Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-23

| RAILROADS
The total miles of railroad in the State OF Wis
| eonsin IN the 31st day of December, 1884, were
] 4.z0454: an increase Of 307.S since December 81
isss were So ST an average sg & sts6
| par mile of operated road; the operating ex-
penses and taxes were Saba rs. 81. an average
of 8, s33 q: and the net earnings for the year
were s71e3, 112 1S or an AVERAGE Of s.. S5046 per
mile. The earnings for the year ending June So
1854 were so. Al 1886; expenses esd taxes,
s12,Cse 99s.4 40; earnings per mile. s5IS191, e1-
penses per mile. s, $50 81; nft earnings. S7,721,
ST h A., and net earnings par mile g 9tI 81
| 1883 was 3,S0s.675, being an equivalent of 49,
991 .69 passengers carried one mile. In the year
equivalent of 199, 9l9 OH passengers carried one
! mile; being an average OF 1850 miles Travelled by
cents neT 9 b nnr, an " seHs c 81 Ss6t
carried in the state in 1888 462 367, equal to
75s 663 tons carried enc mile; in the year 1884
| the number of tons OF freight carried was 4,6!o,-
20l, an equal of 949 567 5S5 tons carried one mile,
and at an average cost of A cents per ton per
mile. This is less than it has ever been in this
! state and it is most gratifying exhibit to the
| producer and shipper and creditable to the car
| rers. The number of persons employed by the
railroad companies for the year ending June 30,
1884 was IS 423 and the total sum paid these en-
| plnt es was SS,S3L35S.63: being an average or
s5'2So each per annum. Thus it will be seen that
| there is large army Of persons employed, and
| large sum of money distributed in the state by
! this one active and useful industry of our COM
monwealth- The revenue paid TO the state for
licenses to operate the railroads was s5S6, 3S So
for the year ending September go 1882; s6S30S2 81
for the year ending September 90, 1888 ana $751;
| 269. A for the year ending September 80, 1884.
large amount OF means is inv ested in the rail-
| road property Of Wisconsin, and railroad interests
| woven into the life of our people; railroads in
| this age have become necessity to the people,
and the creative industries and enterprises are the
| life blood and SUPP ort of railroad Investments;
| the one is, and ought to be, identified with the
other, and legislation should be in the interests of
harmony firmly for the protection of some right,
| or the correction OF wrong, and freed from
| anmosities and hostilities.
The legislature at the last session passed law
reg uiring reports and imposing q license upon
| such sleeping car companies as operate in this
| state. This law may be somewhat defective I'M
panies, and the reports and revenue to the state
| are OF the most meagre sort / commend the
| matter to your careful consideration.
| The commission in Wisconsin is. in most cases,
| one of suggestive and advisory powers rather
| than arbitrary; and in no state has the commits
sion system been productive of better results or
more good than in our own, and commend you
| to a careful study of the commissioners report
for the details of railroad work and railroad OPP
Grafton.
| The strength of the Wisconsin national guard
| st the last semi-annual meeting, Sept. %, 1884
| was $3.50, organized as follows:
Ccmn'ander-in-chef and staff, Is off GERS.
! LIST regiment, 10 companies, CSC men, IS Off
I'd regiment. 10 companies, 6s2 men, IS off
| GERS.
Sd regiment 10 companies, G9s men, 81 on
4th battalion, companies, 2S2 men, Il eff
| GERS.
| Light horse squadron, 1 company, GS men, 3
| officers.
Making total of IS companies, 1881 men, 1ls
| officers.
| During the past two years three companies
| have been diSbanded, four new companies organ
lied the third battalion increased 20 q regiment
| the original fourth battalion disbanded, It's
| panies assigned to the regiments and new
| fourth battalion organized, composed Of the in
| fantry companies located in Milwaukee. These
| changes nave secured more equitable dlstrl6u-
| ton of the companies allowed by law, q more
| systematic organization Of the regiments, and are
believed to have materially increased the efficen-
Cy of the force, which is IN better condition
than ever before and under good discipline.
| invite your early and careful considera-
compiling, perfeeting and recopyfng the files and
records of the adjutant generals office pertain
| transcripts of the military history of soldiers
| steadily increases and neceSSitates use of tls
| original papers, which is now rapidly destroying
them. The value of these records TO the stat,
| the soldiers and those dependen Mt upon them
| cannot be oversstimated and it is beyond ques
| ton that this value will increase for many years
| to come, as the possibility of supplying their
place by the testimony of individuals is rapidly
| decreasing. When this important work has been
| completed, as to meet the requirements of the
| office, recommend that a complete roster of
| Wisconsin volunteers showing the material facts
in the military history of each soldier be prepar.
| cd and printed by the state. The example of all
| cur neighboring states, in this regard, is well
worthy of our imitation. The cost will be triling
compared with the value Of such duplication
FISHERIES.
| The Fish Commissioners have expended SG,518
| for the year 1888 and $3.50. 43 for the year
| 1884 and have been very successful in their work.
| The recommendations of the board relating to
| the preservation OF the fish, deserve your atten-
| unlawful catching of fish in great quantities III
! the inland lakes and rivers in some manner be
checked.
! BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.
| Unaer chapter $40 of the laws Of 1888 estab-
| fishing Bureau of Labor Statistics, appointed
Frank a. Flower, of Milwaukee, Commissioner,
| and he at entered upon the duties OF his
| office. The law as it now stands is very imper-
feet and inadequate for the purpose for which 1t
| was designated, and should he revised and
amended by this legislature. This bureau, with
encouragement on the part Of the legislature and
better facilities for collecting statistics will result
| in great benefit to the state.
EDUCATION.
| The vital Importance OF popular education can
not be overestimated, and the interest of our
| people in the subject is commensurate with its
| Importance. The report of the state superln-
tendent which commend to your attention, is
replete with interesting statistics and suggestions,
| and shows the common school system OF our state
| to be in a condition Of steady growth and I'M
| provement, which is exceedingly gratifying,
| In July last this state was honored with the
| meeting of the National Educational association,
held in this city. This was the largest educational
| convention ever held, and there were among its
| members many of the most eminent persons of
| that profession in the United States The meet
ing resulted in great good to this state, and the
system were the subjects Of commentator and
| praise
have 40 doubt you will give just and thorough
consideration to all suggestions for the improve
ment or the public schools, or for extending their
field of usefulness; but feel justified in calling
| to your especial attention the recommendation of
| the state superintendent, that provision be made
| by law for the free supply Of text books for the
! pupils in the public schools The absence OF UNI
formty in the books used, even in adjacent school
districts, creates serious expense to that quite
| large class of citizens who are not permanently
located; and this expense falls most heavily upon
| Glars least able to bear il, and whose children
receive their education almost entirely from the
! common schools, and has, no doubt, deter
| red many children from attending school.
| The experience of q large number of cities and
| some states which nave adopted the system OF
free text books, Indicates that larger attendance
| will be secured aigher efficiency attained. time
! saved asd less money expended, by supplying just
| the books required.
| UNIVERSITY.
The reports OF the regents and the president of
the university will be laid before you, from which
it is pleasure to note that the institutions is in
generally satisfactory condition. 1t has recently
| INSURANCE.
The revenue derived by the state through taxes
! and fees imposed by the law upon insurance com
panies was S57 &c., - for the year 1888, and SG4,
| 90i IS far the year 1884 The laws relating to il
| surance seem to work great good in protecting
| the people of the state from the transactions OF
fraudulent and insolyent companies, and tends to
add to the business OF the solvent companies that
cannot afford to do business at a losing rate. The
! administration of the department has been
efficient and you will find valuable information in
! the report of the commissioner.
IMMIGRATION.
! The biennial report of the Board of Immigra-
ton shows that of the 40 36S immigrants arriving
| at Milwaukee during the year 1888, y, go MAIDS
| Wisconsin their home; and of the al, immi-
| grants who arrived at the same place dung the
year 1884 90 $50 remained in the state. The board
| have no means of informing themselves of the
| number of immigrants who land at lake ports
| other than Milwaukee, or who go direct into
| Wisconsin from Chicago without passing through
| Milwaukee. The newcomers were mostly Ger
! mans and Scandinavians who settled principally
| in the northern portion of the state. The dis
! bursemepts of the board during the year 1888
| were S3oS9tO, and during the year 1884 were
| S2,906.57.
met with serious loss, by the destruction by fire
of Science Hall, with valuable collections cpd ap
| paratus. The regents will p resent to you plans
| and estimates for a building to replace the one
| destroyed and will ask for the requisite appro-
! priation for that and other purposes. The uni
| versity has attained high rank and ought 70 be
an object of universal pride TO the people. Ii de-
serves generous support from the state, and !
trust its wants will receive liberal treatment ct
| your hands
AGRICULTCRE.
Agriculture is the chief source OF wealth to the
state and the ultimate reliance Of its people. Upon
the successful prosecution of this pursuit depends
in great degree the prosperity and happiness
| III.