The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-17

senting railways and manufacturing
Industries. have been tremendous fac
tors. The estimates of Great Britain
show an increase In the value Of houses
from 36s,Oo0. 900 In lSel to f2.%e4. .O00. 900
In 1887. an increase OF about 600 per
cent. In single lifetime Some idea
OF the increase In France within a gen.
Grafton may be judged from the fact
that the annual rental value OF build
ings was officially computed In 1856 at
6l2.4 $4,000 francs and In 1889 at about
five times this amount. Or .5S7 .6S6. 44S
francs. The latter figure represents an
annual rental value Of about $5OO. .O00. 900
and an actual vale Of nearly SO. .OOO, ,OOO.-
900. This estimate Is considered slight
ly excessive by Professor Paul Leroy
'Beaulieu In his great work. LA Science
des Finances" and he is more disposed
to accept the total Of IS. .00O. .0OO. 900. given
by NJ. de Foville. A striking proof Of
the improvement In the character of
the houses Is afforded by the returns
OF the window tax In France. which Is
levied according to the number OF win
dows house contains. These figures
show an actual decrease In the number
OF houses with one aperture between
1887 and 1855, and no material increase
in the number OF houses with two aper-
lures, while there Is an increase of
about 90 per cent. or from 1.S45,2S0 to
3,25y, ,3Sl in the number of buildings with
six or more windows. The total in
crease In the number of buildings Is
only from 6.79S. Isl to S.975. l66. showing
much greater increase In quality ana
comfort than in numbers.
Russia the Lowest In Europe.
ropean countries are hardly as trust
worthy as for Great Britain and
France. and show some variations
which hardly seem to be justified by
common knowledge regarding the con-
ditions of these countries. Belgium,
which Is one OF the most active Indus
trial countries on the continent, and
escapes the expense Of large arma-
ments. Is given an average valuation
per capita In 1SSS by Mr.. Mulhall Of only
$685.. while Denmark ranks as high as
H,l5O. and even Spain Is put at $740.
The German empire Is credited with a
total valuation of about So, 900. .OOO. 900.
or 800 per capita, although the aver
age earnings of Germans are about %
per cent. below those of Frenchmen.
Italy at present ranks among the low
est Of highly civilized states. and has
suffered OF late years under the bur-
den OF bitter party contests, an inn
mense military establishment, a con-
slant deficit In the treasury and de-
preciated paper currency. The aggre-
gate wealth Of Italy Is estimated by NJ.
'Pantaleoni at 54. 900. .0OO. 900 francs. or a
little less than $ll. 200, ,OOO. 900, OF which
about $4,000 100000 represents lands, ST.,
200 600 represents buildings and $3,-
lOO,OOO,OOO negotiable securities. This
anords wealth per capita of only $780,,
or SLIGO per family OF five. Debts,
which do not represent property or
which would reduplicate the figures,
are eliminated from this valuation.
Russia ranks low in the scale Of
wealth, and even her land values are
returned at less than those of Germany
Her total wealth, according to Mr.. Null
hall. was f5YOS9.0O0. 900. or about half
that Of Great Britain, in spite Of her
immense area and population. Her av.
erage wealth per head Is about $275.
Austria-Hungary shows total wealth
of fS,S55, 900, 600. or about $495 per head.
Switzerland is supposed to have val
alton of s., 500. .00O, 900, or about 1926 Der
head, ranking below Great Britain and
France. but above the other European
countries. except Denmark and Hol-
land. Denmark. however. Is estimated
considerably lower by Professor Fable
than Mr.. Mulhall. and his figures would
give an average valuation per capita
Of about $l,05O, instead of $l,15O.
The American Figures.
The latest figures for the United
states are contained In the census O.
1850. ard give total valuation of prop
crty .oce ted In the country of $65,0.1.-
Cl!137. No account Is taken Ct reg,ti-
able securities or Of the H.: shat prop.
erty may not be owned where located,
but all tangible property is valued in
the locality where 1t IL found. High