Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-01-05
Various Disasters.

principal events iHal MAKE up the
record of the year 1898:
Various Disasters.
The loss Of life resulting from various
disasters in this country is as follows:
Fires. 1870 drownings, $40: explosions.
629: mines, $50: falling buildings. etc,
$50; cyclones and storms. 502; lightning,
255
The loss of life by railroad accidents OF
various kinds was $3.50 in 1895. compared
with 276f in 1897 The number of seriously
injured was 2,6l6 as compared with 2,42s
in 1897.
The list of marine disasters shows 1855
lives were lost upon the coast and % on
inland waters. total of S.73O as compared
with 2426 in 1897. 1912 in 1896. $3.50 in 1895.
and 6.SSi in 1894
Notwithstanding the war between the
United States and Spain, the loss OF life
upon the battlefield throughout the world
in 1898 has been smaller than for several
years past. The total, roughly estimated,
has been but about 5000, as compared
with 103.i51 in 1897 I29. ESQ in 1896 157, $50 In
1885, and $3.50 in 1894.
Epidemics and Famine.
The loss of life by epdemics and famine
shows a gratifying decrease. Famine in
the province of Kansu, China, has swept
away 10000 victims. The plague in India
has destroyed over LOCO. and in China
about 1900 persons Exact statistics of this
kind are hard to procure. but the total is
probably less than $4,000, compared with
222,9o2 in 1897, 22,676 in 1896 79,46i in 1896,
ard 1890 in 1894.
Summary of Disasters.
AS closely as can be estimated 3,655 lives
have been lost upon the ocean, 10 upon in
land waters, $3.50 by railroad accidents. 25,-
2T3 by disasters abroad 1881 BY minor dis
asters in this country, 23000 by epidemlcs
and famine, and $1,000 by wars, making
total Of II $50, as compared with SS9,Ol7 in
1897, 246.5i6 in 1896. and 275,S9l in 1889
Suicides.
The total number of persons who have
committed suicide in the United States dur
ing the year 1888 is $50, $ compared with
$500 in 1897 $3.50 in 1896. s.. 759 in 1898, 1912 in
1894 4,436 in 1893 3S60 in 1892, 1881 in 1881,
and 900 in 1880 the figures showing de-
crease in the crime of self-murder in the
last nine years. OF this number Ass We're
males and 1854 females, this proportion
being steadily kept up year by year.
Among professional men physicians still
lead. A having taken their own lives as
compared with Al in 1897, AZ in 1886, SO in
1S95 and 4J in 1924. During the year also
10 persons engaged in the banking business,
s clergymen, journalists, attorneys, :
actors and artists committed suicide.
The causes of suicide were a 5 follows: De-
spondency, 3,023; unknown, 1890 insanity,
42S: liquor 16S, ill-heaith, 2SS; domestic
infelicity. 1877; disappointed love. 1886; bust
ness losses, 10
Murders.
The total number of murders committed
in 1898 shows another gratifying decrease
q phenomenon often witnessed in war
year-being 1910, as compared with $3.50 in
1897 1852 in 1896. l0500 in 1895, $500 in 1894,
6,615 in 1898, 6742 in 1892. 5,l06 in 1891. and
1920 in 1890
The number of legal executions in the
United States in 1898 was l09. as com
pared with 12s in 1897. 122 in 1896. 1872 in 1895.
1872 in 1894 126 in 1893. and III in 1892 There
were 70 hanged in the south and 81 in the
north. of whom 50 were whites. As blacks
and / Chinese. The crimes for which they
were executed were murder 100 and rape y
Lynchings.
The criminal work OF mob murderers
throughout the country has decreased dur
ing 1898. compared with 1897 being small
er than in any year since 1885, except 1890,
when the number was the same. Judge
Lynch has executed 127 persons during the
year, I22 males and females. OF these
lynchings lis occurred in the south and
8 in the north. or the total number l02
were negroes % whites and Indians.
Embezzlem
The record of embezzlng. forgery. de-
faulting and bank wreckage for 1898 shows
a material and gratifying decrease. being
but 1851, 1868. as compared with 81. .0S4
In 1897. being also much the smallest total
Fire Losses.
The losses by fire in the United States in
1895 aggregate S133. 139. 467 as compared
with Sl29 DOL 1877 in 1897 Sill $50 067 in 1896. and
sl31 SIS POS in 1895. Those where the loss in
each case was $10OOOO and upwards amount
to s64. 915. 400. and the losses by smaller fires
TO SIS, 224. 067.
Charities.
The record for charity for 1898 keeps well
up to the records of former years, the gen
erous sums contributed by bequest or per-
scnal gift to churches, colleges. charities.
museums. art galleries and Libraries
amounting to S23,9S4. 900 compared with
$35 612, Sl4 in 1891 In preparing these statis-
tics no record has been kept Of small do
nations. OF the total amount stated above
there has been given to colleges the large
sum OF 1906, l51. to charities, S6,230,3 500.
T. churches S2029s50. 70 museums and
art galleries. Sl.4i2000. to Libraries. 81, 49,,
go