Evening star., 1950-07-02
D. {. Population Rise
|0f 70 Per Cent Noted; /;
Suburbs Gain 1169s
CONTINUED From First Page,

4 pOpUldblUN CdHlc HS u SURPRISE 10
District officials and civic plan
ners. Other estimates of the 1850
population have ranged all the
way up to 100000. In 1948. a
census estimate, based on sam
pling rather than an actual count
placed the total at about 863,000.
Exodus to Suburbs.
Census officials believe that
since that time, Washington has
experienced what amounts to a
mass exodus of residents to its
suburban communities. Accord
ing to the new figures, SIS per cent
Of the population now lives inside
the District and As per cent in
the suburban area. In 1910. that
ratio was 81 and 80 per cent.
The picture Of suburban growth
Typical of all major cities Of the
United States was completed
with yesterdays release Of figures
for Prince Georges County. The
1850 count of 1885 represents
an increase Of lit per cent over
its 1910 population of SO, 400. The
gain gives Prince Georges the
largest population of Washing
tons suburban counties. $50
Earlier figures have revealed a
population for Montgomery County
Of 163.829, with a growth Of 95.5
per cent; Arlington, 1876, 5,240. Or
$50 per cent, and Fairfax. 90 1893,
or 140 per cent. Alexandria has
81 SOC residents "a per cent more
than in 1910; while the city of
Falls Church, counted as sepa-
rate city for the first time this
year, showed a population Of 1929.
Mason Sees Healthy Growth
Census officials feel that the to-
tails confirm the theory Of a gen.
eral population flight to the sub
urbs within the last two years.
They think their higher estimate
Of the District population in I948
was accurate, with the subsequent
loss explained by the reshuffiing
and unscrambiing Of population.
That idea was underscored by
Commissioner Mason. when he
read the 1850 totals. He said he
considered the suburban growth a
healthy thing" in the long-term
picture of the city's growth.
Ultimately. Mr.. Mason said, the
trend will reach a point where "all
the people who work here will live
elsewhere. and the Federal Gov
ernment will take over the entire
District area" Mr.. Mason added
that Congress will have to figure
out some means" of supporting
the expense of the District Gov
ernment under !. these circum-
stances. ..%--- ., /. ..~4s-,-. /.
Political expansion. of the. city.
to include the rapidly mushroom
ing suburbs, would require, sep
tarate action by the States, In
yolved, and would be legally i'm
practical. Mr.. Mason said.
Essentially Good News,
Word of the census figure drew
an optimistic reaction from Dis
trict Engineer commissipner Brig.
Gen. Gordon r. Young. ~. 49, -. :.
ITO my mind. he. said, 1T is
essentially good news. For one
thing. It indicates 10 me that there
Is much. less gross oyercrowdine
In housing than we had feared.
That may, have a very real i'm
pact on our slum clearance rede-
velopment." ~
He explained that officials have
been fearful that the slum areas
as a whole had so many people
in them that it would take a.
greater area to rehouse them than
could be redeveloped.
Gen. Young added that the
f1gure indicates to him a generally
better economic outlook. He
pointed out that auto registra-
tions are rising steadily and the
demand for water and housing
as well. The effect Of the popula-
ton trend. he said, cooks like
more prosperity and more decent
surroundings"
Other civic planners were dis
turbed by the unexpectedly small
growth Of the District.
Joseph c. McGarraghy, chair
man Of the Greater National Cap-
ital Committee of the Board of
Trade. pointed out that ''the peo-
pie remaining In Washington are
still faced with all the problems
OF health and social welfare of
the community"
"The cost of government here
is continuing to 60 up" he said.
while the people who could pro-
vide a source of revenue to the
District are moving away"
To illustrate the point, officials
refer to figures for the District
government appropriations pay
able general revenues. The part
OF the total appropriation carried
by the District In 1946 was $685.
777.767. BY 1850. 1t had increased
a full l33 per cent. to $S3. 3.247, ,795.
At the same time. the population
had increased only about 20 per
cent, the census figures show.
Growth in Easern Areas.
Although breakdowns for popu-
lation figures of the Districts IA
census tracts will not be available
until later, census officials were
able in the preliminary count to
give some indication of the pat
tern Of growth inside the city.
The census was taken here nv