Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-03
FIFTY YEARS AGO In
THE STAR,

When the Germans closed in upon
Paris in 1870 great fear was felt lest
the lawless classes
Paris Menaced of the French CAPT.
Cr,,. WAL. tai should give Sc
TFom Wltnln. rious trouble. This
later proved to be in a measure justi-
fed. as more damage was done in the
course of the communist fighting
within the walls than was inflicted
by the enemy. In The Star Of Sep
TENDER &c, 1870, is the following COM
ment upon this possibility:
Under all the talk of a united de-
tense against the Germans by all
classes within the walls of Paris
there has been amongst thoughtful
people an ever-present terror OF an
enemy within, more terrible than
that laundering outside at the gates
or the devoted city. What was to
protect private property and the
women and children while husbands,
fathers and sons were in the forth
ncations? Swarms of the worst ele-
ments the dangerous classes had
concentrated at Paris and were grow
ing more and more insubordinate up
TO the time that the city was invested,
ana 1t was dreaded that trouble would
come when the close approach of the
Germans should call the substantial
citizens TO the trenches, leaving an
opportunity for the robbers, thieves
ana murderers to emerge from their
hiding places and enter upon an un-
checked career Of pillage and out
rage. Letters received in this city
from Paris have expressed this fear
as the uppermost one there, rising
Tar above that felt on the approach
from French sources deny the reports
of fighting inside OF Paris, but wheth-
er or not there has been any out
break by the 'roughs' up to this time
1t cannot be denied that the main
source OF weakness in the defense OF
the city is felt to be in the presence
of this dangerous element"
Fifty years ago New York was am
bilious to be known as the city of
a million in
New York Fails to habitants. and
Show q Million. hons n.s u ais
appointed on the report OF the census
enumerators keen chagrin was felt
there. In The Star of September 81.
1870. this matter is thus discussed:
New York doesn't want to be an
anger exactly, like the good child in
the Sunday school rhyme. but does
banker the worst kind to be a mil
lion. The census shows a population
Sharpe is being abused like a pick
pocket because he can't stretch the
figures to a round million. Vociferous
demands are made for q new count.
All sorts of reasons are given why a
is charged that names have been
carelessly omitted, but inquiry fails
to show tho fact. 1t ia also charged
that names have been purposely
omitted for political ends. but no
proof to sustain the allegations is
stretching. pulling, putting and blow
ing in the world won't make New
York million. She il in the nine
hole, and there she Is likely to remain
for another decade, at least"
Apropos of the census the following
in The Star of September %. 1870. is
an interesting analy-
Some Census sis of the general re-
suit of the enumera-
0HV"n6s' ton:
THE census returns show that
Washington. Cleveland and Chicago
are the only three American cities
that show an extraordinary increase
of population within the last ten
years. Since 1860 all three of these
cities have doubled their population
that time ia noted everywhere as
something remarkable.
Chicago now has $4,000 more peo-
pie than Boston. In the year 1860
Boston had o population Of $4,000,
leading Chicago by $4,000: Nov Chi
cago has a population IT 297.
Cleveland has now population OF
S3,01S, against 4a,417 in 1850, largely
outstripping its specialJivals. Detroit
and Milwaukee, which cities in 1861
had each a population of about $4,000.
79,S0l, and that of Milwaukee, 71,46S-
I'm the western and northwestern
states a general increase OF popula-
ton is shown. Illinois taking the lead.
On the basis of the increase In sew
enty-one counties the pop1 as ano OK OK
within about 100000 of the estimated
population of Ohio.
New England shows more increase
than had been supposed. and her pres
emit population is estimated by the
returns at 100000 1t seems. TOO.
New England states in 1850 does not
exist now to the same extent. In that
year the excess of women was oo,ooV,
the men being in the preponoerance IN
Maine and Vermont and the women ia
the four other states.
ain tho south the depletion caused
by war is shown in the census, but
not to the extent of overbalancing
the increase, with the exception or
Louisiana, where it appears that the
ravages of four years OF hostiiities
have not been atoned for. The returns
from fifteen parishes or . eouat,es t fhs
state win be less THIN 1860. The to-
tai population of the city Of New Or
leans is 1S4,6SS, against 113,1s2 ten
years ago. This seeming gain IS
mainly due, however, to the annexa
ton Of suburban towns, just as the
apparent Increase in Boston is made
up of the population Of suburban WI
lagos added to the old city.
4*
The French tried to break the Ger
man ring around Paris by occasional
sorties. which, while
cor%;.. hy successful somewhat
as were the trench
the french. raids" carried on in
the great war. had no real effect upon
the situation. The Star of September
%, 1870, says:
THE recent successes of the french
in sorties from Paris, by which they
CAPTURED some redoubts south OF the
city and q strategic point Oh some
north of st. Denis, snow