Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1900 — FACTS ABOUT THE CENSUS. [ARTICLE]

FACTS ABOUT THE CENSUS.

The census of population in New York State reveals in striking fashion the urban trend of the nation's growth. The State, as a whole, gained 1,270,159 in population, or 21.01 per cent, in the ten years, which is a greater gain than in most of the Western States, but not so groat as the gain in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and other States which ore more distinctively manufacturing communities. In New York State, of the total gain of 1,270,159 inhabitants, 974,039 was in the three counties of New York, Kings anil Erie, containing Manhattan nnd Brooklyn Boroughs and the City of Buffalo. These three counties are thus responsible for nearly SO per cent of the increase, although their total population is barely one-half that of the State. At the present rate of growth Tammany would soon he aide to dominate the New York Legislature were it not ■for the constitutional provision limiting the representation of Now York and Brooklyn in that body. Twenty of the counties of the State showed decreases, nnd these are entirely agricultural in their interests. The counties containing the smallest manufacturing cities showed almost as great increases as those in which the big cities are located. The conditions in Illinois are much the same, the®six counties that showed decreases at this census being almost entirely agricultural. A Kentucky woman whose husband is entered as “idler,” gave her occupation as "washing ami wishing." The puncher who came across this queer entry remarked that the phrase meant that the woman was washing to support her twelve children and lazy husband and wishing that he would go to work und assist In the maintenance of their numerous offspring. In many o£ the returns from the Southern States men of means aud leisure are entered in the occupation column as “gentlemen,” nnd lu one instance ns “rich.” An Invalid in Illinois is given occupation ns "laid up,” anil a paralytic figures in tlje same column at “has fits." It remained for a Pennsylvania enumerator to record n German,4s years of age, as “occupation, villain." Whether this was the enumerator's iiersonn! estimate of the hum, or whether the German himself gave this unique and suggestive occupation, is not known. Neither is it known whether tlie villain was enfered as “N. G.” or “O. K." In many of the returns from the rural districts of the South a large number of Children tinder 10 years of age are recorded ns farm laborers, nnd uuder the proper headings it IsTiTiltod that they nrfe so employed eight months and atteud School but two months in ouch year. Two Southern Up us*-wives appear In the occupation column as “does housework” and “minds baby." Gen. Greely, chief signal officer of the army, bus been informed that 200 miles of telegraph land lines have been coa* I striated in the vicinity of the Southern ' Yukon and tiomc, Alaska.