Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-09
FEWER SUICIDES
IN LARGE CITIES
Lowest Rate since 1906 Reflects
Business Conditions and
Better Moral Tone.

New York, oct. 1.-The number of sui
cldes in American cities Is shown to be
on the decline by statistics COM
piled for to-day's issue " the Spectator,
weekly insurance journal OF this city.
In 100 of the largest cities of the United
States, having an aggregate population of
o. 1886 G02. there We're reported 4,397 cases
of suicide in 1872 or a rate of 1S.S for each
100000. In 1911, the same 100 cities, hav-
ing an aggregate population Of 22.7jS,iSl
reported total of AGO suicides. or rate
of 1876 for each 10000 population.
The Spectator says that the suicide rate
Of American cities last year was the low
est since 1906 when the rate for each loo,
900 popula ton was lis From its suicide
figures the insurance journal concludes
that THE decline in the rate would seem
to indicate that. for the time being at
least the economic condition of the
country is improving over previous
years" as shown by "the close relation
between the suicide rate and the curve OF
business failures" The Spectator also
attributes the decline in the rate of sui
cides to better moral conditions"
The combined population of the 100 cit
les for which figures have been taken is
estimated as 247 per cent of the total
population of the United States. Accord
ing to the report for 1911 of the division OF
vital statistlcs of the bureau of the cen
| sus, the suicide rate for 1911 was 162 for
each 100000 population. This rate applied
| to the total population would mean Is, 400
suicides approximately in the United
| States for that year. In the rural section
| the suicide rate was 1876 for each 100 GoC
population in 1911
| The highest suicide rate in 1912 prevailed
| in San Francisco where "A suicides were
reported for each 10000 population San
Francisco was followed by Sacramento
with a rate of S9S; Tacoma, Wash. 3s7;
Los Angeles. 37.2; San Diego, 36.4 and
Springfield, ILL.,. 362,
In Wiliamsport, Pa, no suicide was
reported In the entire year. Its suicide
rate for the preceding decade was only
81 for each 10000 population. The num-
her of suicides was exceptionally low in
Elmira. y. Y, where the rate for 100000
population was reported SO; Newburgh,
n. y, 35; Orange, n J., 80; Savannah,
Ga. 3, and Johnstown, Pa, L.
\ table of comparative rates of sui
cidos in the 100 American cities shows
that in 1912 the rate increased over the
decennial average in IS cities and de-
creased or remained stationary in the re-
naming 81.
BY another classification it is shown
that the small decline in the suicide rate
for the last year affected only 81 large
cities, while the rate for small cities in
creased. According to the figures there
were 70 cities, having a population less
than 10000, reporting a suicide rate for
1872 of 10 as compared with III for the
decade ending 1911, or an increase of o..
The q larger cities showed a rate of 1874
for 1912 as compared with 2O7 for the
decade ending 1911, or a decrease of 1.3
for large and small cities, the Spectator
says:
The disparity in the rates, therefore,
is greater in the case of cities and rural
districts than in the case of large and
small cities, with a tendency apparently
toward a further increase in the rate of
cities and towns of less than metropolitan
Importance. The table would seem to
justify the conclusion that the conditions
destructive of a rational conception Of
life and its social. moral and religious
obligations are operative to almost the
same degree in the cities of smaller size
as in the more conspicuous and congested
centers of population"
The statistics for 90 years are shown in
this table
SUICIDES IN 100 AMERICAN CITIES.