The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-07-27
Figures Show Hammond's S
Population Has Doubled
In Seven Years.
EAST CHICAGO's, TOO
Remarkable Growth of North Town
ship May Entitle District to
Extra Representation.

Inc enumeration or the voters or
North township has just been complet-
ed, under the direction of Township
Trustee Richard Schaaf. 1t was under
taken by the state of Indiana for the
purpose of securing data that will en-
able the legislature to make a re-
apportionment of state representatives.
Results later may show that this dis
trict has qualified for extra represen-
tatives.
The most startling thing about the
census is the fact that in the seven
years since the last enumeration was
made by the United States government,
Hammond has doubled in population
To be exact. the census OF 1900 gives
Hammond population of 1876 while
the present enumeration gives the city
a census of 24.233.
Perhaps the next big surprise is the
fact that when the last government
census was taken, Indiana Harbor was
given no official recognition. while it
now it has been found to have a popu-
lation of 9.442
East Chicago, which had a poulation
of 3,411 in 1900. shows the largest per
cent of increase, as the enumeration
this year gives that city S.220 people,
or more than twice as many people as
We're located there seven years ago.
Writings Growth Less.
Although Whiting shows a substan-
tial growth. the increase in the popu-
lation is not what it is in other parts
of the township. A population of 1888
in 1900 has been increased to 7,420.
In North township outside of the
cities, there has been a substantial in
crease, although it is not expected that
1t will be in proportion to that in the
/ cities.
/ The popufation OF the township as a
whole has more than doubled. for
while it was estimated to be but about
21 900 in 1900 it is now 51.4s7 In fact.
the growth of the township as reveal
ed in the last census is nothing short
of wonderful
Mr.. Sehaaf. who was in charge of
the census. says that if the same census
was taken in Hammond today it would
show further increases in the popula-
ton of the city of several hundred, as
a great many men have been employed
at the plant of the Standard Steel Car
plant recently and have taken up their
residences in the houses that the com
pany built for them.
Legislative Representation Increased.
Getting back to the matter of the
purpose for which the census was TAX
en-, it is likely that North township
will be given a greatly increased rep
resentation in the state legislature
when the e-apportionment is made.
! Other communities in the state have
grown and although North township
has doubled in population it will not
be likely to be given twice as many
representatives as it now has
There will, however, be an increase
in the representation. for it is certain
that the growth of North township has
been much greater than the average
township in the state.
Mr.. Schaaf has a fund of valuable In
formation at hand as a result OF the
canvass of the city, and in an inter-
view this morning freely impaired
many interesting facts.
Mr.. Schaaf was asked about the pro-
portion of foreigners in the various
cities in the township. BY foreigners
is meant citizens of foreign birth His
answer was a surprise. In Hammond
it is estimated that fully 50 per cent
of the poulation is of foreign birth.
In Indiana Harbor Mr.. Schaaf says a
conservative estimate would be that s5
per cent of the population is foreign.
East Chicago Largely Foreign.
In East Chicago about three fourths
of the people are of foreign birth.
while in Whiting conditions are more
nearly like those in Hammond, and
about so per cent OF the population is
foreign.
Conditions among these foreigners
are terrible. Mr.. Schaaf says that in
one big boarding house in Indiana Har-
Dor in the Roumanian settlement, there
were 100 men living in one building.
Sometimes there are three men work
ing in three different shifts who use
the same bed, and 1t is never allowed
to get cold.
Most of these people are densely ig-
norant and refuse to give the inforna-
tion about themselves for fear that
the questioner is an agent from the old
country who is in search Of them for
having deserted from the army or for
some other cause
The matter OF the size Of the fam
lilies is also OF interest Mr. Schaat
says that he has found it generally
true that the foreign families have
many more children than the Ameri-
cans do. in fact. he thought the pro-
portion was three TO one.
Some Of the parents did not seen
70 know how many children they die
have. Time and again he would ash
how many children there were. and
would be informed. for instance. tha-
there were ten. IN some instances par