The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-05-20
GIVES MANY FACTS
Publication of Book by Depart.
ment ofCommerce and Labor
Gives Much Information
MUCH DATA ON PUBLIC LANDS

A seven hundred page publication of
the department. of commerce and labor
lately issued contains information of
interest to the general public and bust
ness men. The statistics embrace sub
jects relating to every department
coming under the jurisdiction of this
particular bureau and with the com
parsons are invaluable:
Here, for instance, are some of the
interesting facts contained: The area
of continental United States, includ-
ing Alaska, is ABOUT equal to that of
Europe and may be divided into three
parts almost equal in territory-the
thirteen original states, thirteen states
created out Of surplus territory ceded
the thirteen original states, and the re-
naming third, twenty-four states and
territies occupying territory acquired
by purchase or annexation. Strangely
the S0,000,000 people living in the
United States are distributed almost
equally into these three divisions. IT
will be seen from It's pages that the
negro population has grown from
100000 in 1900 to 8,S41 900 In 1900,
but has decreased from 1888 per cent
of the total population in 1900 to
1l.59 per cent in 1900.
The unappropriated and unreserved
public lands in 1908 amounted to
| 754,895,000 acres, about half Of it
being in Alaska and the other half
being distributed substantially in equal
proportion among Nevada, Montana,
New Mexico and Arizona.
The developed water power of the
United States is reported at 5,357 900
horse power and the number Of wheels
which it turns at 52,827. The esti-
mated coal supply of the United States
is put down at 3,135, 70S,e00 tons.
The available ;ron ore supply is
estimated at 4,785,Oo0,000 long tons
and the production of iron ore in the
year 1907 was 100000 tons, the
largest total ever produced in a single
year. The pig iron produced in the
country in the same year of 1907 is
shown to have been 25,7S1,000 long
tons, while the worlds production of
pig iron in that year was 60,5ooOo0
long tons.
The petroleum areas at present
known are set down at $3.50 square
miles, or somewhat larger than the
state of Massachusetts; and the gas
area at 10,055 square miles, or slightly
more in area than the state of Vermont.
The total number of immigrants
coming into the United States since
| 1920, the year of earliest record ex-
ceeds 26,000,000; during the fiscal years
1905, 1906 and 1907, the number aver
aged more than 100000 per annum.
The business activities of the busy
people of the United States are illus
trated by the figures of the postoffice
department, which show a growth in
receipts, chiefly, of course, from the
sale of postage stamps, from practical
ly $1,000,000 in 1920 to $191 SOC, 900
in 1905. The number of letters and
post cards sent through the postal sys-
tenn of the United States is given as
6,466,000,000 in 1907, as against
3,263,000,000 handled by the postal
service of the German empire;
1855, 100000 Ny the postal service of
the United Kingdom; 1,119, 900, 900 in
France, and 1,o67, 100000 in Austria
Hungary. The telegraph messages
sent in the United States numbered
100000 in 1870 and 9s,0Oo,ooo in
1907.
Other statistics covering educational
wealth, commerce, and all other sub
jects entering into the welfare of the
people are presented.