The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-21
The Center Of Population.

May Chautauquan: One of the most
interesting deductions from the United
states census Is the location of what
Is commonly called the center OF popu-
latlon. Unusual interest attaches to
this point in connection with the census
| of 1890, owing to the remarkable in
| crease In the population in some OF tile
western and northwestern states, and
| to the influence upon the whole prob
| lem OF the populations in our newly
| acquired insular possessions, though u
| Is doubtful whether this fact Will enter
! into the problem IN any practical way
One hundred and ten years ago the
| center OF population was tWenty-tnree
miles east OF Baltimore, and since thea
| the imaginary point has been sralh-
| ally travelling westward, Between lt5y
and 1900 II had Travelled lorty-one miteS
| almost due west, TO point about clgu-
teen miles west OF Baltimore. In the
next ten years II Travelled thirty-sS
miles west and south. and reached n
point about forty miles northwest by
west from WashingtOa, this southern
inclination probably being due to the
annexation OF the Louisiana territory
and to n migratory flow In that direc-
ton. In 1890 the point was about six
teen miles north of Woodstock, viz
glnia, westward and slightly southwnrd
OF the point It had reached ten years
before, this southwark tendency being
Induced by the settlements In Mlssis-
slpppi, Alabama and Georgia. During
the next ten years the westward and
southwark tendency continued, and u
pOlnt about nineteen miles southwest
Of Moorefeld, now In West Virginia,
was reached. This marks the extreme
southern point reached, and the loca-
ton of the center OF population at u
bOInt so far south was due TO the rapid
building up Of the southwest and es-
pecially the increased settlement OF
Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.
Between 1880 and 1870 the point tray
eled nfty-iive miles, somewhat to the
north, and still farther TO the west, and
was locnted about sixteen miles south
of Clarksburg, West Virglnln, this
northward tendency being due TO the
settlement Of the trans Mississippi
prairie states. But with the annexation
OF Texas the movement again took q
sOutherly course. and the point having
travelled nfty-hvc miles, was liked
about twonty-thrcc miles southwest Of
ParkersburE. West Virginia. In 1850,
however. after having Travelled eighty
one miles from It's last location. the cen
Ter or lblliNllpN was llNfN ~ lNNHAS
miles from ChilliCothc. Ohio, a decided
upward tendency having been dcvCl-
opcd. The census Of 1870 placed the
center Of population forty-two miles
beyond that Of 1850, and located II
fOrty-eight miles cast by north Of Gin
clnnatl. During the next ten years It
travelled nfty-clght miles and was To-
Gated once moro in almost the same
parallel ns In 1860. while the census or
1890 determined the center nt n place
in southern Indiana nearly forty-ciEht
miles west by north Of the location
given to 1t by the census Of 1850, and
nearly on the same parallel aq that
upon which It was located In 1870
II ls curious hut true, therefore TINT
In the fret hundred years OF our census
taking the center OF population HIS
moved i've hundred md I'VE miles, th'
direction being generally wcRtcrly from
Maryland TO lndinna, and that the va
Ration has been Ices than half n do
gree north and south.