Jasper County Democrat, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1915 — The American County. [ARTICLE]

The American County.

There is very little uniformity in the size or characteristics of the American county. It means something entirely different from the English country, which will average 1,0 00 square miles and a population of 300,000. The smallest county in the United States is Bristol county, Rhode Island, which covers 25 square miles. The largest is Custer county, Montana, which embraces 20,4 9 0 square miles. The smallest in population is, or was 10 years ago, Brown county, Texas, which had lour inhabitants. The largest is New York county, which contains between two and three millions. Before Nevada was made a State it was Nevada county of the Utah Territory, covering 100,000 square miles. There is no question that in a number of states counties might be much fewer than they are with advantage tp everybody concerned, unless perhaps the office holders. We can make this statement because in proportion to population Massachusetts has a less number than any other state, and except for topographical conditions they would be fewer still. —Boston Transcript.