The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-09-27
The GROWTH OF WASHINGTON


It's Population Increasing at = 9urpris
ingty Rapid Rate.
A census Just taken by the Washing
ton police shows that the national cap
itals population Is increasing at sur
prisingly rapid rate. A city built Il
order for purposes or government ane
lacking manufactures. shipping and
wholesale trade. Washington has de
veloped along lines peculiarly its own
IL has had to grow In default OF any
natural advantages as center OF com,
merce or industry. overshadowed by
Baltimore. only forty miles distant
and with no territory of it's own to
draw ON for population or business. the
city was long condemned to isolation
and to such slow and painful growth
as 1t could achieve through the broad
ening Of the Federal service and the
Federal governments activities. What
population II had IL attracted simply
and solely because IL was the seat of
Federal power. and to the present time
its character as a capital still wholly
dominates Its character as a city.
There are indications. however. In
the census just taken that Washington
Is beginning 10 grow as a city faster
than II Is growing as a seat of govern
ment. Since 1890. certainly. the pop
ulation OF the District OF Columbia has
expanded out of ratio TO any expan-
sion In the limits of the Federal ser.
vice The census OF 1880 showed a
total of go. 392 inhabitants In the Fed
eral district. BY 1900 the total had
increased TO 27S.71S. This gave Wash.
fngton percentage OF increase for the
decade OF 209-a higher rate than
that reached by Philadelphia. This
discovery caused some surprise. for II
suggested that In spite OF its handlcaps
as a non-manufacturing town the ma.
tional capital could still compete for
population with two great nearby cen
tiers OF Industry and commerce like
Philadelphia and Baltimore. The cen
sus OF this year gives evidence OF still
more remarkable progress According
to the police figures the population OF
Washington Is now 800. 572-a gain
over 1900 of 1854. This is within
5000 OF the total gains between 1890
and 1900. II shows for the five-year
period percentage of increase OF
1903 Expansion at the same rate for
the next five years would give the ma
tional capital a percentage OF increase
for the decade of 30.O6 and a popuIa-
ton In 1910 OF $4,000. Few cities on
the Atlantic seaboard are likely to out
strip such record.
Washington now stands fifteenth In
the list OF our great cities. In 1890 II
stood thirteenth Detroit and yfilwau-
kee both passed II In 1900. Detrolt's
total going to 2s5.7O4 and Milwaukee's
TO 2S5.315. These two western cities
are still gaining population rapidly,
and they may hold their own against
Washington In 1910. Bur New Orleans
now twelfth In ranks IN some
danger OF being outgrown by all three
New Orleans population In 1900 was
PSI, 1o4, and its percentage OF growth
from 1890 to 1900 was only 1876. I'm
less that growth Is rapidly acceler-
ated. New Orleans viii fall to fifteenth
place and Washington viii rise to
Evidently the charms OF
the Federal capital as place OF resi-
ience are beginning to make them !.
'elyes felt. No city In the United State.
'ffers more to its inhabitants ard very
lew offer so much. The natural growth
II the Federal government Insures {
Iteady and splendid development to
he capital. and that development will
continue to attract population. II =
loes not directly encourage manufao
uring and general business. Washing
on has outlived its period Of stagna-
ion and dependence. and few dee
Ides more will see it solIdly popu-
Gus and prosperous as wen as a rarely
Inspiring and beautiful city.