The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-07-14
CENSUS OF CITIES
STATISTICS Of Municipalities
Having a Population Of
5000 to $4,000
FIGURES TAKEN IN 1903
INTERESTING DATA REGARDING
POLICE AND FIRE DEPART
MENTs, SCHOOLS AND LIBRA
RIES

The Bureau of Census has just pub
lished Bulletin 40, presenting statistics
of the 369 cities in the United States
having a population Of 5000 to 25,000.
This is in the nature of supplement to
Bulletin 20, issued August, 1905, which
gave similar statistics for cities having
a population of over 25,O00. The two
bulletins together constitute the decen-
nial report of the Census Bureau on sta
tistics of cities.
Like the earlier publication, the bulle-
tin, contains comparatively few statistics
relating to the population living in the
cities. The greater part of the data in
Guided relates to municipal finance, COM
prising tabulated statements of the re-
ceipts, payment, public debt and funds
of each city. BY reference to these
tables one may readily compare the cost
of government and of the several de-
partments of government in different cit
ies The other subjects covered are
somewhat miscellaneous in character, but
for the most part constitute an inventory
of municipal property, resource and
equipment. The include statistical data
in regard to the police and fire depart
ments. public schools and libraries aims
houses and hospitals, municipal water
works, gas and electric light plants,
paved streets, street lighting, street rail-
ways, public parks, building permits,
street cleaning, sanitary inspection and
sewers, and liquor saloons and licenses.
The statistics of arrests present some
interesting data. 1t is noticeable that
drunkenness appears as the most fre-
quent cause Of arrest in $40 out of the
367 cities which furnish reports; disturb
ance of the peace in 81; vagrancy in 12;
assault and battery in z; and larceny III
1. Arrests for homicide Were reported
by 135 cities, more than third of the
total number.
Sixteen cities reported more than 100
retail liquor saloons each. In 81 cities,
nearly one-seyenth of the total. there
were no liquor saloons that obtained of
fetal recognition. In So others the Ii
cense was $1,000 or more. The highest
amounts paid for licenses were in Car
thage, Mo-, $2,400; Moberly, Mo-, 81
25O, and Springfield, Mo-. ana Cnicopee
and Webster, Mass, $1,SOO.
The statistics relating to fremen and
fire equipment show that 63, or about
one-sxth of the total number of cities
included in the report. had no regular
fremen; and in AL the dependence was
entirely on the volunteers.
Public kindergartens were maintained
by 11O, or not far from one-third of the
cities; and night schools by y, about
one-ffth. There were IA which main
tanned no high schools, and 95 no public
libraries. Northampton, Mass, had the
largest number of volumes in public Ii
braries, 1873, ,405. Brookline, Mass, stood
second, with 63,930; and Bangor, NJ.
third, with 55, 154 Five other cities, all
but one in New England, reported over
10000 volumes. There were - reporting
between 10000 and 10000; 81 between
10000 and 10000; SO between 10000 and
10000; and 131 under 10000. The great
est city of readers appears from the sta
tistics appears to have been Braddock,
Pa, where the circulation for the year
was 1S7,03S. Northampton, Mass, first
in number of volumes, stood second in
circulation, reporting 169,03S. Elgin, H.,
followed with 155,060, and Brookline
Mass, with 1871, 7,144. A circulation Of
over 100000 was reported in 8 other cit
les.
A majority of the municipalities report
public park areas, and in 10 cases the
amount is 100 acres or more. San Die
go, CAL, reports the largest park area
for the minor cities, 1,405 5acres; and
Winona Mimi, stands second, with S37.
The waterworks are public property in
1S9, or about half the cities. Only
own gas plants, while 80 own electric
light plants. In 19 there is no system
of sewerage
The total payments for expenses of
the 800 cities for the fiscal year 1908
was $54, 4,205,342, trife more than one
seventh Of the total expenditures OF the
l75 cities of over 25,0o0 Inhabitants and
a trife less than one-tenth Of the annual
expenditures of the United States Cow
ernment. There was paid for salaries
and wages s2s,759, ,63s, and for miseella-
neous objects, $25, 5,455,704.
OF these expenditures, 92.4 per cent.
u7as, for ornaral ond n,,,n;o;,,al sa,,u;oo