Scan 6
1889 Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, City Directory, 1889
14 lines. Read by computer on 17 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Introduction
3The publishers of the Des Moines City Directory, present to their patrons and the public this volume for the year 1889-90, with the knowledge that they have spared neither pains nor expense to make it the best directory of Des Moines ever published. We therefore present it with confidence that its merits will be appreciated.
5We desire to call special attention to the numerous illustrations of our public buildings, business houses, factories, residences, etc., as they convey a good idea of the city's progress and prosperity, as well as to the review of the city and suburban towns as regards the resources, industries and advantages, etc.
7Our efforts have been to make the work reliable and useful to all, notwithstanding the fact that some errors or omissions may possibly be found, as it will be easily perceived that the difficulties incident to the preparation of such a work are not trifling.
9The directory this year contains 15,928 names, an increase, since the last issue, eighteen months ago, of 1,553 families, giving us to-day a population of 55,748 on the basis of three and one-half to the name, which is the average for this section of country as compared with the United States census. This estimate includes the adjoining suburban additions, which have a population of 5,432. We have reduced the size of the book by printing the names in smaller type, making it more convenient for reference.
11The improvements the past eighteen months have been simply surprising. The city and public improvements during 1888 amounted to $2,444,310. By the close of 1889 there will be for this year 201,000 square yards of paving, 116,000 feet of curbing, ten miles of sewers, $20,000 expended for grading and repairing streets, and $25,000 expended for sidewalks, while the gas and water mains laid this year will be fully equal to the amount last year, and the street railway improvements will greatly exceed those of any previous year.
13The gratifying view which this work presents of the substantial progress of Des Moines must be appreciated by all, and no doubt surprising to many. The rapid growth in population, and in solid and substantial improvements insures the continued growth and prosperity of the city, which has already nearly twice the population of any other city in Iowa. The greatest increase in any given period, in population, improvements, business and manufacturing interests has been during the past two or three years. There are a less number of
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