The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-09-24
The Growth of American CITIES

returns has progressed tar enough To
warrant certain tentative conclusions
with RESPECT 10 the growth and dis
tribution OF population during one Of
the most Interesting deCcnnial p"riods
IN the industrial history OF the nIt"d
States The statistics that have been
published are nearly complete for the
country as a whole and for cities with
a population OF I,O.UD or more. They
show that a. regards the country al
large and the cities of the class Just
mentioned the respective rates of in
crease remained practically unchanged
as compared with the census of 1851.
Tn" population Of the nIt'Si States in
creased about u I.r cent. With that
Of IA" cities increased about ~ Trr cent
IT, however W. divide the cities IN
question into two groups one contain
ing those with a population If half a
million or more. We find "a startling d.
vergcnoe between the rates Of growth
Of thc two sections OmItting Balti-
more. the returns for which are not AZ
hand. all but one Of the larger cities
Increase The cities which along with
Baltimore had a population Il J0D0
or more IN 1851 were New York Chicago.
Philadelphia. - LOUIS and Boston
The percentage of growth m chicago is
only -, ~ against 50 in 1881. ard in
Philadelphia. ~ Louis and Boston the
percentage varies between l94 and 10 :.
~ against 23e and 273 IN IPU.
The diminished progress 81 PhIlad-l-
phia. ~. LOUIS and Boston - an uncX-
ps-'t"i development for the" titles
had advanced at fairly constant pace
for twenty wears prior 20 1917 Indeed
a. 20 Boston m" twelfth ,ensI~ had
shown a slightly increased percentage
Of growth. and a drop IN the BOSTON
per entaEe from - IN 1917 - i06 IA
1910 - therefor" all M" more eurprIS-
luE Equally remarkable - th" dImn-
ishri rat" Of expansion ia chicago.
which n common with other I-lSo ports
had urtil 49," "nj"v'.i phenomenal
PROSPERITY that u wa- thought would
continue on a parity with the develop
men, If th. agricultural interior
Evuivntly. with The sole exception IL
New Nork, IN" big cities of the United
state. are not malnta ming their former
rate II growth Furth-rmor. M" cities
~ the second division IN our ola~~ifica-
tion have not a. whole experienced
anv marked aor"leration Of pr gree
II appear To- be- m" smaller urban places
which have drawn "a themselves the ,
largest Shar" of III" population n M"
last ten wears Of hftv-four ,it..-- with
population 81 2iUI Ia IWsO not
fewer than thlrty-one show "A larger
percentage Of growth ia the last he, ade
than IN the pre- 'Silug one. tn" rat" ~ .
in'rrl-" for CITIES IL this rank j. char
actrriZei bv m" Census Bureau ~
"ph"nomenally high n It shalt p"
found that tho same Characterization
applies ~ stIil smaller towns and 20
villages. much light will be- thrown
upon such questions a. the standard of
living and tn" IncreaS" uf commodity
prices during Nh" last ten YEAR In all
probability the ratio uf urban ~ aErl-
cultural population j. far higher than
II was IN 1917.
Tn" augmented growth in New York
alone among ci'l,S 81 the first rank is
doubts less the most notable fact brought
out 30 far bv M" census II accounted
Tor largely nv TWO important nation
vide Developments m" rise Of m" IN
dusrrial combination and general sub
stitu'ion Of corporat" for individual
ownership Of industrial enterprises
According to the twelfth census IN"
industrial combination or trust was
almost entirely developed IN M" uited
States between the C"nsuIS"- OF iSgl and
1879 The consolidation OF groups Of
corporations into trusts required large
issues Of stocks and bonds New York
was M" only city with a banking com
munl,y strong enough TO fnanr" com
binations Of such siz" and with stock
market big enough To absorb their So
ctiritlc-. The consolidated corr orai ions
and their numcro,Is constituent com
pani.s were a. a rule Obliged tn establish
their executive headquarters her" in
order TO h. in touch with their vital
stock market and banking interests
The PROCESS Of industrial combination |
of which the formation Of th" United
states Steel Corporation IN 1871 was
a conspicuous incident occasionrd an
immigration Of capitalists professional
men and clerks from all over the Coun- |
try. similar domestic immigration !
was caused by IN" substitution Of cor ,
porat" for individual ownership Of in
dustrial enterprises Corporations I'M
like partnership concerns, are dependent /
upon the stock market, and the financial /
coTeiderations which attracted the big |
trusts 10 New York attracted also cor
pOraiions of mOdcrat" size By IN" .
time the census of manufactures Of 1875 4
was taken incorporated COMPANIES were !
producing 7J7 p"r cent. Of N" total /
value OF th" factory output IN m" nitcd .