Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-08-14
FIGURES OF CITIES.
CENSUS BUREAU ISSUES SOME
INTERESTING STATISTICS.
New York Tops ISL municipalities
i'm Area, Receipts and Expendi-
tures-Statistics on Public Utilf-
ties and Per Capita Debt.

The census bureau has issued a bull
letin on statistics for 1904 of cities
having population of over 10000, the
cities covered numbering 151. OF these
New York held the largest land area,
22oo. 21S acres. New Orleans with l25.-
600 acres and Chicago with 1882
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 the city
TO another. were SOD, 440,215, of which
those of New York constituted S167,-
060,171, or three-tenths. The total ex-
penditures showed an increase of $27,-
10S,713, or So per cent over 1908, and
of $50, 040, $50, or ISL per cent over
1902 The increase for the single city
of New York during the two years end
ing 1904 was $37 1864, 625. or 44.6 per
cent of the total increase. In the 151
cities the amount spent for permanent
works increased almost 6 per cent over
1908
Though Greater New York has only
twice the population of Chicago, its cur
rent expenses are nearly four times as
great The next six largest cities of
the county together expeHd less than
New York Though Chicago is one
the latter's running expenses are slight
ly greater. Though about equal in size
with Baltimore, BoSton'S current eX-
penses are nearly three times as great
of the next eight 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
Expenses and Receipts.
OF the total running expenses of the
151 cities, Gil per cent went for sal
aries and wages and 1858 for all other
objects. Total receipts were 1894, no.,
99S, of which SAT-, 423, S5S, or 79.5 per
cent, were from taxes and other rev
enues, and $121, 752, 40, or 20.5 per
cent, from loans increasing indebted
ness.
The receipts from municipal indus
tries such as gas and water works, and
other commercial revenues, amounted
to $112,2S6,S27. OF the municipal in
dustries, by far the most important are
the water works. They are reported by
los of the 151 cities and their value
constitutes 63.S per cent of the aggre
gate value of all municipal industry
properties. The cities of over 100000
population not owning water works
were San Francisco, Cal; New Orleans,
La. Omaha, Neb. New Haven, Conn. !;
st. Joseph Mo-; Scranton, Pa, and
Paterson, n. j. OF the 100000 in
vested in electric light works, Chicago
reported about one-half.
Nearly all of the $31 100000 invest
ed in gas works was reported by Phil
adelphia.
Four cities were shown to be in the
irrigation business-Denver, Colo; Los
Angeles Cal. Salt Lake City, Utah,
and San Antonio, Tex.-three had toll
bridges-New York, Covington and La
crosse, Wis-and two We're operating
municipal ferries-Boston and Port
land, Ore. The only city running a
stone quarry and crusher was Auburn,
n. Y, and the only one having mu-
nicipal asphalt plant was Detroit.
The aggregate value of the properties
of all municipal industries, as here
reported, was $730,570,726. The 151
cities have met from general revenues
nearly one-half the cost of their indus
trial plants, but still owe 53.4 per cent
of the total value Outlays Cor per-
manent Improvements are met from
current revenue in American cities more
generally than in British.
National Debt OvershadOwed.
The aggregate debt of the 151 cities
at the close of the year was S1,531,-
462. 600. and debt, less sinking funds,
s.. DDS, 216, 933-more than one-fourth
greater than the national debt. The
per capita debt, less sinking funds, was
S5697. OF the individual cities the
largest per capita net debt was reported
by Newton, Mass, S125.5S; the second
largest by New York, $113.25; the
third, by Boston, $10S.17; the fourth,
by Pawtucket, r. l., S104.19. Only ten
other cities had per capita net debt
of over $50. The tax levy per capita
was largest for Boston, $30.16.