Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-22
CENTER OF THE UNITED STATES.
Monument on q Model Farm In In.
diana Marks This Interesting Spot.

j. Plerpont Morgan, the main smart
Of financial machinery, or Andrew Car
negie, the founder Of libraries, could
not feel more proud Of his distinction
than does Henry Mari, just a plain
farmer, who lives near Columbus,
Bartholomew county, Indiana Mari is
the center man Of the population Of
the whole United States. It is quite
distinction, too, and MARI appreci-
ates It,
The census bureau has found that
the exact center Of population at the
census Of 1900 was in latitude 80 de-
grees 9 minutes and SO seconds north,
longitude IS degrees 48 minutes and 81
seconds west. If a person Is desirous
Of visiting the spot a better idea Of
it's location can be got by asking most
any resident Of Columbus. Almost in
variably the answer to such question
will be: Five miles sout west of CO.
lumbus in Hen Marr's Dam lot"
The center Of multiplication, as
hoosier wag has dubbed It, was re-
Gently marked by 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. fiat slab sunk into the
ground, leaving the top surface only
exposed to the central atmosphere. On
1t is carved the inscription, 1900"
To get to this interesting spot one
must get a vehicle, for the distance
from Columbus is too far to walk.
Leaving Columbus, visitors drive di-
rectly southwest over the old state
road, which was quite a thoroughfare
before and during the civil war. One
glides along a typical pike. Here a
covered bridge obscures the view Of q
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
prolific agricultural district in South
ern Indiana. At the end Of about two
and half miles the sightseer sudden
lv is confronted by monument. This
il the marker. The inscription tells
why and by whom 1t was erected and,
further, where to find the exact center
spot. This Is easily found. The Wis
itor makes sharp turn to the left
upon reaching the marker and down
little lane for about a quarter OF q
mile. At the end he is directly In
front of the Marr 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
inclosure there Is no trouble In finding
the monument. 1t Is planted in the
ground about IS feet from the far cor
ner Of the huge, red barn, which occu-
pies the center Of the barnyard.
The first impulse Is to step upon the
stone. The instant the feet are plant
ed solidly on the monument the
curiosity seeker has the novel sensa-
ton Of feeling that there are 18,650,000
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 Mari
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 40 years ago In this
county and for the last II years has
lived on the farm on which Is built
the monument. His house was built
few years ago at cost OF about Vs.
600. II stands on Il rich farm contain
ing $50 acres. The Marr domicile Is
model Of completeness. 1t Is fitted
with about all the conveniences one
could wish. The family receives us
daily mail by rural carrier. Incident
ally It might be mentioned that the
Marrs were beneflciaries of the first
rural delivery route instituted In the
United States, a route that ramlneo
through Bartholomew county from the
little town Of Hope, near here. MARI
can talk by telephone with any OF the
principal cities Of the country. BY SO
doing he receives daily the weather
forecasts and the market reports whicn
tell him to sell or how long to hold
his stock, corn, wheat and other PROD
ucts. In this he finds a wonderful
MIR. Marr enjoys life more thorough
" than do thousands Of men who are
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 ne
has added not only to the acreage out
to the appearance Of the place. Every
fence Is solid and all buildings are
fresh. clean and neatly painted. A
more inviting farm could not be found.
Mr.. Marr and his wife live happily.
They have two bright little children,
a boy and a girl, who attend school
with the same methodicalness that
the father and the same
sweet disposition that marks their