The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-14
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL TUESDAY, APRIL H. 1874

the aggregate amount, while the Ohio basin
gives one-fourth. The use of steam and wa
ter power in the different systems was next
treated, and then the lecturer considered the
maps illustrating the distribution of the
population of the country. The reproduc-
ton upon the screen of this map gave little
| idea of the beauty of the engraved copy.
But enough was deciphered to give the
our people "most do eongregate."
On this map was star-that star of
empire which was westward. etc.-shOwing
THE CENTER OF POPULATION
in 1870, the point where, assuming the
country to be plane and each inhabitant as
| OF equal weight, the area thus loaded would
balance. Professor Hilyard, of the Coast
Survey, made series of computations few
years ago to determine the westward move
ment of the population, and fixed the center
| for 1870 at 50 deg. 80 min. west, being an adj
vance from the center at 1850 of 46 miles.
The advance in the two preceding decades
were 81 and "a niles respectively. The de-
| termination as made be General Walker
fully verifies these calculations, the two re-
suits differing from one to three minutes
a Discrepancy accounted for by the slightly
different methods pursued. General Walker
places the center at 81 deg. IS min. Z see.
west and 80 deg. II min. north. This
is about fifty miles east by north
of Cincinnati, in the northwest corner of
Highland county, Ohio. The favored vii
lage should now find out who is its central
man and send him to the centennial, where,
! beyond doubt, he would be the center of
attraction. One most suggestive maps of
the collection was next exhibited ,sho wing the
birth-rate of the country that is, the mum
Der of children born each wear to every 1000
Inhabitants. The greatest ratio was seen to
be along the western frontier, while the
more civilized" portions of the nation
made but a sorry showing. The effects of
social conditions, crowded cities, high prices,
extravagant tastes, fashion, ETC., on the in
crease of population were briefly discussed.
I'm general" said the professor, " where
population is densest the birth-rate is
, lowest.
? RATIO OF THE SEXES.
Turning now to charts of another descrip.
ton, General Walker paid a high compli-
ment to the Rev. Mr.. Wines, secretary Of
the Illinois Board of Charities, who, he
said, had revolutionized the system of stati-
graphic representation by the invention of
S new method of illustration. The lecturer
proceeded to explain this system by serie:
OF figures, showing the ratio of the aggre-
gate male and female inhabitants Of the
country, and of each state, between eact
decade of life, to the aggregate population o
all ages. These ratios having been compu
q ted from the tables of population and NOR
tality, are represented by ordinates, extend
luS lIOu1 WHICH cOITeSpOnt
in length to the greatness of the ratio. Tn,
g ordinates for the male ratios are measured
TO the lett OF the perpendicular, and thos'
for the female ratios to the right. Tn,
lowest ordinates represent those under
ten, and so on up to the limit Of
4 life. This method of delineation shows
instantly the relative magnitude of tn,
ratios, and consequently the fraction of the
male and female population comprehendeC
by each decade of life. The figure repre-
senting the aggregate population, 70
instance, is shade like roof with a doubl
pitch, the higher part steep, the lower par
spreading rapidly to broad base. This, o
e course, results from the large proportion o
$ children and the gradual thinning by deatl
N of the grown population. The figure repre-
senting deaths by consumption bulges on
&c a little below the middle, as the years be
tween - and 40 contain most OF the death
from this disease. The figures representing
peculiarly childrens' complaints look lik
an inverted II, while those showing tn
j, peculiar maladies of old age resemble
~ watersp0ut, or an umbrella blown insid
out.
OTHER EXHIBITS.
Tvolr- 1,