Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-17
PRIDE OF CITIES
WINS OVER CENSUS
Populations of metropolitan
Areas" to Be Published,
Bureau Announces.

Bowling 10 the whims of civic pride
which would not be restricted by mere
boundaries. the Census Bureau today
is prepared W publish its compilations
of populations In the so-called met
ropolitan areas" Of various cities.
But the Census Bureau itself Is not
going " make public these unique
population counts. 1t was vigorous
ana even pugnacious, pride wnlcn
made cities, through their Chambers
of Commerce, demand that their pop
ulations include the residents Oh thelr
suburbs and, since II was the Cham-
beers Of Commerce which aided the
bureau III making the new count III
these greater" cities, the Census Du-
reau has decided that each Chamber
vi Commerce shall make publc us own
metropolitan area population.
state Lines Ignored.
In ascertaining the populations VI
the greater cities" the Census Bureau
went ~ lengths to satisfy the demands
of civic pride II even dlsregaroeo
State lines 10 give city the penent
Of its contiguous populated TERRITORY:
The metropolitan areas table IN lSZo
was printed IN routine faShion III
volume | OF the census. volume Vi
the 1881 census. however contains no
such table The director explained IL
was taking lot of figuring and con-
suIlalion with Chambers OF Commerce
and that IL would appear ia later
volume.
But today the Census Bureau an
bounced the policy OF having each q
the cities VI more than 100 OOO popu-
latIon publish It's own metropolitan
area" f1gurr through It's Chamber oi
Commerce.
Figures fOr Five Cities.
Letters were prepared for mailing to-
day to flve citi.s informing the Cham
Der OF Commerce in each OF compare
tive 1920 ana 1880 metropolitan olstfict
popuia tons broken up into Guy ano
outside city nsurts. Percentage OF
increase 1880 land area i'll square miles,
and population per square mllt were
shown.
Other cities will follow as soon as
compiled until the list Is completed.
bureau officials explained.
All the letters 10 bs sent ~ the Varl-
GUS Chambers VI Commerce will contain
Til. instruction: You are at liberty to
give out these figures 10 the local press
IL you wish II you decide 10 do 50,
please let US know.
Census Director Steuart made clear
that lIo metropolitan area figures would
b. announced III Washington.
Later. when the metropolitan dis
tricts have all b=en established. the
Census Bureau viii publish report,
with maps and tables. giving popula-
ton In q tail for all districts lac said.
Chambers Have Aided.
The director explained that the
Chambers oil Comnercs had co-OperaLed
with him la Supplying data. and he
wished To pay them the compliment OF
allowing them 10 announce the results
first.
II was also his hop, he said that
the plan would prevent such disputes
and litigation rs arose when the civic
Organizations OF Atlanta, Ga. refused
TO accept Census Bureau publication Of
the Atlanta population at Its borough
instead Of its greater" figure in COM
PARSONS with other cities.
The director stated in his letters TO
the VARIOUS chambers OF commerce that
after careful, comparative study
OF the material they had supplied him
for figuring their metropolitan areas, II
had been found necessary to make "a
good many adjustments. some Of them
rather radical" IN order TO place the
districts OH u uniform, consistent and
comparable buSlS.'
1920 Plan Revised.
He explained the 1880 figuring which
results III "a population district purely"
IN contrast to the 1920 plan Of 10
mile radius line OH the landscape rs
follows:
The best and most satisfactory con-
troll factor seems to be the density OF
the popula tim III the region adjacent
to the central city. III applying this
factor the general rule followed has
been to include with the central city
all surrounding continuous minor civil
divisions having dtsity VI not less
than $50 Inhabitants pei square mile.
but 10 include also any minor cIvE dlVl-
SION VI leSS density II II directly ad-
,uins the centra. city or is nearly sur
rounded by other minor cIVIl DIVISIONS
that have the required density"
The 1920 reckoning began by drawing
u line ~ miles from tll2 uut-r boundary
VI each city. The rule Was: Such
clVi! divisions as are divided by the 10
mile line are included II Une-half their
population or one-haH their area Hes
within the lU-nile limit
The 1920 metropolitan area" figures
had " be adjusted to the 1880 plan Tor
comparative purposes. 50 each city Oh
completion Of the list will know how
ci;lred 1t would haye been IN 1920 II II
had been figured the same way.
Rotarians Hear ReuOrt.