The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-01-20

1t remains for me to add, and | am
much gratifed that l may do so, that
there is no suggestion in the committee
report of anything approaching corrup
tion or malfeassnce in ofsce. on the par
| of any one connected with the hospital
while in many of the most important par
ticulars. especially those relating to the
condition and care of patients, the COM
mittee bestow much and well deserved
cOmmendstion.
The expenses of the investigation, in.
cluding the per diem charges of the
members of the committee, amounted &c
50, S45. 10. of which sum, as before stat.
ed, S465.00 were paid from the contin-
gent fund. An appropriation to pay the
balance should be made at an early day.
ILLUMINATING OILS.
The first report of the State Supervisor
of Inspectors of Illuminating Oils, cover
ing the period from May "a, 1880, when
the law went into effect, to the close oi
the fiscal year, is full of interest aud
shows very conclusively that the benefits
resulting from the operations of the Law
greatly outweigh any inconvenience OF
extra expense consequent upon its en-
forcement. 1t is confidently claimed by
the supervisors that not a single lamp ex-
| plosion has occurred where Wisconsin
legal test oil has been used; that the
number of accidents has greatly decreas-
ed, and that in nearly every case of acci-
dent reported, it has been conclusively
| demonstrated that the oil used was of in-
ferior grade, purchased before the law
| took effect.
THE STATE BOARD OF IMMIGRATION
of which the Governor and Secretary of
State are er o6fciis members, have en-
deavored to expend the limited amount
OF money appropriated to carry out the
purposes for which the Board was Gre
ated, to the best possible advantage. For
some years no efforts had been made to
secure the location of immigrants in Wis
consin, and the consequence was that
they heard of other States and Territor
les and the advantages they offered. and
gave no thought to Wisconsin. 1t has
not been an easy matter TO turn any con
siderable portion of the tide in this di-
rection, but the labor of the Board have
not been altogether unsuccessful Its
records show that about 21,000 foreign
immigrants settled in Wisconsin during
the last calendar year. This is no incon-
siderable 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 immigrants brought with them
and added to the cash capital of the state
not less than million and a half Of dol
iars IN ready money. The present lndl-
cations are that the accessions to cur
population during the current year, from
foreign immigration, will greatly exceed
those of the past year, and, by reason OF
the information brought to light and dis
seminated by this board, many people in
our own State and from other States will
conclude to settle in central and northern
Wisconsin rather than .ttempt to make
homes upon the bleak and far off western
and southwestern plains.
INSURANCE.
The Commissioner renews his obiec
tion to the law of this state, which de-
clares that the amount of insurance writ
ten IN any policy insuring real property,
shall be taken as the absolute measure of
damages in case the property is destroy
ed, and urges very cogent reasons for its
modification. 1t seems quite patent that
in its present form the law offers a re
ward for rascality, 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
AbobkauSOy llo tChuruClSS dIt dltOE6tutI
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 conse-
quent incendiarism. The amendment
suggested by the Commission, or some
provision looking to the accomplishment
of the same end, should be incorporated
into the law.
| RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
The amount expended by the United
States during the past year for the i'm
| provement of the Fox and Wisconsin,
Rivers has been much less than the i'm
portance of the work reasonably demand
ed; nevertheless, very substantial pro
gress has been ma le, and the feasibility
| of making these rivers practically navi-
gable from Lake Michigan to the Mis-
| sissippi River has been confirmed. IL
particular; the experiments made and
continued along the Wisconsin prove
| that when the waters of that river are
confined within q channel not exceeding
| 300 feet in width at low water, there is
| no difficulty whatever in maintaining
| ample depth of water for all purposes o.
navigation. | therefore suggest the i'm
portance Of yonr urging upon Congress
the eIpediency Of making adequate pro
vision for the early completion Of this
| work.
The Sturgeon Bay Canal, though moi
yet completed, has been opened to CON-
merce. and is amply iustifying the argu-
ments and prophecies Of its early promo
ters and steadfast friends. In the year
1879. 160 vessels, with an aggregate ca