The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-07-28
STORY OF A MIRACLE CITYS GROWTH
Not Listed in 1860 Census
Now Fighting for 18th City Place

GENTLE. hundrcdlh city IN
- population, only a few de-
cades ago. and twentieth IN 1920,
lodny has more than 100000
population and ia coltcBting with
Minneapolis az Now Orleans for
eighteenth city iu population in
thr United States. according 10
figures obtained by the Chamber
Of Commerce today from govern
meut sources a. Washington,
y. e..
Seattle, which has grown from
20 whites 10 n world city IN tho
lifetime of people still living
here. win. a. the present rate or
growth. hHyc coo. 900 people by
the next census. with a substan-
TALLY large population In the
event that the Immediately sur
rounding district be included In
the city limits. us has been the
annexation custom Of other
western cltlos.
This remarkable growth Is not
accomplished by any boom, the
figures show, and homes and
apartments which are being
bult are being occupied as rap
ldIy as completed Illustrative
N the steady growth Of popula
ton is an Increase Of CAB light
meters In the last IS months and
approximately the same number
0f additional water meters
CITY TOO SMALL FOR
CENSUS or 1860
In 1860 Seattle did not even
appear In the census reports and
IN 1870 had only 100 people.
In 1880 Il had 5000. Il wss "A
mere hamlet alongside OF cities
~ has now outEtrlDped. In 1890
there were more than 100 cities
IN the United States larger than
Seattle. which had only $4,000
people. but between 1890 and
1900 Seattle Jumped ahead Of
Portland, Oakland, Hartford.
Conn; Dies Moines, Nashville.
Tenn; Reading. Pa; Utica, y.
l.; Erie, ia.
In tho next decade Seattle con-
tuued 20 oyorrun older Eastern
cities Those who called Seattle
"a boom town" found that be-
tween 1900 and 1910 Seattle had
gained population until Il out
stripped the following cities:
Jersey City, n. j.; Denver,
Colo; Toledo, Ohio. Providence,
r. l.; st. Paul. Mimi; Atlanta,
Ga; Omaha. Neb.: Worcester.
Mars; Syracuse, y. y; Grand
Rapids. Mich.
Seattle had by this showing
begun 10 attract national atten-
ton. and Il wns no longer re-
Gurdei a6 a Western boom town.
but az a city with a future, as
Was proven between 1910 and
1890, which definitely placed Sc.
attic as d world known city OF
increasing commercial and ship
ping importance, and in that de-
cade Seattle jumped ahead Of.
Memphis, Tenn. indianapolis,
Akron, Ohio; Rochester, n. V;
Columbus. Ohio
THREE CITIES RACING
FOR 18TH POSITION
In 1920 Seattle had an official
government census Of 9l5.3i2
Inside the city limits. which was
just 1000 more than Indian
apolis, which was a big city when
Seattle was an isolated frontier
trading post. In that year Sc.
attic had risen until IL had Just
5000 less than Kansas City. Tn
official reports from Washington,
d, c, indicate that Seattle has
now passed Kansas City, and 1t
has taken up much OF the 65. 600
population advantage Minneap-
oils had over It in 1920, and to-
day Seattle. Minneapolis and
New Orleans are neck and neck
around the 100000 mark in a
race for eighteenth position in
America in population.
Seattle has all the advantage
in the contest In the next five
years for the race for fifteenth
city in the country" says the
survey OF the Chamber OF Com
mcrcc
Seattle's population on April
was fixed by the Polk Direct.
DRY people at 41l.OOO. The pub.
lie utilities companies have