Evening journal., 1909-12-29
INDEBTEDNESS
OF SOME CITIES
New York City Had Seven
Times More Than ANY
Other in 1907

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Dec. 29.-The |
indebtedness OF the government OF thel
l5S cities I'm the United States which.
In 1907 had an estimated population
OF over $4,000 each, forms an interest
ing chapter OF u. S. Census Bulletin
l05, prepared by Division Chief 10. IT,
Mailing, under the supervision OF Dr.
lie Grand Powers chief statistician
In charge Of the Official statistics Of
cities II will issue In the near future
from the Government Printing Onice.
and Census Director Duran will SUBJ
NIT It TO Secretary Nagel OF the De-
partment OF Commerce and Labor.
"rhe gross" debt includes the entire
amount of debt obligations outstanding
against city, and Is classified by di-
vision OF the government OF the city
issuing, according to provision made
for payment, and as held by the public
or by funds OF the city. In many
cities such forms OF current indebted
ness as outstanding warrants and out
standing judgments are not thought Of
as Indebtedness but Ia reality are such
and should be included In complete
statement OF Indebtedness Outstand-
ing warrants are shown for nearly two
thirds OF the cities considered. and In
some Of the western cities constitute
a considerable portion OF the indebted
ness. The net Indebtedness includes
the gross Indebtedness less the sinking
fund assets. and for purposes OF COM
parison is more significant than the
gross indebtedness.
New York cty's Debt.
Of the total net Indebtedness OF the
/ 1853 cities. 59.2 per cent is credited TO
New York city which had more than Z
/ times the Indebtedness OF any other
/ city, and more than one-half Of the
total OF the q largest cities OF the
country The per capita net debt OF
New York city was S142.52: and the
only other cities having "a per capita
net Indebtedness OF over 500 were.
/ Cincinnati. Ohio. St28.s5; Boston. Mass
! s120.a7; Galveston. Tex. 1S15.7S; Pue-
bio. Colo. SlOS.23: and Newton. Mass
S1O5Ss. OF the cities of over 100000
estimated population San Francisco
had by far the smallest net debt. and
Detroit. with S23.75 per capita. next to
the smallest Of the cities having d
population OF from 100000 20 5000
those with the smallest per capita NET
debt were: ST. Joseph. Mo. s16.46. an,
AHNAfAiA1 lNAANf ANA'ff ~ Nf"AH VI NAA' 'iAi'l
having from 10000 TO 100000 popula.
tion. those having the smallest pei
capita net debt were Erie, Pa. Si0.13
Wheeling. W. Va. SiOi1; Joplin, Mo.
sl071 and Johnston. Pa. S1i.19.
The increase ia the net debt for th'
fiscal year OF 1907 was Si20. 30,63l
more than three-fourths of which wa
credited to the 10 largest cities, an'
more than one-haif of which Is credit
ed to New York city. The only city Q
less than 100000 inhabitants having al
increase of more than SiO00000 wa
Seattle, Wash. whose net debt increas
ed s5.T9t.O7S. Several cities decrease
their net Indebtedness during the yeai
the larger OF them being ST. Louis
, San Francisco. Washington, lndianapo
lis. and Kansas city
e In any discussion OF Indebtedness
< should be remember the bulletin state
s that the value of public Improvement
:, and especially the amounts eXpende
e on public service enterprises, shoul
8 be taken into consideration Msn
e cities own their waterworSs and som