The statistics in this table were obtained in advance of the official publication of the State Census by the kindness of Secretary of State. Slight differences from final census figures may occur.

The counties having the smallest number of inhabitants per square mile are Hamilton with three persons per square mile, Essex with 17 persons per square mile, Lewis with 21 persons per square mile, Franklin with 29 and Delaware with 30 persons per square mile.

The great density of the inhabitants in the counties first named is due to the location of large cities within them and if the population of these cities be excluded, the following densities will obtain: Westchester, 115 persons per square mile, Erie 63, Monroe 85, Albany 57 and Schenectady 59. In other words, it will be found on inspection of the table that the population per square mile of the State, if the cities and larger villages be excluded is fairly uniform, varying between the extreme limits of three and 175, but with a general average value of about 50.

It is clear that a State water supply system is unnecessary for a population as dense only as 50 persons per square mile, since a population of that size can always be supplied with water from its immediate neighborhood, either from springs, wells or small brooks. This is the more evident when the example of Richmond county, located on Staten Island, is considered. In that county the population is as dense as 1,230 persons per square mile and, up to the present time, it has been found unnecessary to go outside of the limits of the county for water supply.

The truth of this can also be indicated in another way, for even if the yield of any square mile of territory be placed as low as 200,000 gallons of water per square mile per day, this yield would furnish an abundant supply of water for 1.300 persons using 150 gallons per capita per day.

The question of the State water supply system apparently resolves itself then into the problem of supplying the cities and larger villages of the State with water and for that purpose it is necessary to consider the proximity of these municipalities to one another. (See Plate II.) It will be found that there are large sections of the State comprising in the aggregate many counties, in which no municipality of any size will be found.

For example, the counties of Essex, Hamilton, Warren, Saratoga and Washington comprise 6,351 square miles of territory with a total population of 179,015 persons, but contain only three villages having a population greater than 4,000 each; the

average density of population of these counties is only 29 persons per square mile. (See Plate III.) Joining these counties are the counties of Franklin, St. Lawrence and Clinton, whose area when added to the previous counties furnishes a total of 12.041 square miles; these three counties contain in addition only five villages with a population greater than 4,000 each; the average density of the population of all the eight counties is only 30 persons per square mile.

Again, the counties of Herkimer, Lewis and Jefferson might properly have been added to this very district since they adjoin it. They comprise 4,901 square miles with but four villages each larger than 4,000; the average density of the population of all these 11 counties is but 31 persons per square mile, there being 523,977 persons in an area of 16,942 square miles.

In the same way it will be found that the district embracing the counties of Otsego, Schoharie, Greene, Delaware, Chenango and Sullivan contains only three municipalities, each with a popu lation greater than 4,000.

The total area of these six counties is 5,959 square miles, the total population is 222,095, while the average density of the population is only 37 persons per square mile.

Again, the district which includes the counties of Wyoming, Livingston and Allegany contains but one municipality containing more than 4,000 inhabitants; these counties comprise 2,278 square miles, with an average density of 49 persons per square mile. Cattaraugus county, with 1,334 square miles, and with two municipalities greater than 4,000. might properly belong to this district, since the density of its population is also only 49 persons per square mile. In addition, the adjoining counties of Seneca, Yates, Schuyler and Steuben might be added to this district. These four counties comprise 2,517 square miles, contain four municipalities each with a population greater than 4,000, and when averaged with the preceding four counties furnish a density of 49 persons per square mile for a total area of 6,753 square miles.

It is thus seen that there are practically three large districts in the State in which the population averages less than 50 persons per square mile; it can confidently be expected that the yield of water from these districts may be used for the wants of