The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-21
MARRIAGES AND BIRTHS.

Some Curious Facts About Metropolitan
Life-Figures for the Year 1870.
Among other valuable items furnished by the
annual reports of the New York Board of Health
are the figures of the Bureau of Vital Statistics.
These give but partial idea of what is aimed at,
q. e., the total and correct number of marriages,
births, and deaths, with dates, ages, aud nativi-
ties of the persons enumerated. The law requir-
ing all officials, civil and ecclesiastical to record
marriages performed by them, has been very
generally ignored. In some cases the ministers
of certain persuasions decline to comply with a
law which has Gas they allege) invaded the
sacredness of religious ordinance.
The extent of such noncompliance may be
adduced from the single instance of the figures
enumeratipg the total of marriages to be 1913
for the year 1870. That is palpable inaccuracy,
as moments calculation must show. Several
suits against these contumacious clergymen
have been commenced and it is the intention to
follow the matter up hereafter in every case.
The interests of science, law, and order seem to
imperatvely demand it. The table of births is
about as faulty, from various causes, of which
that in relation to those born out of wedlock is
most prominent The total given is IA, 524.
All these statistics are-even in an incom-
plete form-valuable and interesting They
not only furnish great deal of important in
formation for scientific purposes, but suggest
many curious speculations upon human charac-
ter and existence, and reveal many OF the hid
den secrets of this world of me tropolitan life.
The marriage registry gives the age, nativity,
and color of the contracting parties. The largest
number of marriages per month was 1049, in
November; the smallest was 4Sl, during the
month of December. There were two miscege-
nations. There were 5471 males and 4S4S females
of foreign birth; 2270 males and 1900 females
native born, and 2 males and female who were
born upon the seas. OF first marriages, there
were 6522 of men and 1904 of women, showing
that SO widows secured bachelors OF second
marriages, there were 1047 men and 9O7
women. OF third marriages, there were
"a men and 10 women. Only two men appear
on the list of the fourth marriages, no woman
seeming to have undertaken the fourth nuptlal
experiment. The age of the parties in the maJo-
rity of these cases was between twenty and
twenty-five. But II males aud 14l9 females
were under twenty. There were 1885 males and
1916 females between twenty i've and thirty
1865 males and 65S females between thirty aud
thirty-fve, 60l males and 1913 females between
thirty-fve and forty, 13 males and 2 females be-
tween foriy.fiv and fifty, males and 2female'
females bstween sixty and siyty-fve, 10 males
between seventy and eighty. and male betweeI
eighty and ninety.
The registry of births is an interesting study,
Notwithstanding the inaccuracy of the figures.
The color of IA, ,353 was white. and that OF 10y
black; 1850 were males, and 69l0 females; 9483
were of foreign and 1858 of native parentage
of which 1859 were fathers and S29 mothers
The value of these figures, if correct and full
would be immense, and the resolution of tn
authorities to enforce the law with its full pc
nalties against all who fail to comply with it /
most eommenable. The proof of age, nativity
identity, parentage and marriage is frequentl,
in dispute in the courts were vast interests ar
at stake, and this record, If thoroughly kept
would be of almost inestimable Importance
~ y. Times.