The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-09
Facts and Figures.

The State census of Wisconsin has
been taken and the total population is
shown to be /, ,563 $50, gain over 1880
of 21 per cent. The largest gains are
in the northern half of the State. where
there have been Iargs openings of
comparatively new country. due in
great measure to lumber interests.
Cooperative associations, or union
stores, for the sale of groceries or dry
goods, are as popular in Massachusetts
manufacturing towns as building asso-
Citations are in Philadelphia. Some
communities of 5000 inhabitants sup
port two or three. The union store at
Danvers, minor shoemaking town,
has just declared its fifth annual diyi-
dend of $50 on every $50 share.
According to data collected by Mr.
Z. w. Best, of the Department of Ag-
riculture, there are in the United States
2S5, 900, 600 acres of improved land,
AS, 600, 900 acres of forest. and $780,
600, 900 acres of unimproyed and waste
untimbered land. Incidentally it is
found that forests are disappearing at
| the rate of 25, 600, 600 acres each year.
The forest product during the census
| year was $4,000, 600, 900 feet board
measure. Last year it was %, 900, 600,
| 600 feet.
The earliest recorded protected En-
| glish invention is said to be the making
| of the Philosopher Stone: That in
the time of Edward III. some alchem-
lists persuaded the King that a Philoso-
| piers Stone might be made; that the
| King granted a commission to two fri
ars and two aldermen to inquire if il
were feasible, who certified that it was,
and that the King granted to the two
aldermen patent privilege that they
and their assigns should have the SOLE
making of the Philosopher Stone. :"
An important series of experiments
has long been in progress at Middles
borough, England, with the view o.
| utilizing oil waste from chemica
works, instead of coal, as fuel fol
| steamers. 1t is claimed that the new
invention will revolutionize the ocean
carrying trade. Several steamers ply
ING between English and Mediterranean
ports nave made round trips by the us'
| of the new fuel exclusively, and the en-
oineers report excellent results. Th
oil tanks occupy but little room ant
the fuel costs only half as much a
coal.
More than three hundred yean&ag'
an English historian gave the follow
inc description of saw-mill: "Ih'
saw-miIl is driven with an uprigh
wheel. and the water that maketh 1t g
is gathered whole into narrow trough
which delivereth the same water to tn
wheel This wheel has a piece of tim
Der put to the axle-tree end, like tn
handle of broch, and tasted to tn
end of saw. which being turned b.
the force of the water hoisteth up AM
down the saw. that it continually eat
eth in, and the handle of the saw
kept in a rigall of wood from swerving
Also the timber lieth, as it were, npol
. ladder, whicn is brought By little t
the saw with another vice.
Three hundred pages of statistics i
the last report of the Massachusett
Bureau of Labor Statistics are take
: up with a historical review of wage
aud prices FROM 1852 TO 1860. Takin
: the history broadly we find that wage
|, have risen far more rapidly than tn
price of commodities has advanced
; In thirty years before the war wage
advanced g. 3 per cent. in twenty lead
ing occupations, while eommoditie
rose but II per cent. in price Sine
1860 the rise in wages has been "a
per cent; in commodities, lao pc
cent. Or, since 1880 there has been
rise of 80. 4 per cent in wages. and a
I advance of Is per cent in the price
; commodities. The same amount {
} human toll to-day reaps q larger II
| ward in necessities and comforts tina
2 at any previous era in our history
1 Man grows more valuable aud thing
q less valuable with every decade In
t general tendency is to the equalizatio
r of condition, as MIR. Carey asserted
t the face of the pessimistical teaching
|, the English economists nearly half
century ago. The american.