Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1900 — CURRENT COMMENT [ARTICLE]

CURRENT COMMENT

Thr bureau of stntiatica of the Treasury Department has compiled a statement' of the traffic through tho Sauit Bte Marie canal between Lakes Superior and Michigan last year. The total number of vessels passing through the canal was 20,055, which was more than double the total for 1889. The total freight passing through the canal in 189!* was 25,255,819 tons, against bnt 7,516,022 tons in 1889, showing that the freight has increased niQch more rapidly than the number of vessels, thus Indicating in some degree the rapid increase in the size and capacity of the freight carrying vessels of the great lakes. The development of gniiu production of the extreme Northwest during the decade is indicated by the fact that the wheat carried through the canal in 1800 was 58,397,335 bushels, and in 1889 10,231,854 bushels, while “grain other than wheat” In 189!) was 30,000, 935 bushels, and in 1889 but 2,133,245 bushels. A report recently issued gives some insight luto the doings of New York's army of criminals during the past year. During 1899 there were 1)8,917 prisoners arraigned in the police courts of Manhattan and the Broux. Of these 77,127 were males and 21,700 were femules. There were 37,007 prisoners discharged on hearing the evidence, and 61,116 persons were held for trial at general and special sessions, which, compared with the figures of 1808, shows a falling off of 2.204. People keep asking whether it should spelled Porto Rico or Puerto Rico. The Spaniards spelled it with a “u,” and the board of geographical names, appointed by the United States Government to decide disputes in spelling and pronunciation, adopted the Spanish style, but Senator Forakeris hill establishing a civil government on that island provides that the official spelling shall be Porto Rico. The report come* from Cape Nome, the new Alaska gold field, that coal and wood are very scarce. All available wood has been used for tea miles on either aide of Nome City. Wood bring* SSO to S6O a cord, aud it la a very poor article at that. The coal supply is very meager and coal Is sold by the pound, bringing seven and as high as eight cents a pound. Proprietary medicine men Want the war tax on their product* reduced. They ar.y alcohol, other ingredient* and all co’a* Uned, are taxed.