THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



D. General Biology, Ethnology 

 AND Anthropology 



Vol. VII AUGUST, 1912 No. 4 



THE STONE INDUSTRY AT SAN ESTEBAN, ILOKOS SUR. 



By Emerson Brewer Christie. 

 (Frovi the Division of Ethnology, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



At San Esteban, Ilokos Sur, an industry exists which, because 

 of its possibihties, is not without interest. I refer to the business 

 of working stone found in that municipality. 



I have been unable to find any records referring to the be- 

 ginnings of the industry. It seems certain, from statements 

 made to me by the oldest workers, that it was in existence sixty 

 years ago. Available statistics of the industry go back to 1906. 

 In that year a licensing and taxing system was put in force 

 which compelled the keeping by the municipal treasurer of books 

 in which is entered the amount of tax paid on stone articles 

 manufactured, levied at the rate of 10 per cent of the local value. 

 The record applies only to the products of the quarries which 

 are situated on government land. No record is kept of the sales 

 of filters, the stone for which is brought up from the bottom of 

 the Bay of San Esteban. Moreover, for the period from January 

 4, 1908, to April 10, 1910, inclusive, no entries referring to stone 

 appear on the books of the municipal treasurer, for the reason, 

 according to the statements of the municipal officials, that dur- 

 ing that period no attempt was made to collect the tax on stone 

 products. Thus figures on the industry are available only for 

 the following periods : July, 1906, to January 3, 1908, and from 



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