The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-08
DEBTS OF CITIES
EXCEED UNCLE SANS
New Orleans Has Second
Largest Land Area
HoBoKEN is SMALLEST
Though New York Has Nearly Twice
the Population of Chicago, Ex-
penses Are Nearly Four
Times as Great.

Washington, August THE census bu-
reau today issued bulletin on statistics
for 1904 of cities having a population Of
over 10000. the cities covered numbering
al. OF those, New York held the largest
with 125,GOo acres and Chicago with 114,s32
ranking next. Hoboken with s25 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 a city
to another were 5000, 44o. 215, of which those
of New York constituted $167060l1, or
three tenths. The total expenditures
showed an Increase of S2710s,713, or 5.s
per cent over 1903 and of $50, or
1871 per cent over 1902. The increase for
the single city of New York during the
two years ending 1904. was s37 .964,625 or
a per cent of the total increase.
In the ISL cities the amount spent for
permanent works increased almost per
cent over 1903
Though New York has nearly twice the
population of Chicago. Its current ex-
penses are nearly four time as great.
Six Expend Less Than New York.
The next six largest cities of the.country
together expended less than New York
Though Chicago is one-third as large
again as Philadelphia. the latter's running
expenses are slightly greater. Though
about equal in size with Baltimore, Bos-
toms current expenses are nearly three
times as great Washington spends more
than any one of the next 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.
OF the total running expenses of the
Isl cities, Git per cent went for salaries
and wages and 49, for all other objects.
Total receipts were 1894, 175 Ses, of which
$472 423,S5S of 1915 per cent. were from
taxes and other revenues and $121 752, lao,
or POS per cent from loans increasing in
debtedness
The receipts from municipal industries
such as gas and water WORKS, and other
commercial revenues, amounted to $ll2,-
2S6,S27
OF the municipal Industries by far the
most important are the water works.
They are reported by 10S of the Isl cities
and their value constitutes 63.S per cent
of the aggregate value of all municipal
industry properties. The cities of over
100, 600 population, not owning water works,
were San Fancisco, New Orleans. Omaha
New Haven. St Joseph, Scranton and
Paterson. OF the $S.0O0,000 invested in
electric light works Chicago reported
about one-haf.
Nearly all of the s31 100000 invested in
gas works was reported by Philadelphia
Four In Irrigation Business.
Four cities were shown to be In the irri-
cation business-DenVer, Los Angeles
Salt Lake City and San Antonia; three
had toll bridges-New York Covington
and Lacrosse, and two we're operating
municipal ferries-Boston and Portland,
Ore The only city running a stock quarry
and crusher was Auburn, ~ Y. and the
only one having municipal asphalt plant
was Detroit
The aggregate value of the properties of
all municipal industries as here reported
was S790,570, 1875 The 151 cities have al
ready met from general revenues nearly
one-half the cost of their industrial plants
but still owe 53.4 per cent Of the total
values OUTLAWS for permanent improve
ments are met from current revenue in
American cities more generally than in
British.
The aggregate debt of the Isl cities at
the close of the year was 81 .531 462. 655; and
debtless sinking funds $l,22S, M6,933, more
than one-fourth greater than the national
debt The per capital debt less sinking
funds was $56T. OF the individual cities
the largest per capita net debt was report
ed by Newton, Mass. $1255S; the second
largest by New York. $113.25: the third
by Boston, $10S17; the fourth by Paw
tucket, $lO419. Only ten other cities had
a per capita net debt of over SIS. The
tax levy per capita was largest for Bos-
ton $3016.