Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-09

In the State of Maine, in the year
| 1894, 14,607 births We're registered in
Guiding still births; Q4,02S in 1892, and
| IA, 6O4 in 1889 OF the whole number
| 71O7 were males and 67S7 were females.
This preponderance of the births of
boys over girls, 104.7 to 100. conforms
| with the results of the registration of
| births almost everywhere.
The birth-rate of living children for
| the State was 21.09 for each 1000 of
population, using the figures as given
| in the census returns for 1890 as a ba-
| sis of calculation.
The birth-rate of the different coun-
| ties varied widely. 1t was the highest
! in Aroostook, 1884, and the lowest in
Waldo. 14.O4. In six counties. Aroos-
took, Cumberland, Hancock. Andres
coggn. Washington and York. the
State.
OF the total births in the State 6S.75
per cent. were of native parents; 1913
per cent. were of foreign parentage;
1896 per cent. We're of parents. one of
whom was foreign while of Isl per
cent. the nationality was not stated.
Lincoln county, as in 1892 and 1898,
had the largest percentage of native
born parents, 92.S2 per cent. $3.50 in
1892 and 93.10 in 1899. Waldo followed
with 9l.79 per cent. of native paren
tage 49, in 1892 and so in 1899 and
only OF per cent. in which both pa
rents were foreign born. In Hancock
county, in $3.50 per cent. of the births,
Franklin the percentage was S6.2S, and
in oxford. S4.22.
Low percentages of native-born
parents were shown in Androscoggin
county, where. in SSlS per cent. of the
births, the parents were native-born,
and 4S.S4 per cent. We're foreign born:
and in York county with SLAB per cent
and in Aroostook With 54.97 per cent. of
the parents native-born.
The largest number Of births in any
one month in 1894 was 1896 in March;
the smallest was 962 in January; the
largest quarterly total was 3779 in the
second quarter; the smallest 320S in
the last quarter.
The three consecutive months in
which the largest number of births oc
Cured were March, April and May,
3el4.
In 1894. 133 twin births occurred; in
50 instances the twins We're boys; in
In 80 cases the parentage was Amer
lean: in 10 foreign; and in % the pa
rentage was mixed. Triplets were
born in Mexico and North Berwick.
OF 667 still-born children, 364 We're
males and $50 females.
There were 5591 marriages in 1894
against 5795 in 1893, and 5726 in %. For
1896 the rate is highest in Aroostook;
lowest in Lincoln.
Comparing the marriage-rate OF
Maine 1852 per 10000 with that of the
other New England states, we find
that for the same year. 1894, it was in
New Hampshire. 20.60; Vermont. 1902:
Massachusetts, 1914; Rhode Island.
IA; and Connecticut, 14.2. The larg-
est number of marriages, G36, were SOL
emnized in October, while the smallest
number in any one month, 29S, oc-
CURED in February.
Six hundred and seventy-four di-
yorces were decreed in the year 1894,
(552 in 1892 and 627 in 1899 and this is
at the rate of over one divorce to every
nine marriages solemnized within the
same year.
Some of the causes for which di-
vorces were granted are: Adultery.
80, or 1876 per cent of the whole num-
Der; extreme cruelty, 3, or 1.3 per
cent desertion, 1875, or 2S.9 per cent;
intoxication, SO, or rs per cent; cruel
and abusive treatment. 15S, or pa per
cent. failure to support, A, or 6.5 per
cent. The other divorces were granted
for multiple or associated causes.
The wife was the libellant in 496 di
yorces. and the husband in lis. In the
divorces granted for adultery, the hus
band was the libellant AZ times and
the wife As times. On account of eX-
IRENE cruelty, the wife was the libel
liant in cases and the husband in /.
For desertion the husband was the Ii
bellant 81 times. and the wife in Ill.
For intoXication, the husband was the
libellant in cases, and the wife in
&c. For cruel and abusive treatment.
the husband was the libellant in 80 in
stances. and the wife in 12S. For fail
ure to support. the wife was the libel
liant in the "A divorces decreed for that
cause.