The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-07-03
POPULATION OF ALASKA.

The census OF 1910 was the 1ourtn
enumeration of the population OF
Alaska by the United States govern
ment, the others having been taken In
1854, 1890, and 1900 The population
returned for 1880 and that for 1890
was partly estimated. AS returned
at these censuses, the number of in
'habitants decreased 1874, or Al per
cent, during the decade preceding
1890. In the following decade, how
ever, the rush of gold seekers to Alas
ka just prior to the census ,of 1900
increased from 32,052 to 1882, the
increase being 31,540, or 9S,4 per cent!
Although a considerable number OF
those enumerated in 1900 did not set
tie permanently in the territory, and
although the Indians and the Chinese
decreased in number by more than
5000, there was nevertheless slight
increase in the total population (764,
or IL per cent? during the decade
190O-1910.
OF the IA incorporated towns seven
had, in 1910, 1000 inhabitants or
more. The population of Fairbanks,
the largest of the towns, was 3,541;
of Nome, the, second largest, $500
The number of inhabitants returned
for Nome in 1900 was 12,4SS; this
number, however, included persons on
vessels in port who had been attract
ed by the discovery of gold in the
territory. According to the returns,
the population of Skagway, the sec
ond largest town in $780, had decreas-
ed during the decade 1900-1910 from
3,117 to S72 In 1910 eight of the in
corporated towns were in the first
judicial district.
The gross land and water area of
Alaska is 590,SS4 square miles, which
is nearly equal to one-fifth of the area
(3,O26,7S9 square miles) of the Unit
ed States Exclusive of outlying pos
sessions), and slightly exceeds the
combined area of the three Pacific
coast states = Washington, Oregon,
and California - and Texas. Based
upon gross area, the density of popu-
lation or number of inhabitants per
square mile of territory in Alaska,
was OIL both in 1910 and in 1900 This
is equivalent to an Average area of 80
square miles, or 5,88S acres, to each
inhabitant
The number of males of voting age
in Alaska in 1910 numbered 36,901.
The aggregate for white males 81
years OF age and over was, 2S,030, or
76 per cent of all males of voting age;
in 1900 the corresponding percentage
was 684
OF the 1852 foreign-born white
males of voting age, $3.50, or 40.3 per
cent, were naturalized; 4,06S had
taken out first papers; AIS were
aliens; and for 688 the status as to
citizenship was not reported. .st1
Males of militia age--those from Is
to- A years, mclusive-numbered g..
621, OF whom 21,714 were whites, 81.
BIS were Indians, and 1852 were of
other classes. .,...-r.. ..
The statistics of school attendance
for 1910 are, based upon the answers
to the inquiry as to whether the per-
son enumerated had attended school
at any time during the year 1903.
There were enumerated in 1910, TO-
615 persons Of school age-that Is, s
to 30 years, inclusive-of whom 4,466,
or 421 per cent, had attended school
at some time during the year 1909;
in the same period also 218 children
under and l79 persons Fl and over
had attended school. Among native
whites of school age the percentage
of school attendance was 54.3 for
males and 6S.5 for females: among
foreign-born whites it was 1871 and So,
respectively; and among Indians ALI
and 1863. In the school population of
Alaska the highest percentage of at
tendance was for the age IL years,
which is the age of maximum attend
ance also for the white and the Indian
elements. ....
The number of dwellings In Alaska
in 1S40 was 1852 and the number
of families 17S09, the number of fam
lilies to 100 dwellings being 1912. The
average number of persons per dwell
ing was 3.9, and the average number
per family. SO. In 1900 the average
number of families to 100. dwellings
was 1874, the average number of per-
sons per dwelling 6, and the average
numebr of persons per family AZ.