The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-09-05
CENSUS OF THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS
INTERESTING DATA ABOUT OUR
NEW POSSESSIONS.
HAVE POPULATION OF 26,O5l
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and
Production Of Sugar Are Chief
Industries--Report Issued by
the Government

Washington, Sept. 4.-The results
of a census of the Virgin Islands tfor-
merly the Danish West Indies) have
Just been published in an octave vol
ume of ia pages. The inventory
was made, at the request of the Sec
rotary of the Navy, by the Bureau of
the Census of the Department Of
Commerce, under the supervision of
Mr.. Eugene F. Hartley. chief statis-
tician for manufactures of the Cen
sus Bureau.
The report shows that by this lat
est territorial acquisition the area of
the United States was increased
slightly more than 1S2 square miles,
this area being practically that of the
three principal islands, St CroiX
(Santa CRUZ, ST. John. and ST.
Thomas. There are in addition about
so small ISLANDS or Gays. the largest
about ] mile square.
Interesting and significant is the
fact that while the United States &C
uuired title TO the Virgin Islands by
treaty with Denamrk on August 4,
1916, after negotiations of more than
half century. the language of the
people is English, though the islands
were under the Danish flag for 245
years.
In 1917 the value of the exports
from the United States to the islands
was s1.416.342, and of the imports
from the islands s1.259.6O7.
Population.
The population as of November ].
1917, was 26051, and comparison
with earlier censuses shows the pop
ulation has steadily decreased. from
43,17s in 1885 TO 25.051 in 1917. OF
the total persons in 1917, I.s22 were
white, 1883 were Negro, and 1906
mixed The sex distribution was
1899 males and l4.O52 females. The
returns showed 5,2s1 persons. or 24.9
per cent of the population 10 years of
age or over. to be illiterate. The
population of each of the three prin-
cipal islands in 1917 was IS follows:
ST. Croix 1891. St Thomas 1871,
and St John $50. The islands con-
tain three cities: Charlotte Amalie,
on the island Of St. Thomas, with a
population Of 7,747: and Christian
sted and Frederiksted, on the island
of ST. Croix, with populations of A.
574 and 3,144 respectively.
.... Agriculture.
Agriculture and animal husbandry
engaged 6084 Of the total population
as owners, managers, or tenants, on
the 430 farms or estates" on the isl
ands. These farms embraced So, 1872
acres Of the S4.7Sl acres included in
the total area Of the islands Of the
430 farms reported. 102 were operat-
ed by white farmers as owners, man.
ayers. or tenants; 270 by Negroes.
and IS by mixed-blOOd farmers The
average size Of farms is 1925 acres,
of which an average Of 91-7 acres was
reported as improved and 70.S acres
as unimproyed The total value of
farm prperty is given as s3,7O6,911.
The number OF farms reporting live
stock was 3S1, the value of which
was given as S5s2,921 The total
value of all crops for the year end
ing October 81, 1917, was given as
s522,606. sugar cane contributing
4442,120 and hay and forage $3.50
Manufactures.
The number Of manufacturing es-
Establishments in the islands was 81
of which S. were located on st.
Croix, on St John, and Is on st.
Thomas. The number Of persons
engaged in manufactures was S42,
Of whom 6S6 were wage earners. The
capital invested was Sl,429,524; the
value of materials used 1881, Az: and
the value OF products s1,292,247. OF
the total value Of products, cane SUI
gar contributed s97S,ISS: bread and
other bakery products, s192,544; and
bay rum, $3s,745. The manufacture
Of sugar from cane employed 81 per
cent Of the wage earners. 76 per cent |
Of the capital, and produced 50 per
cent OF the total value of the prod |
ucts Of manufactures. Distribution |
and hours Of labor Of the gainfulIy
employed, by sex and age. are inter.
esting features Of the population and
manufactures statistics OF the re-
port. /
Fisheries.
The census Of the fisheries OF the
islands. the first ever taken, shows
total of $50 persons engaged in the