The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-11-26
State CENSUS
HISTORY FROM
EARLIEST DAY

| A history OF Rhode Island censuses has
been completed by Col. George H. Webb
commissioner OF industrial statistics.
The first enumeration was made in 170s
! Then there were but nine towns and the
/ total area OF the state was 9243 square
miles. When the second census was
taken in $780, the population had increas-
, ed more than 80 per cent. but Provi-
! dence was behind all the towns in density
OF population. I'm the next years the
number OF people increased rapidly. until
In l155 there were 40.4l4. Providence was
the most densely populated OF any of the
towns except Newport and Bristol.
Tho next census was taken in IVA, AT
the request OF the Continental congress.
The population was 597O7 an increase of
nearly 30 per cent. There were then ~
towns Two years later another enume-
ration was made at the request Of the
Continental congress As n result of tho
war the state had lost nearly 5000. the
total reaching only 55.Oll. Newport had
fallen in population to 5299. Providence
having 1885.
During the latter part OF the Revolu-
tim. I'm 1852, a third census showed "A fur
ther loss i'm popula ton. The number Of
towns was 20. the newest being Foster.
The census OF l7OS was confined to an
enumeration of the total population of the
lTtemtn, the Inllllids ana the NhlNe diiN
black servants. In 1870 the details EN-
braced the whites, blacks and Indians
The enumerators in 1755 found 1888
whites, 1897 blacks. 9177 men. 1914 women
s7S3 boys. 9035 girls. 29S7 men able to bear
arms, and 5265 enlisted soldiers.
The first national census of Rhode Is
land was made in 1870. In that the work
extended to the number of dwelling
houses 1876; free white males OF l6 years
and upward 1909, free white males under
is. 1859; free white females. 1887; all other
free persons. 427, and slaves. As.
The gain in population in the state in
the 10 years until the next census was
less than 1 per cent. Providence In 1900
had 1914 andNewport only 67S9.
The state had by the census OF 1910 76,-
e31 inhabitants. Providence then nae
more than l0.cO0. In the count In 1890 the
state showed a gain of only little over
per cent.
In 1880 the state had 1870 The four
leading towns were Providence, Newport,
Smithfeld and Warwick Manufacturing
was affected by the panic In 1887 and the
growth of the state in the 10 years ending
in isi0 was u per cent Providence was
now a city with 23,172 inhabitants.
From 1870 10 1850 the state had great
expansion in manufacturing interests and
gained 35.6 per cent. I'm people. The larg-
est relative increase was made by the
town of North Providence, which gained
over 60 per cent From 1850 to the end of
the next decade the state gained 1873 in
population. Cranston made an Increase
of over - per cent.
In 1866 the first town census was taken
Smithfeld had lost over per cent. North
Providence and Cranston made gains
Providence gained slowly during these
years. and Newport faster than at any
like period during a hundred years. Paw
tucket had just 5000.
tAar CT 70
every 10 years and a national census ev-
ery 10 years, the two coming five years
apart Rhode Island has now nearly half
a million inhabitants. The town OF West
Greenwich contains now fewer people
than in l74S. It's number has diminished
with every census since 1890. This town
had a population in 1920 of 254. II has
now less than one-fourth as many. Exc
ter Charlestown and Little Crompton all
have fewer people than in 17iS.