Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-22
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The International Congress of Invent
ors has been formed, with headquarters
in Rochester, y. Y. George F. Gallagher
is president.
The mills in Minneapolis, Mimi, last
year turned out Il. 366, 095 barrels. or
800 more barrels than were made
there in 1904. The mills of the North
west ground up last year o2.246.Oo0
bushels of wheat These figures fairly
stagger the imagination.
The United States exported coal TO the
value of S31, 215,62 last year. Ten years
ago our exports were valued at S1l,oOo,-
600. Although we produce an immensely
larger quantity of coal than Great Britain,
the latter country exports over five times
as much as we do, shipping abroad over
100000 tons in 1900. as against our
5000, 900 tons.
The first quarter of this year will
see an increase of p per cent. in the
growth of labor Unions in this country,
said Samuel Gompers, President OF the
| American Federation of Labor, the other
| day. He also said the outlook for labor
unions was never better than at the pres
| ent time. He said he did not favor the
| pending bill relating to the amendment
of the Chinese exclusion act.
The quarterly reports of the Iron
| Molders' Union have been received by
! the local unions and show the organiza-
ton is gaining strength numerically and
! financially During the fourth quarter
of 1905 S39,417 was paid out in sick
benefits, making a total of S113,946.23
! paid out of this fund during the year.
| This makes grand total of 81 OF, 1870
for the ten years ending Dec. 81, 1909.
There is a balance of nearly $4,000 in
the fund.
According to reports. the advocates OF
| the open shop" in Cincinnati, who usu-
ally have a great deal to say about the
American flag, are putting that emblem
of liberty to strange use. Men accept
ing employment with the Cincinnati Trac-
ton Company are required to take an
oath under the folds of the American
flag, swearing allegiance to the company
and to the Mutual Protective Associa-
ton, which they are required to join.
Part of the obligation provides that The
men shall refrain from taking part in any
movement for the formation of a labor
union.
Progress of industry in our Southern
States is well Illustrated by writer in
MOody's magazine. He shows that in 1895
about 5000 locomotives sufficed to main
tain the train service on the four princi-
pal railway lines traversing the Southern
States east of the Mississippi River. The
freight traffic was of such proportion that
less than $4,000 cars of this class were
then necessary to equip these lines. liz
the last ten years, however, the records
show that the expansion of these trans
portation systems has been so rapid that
5000 locomotives are now in service anC
the freight equipment has been increased
to 100000 cars.
Martin Kellar, a waiter in a Seattle
cafe, few weeks ago overheard guests al
his table discussing the chances of making
fortune in Tacoma tide lands. Having
saved up $1,000, Kellar boarded the next
train and secured an option on a block
of tide lands, and in a few days after
ward received an offer from the Union
Pacific of $4,000 for the block of lands
on which he held the option at $4,000
He cleared up 100000 on his investment
of $1,000, but has gone back to his old
business as a waiter. He finds that tips
are sometimes more valuable than those
who give them are aware.
I'm the State of California and other
States Of the Union of the Pacific coas
the Chinese and the japanese have driv
en- the white man off the soil" said Wal
ter Macarthur, at the recent session Of
the National Civic Federation. They
have driven the white man out of certain
industries, not only the laboring man
but the business man. In some section:
of California they are establishing banks
and driving the bankers out of business
1t is not simply a question of protecting
labor; it is a question of protecting al
classes Of men. Just as sure as these
japanese are permitted to come in here
without let or hindrance, they will drive
US all across the Rocky Mountains