FINANCE, The net debt of the city on July 1, 19112, was $4,873.056.38, the per capita debt. being the exceptionally low figure of The legal borrowing limit is fixed at 2 per cent. of the assessed valuation. The actual income for the fiscal year 1902 was $5.822,819.44, of which $3.S07,500.57 was raised through a property tax, the largest of the other items being special assessments, $040.65st.S8. The expense for main tenance and operation and construction wai $4,1+11,990.99, the expenditure for schools ti:N01. than constituting the largest item. The city onus and operates its light plant and water works. For the fiscal year ending done :30, 1902. the expenditures by the Piddle Lighting Com mission aggregated about $11+0.000. of which $99,000 was for operation the balance for extensions. The water-works system comprises sonic 000 miles of mains, with the pumping sta tion situated at the extreme southeasterly point of the city limits. The supply is taken from the Detroit River. The plant, which is valued approximately at $7.000,000, has a daily capacity of 103,000.000 gallons.
PoorIATioN. Detroit is the fourth largest of the Oreat Lake cities, and ranks thirteenth among those of the United States. The follow ing figures indicate its growth: in 11+20. 1422; in 180, 45.019: in IsSit. 110.340; ill,p00, in 1900, Of the last, 90,500 were foreign born, the Oerman and Canadian elements being the largest. About two-thirds of the ',a live born are classified :1; native white of foreign parents. The colored population numbers only 410(1.
IhsTony. The site of Detroil was visited by a party of Frenchmen as early as 1010. and again by La Salle in 1070, but no permanent settle ment was made until 1701. when Sieur de la the first (boverniir of the French territory in this vicinity, built here Fort Pont chartrain, and established a small trailing vil lage. On November .29, 170(1, an English force, under Col. Robert Rogers, of 'Rogers lla»gers.'
took possession. and in 1703, from May 9 to October 1•. the 'Indians under Pontine besieged the garrison. making frequent attack.. After an heroie defense Detroit was saved. being the only frontier post west of Niagara and Fort Pitt which ‘‘ as not captured. In 177g, when a new Fort Lernault. was built. the place had only about 300 inhabitants, all of whom lived in rude bei cabins. Throughout the Revolution it was the headquarter; of the English force, in the Nortlmest. and the point from which ninny In dian Were sent to ravage the fron tiers. In 1790 the English abandoned the fort to the Americans. who changed its name to Fort Shelby. After this the settlement grew slowly. and in 1,802 was incorporated as a town by the Legislature of the Northwest Territory: but in IS05 it was almost completely destroyed by fire, all the buildings except a warehouse and a bakery being reduced to ashes. On August 16. 1812, the fort was surrendered by General Hull to the English under General Brock. It was evacuated. however, the Americans reoccupying it September 29, 1813. ln 1815 Detroit was incorporated as a village, and in 1824 was char tered as a city by the Legislature of Michigan Territory. It was the capital of the Territory from 1805 to 1837, and of the State from 1837 to 1847. when it was supplanted by Lansing.
Consult: Farmer, The History of Detroit and Michigan (Wtroit, 1880) : Burton, cadillae's Village. a History of the Settlement. 1701-1710 (Detroit, 1806) ; chapters in Parkman, A Half Century of Conflict (Boston, 1892) and the Con spiracy of Pontiac (Boston, 1867) ; various papers in the Michigan Pioneer Collections sing. 1877—) : Farmer. "Detroit." in Historic Towns of the Western States (New York, 1901).