Today Syracuse is home to over 122,000 inhabitants and according to conservative estimates, at least 25,000 of them are Germans. This German population has kept in step with the development of the city in commercial and other regards. A brief overview of the present condition of the city as a center of industry, trade, transportation, and education may be of some interest.

Six railroads run through Syracuse: Delaware, Lackawanna & Western; New York Central & Hudson River; Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg; West Shore; Chenango Branch of West Shore; and Syracuse, Phoenix & Oswego R. R.

The streetcar industry is under the control of two companies: Syracuse Rapid Transit Railway Co., with a capital investment of $4,000,000; Syracuse East Side Railway Co., with capital of $250,000.

The number of public schools amounts to 32, with 361 teachers and 17,849 pupils. The high school has 31 teachers and over 1,000 pupils. The university [Syracuse University?] (including the College of Fine Arts, the Medical College, and the Law School) has 108 teachers and about 1,000 students.

Public libraries include the following: Central Library, 33,000 volumes, among them a large number of the best German books; Von Ranke Library, 45,000 volumes and 11,400 pamphlets; Library of the Court of Appeals, 23,500 volumes; high school library, 1,200 volumes; Turn Verein Library, 600 volumes; and several others.

The salt industry is understood to be significantly declining but there are still 16 private companies operating under state administration still mainly engaged in the production of "Coarse Salt."

Thirty-four newspapers and magazines are published here, among them 6 dailies, three twice-weeklies, 11 weeklies (two in the German language) and 14 monthlies.

There are 9 banks, 3 savings banks, and 12 building and loan associations. Of churches there are 93, among those 12 are German, namely: Baptist 9 (1 German); Church of Christ 1; Congregationalist 5; Evangelische Gemeinschaft 2 (German); Independent 1; Jewish 7; Lutheran 7 (5 German); Methodist 22 (1 German); Presbyterian 12; Episcopal 7; Reformed 2; Roman Catholic 14 (3 German); Scientists 1; Seventh Day Adventists 1; Unitarian 1; Universalist 1.

Public parks of note include Burnet Park and a whole number of smaller ones.

The following statistics give an idea of the German portion of the commercial and professional life of the city: Agricultural Implements 1; Architectural Sculpture 1; Artists 6; Asphalt Pavements 1; Awnings & Tents 1; Bakers 29; Bands 3; Barbers 63; Basket Makers 4; Baths 5; Blacksmiths 14; Bookbinders 4; Boots & Shoemakers and Dealers 68; Bottlers 4; Box Makers 2; Brass Founders 2; Brass Spinning 1; Brewers 5; Broom and Brushmakers 2; Building Movers 1; Canning Works 2; Carpet Weavers 10; Carriage Makers 4; Carvers 2; Cheesemakers 3; Chemists 1; Clay Pipe Manufacturers 1; Clothing Dealers & Tailors 129; Coal Dealers 9; Contractors and Builders 51; Coopers 6; Decorators 4; Deskmakers 1; Detectives 1; Druggists 4; Dry Goods 17; Dyers 2; Earthenware 1; Fire Escapes 1; Flag Stones 1; Florists 4; Flour & Feed 6; Furniture Dealers 13; Furs 1; Glass-Manufacturers 1; Grocers 73; Gunmakers 2; Hardware 10; Harnesses 5; Ice Dealers 3; Laundries 3; Lawyers 9; Liquors 3; Locksmith 1; Marble & Granite Works 3; Meat Markets 48; Musical Instruments 3; Newsdealers 1; Opticians 4; Painters & Paperhangers 16; Pattern Makers 2; Photographers 4; Physicians 15; Piano Tuners 2; Plumbers 5; Printers 7; Cigar Manufacturers 71; Teachers of Languages 4; Teachers of Music 31; Teachers in Public Schools 43; Tinsmith 14; Tool Grinders 2; Undertakers 4; Wallpaper 6.

German clubs and societies bloom today as never before, and the German church congregations need not complain about a lack of church interest.

In the political realm the Germans usually hold to the two main parties, the Republican and the Democratic, especially to the former. They find appropriate consideration in the roster of candidates and constitute a weighty factor in political life. As public officials they have always repaid with dignity the confidence placed in them.

Though the large majority of the Germans still, as always, reside on the "North Side, they have for a long time now no longer been limited to this area and can be found more or less scattered throughout the city.

The fact that the descendants of the German immigrants become Americanized so quickly is unfortunate in more than one regard. The preference for the English language over the German in commerce among themselves may be properly blamed, but nothing can be done about it. English now springs to hand much more easily than German, and against this fact no other arguments can be made valid in favor of the German language. The German press suffers most from these conditions. Yet it is only thanks to the German press that the Germans play a political role here.

In all other respects the local German community can be content with its position, with what it has achieved in its business, social, and professional life, and can hope that its current and future generations will remain faithful to the traditions of their fathers so that they will retain for themselves the reputation inherited from them for their industriousness, honesty, and uprightness. [page 235]