OSHKOSH COURIER

May 16, 1853

 

The Census of the State.

 

            The blanks for taking the census have been distributed to the town clerks of the various towns of the State, who are the officers authorized by the law of last winter. – The law only provided for an enumeration of each sex, and the several classes of dumb, deaf, insane, blind, and persons of color. – There is no provision for statistics as to manufactures, commerce or produce.  We learn however that the Secretary of State has added to the blanks a column, in which the clerks are requested to enter the places of nativity of the inhabitants, thus showing a fact of great interest; the proportion between the native and foreign born residents of the State.

            The blanks are distributed previous to May 1^st; and the returns are required to be made from the town clerks to the clerks of the Board of Supervisors, and from the latter to the Secretary of State, previous to August 1^st.  By this provision, the result of the census will probably be known by the first of September, or the middle of that month at the farthest, allowing for delays in sending in the returns from remote counties, and the time necessary to foot up and classify them by the Secretary of State.

            The following is the aggregate of the census of this State in 1850, taken by the United States authority:

                        Population                                             305,391

                                    Of native birth                           194,099

                                    Of foreign birth                         110,477

                                    Unknown                                        815

                        No. of dwellings                                    56,316

                        No. of families                                      57,608

                        Deaf and dumb                                            69

                        Blind                                                            63

                        Insane                                                         54

                        Idiotic                                                          92

                        Cash value of farms                  $28,528,568

                        Wheat produced, bushels              4,286,131

                        Corn, bushels                               1,988,976

                        Oats                                            3,414,662

                        Value of live stock                     $ 4,897,385

            The present census will show but few of these miscellaneous items, though there would have appeared a vast increase.  We think it was a great oversight in the Legislature not providing for the.  The cost would not have been $1,000 greater, and the increase shown in the wealth and resources in the State would have been worth thousands of dollars in emigration, capital and means of industry it would have attracted hither.

            The enumeration will probably show an increase that will bring the population up to near half a million, or possibly over.                                                                              - Madison Argus.