The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-30
FACTS ABOUT CITIES.
Interest on Their Bonded Debt, Their
Police And Fairgrounds.

The rate of interest paid by cities
on their interest t-bearing debt at the
close Of the fiscal year 1907 was high
est in the West and South, according
to the United States Census Bureaus
forthcomir : report on the statistics
Of the 15S cities of the United States
of population Of more than 10000.
The highest average interest rate in
cities over 100000 population was Al
per cent. in Chicago, Cleveland, Mil
waulkee and New Orleans;in cities Of
from 100000 to 100000 population,
5.4 per cent. In Denver; in cities Of
from $4,000 to 100000 y population,
5.5 per cent. in Tacoma, Wash; in
cities of from 10000 to $4,000 poula-
ton, Sc per cent. in Birmingham,
Ala.
The lowest rates were 80 per cent.
In Washington and SO per cent. in
Providence, Hartford, Binghamton
and Elmira. N. Y. The unusually low
rate in Washington was due to large
amount Of Temporary loans, bearing
only 2 per cent. interest. The interest
rate on the funded debt Of that city
was 3.6 per cent. OF the cities of
over 100000 population Philadelphia
paid the lowest average rate on its
funded debt. "a per cent.
In cities of over 800, 900 population
the number of police to 10000 inhabi-
tants was 1914 as compared with only
1O.5 in cities of 10000 to $4,000 pou-
lation. The index figure in Atlantic
| City Is 25.1; in Washington, 23.4 in
st. Louis. 1872, and in New York, 21.5.
The compensation of patrolmen was
much larger in the cities over 100000
population than in the smaller cities.
The average annual pay of patrolmen
in cities Of over 100000 population
was highest in San Francisco, $1,464,
and New York. s1,22S; and lowest in
New Orleans, $3.50, and Buffalo, $500
In cities of from 100000 to 100000
population 1t was highest In Portland,
Ore, $1,000, and Newark, s1,176, and
lowest in Grand Rapids, Mich, $796,
| and st. Paul, $S5S. In cities Of from
$4,000 to 100000 population it was
highest in Oakland, CAL, $1,000, and
| Houston, s1,161. and lowest in Kan
sas City. Kan. $3.50. In cities of from
10000 to $4,000 population it was
| highest in Butte and Sacramento, ST.
200, and lowest in Kalamazoo, $699,
| and Oshkosh, $500.
New York has the largest acreage,
27S.5, devoted to geological parks,
followed In order by Washington.
1865. and Atlanta, 140. In the mum
ber of mammals and birds that such
parks contain New York Is first and
Cincinnati second, while Washington
is third in number Of mammals and
Philadelphia third in number of birds.
Fairgrounds are maintained in &c
Of the 15S cities included in the re-
port ana the city appropriations for
Fairgrounds increased from s516,277
In 1906 to $741,912 in 1907. More than
one-third of the amount was appro-
priated by New York, followed by
Milwaukee, Washington and Pitts
burg. Private contributions for play
grounds were greatest in Washington.
The total acreage devoted to play
grounds was greatest in indianapolis,
followed by New York, Boston and
Baltimore. In New York most Of the
area dvoted to Fairgrounds was con-
nected with public schools, while in
other cities named most of the play
grounds were in city parks.