ASSESSED VALUE OF REAL ESTATE AND OF TOTAL PROPERTY OWNED BY NEGROES OF WILCOX COUNTY, AT 5-YEAR PERIODS, 1875 TO 1900. It was laid out in 1790, to Warren in 1777, and portions of it were added to Elbert in 1793, to Lincoln in 1796, to Greene in 1802, and to Taliaferro in 1825 and 1828. The soil was once very fertile, but has suffered much from injudicious culture. Statistics of population for each census since 1790 and of Negro ownership of property since 1874 follow: NEGRO AND WHITE POPULATION OF WILKES COUNTY, AT EACH CENSUS, 1790 TO 1890. ASSESSED VALUE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY NEGROES OF WILKES COUNTY, 1874 TO 1900. WILKINSON COUNTY. Wilkinson County is in central Georgia. It was laid out by the lottery act of 1803 and organized in 1805. Its population since 1810 and statistics of property owned by Negroes since 1874 follow: NEGRO AND WHITE POPULATION OF WILKINSON COUNTY, AT EACH CENSUS, 1810 TO 1890. ASSESSED VALUE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY NEGROES OF WILKINSON COUNTY, Worth County, in southwestern Georgia, was laid out in 1853. Its population since 1860 and statistics of property owned by Negroes since 1874 follow: NEGRO AND WHITE POPULATION OF WORTH COUNTY, AT EACH CENSUS, 1860 TO 1890. ASSESSED VALUE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY NEGROES OF WORTH COUNTY, 1874 TO 1500 The first difficulty in extracting the meaning of these figures arises from the fact that throughout the land property values since 1890 have gone through a wave of unusual prosperity, followed by a sudden disastrous depression, and, finally, by the present wave of better conditions. Among the black folk of Georgia these same waves are quite evident, emphasized by general poverty and unfortunate social environment. To trace the normal development of the Negro landholder it would be better therefore to take it by decades, leaving out of account the unusual rise and fall of values between 1890 and 1895 and comparing the level of values about 1890 with those about 1900. By this method is found a progressive increase in property holding since the war in 91 counties. In 30 others there is a progressive increase on the whole until the last decade, when the values in 1900 are somewhat below those of 1890. In the remaining 16 counties there is the same advance up to 1890, but the conditions are so mixed since that further observation is necessary to be sure of the tendencies. Of the 91 advancing counties, 61 show an increase in acreage, value of town property, and value of total property; 14 show a decrease in acreage, but an increase in the value of all property held; 7 show increase of acreage and value of total property, but decrease in value of town property, while in the other 9 counties there is a general betterment under miscellaneous conditions. Of the 30 counties in which the values were lower in 1900 than in 1890, 9 show a decrease in acreage and values and 21 a decrease in country and in total property, but an increase in town property. This indicates a migration to town. Of the 16 miscellaneous cases there are 9 counties showing a decrease in total values but increased acreage and increased value of town holdings. This result is probably due to lower assessments of the same property, and is consistent with actual increase in property holding. The other 7 counties show decreased or stationary values, accompanied by increased or stationary acreage. It seems clear that the Georgia Negro is in the midst of an unfinished cycle of property accumulation. He has steadily acquired property since the war, and in fully 100 counties he has continued this steady increase in the last decade. In the other counties the last 10 years have seriously checked his accumulations, although this may be but temporary. RECENT REPORTS OF STATE BUREAUS OF LABOR STATISTICS. CALIFORNIA. Ninth Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor of California, for the years 1899–1900. (a) missioner. 182 pp. Statistics of the Stat The present report covers a variety of topics. Its contents may be grouped as follows: Prisons, reformatories, asylums, etc., 7 pages; alien labor, 20 pages; female labor, 12 pages; labor-saving appliances and hand labor, 4 pages; agricultural, viticultural, etc., products, 7 pages; condition of wage-earners, 6 pages; employment agencies, 11 pages; labor organizations, 38 pages; labor laws, 67 pages. ALIEN LABOR.-This chapter, which relates to Japanese labor, contains an account of the present condition of Japanese labor in California, statistics of Japanese immigration, wages, occupations, and living conditions of Japanese laborers, and reports of testimony given before the commissioner of labor in relation to this subject. FEMALE LABOR.-A descriptive account is given of the nature, conditions, and wages of female employment in the State. LABOR-SAVING APPLIANCES.-This is a brief discussion of the effects of labor-saving appliances and processes in the displacement of labor. CONDITION OF WAGE-EARNERS.-This chapter consists of a comparative presentation of wage data for California, other States, and foreign countries, and of the wages and general conditions of the working people in the State at the present time as compared with past years. EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES.-This chapter contains a discussion of the evils of the existing private employment agencies, and the advantages and disadvantages of free public employment bureaus, and concludes with a recommendation for the regulation of the private employment agencies in the State. LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. Statistics are given, showing the name, location, address of secretary, date of organization, membership, wages and hours of labor of members, stability of employment, beneficiary features, etc., of the labor organizations in the State making returns. There were 217 distinct lodges or bodies of organized labor in the State, of which 136 made returns to the bureau. Of these, 120 reported a total membership of 17,163 cn May 31, 1900. a The Eighth Biennial Report has not been printed. |