The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-07
PAWTUCKET'S NET
DEBT IS HIGH
AMONG CITIES

In Bulletin so, the census bureau con-
tinues the series OF annual reports pre-
senting official statistics OF cities having
a population OF over 80. 000 This bulletin
covers the year 1908. and is limited TO
statistics OF the financial transactions
debts and properties OF the cities. to-
gether with their area and population.
The data thus collected and tabulated
make possible interesting comparisons
between the several cities as regards the
total cost OF municipal government. Of
schools. OF police and fire departments.
OF sewers. streets and other public works
also as regards the revenue from taxes,
loans or other sources, and the indebted
ness. sinking funds. etc.
The tax levy per capita was largest for
Boston. s30i6. Other cities having a tax
levy Of over sl5 per capita were Newton
Mass, s2sl6: New York s2l.s9: Denver.
s20.40; Cambridge. s1797: Portland. Me.
1868; Providence. sl6.0s; Pittsburg,
$16.0l; Yonkers. 1883; and San Francis
co. sl5e3.
The number Of cities included in the
inquiry is 151. OF which IA had over 300-
600 inhabitants. OF the ISL cities, New
York had the largest land area, 20s. .2ls
acres New Orleans stood second. with
l25.600 acres; Chicago third. with ia, ,932:
Philadelphia fourth. with ST. S2s; and Du-
luth NTH. with 40.556. St Louis. Wash
ington, Denver. Des Moines. ST. Paul and
Minneapolis followed in the order named.
each with over $1,000 acres. The other
cities covering over 10000 acres included
Taunton. Boston, Springfield. Worcester.
Fall River. Manchester and Haverhill.
The city having the smallest land area
was Hoboken. with S25 acres. Duluth
with $4,000 inhabitants takes In more ter
ritory than st. Louis with its GA, 900.
Salt Lake City. with a population 5000
less than Hoboken. included an area 35
times as great OF the cities OF over 100.-
600 population. Allegheny had the small
est land area. 4726 acres; Paterson, the
next. $3.50 acres; and Jersey City, the
next, s163 acres.
The total corporate expenditures OF the
Isl cities for the fiscal year 1904 exclu-
sive of payments by one department of
the city TO another. were 1854. .440.2lk, OF
which those OF New York constituted
sl67. 06o.171. or three-tenths. The In
crease for the city of New York during
the two years ending 1904 was s37. .9e4. .625.
or AS per cent OF the total increase.
though New York's estimated population
in 1904 was only IS per cent OF the esti-
mated total for the cities. Most of the
increase was for the construction of
works of a permanent character
Though New York has only twice the
population OF Chicago. its current ex-
penses are nearly four times as great.
The next six largest cities OF the country
together expend less than New York
Boston appears TO be rival TO New
York I'm the generous manner In which
money is spent by the city fathers
Though about equal in size with Balti-
more. the current expenses are nearly
three times as great Washington is an
other Of the larger cities conspicuous for
generous expenditures. II 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.
One-half Of its expenditures are met by
local taxation, the other half being paid
by the United States government
During the fiscal year 1904 the total re-
ceipts of the 151 cities We're 1894. .175.99s.
OF which s472, .s5S, or 1915 per cent,
were from taxes and other revenues, and
1921. 752, 14Q, or 20.5 per cent. from loans
increasing Indebtedness. The amount rA-
ceived from taxes alone was s29s. $50. .055,
or 632 per cent. of the total revenues.
Special property and business taxes
brought In 80 ,325.7ss. and poll taxes ST.
045l99 or 81 per cent. and O.3 per cent.
OF the total receipts from
taxes Fines and forfeits brought In ST.
ISL, 1892. and liquor licenses and taxes.
SIS. .s37, ,420.
The receipts from municipal industries,
such as gas and water works and other
commercial revenues. amounted to $112.-
2s6 S2T. The receipts from waterworks
were s44,974.0 .037; from docks and wharves.
50. III. .s7s: and from gas works, S1,36S.-
COS Nearly all the revenues from docks
and wharves were reported by New York.
The aggregate debt of the l5l cities at
the close of the year was 1881. 462, ,655.
and debt less sinking funds. sl,22S,2l6,s3S.
more than one-fourth greater than the
national debt. The per capita debt less
sinking funds was s56.97.
Only ten other cities had a per capita
net debt of over SIS. OF the cities Of
more than 100. 900 inhabitants. San Fran
cisco had the smallest per capita net debt,
$3.50. OF the cities between $4,000 and
100 600, Sacramento had the smallest.
$5 81.
OF the Individual cities. the largest per
capita net debt was reported by Newton.
Mass. sl255s; the second largest by New
York. $ll3.25; the third by Boston, sl0s.-
II; and the fourth by Pawtucket, slo4ls.