The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-30
CURIOUS CENSUS LORE
THE UNITED STATES CENSUS RE-
PORTS COMPILED AT GREAT COST.
A Public Highly Priced In
Many Quarters and the Most Com
pIete Work of It's Kind.

source of the idea sheds little credit upon
the institution thus originated. But despite
the severe punishment visited upon David
for listening TO the tempter's suggestion,
his action in this matter has been freely
initiated by most modern states.
Our own country has taken a census
each tenth year Of its existence, beginning
with 1870. And were a punishment melted
out TO Uncle Sam proportioned to the mag
nitude OF his last offense in this regard,
1t is to be feared that it would be vastly
more severe than the three months flight
before his enemies that David suffered. For
the census of 1890 is one of the most stu
pendous works ever undertaken by any
government. 1t employed an army of men;
has cost to date more than 15,0Oo,00 o and
now, after four years time, five immense
quarto volumes have been given to the
public embodying its results, a number that
will be swelled to more than a score ere
the publication is finally completed.
This is one of the few public documents
which will be highly priced by all who are
so fortunate as to receive it In many Of
the branches of which it treats it will be
by far the most complete publication in
existence. Take. for instance, the first
volume of the report on wealth, debt and
taxation; in it are found not only a most
minute analysis VI lA4G 0COl VI tAC hitC
States, its States, counties, smaller civil
divisions, and municipalities but also an
investigation into the debts Of the whole
world. similarly analysed. Then. too.
colored maps showing the distribution OF
debt, and plates making graphic its in
crease and decrease during stated periods,
are plentifully supplied, adding greatly to
the teaching power OF the bare statistics.
This is but a sample of what has been
done or will be done for nearly all the
important matters that have been investi-.
gated
One is surprised at the number Of curl
Gus facts the census brings forth as the
result Of the careful analysis TO which its
data have been subjected. The primary
fact Is, Of course, this, that on June /,
1890. there were 62,622,2 80 people in the
country, or, including all the Indians, g.
$40. 100. But trained Investigators, delving
and diving in these dumb figures, have
made them tell many strange and interest
For instance. there is the center OF popu-
lation. In 1880 ii was found to be situated
twenty miles east of Columbus, Ind, which
means that could this immense body of
population be suspended at that point il
would incline to no point OF the compass,
but balance like a great teetotum- This
interesting spot was determined at the time
OF the first census, and then found to be
twenty-three miles east OF Baltimore. In
a hundred years il has oscillated but slight
ly to the north or south, but has moved
800 miles nearly due west-that is, We all,
on an average, have been going west at the
rate of five miles annually. The child born
in Philadelphia, and obedient to this av-
erage, would find himself. at three score
years and ten, an inhabitant of Pittsburg,
and the centenarian who first saw the light
in central Ohio would dwell beyond the
Mississippi. For no decade has the west
ing made been less than So miles nor more
The national center of area is in northern
Kansas, only three-fourths Of a degree
north OF the center Of population. but more
location. Will the two points ever nearly
coincide? Although the former. still
steadily puEsues the course or en-
center of area. The eastern half of the
United States is certainly formed by ma
the western. which, with all its unsur-
passed fertility in some localities, yet con-
tains a vast area of arid and mountainous
land. which not the most enthusiastic ir-
rigationist could ever hope to see fitted
lation will probably never get further west
than Illinois or eastern Missouri, TO find
at last. as is most fitting, a permanent rest
ing place near the banks of the Missis-
sippi, whose valley is destined to be the
cradle OF the distinctively American civil
.zation yet to be evolved.
GREEN'S PROPHECY.
Apropos of this, Green, in his History
OL the EIlSnSn IcOplCs cpCdho plOpliCt-
ically of that time when 1.-TWO hundred
million Englishmen shall dwell in the valley
of the Mississippi but it is astonishing
TO be told by the recent census that already
nearly one-half of the American people
swell there. On the Father of Waters and
ais tributaries are found more than TWEEN
ty-seven millions of population. One-third
Of these live in the basin of the Ohio, which
now has thirty-four inhabitants to the
square mile. a much larger average than
that of the country at large; but, on the
other hand, the valleys Of the Missouri and
Arkansas, which are as fertile as that of
the Ohio, have still but sparse populations
of eight or nine to the square mile, and
when they shall have been settled up to a
density like that of the Ohio valley, then
numbers. at least. although their character
tsticS Will undoubtedly be far removed from
those of the typical E~nglshman. In no
other section will CELTIC and Germanic
traits crop out so abundantly.
The Pacific ocean drains one-fifth of the
area of the United States. yet this vast
region is still comparatively unimportant
as regards population. 1t claims only 81
per cent; of the total. or a little more than
The influence OF climate in molding ma
tional character is generally recognized.
widely different localities as North Amer
lea, Australia and South Africa, will ulti-
mately develop in each exceedingly diverse
racial types. That of the United States,
however, is for climatic reasons destined TO
conform most closely Of any to that of the
parent country. England has an average
annual temperature OF 80 degrees, whilst
our own country, vastly greater in area,
and with wider extremes both in summer
and winter throughout its whole extent,
has on the average just about the same
mean. or SO degrees. Its most widely sep
arated regions have annual means ranging
from 40 10 20, but the number OF inhabi-
tants residing in these extreme climatic
zones is relatively small, and three-fourths
of the whole population enjoys the typical.
" temperate annual temperature of from
40 to 60 degrees.
In regard TO the amount of rainfall an.
nually experienced, no country has wider
extremes than our own. There are regions
where more than 20 inches fall annually
and vast tracts that are ABSOLUTELY rain.
less. The national average per square mile
is computed TO be 29R inches. and the pop
ulation is universally greatest in the re-
gions OF a high degree OF humidity. TAX.
Ing, however, the relation between popu
lation and this climatic condition, il. Ii
found that az inches represents tn,
American. citizen can expect &c see an
nually.
CENTER OF POPULATION.
IL the country's population be looked a
with regard TO the degrees OF latitude, con
siderabiy the most densely settled one Il
found to be that lying between the forfeit
and rorty-nst parallels. The degree.
NORTH. ana south shade into it b,
almost uniform Increases in popu
lousness. This favored degree. start