STATISTICS OF POPULATION, &c. GROWTH OF NEW YORK CITY. This city had, at the last census, a population of 629,904. Its growth for the last sixty years has been at the rate of 4.6 per cent annually. The grounds for this growth and extension have become stronger within the last twenty years than at any former period, so that we may assume an equal ratio of increase for the next thirty or forty years. The island is much better adapted to a large population now than it was in the years 1810-40. The introduction of Croton water has added much to the ability of the island to sustain a large population. The foreign and domestic trade of the city has kept pace with the increase of population; or, in other words, the enlargement of the first absolutely required a larger population to carry it on. This increase of business at decennial periods is shown in the following figures :— It is estimated that the city will have, in the year 1875, a population of a million and a half, a foreign export trade of two hundred millions, an import trade of three hundred millions, and a coasting trade of still greater value. The railroad system of the State is now completed, its canals may be made to contribute four-fold what they now do, by the extensive use of steam, and the whole contribute more largely than heretofore to the vast and certain growth of the metropolis. The great interests of the interior and of the city are so closely identified, each depending upon the other, that whatever affects one, favorably or otherwise, will soon react upon the other. The canals and railroads of the State already pour their hundred of millions of property into the city annually, enriching the interior largely, and the city in a smaller ratio, in finding foreign and domestic channels of consumption for our products. We have prepared a summary showing the population of the city, of other portions of the State, and of the whole State, at each taking of the census, from 1790 to 1855. To this we now add an estimate, based upon the growth of the past sixty years, as to the growth for forty years to come : Years. City. Other portions. Total. Years. Total. 1,913,131 1,904,428 2,174,517 1790... 33,131 306,989 1800... 60,489 528,114 1810... 96,373 865,515 961,888 1840... 312,710 2,116,211 2,428,921 1814... 95,519 940,391 1,035,910 1845... 871,223 2,233,272 2,604,495 1820... 123,706 1,249,106 1,372,812 1850... 515,547 2,581,847 3,097,394 1825... 166,086 1,448,370 1,614,456 1855... 629,904 2,836,808 3,466,212 The average annual increase of the city has been 4.6 per cent, and of the intérior 3.2 per cent. Assuming these for the future, the growth of New York will be as follows: Years. 1856.. 1857.. State. N. Y. city. Interior. State. Years. N. Y. city. Interior. 658,880 2,927,070 3,585,950 1865.. 987,618 3,885,316 4,872,934 689,188 3,020,756 3,709,924 1870.. 1,236,648 4,547,671 5,784,409 1858.. 720,890 3,117,399 3,838,289 1875.. 1,548,471 5,323,154 6,871,625 1859.. 754.051 3,217,156 3,971,207 1880.. 1,938,920 6,230,751 8,169.671 1860.. 788,787 8,820,105 4,108,822 1885.. 2,427,822 7,293,094 9,720,916 1861.. 825,018 3,426,345 4,251,363 1890.. 3,040,002 8,536,566 11,576,568 1862.. 862,968 3,535,988 4,498,956 1895.. 3,806,542 9,992,051 18,798,593 1863.. 902,664 3,649,140 4,551,804 1900.. 4,766,369 11,695,696 16,462,065 1864.. 944,186 8,765,912 4,710,058 | MORTALITY OF NEW YORK CITY AND COUNTY, 1855. The following table is from the State census, taken in 1855, and gives some interesting results : -Deaths. City State Excess -Deaths.- Wards. Population. Inspector. Census. of loss. Wards. Population. Inspector. Census. of los 11... 52,979 1,735 707 1,028 12... 17,656 1,844 236 1,608 Total 629,810 23,078 8,399 14,679 This table shows that in the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22d wards, the mortality was three hundred per cent more than it ought to have been. The 12th ward includes Randall and Ward's Islands, and the mortality is eight times its proper ratio. The 19th ward includes Blackwell's Island, and the ratio of its mortality is over four times the average of the State. The 21st ward includes Bellevue Hospital, and the ratio of mortality is nearly four times the average. In this ward there is one block in which exist (not live, if there is a meaning to the word,) four thousand persons --and in which block, it is said, there is a greater mortality than in any place of equal extent in the world. If we consider the mortalities of Surry, in England, and London, of which we have accurate statistics, and compare them with that of New York, we find that they are healthy compared with New York. In Surry 10 children in every 86, under the age of one year, die; in London 1 in every 5; in New York 10 in every 26, or in New York the mortality is double that in London for children under one year old. In the years from 1 to 5 the deaths in Surry were 1 in 33: in London 1 in 20; in New York 1 in 12, and so on through childhood. In fact, the child in this city has to run risks unknown in any civilized city in the world, and which make him a thing of wonder if he escape all. The statistics are almost as unfavorable to New York when we take all ages. If we first consider the United States and New York State and city, the mortality is shown as follows, proving New York State to be the most healthy : United States New York State... 15 in 1,000 13.3 in 1,000 36.5 in 1,000 If we compare New York with other cities we find the mortality as follows: It can be proven that the mortality in New York in 1854 was greater than in any city and at any period where life was valuable enough to be numbered. In 1857 it was greater than in Hamburg, the great emigrant shipping port of Europe. On the other hand, it is shown that the United States is the healthiest country in the world, and New York State the healthiest part of the United States. The mortality in the different countries is as follows: With New York State having the least mortality of any State or country of its size in the world, we find that New York city has the greatest of any city, large or small. The deaths in New York State, exclusive of New York city, in 1855, were 23,255, with a population of 2,836,400; the deaths in New York city in the same year were 23,042, with a population of 629,800. An almost equal number of deaths with one-fourth of the population. Finally, we have this forced upon us from an analysis of the first table--that with the single exception of the 3d ward, the mortality in every ward in New York city is greater than the average mortality for the city of London, showing that the consequences of disease and uncleanliness in one part of the city affect all the other parts, and that no quarter is exempt. GROWTH OF LONDON. By the report of the Registra-General for 1858, we learn that London has a population of 2,876,000, and it is now the largest city by far in the whole world. In 1801, its population was only 958,000, so that its increase has been very rapid for an old European city. It affords evidence of the robust health of Uncle John, and the tendency which he has to spread himself, equally with his smart descendant, Brother Jonathan. The city of London covers a space of 121 square miles, and it has more houses to its inhabitants than New York; as a consequence, it is more healthy, and life is of longer duration. In olden times all the cities were crowded into much less space than those of our day, and they were generally surrounded with high walls; the average duration of life was then much shorter than it now is. A great increase of building space in cities has walked hand in hand with modern civilization. BUILDINGS IN SACRAMENTO. The Sacramento Union presents a tabular view of the number of brick and frame buildings within the city limits, (as ascertained from actual count,) on or about the 1st of January of the years mentioned :— The increase during the past year has been, it will be perceived, in brick buildings, 79; in frame structures, 86—a total of 165 buildings. POPULATION OF MEXICO. The following is from a late work containing the population of each of the States of Mexico : Number of inhabitants to each Square 225 161,914 2,698 62 147,600 11,615 13 66,228 7,868 137,593 6,744 20 672,809 1,585 425 270,000 4,451 61 Jalisco.. ...... TABLE OF THE CAPITAL CITIES OF EACH STATE AND TERRITORY, THE NUMBER OF INHABITANTS The number of those who took out their permits for residence, or letters of security, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the year 1855, was as The present population of Detroit is 82,450. In 1830 it was 2,222; in 1840 it was 9,102; in 1850 it was 21,025. |