New-York tribune., 1910-09-02
THE GROWTH OF THE BoRoUGHs

while in another table is shown the estl-
mated population of the city and its
horoughs as now constituted in each de-
cenniaI period since 1890 In the decade
in which the Civil War was fought the
percentage of gain of the city was only
15S. but in no other decade was it lower
than 25.6 per cent, and in the decade
from 1890 TO 1900 il reached 126.S per
cent.
Gain Through Consolidation.
The fact that New York more than
doubled in population in the decade from
1890 to 1900 wes due TO the act of con-
solidation. which became effective on
January /. 1895. In 1890 the city COM
prised all of what is now the Borough Of
Manhattan and the greater part of what
is now the Borough of The Bronx, but
under the act of consolidation of 1873
Kings County. Richmond County, the
larger part of Queens County and a
small part of Westchester County be-
came part of the city. AS shown by
the table the area comprised within the
present limits Of the city had an esti-
of the first census. Sixty years later
the estimated population - this area
was 696.115. representing an increase
from 1870 TO 1850 Of 646.114, OF 13o9.l
per cent The population Of the present
city had grown to 2.507, ,414 in 1890, or
an increase Of 260.2 per cent since 1880,
The increa Sc in the decade from 1890 to
1900 was 81 per cent.
While New York City was first in pop
ulation IN 1880. the State of New York
took fifth rank Virginia ranked first
among the states in population Penn
svlvania heing second, North Carolina
third and Massachusetts, fourth. New
York State was in third place at the
second census. and in second place IN
1916 Ten years later New York State
reached first place. and has held that
rank ever since Pennsylvania has been
second since 1880. Virginia, which was
first in population in 1870, was seven
teenth ten years ago.
AT the first census there were only FIVE
cities having a population Of more than
ten thousand-rlau1ely, New York, 33.1S1;
philadelphia, 28.552; Boston, 1890;
Charleston, 1889. and Baltimore, 49,
sns. Philadelphia was the second city
until 1890. when Baltimore took this rank.
For three decades Baltimore had second
place In 1850 Philadelphia dropped be-
hind Boston and took fourth rank, but
in 1860 Philadelphia made the phenome-
nal gain Of over 365 per cent, passing
both Baltimore and Boston. From 1860
until 1880 Philadelphia remained in sec
ond place. when Chicago, which was the
eighteenth city in 1850. took its place
next 10 New York. as the second city In
population. In 1890 Chicago and Phlla-
uelDhia each had more than one million
Ina bitants Chicago leading Philadelphia
b., 52sS6. New York passed the one
million mark in 1880. Charleston, which
took fourth rank in 1890, was in sixty
eighth place in 1900
Population Of Country in 1890.
The first federal census was taken as
n the first Monday in August, 1880 At
that time the United States, under the
treaty Of peace, comprised only the ter
-itory between the Atlantic Ocean and the
Mississippi River Maine was then a
district Of Massachusetts: Vermont still
formed part of New York: Kentucky
and West Virginia formed parts of Vir-
ginia, and Georgia extended to the Mis-
sissippi River. The results Of the first
census showed that the United States
then had 3,e29.214 inhabitants. this pop
1lation. with the exception Of 109.36S per-
sons credited to Kentucky and Tennes-
see. being contained within the territory
represented by the thirteen original
states. The population in 1870 was con
fined almost entirely to the Atlantic sea
board, and the average depth of settle
rnent in e direction at right angles TO
the coast, was only 255 miles not more
than per cent of the population living
at that time west Of the Appalachian
Mountains.