(1.) In Adams county is recorded the marriage of a white man with a womnon "designated as nearly white." Total marriages, 2,318; marriages of whites, 1,989; marriages of colored, 21; total, 1,318. +N. N. marriages, 1,323; F. F. marriages, 176; M. marriages, 294; V. unknown, 610; total, 2,318. (2.) This report covers one year, but is very incomplete, as is seen. ILLUMINATING OILS. Every reader of the daily papers must be struck with the great frequency of accidents, from coal oil in this state; deaths (after most horrid suffering), from this cause are fully as frequent as those from lightning stroke, yet they do not appear to excite the same amount of attention, or publicity. Though only in part insuring the safety of mankind, properly constructed lightning-rods assure almost complete protection to property, and in like manner laws properly prepared, in regard to the inspection and sale of illuminating oils, would procure as great if not greater immunity to womankind (who are almost the sole sufferers from coal oil accidents), from the dangers incident to the domestic use of kerosene. No one who is aware of the history of the subject in Michigan, where, by the enforcement of judicious inspection of coal oils, the frequency of accidents from their use was reduced from what it is now in this and other States without inspection laws, to a state of almost complete immunity from accident. This State is mentioned as one without an inspection law, and such is virtually the case, for the law is not enforced, and remains a deadletter, and like all such laws does private injury. It is easy enough by comparison of the laws of the two States to see why ours is a failure. The Michigan law is mandatory, and uses the term "shall,” while that of Iowa is permissive, and employs the term "may.” Again, the Michigan law allows to the inspectors the following scale of renumeration: Forty cents single barrel, on five or less; twenty-five cents on ten or less, and ten cents on each additional barrel over ten, while the Iowa law allows but five cents per package, at which rate, considering the time required for each test, no one could earn his salt. Both laws are defective, in not prescribing the form of apparatus to be used by the inspector; in Michigan this fault is corrected by the inspectors using the apparatus recommended by the State Board of Health; any one aware of the uncertainty of many modes of testing, especially any one who has witnessed the feat of an itinerant vender of some terribly explosive oil, in plunging a lighted match into the same with impunity, must be aware of the need of prescribing the use of some good and approved apparatus for the inspection of oils. My attention was recently and forcibly called to the condition of the law in this State by a letter of inquiry from Prof. Elliot, of the Columbia School of Mines, to whom the subject of coal oils had been assigned by the New York State Board of Health, asking for information in regard to the law in this State and its action. EXPENDITURE. The expenditures of the office since May 5th, up to October 1st, are included in the report of Mr. Andrews. All of which is respectfully submitted by Your obedient servant, R. J. FARQUHARSON, Secretary. |