The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-17
MECCA FOR WIDOWS
The haven Par Excellence for DE-
vorced People.
Census Figures Which show That the Nae
-ionei Capital Carries or the Laurel
as u Resort for Matrimonial
Infcrtunates-

he 1crny writers VIII have to re-
wise their jokes II the figures of the
/ census Office are correct There is
good deal of danger that the District
of Columbia viii soon be pointed at
throughout the country and cartooned
in the comic papers as the haven par
excellence for divorced people. For il
is fact. saws the Washington News,
that the figures OF the latest census
bulletin givel 10 the public show that
Washington city has more people in il
per capita who have been through the
divorce court than has Chicago, that
hustling metropolis Of the west. which
has a worldwide reputation FOR the
cheapness and dispatch with which the
lawyers can render asunder the bonds
OF matrimony that were supposed 20
be ctcr-cl when they were riveted at
the altar.
The figures that arc reputed not 20
he are these: Chicago. with a popula-
ton of l ,o9e, $50, has l,54o men and
women in its limits who have been UNI
married-that is, one divorced person
10 every go OF the population The
District of Columbia, with population
of $50 800, has 46o-l46 men and sl4
women-6ivorced people, or one IN
every sol of the inhabitants. So the
District carries off the lanreis Still,
throughout the United States, there Is
one divorced person for every sec cf
population But while this is a start
ling statement, there are a number OF
other communities that surpass the Dis
trict in this respect. The little puri-
tanical state OF Vermont, 'or instance,
with a population OF SD, $50 has i,260
people who had TO seek legal separation
In order 70 keep peace IN the family.
Virginia evidently has climate better
adapted 20 domestic peace than has the
District, for while il has seven times
the number OF inhabitants, IL contains
slightly less than four times as many
divorced couples as does the capital
Maryla al shows mp still more staid. for
its population Is four and half as large
as that Of the District, though II has
less than twice the number of divorced
people as has the latter.
There Is another peculiar thing about
the district-its percentage Of married
people is less than that which prevails
throughout the country. Taking the
United States Ut large and nearly 80
per cent Of the inhabitants arc
married. In the district less than 80
per cent. have yentured upon wedloc<.
But more alarming than any OF these
figures is the presence OF widows in
the District. There are actually Is. 92S
widows here-dashing OF otherwise
or one for every l6H of the population
This figure appears To be very large
when il IL considered that throughout
the United States the number Of both
men and women who have lost their
partners In life do not number more
than one TO every twenty-oue Of the In
habitKnts Yet in the District this
widows alone move around In society
at the ratio Of one to sixteen and one
half.
An interesting study Is brought mp
In the effort 20 discover why 1t u that
the District has more than its share OF
divorced people, widows and unmarried
inhabitants IL is answered very easily
by the simple TACT that one-halt of the
employees OF the government are
women. There are great numbers Of
widows Of soldiers who were killed in
the war who have songht this city and
been successful in securing lucrativs
government appointments Then there
are thousands Of young ladies who get
places in the departments snd con
elude that Il Is better 20 hold them
than 20 give their hearts 20 some fell
low whose salary In their estimation Ia
not more than enough % support
themselves. The divorced people get
there in pretty much the same way.
Women shorn Of the protection and
support Of their erstwhils husbands
have tried their fortunes In the capital
AID in many instances been able 70
secure desks in the government work,
shgDS