The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-05-02
The Center of the County Again

The Center OF tne county again
Circles VS.. Straight Lines.
To the Editor of the Intelligencer.
The editor of the Higginsville Leader
) notices my communication in a pecu-
liar way. He says:
s.This article is designed to answer
the points established by Mr.. Charles
Hoefer, writing in the Thalbote a
couple of weeks ago. MI. Hoefer used
a circle, with higginsvllle as its cen
: ter, in his demonstration. With this
figure, IA ten-miIe radius, made his
point, and it is unanswerable. But
now comes Lexington, with Il number
of straight lines and peculiar arranged
distances, and demonstrates exactly
the opposite. They never touched Mr..
HOefer's demonstration"
Mr.. Hoefer's article, as it was under
stood here, was to prove by his circle
theory that HigginsvIlle was the center
of the county. Also that it was the
center of population. If this was not
the intention, what was itP
L think | clearly demonstrated that
HIgginsvIlle was geographically but
little nearer the center than Lexington.
Also that Lexington was nearer the
center of population than Higginsville.
Yet the editor of the Leader says that
the circle of Mr.. Hoefer was not
touched.
Well, let me pull off my coat and 90
for it now. The circle is still there.
1t has q center, circumference, diane
ter, and area also. 1t has a radius and
a circle just ten miles every way from
the center. But what of it.
Now, Mr.. Hoefer certainly intended
to prove that Higginsville Is centrally
located in the county. Does his circle
prove ltP Let us see.
The eastern point of the circle is two
miles from the east county line. The
extreme west point is thirteen miles
from the west line. This is a difference
of eleven miles. Is the circle or its
center at the center of the countyP
Let Mr.. Hoefer arise and explain.
Any one may draw a circle twenty
miles in diameter around Greenton,
with that village as its center. 1t
would contain as much territory as Mr..
Hoefer's circle. But would it prove
that Greenton was the center of the
countyP 1t would show just the same
as the other-that is, that Greenton
was the center of the circle. Does Mr..
f1OeIeT pIONt IlOIC IOA 1ikSihSNiAO' |
Now, about the center of population.
This is the important question. L
showed in my last article, by the cen
sus of 1890, hat much the largest pop
ulation was In the western portion of
the county. Should this larger portion
be required to go to the eastern end of
the county to accommodate the
minorityp
Jackson county has now a very large
population, including Kansas City. If
Mr.. Hoefer was to stick down his peg
and describe a circle around Lees Sum-
NIT, which is near the center of Jack
son county,, and claim the county seat,
what would the thinking people say
about it? What would common sense
dictateP
Mr.. Hoefer certainly thought that
his whole circle contained a greater
population han Lexington's half circle.
If h was here L would invite him to
take a seat by my side, and with a map
of the county before us and the census
of 1890, would ask him to make some
calculations. AS he is not here L will
ask him to look over my figures.
The ten-mile half circle of Lexington
takes i'm all of the bottom above Wei
lington, reaches within a half mile of
Napoleon, sweeps around close to
| Greenton, half a mile south of May
view, within a mile of Higginsville
and through Dover township, a mile
east of Dover, to the river.
All of Lexington township is in the
circle. In 1890 the population of the
township was 1888. The remainder
of the circle outside of Lexington town
ship contains at least 5000 more,
bers, $4,000.
In 1890 Davis township had a popu-
lation of 4 1885. At the extreme east
ern point the HIgginsville circle is two
miles from the county line, and it is
more at the point where the line
crosses Davis creek. The territory of
the circle contains at least 600 people.
This must be deducted from the whole,
and leaves IN Davis township 4,4S5.
In hat portion of the other townships
around and in the circle it is sup
posed there are 1000 people. Add
this and il will give 11,4s5 people, or
1900 less than in the Lexington half
circle.
Without any exhibit of egotism
think | have now touched Mr.. Hoefer's
circle. Every point intended to be
shown by it is answered.
1 desire again to say that the spirit
manifested by him is gratifying.
nave tried to answer in the same man
ner. Discussions of county seat re-
movals often degenerate and arouse
bad passions. Why a not this be
avoIdad herep The writer knows man
of the good citizens in and around
HigginsVille who would not %counten-
ance improper means to accomplish
their purpose, and who would JOIN
with Lexington in encouraging a dis
cussion on a high plane of facts, reason
and argument. CITIZEN.