Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1901 — FACTS ABOUT THE CENSUS. [ARTICLE]

FACTS ABOUT THE CENSUS.

The census of population in New York State reveals iu 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 great as the gain in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and other States which are 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 and Erie, containing Manhattan and Brooklyn Boroughs and the City of Buffalo. These three counties are thus responsible for nearly 80 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 be able to dominate the New York Legislature were it not for the constitutional provision limiting the representation of New York and Brooklyn in that body. Twenty of the counties of the State showed decreases, and 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 alfhost entirely agricultural. A Kentucky woman whose husband is entered as “idler,” gave her occupation as “washing and 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 and assist in the maintenance of their numerous offspring. In many as the returns from the Southern States men of means and leisure are entered in the occupation column as ‘‘gentlemeM,’* and in one instance as “rich.” An Invalid in Illinois is given occupation as “laid up,” and a paralytic figures in the same column as "'has fits.” It remained for a Pennsylvania enumerator to record a Gorman, 45 years of age. as “occupation, villain." Whether this was the enumerator’s personal estimate of the man, of whether the German himself gave this unique and suggestive oo cupation, Is not known. Neither is It known whether the villain was entered u “N. G.” or “0. K." In many of the returns from the rural districts of the South a large number of children under 10 years of age are recorded as farm laborers, and under the proper headings it is stated that they are so employed eight months and attend school but two months in each year. Two Southern housewives appear in the occupation column as “does housework” and “minds baby.” • , Geh. Greely, jhief signal officer of the army, has been informed that 200 miles of telegraph land lines have been constructed in the vicinity of the Southern Yukon and Nome. Alaska.