Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-10-29
PUTNAM
Only Windham and PIainfield Show
Gain in Population During Ten
Years-SaIe of Fred Lyon Farm
&. M. Arnold Owes S732,267.

ham county? The census figures just
issued have set up a serious thinking
hereabouts along the lines suggested
by the above question. Why have 50
many people kone away? Why is town
otter town listed with a smaller pop
ulation than they could lay claim to in
1900? If it were not for the consola-
ton that is felt because of the sub
stantia1 gains made by Windham and
Plainfield, the people that live in the
towns making up the county in the
northeastern corner of the state would
have something of a crouch as an eff
feet of studying the official returns.
AS they are. there is little comfort in
perusing them The why's and where
fores offered in explanation of the
losses sustained are as numerous al
most as the number of people that
have found residence elsewhere. but
q. few of them are of essential inter-
est
In connection with review of the
causes. students of the subject find
localities dependent on industrial
plants, or the successful pursuit of
agriculture, or upon a combination
of both these lines of activity for near
~ all sections of the county have been
found to have fewer people than they
could boast of a decade ago.
Slump in Thompson.
The town of Thompson heads the
slump from it's 1900 total of popula-
ton with the surprising loss of 1888
persons, about 25 per cent. of its entire
population. Woodstock's total of pop
ulation fell from 1905 ten years ago
to 1,S49, a loss of 246: Eastford from
525 to 51a. a loss of IL; Ashford from
757 to 667, a loss of SO: Brooklyn from
Hampton from 629 to 5S3, shrinkage
of as Chaplin from 500 to 435, a loss
of "a; Canterbury from S76 to 1858, a
loss of 8; Killingly from $685. to 6,564,
a loss of 271; Putnam (town) from T.
34S to 1850, a loss of IS.
On the other side of the review,
Windham helps out with a gain from
10.137 to 1904, an increase of 2,4o7 in
numbers. and Plainfield boosts the
cheerful side of the matter. along; with
an increase of 1889 people, from 4,821
to 6719, which more than offsets the
big loss in Thompson. Pomfret helps
a. little with a gain of 26 people, from
1881 to 1,S57,and just noses out Wood
stock in point of numbers within its
borders. Sterling is also among the
town that forged a little ahead. in
creasing from 1,20S to 1888, q gain OF
IA. Scotland contributes an additional
5 people in 1910, increasing from All
to 476. 1t was a mighty tight squeeze
but the fearful percentage processes
show that there was a gain in the
whole county-a very small gain--3. 2(
per cent.
For this the credit must go to Plain
field and Windham. in which towns
large manufacture plants have beer
erected since 1900, attracting new peo-
pie to the communities.
The construction of the Lawton Man
ufacturing companyss mill is largely re-
sponsible for the fine census showing
that Plainfie1d is able to make.
SinouIIoT1yy arnIIO,h Thnfo TSO11'c loss
is charged to industrial depression a
New Boston and the installation o.
| modern labor saving machinery in the
big mills in the Grosvenordales. {
change that has reduced the number
of operatives.
Another part of Thompson's los
| may be charged to the fact that tn,
| names of nearly 200 transient laborer.
engaged in building the trolley linz
was included in that towns census re
| turns of ten years ago. At that time /
was suggested to Mayor L. H. Fuller b,
| one of the contractors building TIL
| road that he would have the mel
| across the line with Putnam if thu
| mayor would say the word, which ap
| portunity to initiate the local figure
| was not accepted.
| Putnam Has Lost.
| In spite of this fine example of in
| tegrity Putnam is written down a
| having lost population since 1900. Their
| is however little question that the Ia,
| manner in which the census in the frs
ward has been shown to have bee
| taken is responsible. It is practicall
| certain that the city of Putnam has OIL
| this 29th day of October 1910, NOR
| people than in 1900. The Dean com
| pany alone has brought in, more PEG
| pie the past season than is necessar
| to offset the listed loss of 80.
| lLa Rur.I -
| The loss in the rural districts of tn
| county are accounted for as they al
| ways have been-the desire of tn
| young people to leave the farms. The
! will go where they hope for create
! opportunity and more money, and i
the meantime Windham county farm
are held at higher prices-are sellin
| for more than they did ten years ago
There are facts to encourage an
| discourage in the county cansus figure
for 1910.