The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-05-14
FACTS OF INTEREST
ON STATE AFFAIRS
Wisconsin 1903 Blue Book Most
Complete Issue of
Many Years.
MANY NEW FEATURES ARE ADDED
Historical Sketch by Rueben Thwates
Secretary of State Historical
Society Other Features

Interesting facts of state property, in
1908 blue book which is about ready for
distribution. The work this year is the
most complete ever issued and contains
many new features, including history
Of the state by Reuben Ct. Thwaites,
secretary of the State Historical Society.
$50 copies Of the blue book will be given
to each member of the Legislature for
distribution, making total of $50 that
will be circulated In Manitowoc county.
That part of the blue book devoted to
manufacturing shows that in 1900 there
were 16, 1877 factories in Wisconsin, re
presenting total of $3.50, 55S, ,779 of in
vested capital These factories gave
employment to 142,076 wage earners,
who were paid total of sos, 407 597 for
their work that year. The total cost of
material used by these factories was
f20S, S3S, 1877, while the value of the
manufactured product amounted to
1850, S1S,942
The agricultural statistics show that
in 1900 there were 1863, 705 farms in the
state with total acreage Of 10, S62, 727
acres, of which II, 246 972 were classified
as improved land. The total value of
farm property in that year is given as
$Sll, ,n2,3'9, of which $500, 532 600 is in
land and improvements, buildings not
included. Farm buildings for that ear
were valued at SOC, 1927, $40, farm imple-
ments and machinery at $20, OBJ, 600.
The total value Of farm products WAS
1857, 445, 7l3, Of which amount $4l ,5S3,
100 represented what was fed to live
stock
The pages under the heading of post
offices are devoted to list of the post
offices of the state, which now number
1,7sG. OF these 8 are in the first class,
36 in the second class, 124 in the third
class and ,555 in the fourth class.
Part five treats Of the state and ed
ucational institutions and Grand Army
data. After briefly sketching the re-
sources OF the state and its develope-
ment. this significant sentence appears.
"In the matter of state institutions for
the improvement those physically and
mentally unfortunate, and for reforma-
tory purposes, Wisconsin stands second
to no state in the union, population and
resources considered. In the matter Of
strictly educational institutions the
state has made wonderful advancement,
There are 7,762 public school buildings,
900 free high schools and 10 independent
high schools, state normal schools, a
score or more of colleges, seminarieS,
and academies; state university,
among the foremost in the country and
an agricultural college, giving an ex-
ceptionally valuable five years course
in the science of agriculture.
In the common and free high schools
OF the state there are l3, 500 teachers
employed, and $4,000 pupils. In ad-
dition to this the private schools of the
state report an enrolment Of So, 5iL
The colleges. academies and seminaries
enrolled 2, 300 the normal schools pre-
pare 2, $40, and l,4l5 in the prepatory
departments, and the state university
2,277, with 100 professors and instruct
ors. The number Of teachers employed
in the private schools Is 1857. The to-
tai expenditures for educational pur-
poses was $7,4S7, 42l 80. Reuben Ct.
Thwaites has contributed full page
article on the state capitol 1t is Of a
historical and descriptive nature.
In September, 1902, there were 5,2l9
insane under public care. There were
In 1902, $40 boys in the industrial school
at Waukesha, at Waupun the average
number Of prisoners during 1902 was
562, rs against 59l the preceding year.
The average number Of children in
the School for Dependent Children in
1907 was l41, Up To That date 2,2y4
children had been placed in homes.
At the Wisconsin Home for the
Feeble Minded the whole number OF
patients received since the opening OF
the institution is 744
The report Of the free library CON
mission shows that the activity in thi.
line has been great. Mr. Carnegie's
gifts include. Green Bay S25, 200; Su
perior, $50 900; SheboygaI, go, OO0 Ra
cine, $50. 900, Neenah, 10000; Fond du
Lac, $50, 900; Janesville, $50, 900; Beloit
$25. 900; Madison, $75, 900; Waukesha
$l5, 900, Baraboo, Sl2. 900; Sparta. $40,
900; Eau Claire, 100000, Chippewa