Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-01-19
tlclpate document of unusual interest and &C

tlclpate document of unusual interest and &C
curacy. e, wv
f.r ILLUMINATING OILS 3.'-oH
Inc nrst report of the state supervisor of in
spectors OF Illuminating oils, covering the ne-
rlod from May "a, 1880, when the law went into
eIect, TO the close of the fiscal year, is full of
ihlefest and shows very cOnclusiyely that the
penents resulting from the operations of the
ia" greatly outweigh any inconvenience or ex-
ira expense consequent upon its enforcement
liz Is confidently claimed by the supervisors that
not single lamp explosion has occurred where
Wisconsin legal test oil has been used; that the
NUMBER OF accidents has greatly decreased,
ana that In nearly every case of acct
oeno reported, it has been conclusively demon
sTateo that the oil used was of inferior grade.
purchased before the law took effect The total
hulnper OF barrels Of oil inspected prior to No
yember l, 1880, was 19, Ala, the number Of bar
refs rejected being 1,751, and the number ap-
proved 1868. The fees for inspection were
S$S,oSI.o2 inclusive of the fee of two cents per
Darrei TO the supervisor, which constitutes his
entlre compensation, and amounted to $388. %.
Inere appears to be no provision of law for
pupnshing this report. Believing it to be an
instructive document, Of great public import
ance, recommend that you authorize its pub
ncatlon. most heartily commend the con-
SENTATIVE methods followed and the wise discre-
uon nsed by the state supervisor in putting this
ing almost to q revolution, in the use of one of
the most important articles of commerce has
peen wrought 80 unostentaciously as to occa-
slon comparatively no annoyance either to deal
ers or consumers. ~. g
FISH CULTURE. ..-HE 7s.f ~.
Ihe operations of the commissioners of fish
cries during the past year have been very sue
cessful, and the reports from localities where
fish have been distributed are very encourage
ing. The record of Wisconsin in this branch
OF industry, In the progress madeland the sue
cess attained, is the counterpart of its record in
the past year were Sc, 287.50. The amount on
hand Is 81, 40. 40, and it is estimated that an
appropriation Of $4,000 can by proftably ex-
pended during the current year. 7.0.,
TIE STATE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION,
OF winch the governor and secretary of state are
er 0Jecl1s members, have endeavored to ex-
pend the limited amount of money appropria-
TED TO carry out the purposes for which the
board was created, to the best possible advan-
tage. For some years no efforts had been made
to secure the location of immigrants in Wiscon-
sin, and the consequence was that they heard
OF other states and territories and the adyan-
tages they offered, and gave no thought to Wis
consln. 1t has not been an easy matter to turn
any considerable portion of the tide in this di-
rection, but the labors of the board have not
been altogether unsuccessful. Its records show
that about 81 900 foreign immigrants settled in
Wisconsin during the last calendar year. This
Is no nconslderable addition to our population
and their strong arms and willing hands will
assist very materially in developing our dormant
resources. 1t is probable, also, that these immi-
grants brought with them and added to the
cash capital of the state not less Than million
and half of dollars in ready money The
present indications are that the accessions to
our population during the current year, from
foreign immigration. will greatly exceed those
n a not nd Nv 80 l.
nation brought to light and disseminated by
this board, many people in our own state and
from other states will conclude to settle in CEN
tral and northern Wisconsin rather than at
tempt to make homes upon the bleak and far
on western and southwestern plains.
INSURANCE.
The text of the report Of the commissioner
OF insurance is commercially brief. That
which is necessary to be said is stated and all
else is omitted. The magnitude of this inter
est IN Wisconsin, both to the insured and in
surers, and the consequent necessity for careful
supervision, may be gathered from these sta
tistics:
Amount of fire risks written during
theyear, exclusive Of amounts placed
IN town companies. ......-...,.. $50. 731 034 on
Amount paid for premiums thereon. 1859 472 90
Total losses paid. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1,037193 10
The commissioner renews his objection to the
law of this state, which declares that the
amount Of insurance written in any policy in
suTlng real property, shall be taken as the alb
solute measure of damages in case the property
is destroyed, and urges very cogent reasons for
Its modification. 1t seems quite patent that in
Its present form the law offers reward for
rascalty, and in consequence every honest man
who prOcures insurance must pay an additional
premium to cover the increase in the general
hazard. In so far as the law affixes quasi
penalty upon the companies for permitting
over-insurance, its tendendencies are alto
gether in the right direction; but, IN providing
that the penalty shall be paid to the equally
negligent or culpable insured, it encourages
over-insurance and consequent incendiarism.
The amendment suggested by the commissioner,
or some provision looking to the accomplish
ment of the same end, should be incorporated
into the law.
The total number of completed miles of rail-
way In the state December 81, 1880, was
8, 1873 71-100, inclusive of 112 miles of narrow
gauge track, and exclusive of 1851 miles of
sldings and spurs. The construction last year
included 224 49-100 miles of standard gauge
track, 9 miles of narrow gauge, and 16 miles
changed from narrow to standard gauge. The
number of passengers carried in Wisconsin was
2,717. 500, an Increase of 284, 654 over the pre-
ceding year. The number of tons Of freight
carried In the state was 4, 347, 319 and the in
crease in this item was no. 1853 tons-the equiv
Of all the roads in Wisconsin were $685.,
578:05, the increase being over $4,000, 10000
and the expenses were ST, $50, 493. AZ, the in
crease In this item being about $3.50, 600. 90
making the net increase in earnings $3.50,
1880. The proportion of the stock and
funded and unfunded Indebtedness for the
roads in Wisconsin is reported at 1929, 1854,
4S1.28; making the average net earn
lngs, over and above licenses and taxes of
every description nearly five per cent. There
is, perhaps, no better index Of the prosperous
condition of the state, and the increase of the
products from it's soil, its mines and its forests,
than may be found in the statistics published
by the railroad commissioner. They are grow
ing more and more complete, accurate and
valuable every year. The efficiency of the
management of Wisconsin railroads, and the
scrudulous fidelity and vigilance of all their
employees, are attested by the fact that of the
millions of passengers transported, not one was
killed, and only two were injured; and
IN these cases the injuries were occasioned by
their own want of care.
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
The amount expended by the United States
during the past year for the improvement of
the Fox and Wisconsin rivers has been much