The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-27
Bonnie Prince Charities" Vests.

about 80 houses. Pittshurg, on the site OF
Fort Pitt, at that time had a local habja-
ton and name, but II had only few hum
dred inhabitants. Fort Pitt. which dis
placed Fort Duquesne the post which the
British and their American coionists in las
took from the French. was. around 1898,
sort of barrier against possible incursions
of the British, who were very slow In evac-
uating the posts on the south side of the
lakes which Jays treaty OF 1895 stipulated
should be given up.
But "Out West" began very early TO re-
ceie frcm the Atlantic coast. The country's
center CT population has been moving stead
lily away from the lire OF the first settle
Tnents ever since the beginning OF the gov
eminent. This circumstance evidently sur
prised many Of the earlier American states
men. BENJAMIN Goodhue said in the house
OF representatives In 15s9. when the ques
ton Of the location OF a permanent seat Of
government was under discussion. that he
thought the center Of the country's popu-
iation would not vary considerably for
ages yet 10 come, because he supposed IL
would constantly increase more toward the
Eastern ana manufacturing states than to-
ward the Southern and AGRICULTURAL ones
Mr. Goodhue was about So years OF age at
the time he made this prediction he WAS
well educated he had had considerable po-
lltical experience IN his -rate. Massachu-
sets. ard he was fully up TO the average of
the statesmen Of his day in sagacity and
general intelligence. But he was far astray
IN his DEMONSTRATIONS. He did not take
the West into his calculations Al all.
At the tine that the Massachusetts con-
gresham was predicting that the country's
population center would move toward the
East Il was travelling toward the West. ana
Il has been moving in the same genera al
rection ever since. Il has been travelling al
the rate of about FIVE miles year. AT The
hour in which he made MS prediction The
center 0f population was far eest or BATH
more. I, was twenty-three miles east ~
that city In I1ea when the first national
enumeration was maan ~ the inhabitants
Of the country. py' 1850. when The next de-
cennial count was made. the population
center had passed 10 point eighteen miles
west Of Baltimore In $50 Il was forty
miles northwest by wes. ~ Washington.
u Q. I: yxsa sixteen miles north Of Wood
stock. Va IN ISZ1: nineteen miles southwest
of Mooreaeld. In the present state q Wes-
virginia in 1s50: sixteen miles south -
C7arksburg w Va. Ii lsA9: tT@nty-thr"s
miles southeast Of Parkershurg ". Va. Ia
1S=a. twenty miles south Of CaEllcotae. o..
IN 1850: forty-eight miles EAST ~ north az
Cincinnati IN 1s7o. eight miles west by
south ~ Cincinnati - iSso ard twenty niles
east az Columbus Ind in $50.
Tins the "yVest' has been moving In
ward from the Atlantic seaboard steadily
from the beginning Toe movement varied
with the decades. but the movement aAs
not been interrupted for moment In tns
ten years from i7s1 20 1910 the population
center Travelled forfy~o-5e miles. II moved
tnt~tv-s.x u.lses from 800 p 1919. fitty mites
from isle 10 1920 thirty-n!ne miles from 1870
TO fsso. 1fsy-ave miles from fss9 10 ls+0. the
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