The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-03-07

Gently marked by a monument erected
by an Indianapolis paper. To travellers
the exact center is in an out-of-the-
way place, and TO attract attention to
the spot the paper put a marker at the
intersection OF the main road and the
lane which leads TO the Mari home.
The pivotal stone is merely a small.
fat slab sunk into the ground. leaving
the top surface only exposed to the
central atmosphere. On il is carved
the inscription 1900
To get 10 this interesting spot one
must get a vehicle, for the distance
from Columbus is too far TO walk.
Leaving Columbus, visitors drive di-
rectIy southwest over the old state
road. which was quite a thoroughfare
before and during the civil war. One
glides along a typical pike. Here d
covered bridge obscures the view OF 4
timid little stream set off with willows,
sycamOres and shrubbery; there vast
stretches of corn and wheat fields eX-
tend to the right and the left. and else
where are clumps of sturdy trees stud
ding the prairie, which is the most pro-
life agricultural district in southern
Indiana. At the end of about two and
half miles the sightseer suddenly Is
confronted by a monument. This IS the
marker The Inscription tells why and
by whom it was erected and. further,
where to find the exact center spot.
This is easily found. The visitor makes
a sharp turn to the left upon reaching
the marker and down a little lane for
about a quarter of a mile. At the emo
he is directly in front of the MARI
home.
Upon asking to be shown the pivot
OF the universe. Mari will direct one TO
the rear of the house, enter the barn
lot and be sure TO shut the gate, lest
the calves get out. Once inside the in
closure there is no trouble in finding
the monument. 1t is planted in the
ground about eighteen feet from the
far corner of the huge red barn. which
occupies the center of the barnyard.
The first impulse is to step upon the
stone. The instant the feet are planted
sOlidly on the monument the curiosity
seeker has the novel sensation Of feel
ing that there are 1S,650.000 persons to
the east, and the same number TO the
west, as many more to the north and
just as many to the south. and that he
is the central figure of all.
Many persons from different parts of
the United States have already visited
the spot. All have been more than
courteously treated by Farmer Mar
and his wife. Tourists happening
around the Mari home about meal time
will probably have an opportunity Of
finding out what a good cook Mrs.
Mari is.
Mari was born fcCty years ago in
this county and for the last seventeen
years has lived on the farm on whicG
is built the monument. His house was
built few years ago at a cost of about
$4,000. 1t stands on a rich farm con-
tanning $50 acres. The MARI domiciie
is model of completeness. 1t is fitted
with about all the cOnVeniences one
-fGh "a -
daily mail by rural carrier. Incident
ally, it might be mentioned that the
Marrs We're beneficiaTies of the firSt
rural delivery route Instituted in thu
United States, a route that ramified
through Bartholomew county from the
little town OF Hope. near here. Mari
can talk by telephone with any Of the
principal cities u the country. BY so
doing he receives daily the weather
forecasts and the market reports
which tell him TO sell or how long TO
hold his stock. corn, wheat and other
products. In this he finds a wonder
full advantage.
Mr.. Mari enjoys life more thorough
~ than do thousands Of men who are
struggling daily in the cities. He is a
thrifty farmer and is constantly i'm
proving his place, A few years ago his
father gave him a comparatively small
patch of ground. Since then he has
added not only to the acreage but 20
the appearance of The place. Every
fence is solid and all buildings are
fresh, clean and neatly painted. y
more inviting farm could not be found.
Mr.. Mari and his wife live happily.
They have two bright little children. a
boy and a girl. who attend school with
the same methodicalness that charac-
teriZes the father and the same sweet
disposition that marks their mother
1t is a pleasant fact that the center
of American population is located on
such a model farm and that such an
estimable family possesses the distinc-
ton which the course Of events has
thrust upon the locality.