The sun., 1908-06-14
YANKEE TOWNS IN DECAY.-
More Coflins Than Baby Carriages Sold In
Rarts or Connecticut.

L
More Cofins Than Baby Carriages Sold In
Parts OF Connecticut.
HARTPoRD. Conn. June 2.--Striking
evidence Of the decadent tendencies OF
some of the rural communities Of Connecti-
out is supplied by official statistics which
have recently been compiled and cover
the calendar year 1900
In nearly quarter OF the country COM
munities deaths are Of more frequent OCCUR
renoe than births. The sale OF coffins ex-
ceeds the sale Of baby carriages
In thirty-three Of the towns whose popu-
lation is less than 5000 the deaths during
the year the obituary department contained
more subjects than the birth column.
Moreover. in ten towns Andover. Ash
ford. Bethlehem. Brookfield. Canaan. Chap
lin. LitchAeld, Rocky Hill. Simsbury and
Westbrook census Of births and deaths
maintained an exact balance on the teeter
board Of vital statistics. Killingly Is the
only town Of over 5000 inhabitants in which
there was q surplus Of deaths. and as the
natural loss Of population there was only
one It h hardly worth mentioning.
The total number Of births In the decaying
small towns was o07. while the aggregated
mortality footed up 1.12o. The excess Of
deaths over births was 2ia. Twenty-four
Of the towns in Which Grape Was hung on
the door more frequently than the cradle
was taken down from the attic have
population OF less than 1000.
The towns which have developed mild
drift toward race suicide are scattered all
over the Commonwealth. although some
districts are only slightly affected. Based
upon the vital statistics of 1905 Fairfield
county has more patches Of decadence
than any other county.
Eight towns in that county furnished moro
jobs for the gravedigger than for the stork.
Windham and Litohfeld counties. each
with a total Of five towns in which there
was a shortage Of births. are tied for second
place. New Haven. New London and
Middlesex counties each showed four towns
of dwindling tendencies. while Hartford
and Tolland counties each have two entries
In the list.
Brooklyn. in windham county. de-
veloped a greater excess Of deaths over
births than any other town. The figure
was 10. while Cheshire. In New Haven county,
and Lebanon. in New London county.
each with an unluoky mortality surplus
Of, 13. followed closely. In each OF three
towns the death certificates outnumbered
the birth certificates by only one.
The distribution Of the excess Of deaths
by counties is rather interesting. and 10 is as
follows: Hartford. 8; New Haven. ~; New
London. sS Fairfield. 80; Windham. 80;
Litohfield, 20; Middlesex. IA; Tolland. TO-
suggestive and enlightening fact is that
L., tnft thA kox i, xuIsioh fho N
Of physical and social decay are operating
the native Yankee stock still predominates.
In a large majority Of them the infusion
Of alien blood has been small. Examina-
ton Of the statistics Of the, parentage
Of children and Of the nativity Of the
dead indicates the comparatively small
part which the immigrant plays in the
population Of the affected towns.
The case Of the agricultural town OF Can
terbury, In Windham county. may be cited
as an example. Its nine births were more
than Offset by its twenty deaths. In the
case Of the births the parents. except in
three cases, were native Americans. while
10 OF the 20 decedents were born under
the Stars and Stripes.
The town has been irregtilarly declining
for over q century. II attained its maxi
mum development in 1852. when its popu-
lation. now fallen to s78. was 2,5l4.
Colebrook. located up among the hills
Of Litchfield county is another town which
reveals the trend toward deterioration In
various Connecticut communities where
the native stock still holds sway. Six oi
Its seven births for 1903 were issues Of Amer.
lean born parents. and ofthe eleven persons
who died only one was an immigrant
When the census enumerators were last
around they were able to count only hall
as many noses in Colebrook as they die
In 1850.
In spite Of the social decay which is affect
ing various localities the situation u moi
barren Of hopeful aspects. The inquiry
which the late Rev. Henry L. Hutchins. IL
the course Of his work as agent for ths
Connecticut Bible Society. made into rura
decadence in this State. and the results oi
which he incorporated into a notable ad
drees delivered in 1908, mixed both Ngh
and dark colors in the picture which b,
painted.
~There is much dead Yankee blood II
these towns he said. "The stamp o.
degeneracy is upon It. Bdt the alien hai
lately come into some Of these towns. 1.
some instances in great numbers. amount
ing almost to an invasion and numbering
| from is to 90. per cent. There are extensive
settlements Of Russian Jews, Swedes ant
Italians where once were aristooratit
neighborhoods of the best New England
blood. Some come and buy the old farm
outright. Many come as hirelinss. anc
with industry and shrewdness they beoom.
property owners
In the five years since Mr.. Hutchins an
nounced the conclusions Of his study ths
invasion from over sea Of which he spoke
has continued and the thrifty Immigrant
is exercising revivifying influence on many
communities and Is cutting out the socia
dry rot. Moreover, the development o.
trunk lines Of good roads and the extension
OF the trolley into the country regions an
other forces which will help stay the spreao
| Of rural degeneraoy.
Although the figures Of the present situa
ton taken at their face value are grin
enough. the conviction Is growing thai
I the areas Of social deterioration are mors
likely to contract than TO expand.