I send with this my last annual message to the Gen. Council and accompanying documents. Respectfully yours, JOHN BARBEE _Mayor_. DAILY TRIBUNE OFFICE, } Chicago, May 21, 1857.} H. R. HELPER, ESQ. _Sir_:-- In the May No. of Hunt's Merchants' Magazine you will find some of your questions answered. The actual cash value of property is not taken by the assessors. Citizens are not sworn as to the value of their personal effects, nor is real estate given in at twenty per cent. of its selling cash price. An elaborate estimate of the real value, in cash, of Chicago, which we have seen, puts the real estate at $125,000,000 Improvements on the same, $24,000,000 Personal property, $22,000,000 ------------ In 1857 total value, $171,000,000 On half a dozen streets in this city lots sell readily at $1,000 to $1,200 per foot front, exclusive of improvements. A census of the population of Chicago was taken in October, 1853, and in June, 1855, the latter by State authority. That of October '53 found 60,652; that of June '55 found 80,509. The best estimate at present makes the number, on May 1st, 1857, to be 112,000, which is rather under than over the truth. The amount of building, in the city, is immense, but as quickly as a tenement can be spiked together, it is taken at a high rent; and at no former period has there seemed so rapid an augmentation of population. Very truly yours, RAY & MEDILL, _Eds. Ch. Trib._ RICHMOND, VA. } April 25th, '57.} H. R. HELPER, ESQ., _Dear Sir_:-- Yours of the 14th inst. has been received, and should have been answered sooner, but it was impossible to get the information you desired earlier. The value of the real estate in the city of Richmond is $18,000,000. The value of the personal is $191,920. Total value $18,201,920. This does not include slaves, of whom there are 6,472 in the city. The State values each slave at $300 each--making $1,941,600, which, added to the total above, makes $20,143,520. The number of inhabitants--white and black, is 34,612 within the corporation limits. The assessment was made in 1855 throughout the whole State. Yours, very respectfully, B. W. STARKE. MAYOR'S OFFICE, } Providence, Dec. 31st, 1856.} H. R. HELPER. ESQ., New York, _Dear Sir_:-- Yours of 25th is this moment received. You will receive with this a communication from the Chairman of the Board of Assessors, giving the requisite information from that department. I send you this day a census report, taken 1855, which will give you the information asked. Our population at this time is between 50 and 60,000.