The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-14

Fly, the Curculio, or Chinch- bug. Still 1t
amounts to something quite considsrable.-I
Let us look little into the statistics Of the
case, and we shall soon satisfy ourselves that
it ia go. There are in the town of Rock Is
land. H., three old, established firms for the
manufacture Of wagons and carriages, which
we're all of them in full operation in 1859,
when the last US. Census was taken, besides
several new ones which have been establish
ed since. l have consulted the proprietors OF
all these three firms, aod they estimate the
average total value of the Hickory lumber
annually consumed by them in their regular
business at 1915. and the damage annually
done to it By "powder-post" at from 10 to ~
per cent.
Now in 1850, in the whole county of Rock
leland, there were, in addition to these three
city firms, ten country firms, the united bus
iness of which, estimated from the number
of hands employed, just about equalled that
done by the three city firms. Hence we may
put the total of Hickory lumber annually
consumed by wagon makers ia the whole
county at 81. $50. Put the annual damage
done to this lumber by the Borer at l19 per
cent, and the result is S34l.25. But TINS Is
only the damage done in a single county In
single state. Upon enquiry, find that the
| powder post" is pretty uniform in It's opera
,ions, not only throughout the state OF ILL.
nois, but even in the New England States.--
We NAV, therefore, as Rock Island county Is
| a fair average county, not remarkable for any
undue excess of wagon makers, find the dam
age annually done by this Hickory borer to
| the wagon trade, throughout the whole State
| of Illinois, by merely working the following
| sim pie Rule of Three Sum AS the popula-
ton of Rock Island county in 1852 (2i ,OO51 J,
| is to the population OF the whole state In 1907
(l,7l1, 95l) so is the damage annually done
in Rock Island county tS34l 25) to the re-
| auired damage annually done in the whole
State. The quotient is S2T. Sl2 SIS. 1t foots
up. does it not And yet this only includes
| the damage done by this one particular in
| sect to One trade in one State out of the thir-
| ty six, ana is exclusive of that done in other
| mechanical departments, and of that done to
| wagons and carriages after they have passed
| into the hands of the consumer, which, ss
several wagon-makers assure me, Is some.
| thing quite considerable.
| Suppose now the State of Illinois were &c
| determine to expend SIS 900 in the attemp
| to prevent, or at all events to palliate, thi:
loss. This is probably at leas. ten times a
much as would be necessary, but | Away
like to unnerstate rather than to overstat'
a case. Suppose further, that the result
| should be, not a perfect cure, but only pal
liation of the damage to the extent OF 10 pc
cent annually. There would then be 50,
1915 worth of Hickory lumber annual.
saved to the State, against which we shonl'
have to set, let, the annual cost TO the wager
makers of applying the newly discovered
remedy, which, to be on the safe side, W
will put at the odd Sl,7Sl.25 and End, tn
annual interest on the sum invested, which
st 10 per cent, would be $500 The balanc
to be carried TO the profit side Of the Stat
Ledger would be annually $500, or cent pc
cent. upon the sum annually expended b
the State. Most merchants consider this
very fair business operation.