News: Neillsville (Census Correction - Jul 1885)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames:

---------Source: Badger State Banner (Black River Falls, Wis.) 08/07/1885

The Neillsville True Republican, in its issue of last week, makes the following statement by way of correcting an artcile on the census returns published a few months before:

"July 9 we stated, in an item under the caption of "Mentionings," that the population of this city, according to the census taken last month, was 1908, and then, by way of comparison, gave the population of 1880 as 1137.

It now shines through our wool that the 1137 population for 1880 was that of the entire township of Pine Valley. When the census was taken in 1880, a careful count was made to ascertain the population of Neillsville, and it was found to be 900, the balance of the 1137 residing in the rural part of the township. This new and correct statement shows that Neillsville has, in the past five years, gained 1008, more than doubling in size, for the census of Neillsville takes in only the city proper, which has been organized since 1880."

We think the True Republican will have to revise its figures, having apparently made a mistake, clerical or otherwise, in some of its figures. The population of the town of Pine Valley in 1880, as given in the published report of the 10th census of the United States, was 1732, The Wisconsin Blue Book for 1885 gives the same figure, and apportions 1050 to Neillsville and the remaining 682 to the rest of the township. This would make Neillsville's gain in the five years 858, a very great and creditable increase, by not quite doubling.