corporate expenditures of the 151 cities
for the fiscal year 1904, exclusive of
payments by one department of the city
10 another, We're S554, HOPPE, of which
those of New York constituted S167,-
O6O, i'll, or tbree-tenthS The total ex-
penditures showed an increase of S27,-
1851 or IS per cent over 1908, and
Of $50 040, $50, or ISL per cent over
1902. The increase for the single city
Of New York during the two years end
ing 1904 was $37.964, 625, or 44.6 per
cent of the total increase In the 151
cities the amount, spent for permanent
works increased almost per cent over
1908.
Though Greater New York has only
twice the population of Chicago, its cur
rent expenses are nearly four times as
great. The next six largest cities of
The county together expend less than
New York. Though Chicago is one
third as large again as Philadelphia,
the latter'S running expenses are slight
ly greater. Though about equal in size
with Baltimore, Boston's current eX-
penses are nearly three times as great.
Washington spends more than any one
Of the next eight larger cities of the
country and twice that of other cities
of about the same population. Only
one-half of its expenditures are met
by local taxation, the other half being
paid by the United States government.
Expenses and Receipts.
OF the total running expenses of the
151 cities, Gil per cent went for sal
aries and wages and 1873 for all other
objects. Total receipts were SJ94 49,
99S, of which $472, 423, S5S, or 79.5 per
cent, were from taxes and other rev.
enues, and $121, 752, 40, or 20.5 per
cent, from loans increasing indebted
ness.
The receipts from municipal indus
tries such as gas and water works, and
other commercial revenues, amounted
to 2,2S6, S27. Of the municipal in
dustries, by far the most important are
the water works. They are reported by
10S of the 151 cities and their value
constitutes 63.S per cent of the aggre
gate value of all municipal industry
properties. The cities of over 100000
population not owning water works
were San Francisco, CAL; New Orleans,
La. Omaha, Neb. New Haven, Conn. !;
st. Joseph, Mo- Scranton, Pa, and
Paterson, n. j. OF the 100000 in
vested in electric light works, Chicago
reported about one-half.
Nearly all Of the $31 100000 invest
ed in gas works was reported by Phil
adelphia.
Four cities were shown to be in the
irrigation business-Denyer, Colo. Los
Angeles, Cal; Salt Lake City, Utah,
and San Antonio, Tex.-three had toll
bridges-New York, Covington and La
crosse, Wis.-and two were operating
municipal ferries-Boston and Port
land, Ore. The only city running a
stone quarry and crusher was Auburn,
n. Y. and the only one having a mu-
nicipal asphalt plant was Detroit.
Io To Of no iaC
of all municipal industries, as here
reported, was $790,570,7 26, The 151
cities have met from general revenues
nearly one-half the cost of their indus
trial plants but still owe 53.4 per cent
of the total value. Outlays for per-
manent improvements are met from
current revenue in American cities more
generally than in British.
National Debt OvershadOwed.
The aggregate debt of the 151 cities
at the close of the year was S1,531,-
462. $50. and debt, less sinking funds,
81, DDS, DC, 933-more than one-fourth
greater than the national debt. The
per capita debt, less sinking funds, was
S5697. OF the individual cities the
largest per capita net debt was reported
by Newton, Mass. S125.5S; the second
largest, by New York, $113.25; the
third, by Boston, S10S.17; the fourth,
by Pawtucket, r. l., $104.19 Only ten
other cities had a per capita net debt
of over S75. The tax levy per capita
was largest for Boston, $30.16.