The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-07-01
FACTS AND FIGURES.
Compiled by VIM. Matthews Handy.

Referendum in Canada.-The liberal
government in Canada is preparing to
hold a referendum on the subject of
prohibition. A bill is being prepared
which will provide for a vote by the
entire people of Canada en- the advis-
ability of passing a federal prohibitory
act, forbidding the manufacture, i'm
portation and sale of Intoxicating IL
quors. Since 1873 there have been pleb-
iscites in the four provinces of Manito-
ba, Prince Edward Island, Ontario and
Nova Scotia, on the subject, each of
which gave a majority for prohibition,
the aggregate in the -four being 1872, S19
votes. 1t seems more than likely that
prohibition will receive a majority at
the proposed plebiscite for the whole
dominion, but it is not sure that the
government will then pass a p~rohibitory
law.
Georgia Convict acknowledgements
change in the method of caring for her
%convicts promises to be both profitable
and to result in a better treatment of
them. AS was shown by the report of
the legislative commission that inveSti-
gated the subject last year, under the
old system the convicts were starved
and brutally treated by the %lessees,
who had entire charge of them, and
could punish them just as they chose.
The control of the convicts by the new
law is placed in the hands of a COM
mission which is to regulate their
hours of labor, the ann and extent
of their punishment, the variety, guam
tity and quality of their food, and the
character of their clothing. While con-
victs will still be leased, the leases will
be on a business basis, with the result
hat the 1900 convicts are hired out for
about SITS, 900 a year instead of the
$25, 900 received under the old arrange
ment.
Japanese Competition-What might
happen If Japan ever came into direct
competition with America is shown by
an article on the Japanese match in
dustry published in the Japan Herald.
Matches are sold in Japan for so cents
per 900 dozen boxes. These prices are
possible because the wages of the OPP
e%ratives range from 7 to 20 cents a day
for adults n from 1 to Z cents for
children.
Express Trains to Siberia-The Rus
sian government that it is
about to run through express rains
from St. Petersburg to the eastern ter
minus of the Trans-Siberian railway.
The run will be made in six days.
Cooperation in Switzerland-On
March 20, 1898, the cooperative soci-
cites Of Switzerland decided to form a
union. They lumber nearly 200, with
q III IL u SAcsooo'
Cooperation in India-A cooperative
store on the Rochdale plan has been
started in Calcutta, India.
Progress in New Zealand-The New
Zealand government is contemplating a
loan of e., 900, 900, to be expended in rail-
ways and irrigation.
Railways in I~ndia-During 1897 the In
dian government opened 800 miles Of
new railway, and this year 1900 miles
additional will be ODened.
Swedish Government RailWay-On
March 81 the Swedish parliament de-
cided to construct a state railway from
Gellivare to the Norwegian frontier,
wherefrom the railway is to be contin-
ued to the always i~ce-free harbor OF
Victoria at Ofoten bay. 1t will open up
enormous iron deposits, those of the
region being so rich that it is calculated
that during $50 years 1,500, 600 tons can
be exported yearly. The railway is to
be completed in 1902.
Bribery in LOndon-Municipal dishOn-
esty is not confined to America. In the
parishes of Harkney n Fulham the
vestrymen corresponding to our coun-
cils) disposed of a public lighting con-
tract to a private company at a loss to
the taxpayers, and it is charged that
the vestrymen were influenced by brides
to vote as they did
Municipal Tramways in Nottingham-
Nottingham obtained possession of its
tramways last year and is now work
ing the system. The private lines con-
structed in 1878 were behind the times,
so the city will rebuild them.
Municipal Telephones-A committee
been appointed by the British house Of
commons to consider whether munich
palities should be given power to OPP
crate telephones.
nr..:ue1 ~ ~ o,,, n ~,
Almost all German cities now own and
operate their own waterworks, which
usually yield from 10 to 145 per cent
profit annually.
Paris Care for Unemployed-The city
of Paris has a humble of refugees for
the homeless and abandoned. There are
three for men. At the chief of these in
1894 a workshop was established in
which employment is provided at from
so to 60 cents a day with board and
lodging. A workman's earnings are re-
tanned until he leaves the refuge. At
these institutions the city, as far as
possible, has done all the works of car
pentering, masonry, painting, etc, in
connection with it's charitable institu-
lions. During the last three years the
refugees have cost the city about $39, 600.
There are four similar refugees for wo>
men, where they are well sheltered and
fed and employed. In Inc meantime
the directress tries to procure situa-
lions for them. During the first ten
months of 1897, 801 women and 233 chill
dren were received in the refuge, the
women remaining an average of 4S days
and the children 10 days. Wages paid
were from 5 to 10 cents a day, with
board and lodging. The institutions
cost the city $780, 900 a year.. A mater
nifty hospital is also supported which
accommodates about 1880 unfortunates
annually. The city in 1892 established
the agricultural colony of La Chalmette
The farm bought was unpromising, but
the former desert is NOW a scene of in.