The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-12
LIFE AND DEATH
Az Revealed in the States vital
- Statistics.


Augusta, September 10. DIR. Stephen
M. Young, registrar of vital statistics,
has completed his report for the year 1896,
and it presents an interesting array OF
figures as to the way in which Maine peo-
pie ars born, the number of them who
are married and the proportion of the
married who appeal to the courts to
sunder the tie, and finally the rate at
which married and single end their earth
~ careers. Some OF the figures and
statements in the report are as follows:
NOTES ON BIRTyS.
In the year 1896, 15,429 births were
registered in the state, including still
born "a, O28 in 1892, l4,604 in 1888. l4,6o7
in 1894 and Is, 450 in 1880.
The number of living children born
was IA, 69S, and the number Of still-births
was 1856.
OF the whole number of living children
of which the sex was certified, 2, 5a7 were
males and 7,l48 were females IN 10
births, the sex was not stated. for ,ns y
100 girls born there we're lo9'S o1 1sa4 and
III loos, lOt.1 Al Ao"St AN~''
ioT Txi IN B air 1895, sos twin births
occnrred: In % instances the twins were
bouh boys; in u both girls, in q, a boy
and q girl. In 119 cases the parenJage
was American; In 90 foreign; ana In ~ ~
the 4O4 children, 865 were born alive, and
80 were still-hOrn.
Triplets in Biddeford.
NnruS ON MARRIAGE
The number of marriages registered in
the state during the year 1896 was 5579
(57s6 in 1893, 5795 in 1898. 1894 in 1894,
and 5729 in 1852 We have, therefore,
for the year 1895, marriage rate Of 1888
(persons married), to every 1000 OF popu-
lation, or at this rate of S.44 marriages
per 1000 persons.
Ages Of the Married-Ths largest puu-
Der both of grooms and brides was between
1925 years of age. While SILL unoer 10
the age-period 1920 years, there were 10!
grooms and 1868 brides; IN the period
2O-25 years, 2065 mon and 2166 women
wers married; from $3.50. 1871 men and
SS7 women; from 30.95, 664 men and $40
women; from 1910, 3s5 men and 2ls
women; from 40-45, 223 men and 40 wom-
en-; from $3.50, 1855 men and 100 women;
from OBS, 90 men and 90 women 5000,
~ lnen and AZ women; from 6O.7o, loo
men and 81 women; = from 1880, 70 men
and women, over 10, men.
In 4762 marriages the groom was older
than the bride; while in SIT, the bride
was tho elder; 1854 widowers and 90
widows were remarked; 167 men ana 90
women were remarked after having peen
divorced from u former marriage.
Four thousand five hundred and thirty
eight men and 4754 women were mar
ried the first time; 9l3 men and 735 wom-
en- were married the second time; ll5
men and II women were united IN
third marriage; men and women con.
tracted marriage fourth time, while |
man and woman were married NTH
time.
The Oldest groom was 80 years of age,
and the Oldest bride was "a. In two mar
riages the brides were. only IL. and ., only
IA years old; in marriages where the
yorced; and in one marriage, the groom
was ~ and the bride 81 years old. In
Somerset county Is brides under 30 years
of age haa bean divorced.
NOTES ON DIVORCE.
SIX Numbered and sixty-eight divorces
were decreed in the year 1896 (552 in 1899.
627 in 1898, 674 in 1894, and 6S1 in 1895.
In 1896 there was dscreed in Maine one
divorce for every S.3 marriages solem-
nized within the same year; in Vermont,
one to 81; In Massachusetts, one to 1872;
in Rhode Island, one to 90; in Connecti-
cut, one to l4.9. The divorce rate is there
fore greater in Maine than In any other
New England state, and much greater
than in some of them.
Some of the causes for which divorces
were granted are: Adultery, 95; or IA
per cent of the whole number; extreme
cruelty, 4, or 0.06 per cent; desertion,
1876, or 27.O per cent; intoxication, 81,
or is. 6 per cent; cruel and abusive treat
lnent, aO4, or 80. per cent; failure to sup
port, 81 or 4.6 per cent. The other di-
vorces were granted for multiple or as
sociate causes.
Two divorces we're granted before the
married life had lasted months; be-
fore year; 1870, after from to years
marriage; 1877, q fter 5 to 10 years; 1917,
after 10 to 20 years; ", alter 20 to 80
years; and 10, after more than 30 years of
married life.
NOTES ON DEATH AND THE
@ CAUSES OF DEATH.
Death Kates-The number of deaths
registered in the year 1896 was 10, 626
(l2,l in 1899, 11,134 in 1898, l1,0l2 in
1894, and l0,464 in 1880. The number
of deaths for this registration year was
therefore, 49, more than that for the year
1895. 1856 less than for 1894. sos less than