Daily Press

Earth's Greatest Cities.

There are now in the world nine cities of more than 1,000,000 inhabitants each. Three of these-- namely, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia--are cities of that new world which was only dreamed of 500 years ago and was undreamed of when Thebes, Babylon and Nineveh vaunted themselves as important centers of civilization.

No other nation than the United States has more than one of these big towns, the others being London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Canton and Tokio.

The new state census will probably show a population in New York city of close upon 4,000,000 inhabitants. The unrevised figure is 3,437,696. This is a gain of over 100,000 a year since 1900, when the first enumeration after the consolidation of New York and Brooklyn of 3,437,000. London has a population at present of 1,536,641. New York is thus a close second and in all probability will overtake and pass London within another generation. The contention that this is improbable because the metropolitan area of London includes 6,581,372 inhabitants is unfounded, because we have to remember that the actual urban district of New York City includes Jersey City, Hoboken, Newark, Elizabeth, Paterson and Yonkers, which are not comprehended in the municipal corporation of New York city.

For 10 years past the opinion has been gaining ground that the rapid growth of great cities in the 19th century will not continue through the 20th. The new developments already achieved and to be expected in the utilization of electricity are undoubtedly to make life relatively more comfortable in the country and in the suburban villages. The trolley car and the telephone wonderfully extend the area within which the man whose business is in the city may choose his residence. Electricity is increasing also the possibility of conducting manufacturing operations in relatively isolated spots.