The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-10-05

what in the Old Dominion is styled
breeding" with it's too often forgot
ten attributes Of sympathy, tact and
helpfulness, irrespective of conditions,
is supreme type.
Industries in 1896 and 1899.
Prosperity is rampant in Wisconsin,
according to Halford Erickson, state
labor statistician. Comparing 1896
with 1899, he finds the average yearly
earnings in 1900 establishments to
have increased from $396.63 per capita
to $420.5O. There was an increase in
the number of days in operation or
eighteen, comparing the two years.
For 1,245 establishments in 1899 the
capital used amounted to $211 ,3S5, 1S1;
the value of the goods made to $21O,-
294.24S and the amount paid in wages
to $50, 41S, $40 In round numbers this
was an increase in 1899 over 1896 of
about 81 per cent. These figures con-
stitute about 65 per cent. Of the manu-
featuring capacity for the trade.
Asbestos, u Curious Earth Product
Madison has great many travelling
men househOlders. They find it con-
venient point for home, as regards
railroad facilities, and, the university
near at hand for their children. w. +.
Taylor, one of them, represents an as
bestOs concern of Milwaukee. He tells
me this material is in growing use for
many purposes, especially to cover
SteampipeS and save waste OF heat.
He has just closed the contract for
the Historical library. The stuff is
put on in the form of tubing covered
with a cloth jacket, and when bound
with gilt hoops (as in the basement
of the Park hoteD Is decorative. The
packing is perhaps an inch thick. AS
beStos is mined from the earth, most
of it coming from Canada, where it
is Quarried out after the style Of lime
stone. It is akin to mica, though
tibrous, mass of perfect glass-like
hairs, with a silky lustre, and its
marked quality is as non-cOnductor
of heat and cold. It Is woven into
cloth and used as fire prOtectiOn-in
many theaters the curtain is made OF
it. A single fibre of asbestos fuses to
a white enamel, but in the mass it is
capable of resisting ordinary flame.
When woven into a cloth it forms
fire-prOOf texture which, to be purl-
fled, requires only to be thrown into
the fire. Gloves, drapery, towels, hand
kerchiefs and even dresses have been
woven of it; and it is said the anc-
tents used to wrap the bodies of their
dead in asbestos to keep their ashes
separate from those of the surrounding
funeral piles. The price of asbestos
varies from to 40 cents a pound, and
a mine of the stuff must be as good as
a hole full OF gold Mineral wool is
like to it, though a manufactured prod
uct from Stag and other substances.
Mr.. Taylors travels cover more ter
ritory than most of our Madisonians.
He went to California a few months
ago, and will be off for another jour
ney there within a week or two.
Farm Land Prices Will Increase.
Marathon county is naturally proud
of the showing made at the state fair,
and with the other northern counties
taking prizes 1t will gradually get
through the heads of people that agri-
culture has large future there.
The counties which took the three
first premiums were Marathon, Doug
las and Taylor, in the order named,
all three north Wisconsin counties, and
of the nine counties awarded premi-
ums, five were located in north Wis
consin. The best improved Marathon
$50 an acre, and good land can be
bought for less. Improved farms have
been sold in this county within year
for $50 and $50 an acre. There are free
predictions that the price of these
lands will improve, not steadily but
fast, and it is probably true enough
of cleared land near cities. There is
all outdoors, however, in this once
timbered empire and room for an in
definite number of people who wish to
go up there and clear out the stumps
That process renders the land vaIua-
BILE, for crops grow easily and to enor-
nous size.
Tobacco in Dun County.
The tobacco crop is not sure, but
successful years make it a very prof
liable crop. Rock Flint says that pOta
toes which have done SO we'll in Dunn
county bids fair to have a rival in to-
bacco. A Stoughton man went there
and in the spring Of 1899 planted six
acres, from which he realized about
5000 for his crOp-an average of 500
per acre-WhereupOn others initiated
it, and this year $50 acres in the town
ship of ColfaX were put to tobacco.
The season has been favorable, and
the crop now gathered is safely stored
in the big sheds erected for that pur-
pose. Mr.. Danielson raised fourteen
acres Of the weed this year The
yield has been good and the tobacco
excellent in quality. 1t is a crop that
requires a good deal of care, and some
families use their large number of chill
dren to advantage.
Dealing with Mute Children.
Robert G. Spencer of Milwaukee is
very we'll known for his energetic in
terests in things that appeal to him.
The following is sweeping, but char
acteristic:
"The day schools and oral method of
educating the deaf are making rapid
progress in our own state of WiscOn-
sin, and in Ohio, Illinois and Michigan,
in which similar laws have been en-
acted. The attendance in the day
schools of Wisconsin is now about 175
pupils, instructed by thirty teachers.
The attendance at the state school for
the deaf at Delevan is reported at 100,
instructed by some fifteen or sixteen
teachers. The indications are that the