The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-12-28
NET INDEBTEDNESS or CITIES.
New York City Had Seven Times
More Than Any Other City
in 1907.


Washington, D. c., Dec. 2S.-The in
debtedness of the governments Of the
loS cities in the United States which.
in 1907. had an estimated population
of over 10000 each, forms an interest
ing chapter OF U. S. census bulletin
1U5, prepared by Division Chief E. H.
Mailing, under the supervision of DR..
LeGrand Powers, chief statistician in
charge of the Official statistics of
cities. Ii win issue in the near future
from the government printing office,
and Census Director Durand will sub
NIT it to Secretary Nagel Of the de-
partment Of commerce and labor.
The gross debt includes the entire
amount Of debt obligations outstand-
ing against a city, and is classified by
division Of the government of the city
issuing. according to provision made
for payment, and as held by the pub
.nc or by funds of the city. In many
cities such forms Of current indebted
nesss. as outstanding warrants and out
standing judgments are not thought of
as Indebtedness, but in reality are
such and should be included in com
plete statement of Indebtedness. Out
standing warrants are shown for near
ly two-thirds of the cities considered,
and in some Of the western cities con
stitute a considerable portion of the
Indebtedness. The met" indebted
ness includes the gross Indebtedness
less the sinking fund assets, and for
purposes of comparison is more signi-
fcant than the gross indebtedness.
New York city's Debt.
OF the total net indebtnedness. of the
15S cites. 1872 per cent is credited to
New York City, which had more than
7 times the indebtedness of any other
city. and more than one-half OF the
total of the 27 largest cities Of the
country. The per capita net debt OF
New York City was s142.52; and the
only other cities having per capita
net Indebtedness of over S1oo were
Cincinnati, Ohio. s123.S5; Boston.
Mass. sl20.37; Galveston. Tex. s115.-
rs; Pueblo. Colo. s1Os.2s; and New
ton, Mass. s1O5.s3. OF the cities OF
over 100000 estimated population San
Francisco had by far the smallest net
debt. and Detroit. with S23.75 per cap
ita. next to the smallest, of the cities
having a population of from 100000
to S00. 900, those with the smallest per
capita net debt were: st. Joseph. Mo,
s16.4s. and indianapolis. Ind s17.sl-
OF the cities having from 10000 to
100. goo population, those having the
smallest per capita net debt were:
Erie. Pa. s1O1s: Wheeling. W Va
sl0.4l: Joplin. Mo. s10.7l. and Johns
town. Pa. S111s.
The increase in the net debt for
the fiscal year Of 1907 was s12O.sSO.6Sl /
more than three-fourths Of which was
credited to the 10 largest cities, and
more than one-half Of which is credit
ed to New York City. The only city
of less than 100000 inhabitants hav-
ing an increase OF more than 81 600,
600 was Seattle. Wash, whose net
debt increased by s5.7sl.O .O7s. Several
cities decreased their net indebted
ness during the year. the larger OF
them being St Louis. San Francisco, +
Washington, indianapolis. and Kan
sas City.
In any discussion Of Indebtedness it
should be remembered. the bulletin
states. that the value OF public inn
provements. and especially the
amounts expended on public service
enterprises. should be taken into con
sideration. Many cities own their
waterworks. and some their light
plants. and a considerable proportion
Of the indebtedness Of such cities may
have been incurred in the purchase
80 .r.rh nlouf1