The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-01-01
TIMELY TOPICS.

The aggregate steam power in use in
the world is at present $780, 900 horse
power employed in stationary engines,
and l0,000,00t horsepower in locomo-
tive engines. The force is maintained
without the consumption of animal
food, except by miners, who dig the
Goals. and the force maintained in their
muscles is to the force generated by the
product of their labor about one to
1850. This steam power is equal to the
working force of $4,000, 900 horses, and
one horse consumes three times as much
food as one man. The steam power,
therefore, is equal to the saving of 49,
100000 human beings.
The taking of the next United States
census will begin June l, 1880. On
that day about 90, 900 enumerators will
commence their labors-those in the
cities being required to complete their
work in two weeks, while others will be
allowed the whole month of June. Per-
sons alive on the first of June, but dying
before the enumerator reaches them,
will be counted in the census; births
subsequent to the first OF June will not
be counted, Special agents will be en-
ployed to collect statistics relating to
education, mining, manufacturing agri-
cultural and various other departments
of trade and industry.
The islands at the western end of Lake
Erie and the neighboring shores of
Sandusky bay are largely devoted to
Sandusky Registers annual report, Just
published, for 1879, shows that there are
in this district 1000 acres planted with
vines, the yield for the year being in
round numbers 16,00O,0OO pounds of
grapes. The wine houses report a pro-
duction of l,526,400 gallons. The Reg
tSter estimates that not more than l,000,-
600 gallons ofpure juice has gone with
the l.500,000 gallons of wine. Some of
the dealers, it says, make no secret of
the. fact that they use spirits, sugar and
water largely, and claim that this doc
tored stuff is more acceptable to their
customers than pure wine.
The taxing district of Memphis is ours
ed with large number of decayed and
broken wooden pavements. The AUa-
Id,ache of that city, in speaking of the
effect of these pavements on the health
OF residents, says: Until the era of
wooden pavements Memphis was a
healthy city. The enormous filth ac-
cumulation of years in the vaults has,
however, become the greatest disease
breeding factor. While the vaults are
going through the process of extinguish-
ment, the wooden pavements, the next
nuisance in rank, must not be forgotten.
The wooden pavement is doomed to
destruction. Another summers sun
will never shine down on that mass OF
death dealing, rotten wood There
must be no ifs" or "buts." Better to
be without any pavements than longer
to tolerate it. 1t was a pardonable mis-
take to construct a wooden pavement in
this southern climate, and now, like
doctors mistakes, it should be put out
of sight as soon as possible.
The Danes are beginning to mantle Il
uneasiness as to the fate which awaits
their country. They anticipate being
sliced up at no distant date for the i'm
mediate benefit of Prussia and Sweden
AS Denmark can no longer defend the
communications between Jutland and
the islands by the superiority of hel
fleet, as was the case during the former
wars with Germany, it has been decided
on principle not to defend Jutland and
the island of Fuhen, but to concentrate
the whole defense of the country on the
island of Sealand, where the greater
part OF the resources of the nation arc
centered. The population of Copenhagen
are said to be profoundly impressed with
the conviction that af the first qiver
opportunity Prussia intends to occupy
Denmark, keeping as her share of the
spoil the peninsula of Jutland and the
island of Fuhnen, while Sealand and the
surrounding islands are to revert tc
Sweden. This would be tantamount tc
the final division of Denmark, begun in
1915 by uniting Norway to Sweden, and
followed up in 1864 by the occupation
OF the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein and
Lauenberg by Prussia.