ALABAMA. 



I (unities in 1880 and in 1890, according 

 to the I'Ydend census. 



The population of the State in 1890 also in- 

 cluded 40 Chinese and 750 Indians. 



Iron Ore. The following statistics respect- 

 ing the iron-mining industry of Alabama for 

 the year 1889 are reported by the Federal Census 

 Bureau: Number of mines reporting, 48; num- 

 ber producing, 45; amount of ore produced. 

 1 ..">?(>,:'> 1! long tons; value of product, $1..">1I.- 

 611; total shipments from the mines, i.."iv!i;.!is-j 

 long tons ; value of shipments. $1.457.314; cap- 

 ital invested in iron mining, $5.244,902 (of \vliich 

 the value of land is $4,258,645) ; total number of 



employes, 3.081; total wages paid, $995,222; 

 total (.,-.( ol producing one long ton of iron 

 oil. N',i cent*. In the amount of iron ore 

 produced Alabama stands second among the 

 States, while the cost of production is lower 

 than in any other State. Since ISHO the 

 total product lias increased from 171.K;!* long 

 tons tu 1..">70,.'U9 long tons, or about HIT p r 

 cent., and the capital in\eMed from if 530,442 to 

 s.VJII.'.Mi-.'. 



Legislative Session. The General AsKcm- 

 bly. which convened at Montgomery on Nov. 11, 

 1890, completed its sessions on I-Yb. is. 1MM. hav- 

 ing taken a month's recess over the. Christmas 

 holidays. Karly in the session a contest arose 

 between rival Democratic candidates for the 

 seat in the United States Sen. it e held by James 

 L. Pugh. Senator Pugh sought a re-election, 

 his competitors being Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture Reuben F. Kolb, ex-Gov. Thoma.- 

 and ex-Gov. Thomas H. Watts. On the first 

 ballot in the Democratic caucus, on Nov. 18, 

 Pugh received 42 votes, Kolb 42, Seay 32, and 

 Watts 11. Thirty-one caucus ballots were taken 

 without a choice, the last standing Pugh 52, 

 Kolb 34, Seay 24. and Watts 11, after which the 

 contest was transferred to the General Assembly. 

 In that body, on Nov. 28, Senator Pugh secured 

 a re-election on the second joint ballot, receiving 

 90 votes to 39 for ex-Gov. Watts. Among the 

 noteworthy laws of the session is an act re- 

 quiring all railroads, other than street railroads, 

 to provide equal but separate accommodations 

 for the white and colored races, by furnishing 

 two or more passenger cars for each train, or by 

 dividing each car by a partition. A new pension 

 law authorizes the annual levy for six years of a 

 State tax of one half-mill on each dollar of taxa- 

 ble property, the proceeds to be divided, pursuant 

 to tne provisions of the act, among maimed and 

 needy Confederate soldiers and sailors and the 

 widows of their deceased comrades, no applicant 

 receiving more than $50 annually. An act for 

 the improvement of the convict system provides 

 for a commission, consisting of the Governor, 

 the Board of Inspectors of Convicts, and one 

 other person to be appointed by the Governor, 

 which shall purchase land, erect buildings, and 

 procure machinery, live stock, and other appli- 

 ances, to furnish employment for convicts not 

 leased or worked under contract, provided not 

 more than $10,000 be expended under this act 

 before Oct. 1, 1892. The commission is also di- 

 rected to investigate the subject of working all 

 convicts on State account at all such industries 

 as it may think desirable, and shall prepare a bill 

 for the next General Assembly creating a new 

 and complete convict system, providing for the 

 employment of all convicts on State account as 

 soon as practicable, and providing also for a 

 reformatory prison for juvenile convicts, if the 

 latter institution shall seem desirable. The same 

 commission is authorized to sell the tract of , land 

 known, as the State farm and to turn the pro- 

 ceeds into the treasury. An act to regulate the 

 mining industry establishes aboard of examiners, 

 consisting of an inspector of mines and two min- 

 ing engineers to be appointed by the Governor for 

 two years, which shall examine and give certifi- 

 cates of fitness and service to mine bosses. After 

 one year from the passage of the act, no person 



