The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-04-12

peOoIc Came to OCcup% Inehl.
Several weeks ago Charlotte begah
| to herald herself as the metropolis OF
the state, her claims being based on
the estimates of population 1or 1906
| which we're issued by the census bu-
raau in Washington, these estimates
showing Charlotte in the lead OF North
Carolina cities with a population OF
z, 00e, while Wilmington descended TO
| second place, her population for 1906
being given as only 21,528, this show
ing an increase Sincet the OHlc1al census
in 1900 of only 920 persons.
In this city where the marvellous
| growth and development that has O.
Cured within the past few years have
been kept up with and noted frequent
" on public occasions and in the press,
statement was regarded as absurd. n
movement alone. when the Plant sys-
tenn was consolidated with b Coast
Line having brought to the city more
people in one year than the total gain
as given out by the census bureau for
six years gave credit for. So there
was no faith put in the figures sent out
from Washington and while they tick
led Charlotte and gave that city the
opportunity to puff up. and make
many good-natured gibes at Whining
ton, in this city the figures were given
no credence and WilminStonians, from
their own knowledge of growth, con
tinued to speak and to think of this
city as the metropolis of North Caro-
lima. ~
Recently. however, it has been
brought to light. how these census. SIS
Inmates are made and when the sys-
tenn is explained, it Is. as the officials
themselves admit, frequently and
grossly unreliable. The methods are
incorrect and loose in the extreme for
the preparation Of figures which are
supposed to be and are assumed to be
correct.
The officials state that their method
of estimating may be termed the
"arithmetical method, namely, that
the growth in each year is equal to
.one-tenth the %decennial increase, or
one-fifth the q~uinquennial increase be-
tween the two censuses.
This explanation then shows how
Charlotte got falsely placed at the
head of North Carolina cities.
Applying the rule used by the census
bureau it will be seen that Charlotte's
increase Of population between 1893,
when the figures were 1857, and 1920
when they were 1901. amounts 10
1854. Taking one-tenth of this decen- |
NAL increase the result is 653, and the (
growth for the six years since 1900
amounts to six times that number or
1913. Adding this to the census fig .
ures for 1900, which were 1901. there !
results Charlotte's present population. |
according to the "arimethical' esti- |
mate, of 22.009.
Using the same method. the growth
Of Wilmington between 1890 and 1900. |
when the figures respectively were |
20,056 and 20,976, was only 92G. This |
would show a yearly increase between
1900 and 1906 Of only 90 persons, Or $50 /
for six years, bringing the figures I'D
to those given out i'll Washington,
21.52S.
These, of course, do Wilmington and i
hundreds Of other cities a great in |
justice. The statement that Whining
has increased in population less
than one hundred persons each year
since 1900 is so absurd that it is not
necessary even to dispute 1t.
The small gain between 1890 and 1907
in Wilmington, when the increase was
only 920, is easily explained and will
understood by these cognizant with
local affairs. 1t will be recalled that
clty, When business vas at a %standstill
and stagnation was on every side, were
between '95 and 1900, when negro DOM
lnation was over the city. and growth
was completely checked. The riot Of
'sS Drought a change for the better,
OUT as a result. as can be testified
here. several hundred negroes, that
may nave reached thousands, left VIII
to live elsewhere. Notwith-
standing this loss. however, conditions
quickly changed for the better after
good order was restored that before
1900 census was taken not onlv
bad The losses been recouped, but thete
vas an increase Of nearly a thousand
oerscns.
Since that time admittedly the city