Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12
CENSUS REFERENCE
GIVES D. c. 100000
Government Officials Concede
Population Extends Beyond
Geographical Borders.

The City of Washington will be de-
scribed as an area containing about
100000 persons, instead of 485,000 as
credited in the last census, in the Gen.
sus Bureaus statistical reference to
cities throughout the country. The
Capital will thus gain higher rating
because Government officials have con-
coded that in q larger sense a city's
population extends beyond its geo.
graphical borders.
This is especially true with regard to
assessing the importance of a city as a
trade center. The Bensus Bureau plans
TO publish supplementary information
in the form of special bulletin about
cities of more than 100.000 population,
in which 1t will be shown what adjacent
territory touches closest upon the city
In question
Thus Washington would be regarded
as consisting Of parts of nearby Mary
land and Virginia, particularly those
residence districts which depend al
most entirely upon downtown Wash
ington for its trade in living necessi-
ties. The description probably wilp be
OF the Greater Washington area" and
prepared In such manner as to show
clearly that as trade community the
Capital extends across the Potomac and
into Maryland as well as Virginia.
Important to Business.
Business leaders have pointed out
that such a designation is of more inn
portance than would appear on the
surface. Industries and business con-
Germs which are constantly interested
In developing their interests in new
fields, and extending their business in
old fields, depend to a. large extent upon
statistics furnished by the Census Bu-
reau for descriptions of the trade DOS
sibilities in territory that attracts.
Census returns which were compiled
by j. Sterling Moran, census supervisor
for the District, reported the Wash
ington population to be 485,716. Mr..
Moran said at the time that to all
practical purposes the population of
Washington was 100000. He pointed out
that many families live in nearby Vir-
GINA and Maryland and work in Wash
ington and do all their buying in the
city
The Census Bureau, it was pointed
out, is not interested in pampering
chambers of commerce that usually feel
their communities have larger popula-
tons than credited to them. On the
other hand. bureau officials want to fur
nish picture of community life and
interests as accurate and comprehensive
as possible.
Published in Pamphlet.
At first this additional information
probably will be made available in a
special chapter appended to the report
of population by cities. Later. how
ever, the information will be published
in pamphlet form and made available
to business and other interests gen.
orally.
The plan is not expected to prove
disconcerting for the reason that every
city will be listed according to the pop
ulation within its boundaries, as for
merly. Washington and Alexandria,
Va. for example. will not be linked ex-
cept in the additional reference to the
nearby Virginia city as being within
the metropolitan area" of the Capital.
Business interests in other sections of
the country, which do not know from
statistics now available that a COM
munity of about 5000 lives within 10
miles of Washington and uses the Capt.
tai as its trade center. will be able to
study the additional information and
plan accordingly.