The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-09-14
THE GROWTH OF WASHINGTON

THE GROWTH OF WASHINGTON
Its Population Increasing at Surprig
ing1y 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 to
order for purposes of government an6
lacking manufactures, shipping and
wholesale trade, Washington has de-
veloped along lines peculiarly its own.
IL mas had to grow In default of any
natural advantages as center Of COM
merce or industry. Overshadowed by
Baltimore, only forty miles distant,
ana with no territory Of its 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
en1ng Of the Federal service and the
Federal governments activities. What
population it had 1t attracted simply
and solely because 1t was the seat Of
Federal power, and to the present time
ITS character as capital still wholly
dominates its character as a city.
There are indications, however, in
the census just taken that Washington
Is beginning to grow as city faster
than 1t is growing as 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 1890 showed a
total Of 230,392 inhabitants in the Fed
eral district By 1900 the total had
increased to 27S,71s. This gave Wash
ington a percentage of increase for this
decade of 20.9-a higher rate than
that reached by Philadelphia. This
discovery caused some surprise, for II
suggested that in spite of it's handicaps
as a COMMUNICATING town the ma
tlonal capital could still compete for
population with two great nearby CEN
tiers of industry and commerce like
Philadelphia and Baltimore. The GEN.
sus of this year gives evidence of stin
more remarkable progress. According
TO the police figures the population OF
Washington Is now 322,572-a gain
over 1900 Of 1884. This is within
5000 of the total gains between 1890
and 1900. 1t shows for the five-year
period a percentage of increase OF
1903. Expansion at the same rate for
the next five years would give the na-
donal capital percentage of Increase
for the decade of 30.O6 and populs-
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 Il
stood thirteenth. Detroit and Milwau-
kee both passed it In 1900, Detroits
total going to 285,7O4 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 sonps
danger Of being outgrown by all threa
New Orleans population In 1900 was
2S7, 1O4, and its percentage Of growth
from 1890 to 1900 was only 1915. On,
less that growth is rapidly acceier
ated, New Orleans will fall to fifteenth
place and Washington will rise ta
fourteenth. Evidently the charms Of
the Federal capital as place of RESI-
dence are beginning to make them
selves felt. No city in the United Stata
offers more to its inhabitants and very
few offer so much. The natural growth
of the Federal government insures
steady and splendid development Do
the capital, and that development win
continue to attract population, II g.
does not directly encourage manufae
turing and general business. WashinA
ton has outlived Its period Of stagna-
ton and dependence, and few dec
AIDES more will see it a solidly popu-
lous and prosperous as well as rarely
inspiring and beautiful city.