North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-01-19
GOVERNOR MERRILL,s MESSAGE.

great length. Our columns would scarcely
contain it If oil our reading space were
surrendered. We therefore condense and
clip:
The Governor opens pro .horma as all
Executives do and goes mt once into State
finances
During tile fiscal term ending October
3lst. 1869, the period covered by those
reports, there was received into the Treas.
ury, on account Of the general Revenue,
inclusive of sS2, Il4,4S on hand Noyem-
Der ler, 1867, the sum OF $l,639. Cos, IL !;
the expenditures amounted to 81 49,, 5O7, !
90 leaving balance in the Treasury Of
$3.50, l60,l6. The above mentionen re-
ports show the sources Of this revenue,
and tho object Of these, expenditures.
This balance it ~ proper to state, inc .udes
the sum of S9,5l9,b3, paid OFT on account
of losses by fire ut the Penitentiary, for
which the Treasurer holds the Wnrden's
receipt. This amount deducted, there is
an actual cash buinncc of S276,650,53 in
the Treasury. This large amount is part
~ due to the payment by the general
Govcrnme Mt of tho sum of S2o9 .s27 SO or
account of claims for expenditures by the
State during the war; and the further sum
of SlS.ll7 to reimburse outlay for the
defense of the northern border Of the
State. subsequent to the massacre at Spirit
Lake in 1851.
| This balance il the largest ever report
| ed at the close of any fiscal term, and in
dicates condition Of financial soundncss
which, it is believed, few of the States
enjoy. There should be, at all times, a
suiRcien, surplus in the Treasury with
which to cash ell warrants promptly on
demand. Such has Leen the case in the
! main with us for several years, and during
the term just closed the State Treasurer paid
every warrant on presentation; and there
arc now no outstanding warrants drawing
| interest
Their receipts during the fiscal term on
which we have just entered, including
balance of general revenue in the Treas
ury November lst, 1868, are estimated at
So, 3OS, sSS,57, and the expenditures at
81 ,lo7, 1880, to which sum must be ad-
ded such special appropriations rs the
General Assembly, in its wisdom, may see
fit to make.
The long experience of the Auditor of
State, both us County and State official,
and the faithful and acceptable services of
that officer and Of the Treasurer of State,
in their respective departments, entitle the
suggestions in their reports, on matters of
vast importance to US, to your favorable
and careful consideration,
INDEBTEDNESS.
The bonds issued in 1858 for $500, 900
ceased to draw interest on the first of Jan,
uary, 1868. Prio, to that time, as stated
by my predecessor in his message to the
last General Assembly, the amount of
STA, 900 has been paid. The remainder
of these bonds have since been redeemed.
Our existing Indebtedness, therefore. con-
sists Of the war and defense bonds Of May,
1861, amounting to $500, 900, and drawing
seven per cent. interest. These bonds are
not due till 1871. would recommend,
however, that the Treasurer of State be
authorized to use surplus funds in the
Treasury for the purchase and cancella-
ton of these bonds, whenever they may
be obtained at par, and when, in the opin-
ion of that officer and of the Auditor of
State, the condition Of the finances will
allow il.
OF the CESsrs he informs Us that our
population Tor 1860 is l,042,So7, an in
crease Of l4o,769 in the pat two years.
OF this number 5,345 were colored, an in
crease of this kind only $50. He con.
graduates the country on the wisdom Of
those statesmen who argued that with the
abolition Of slavery, the negroes instead
Of coming North would settle in warmer
climates
The returns Of agricultural labor con-
tiruc to show steady and vigorous devel- |
opment Of this prime source of our
wealth. There were produced in the
State during the year 1866, l4,G55,529
bushels Of wheat, Sc OPS, 93S of corn, and |
l7,552,O64 of all other grains; and in
1868. II, 963, 555 bushels of wheat. TO-
5O7,575 bushels Of corn, and 2O.237 ,426
bushels of all other grains. Other arti-
cles Of produce show similar advance
ment. But in nothing are the natural
resources of the State being developed
more rapidly than in the amount of coal
taken out in 1866, 90 ,22O, an advance Of
neatly 50 per cent; and in 1868, 24l ,453
tons, an increase Of over l43 per cent
above the yield of 1866. Recent discov-
cries Of extensive coal fields in our State
arc Of peculiar interest and value at this
time, when the vast prairie lands Of our
north western counties are being rapidly
filed with settlers.
In referring to the report Of the Regis
ter Of the State Land Office he sums up
7.T6,954 acres as donated by the U. S
Government for Common Schools, State
University, Ayr. College and Farm these
cover about two millions of acres; for Des
Moines river Improvement and railways
over 4 millions, the balance of tho total
being made up of Swamp Land, Saline
and other grants. The Gov. closes this
reference to the statistics Of the Register
with:
In add ton to this amount, many thou
sands of acres more will probably be pat
ented to the State on account Of the
Swamp Land Grant, and some perhaps in
lieu Of the sixteenth section disposed of
prior to the grant Of that section by Con-
gress. Besides the lands given to the
State for these various objects. the general
Government has granted land directly to
certain railroad companies to aid in build
ing their lines of roads. These grants, in
the aggregate, make gift of magnificent
and include one-fourth Of the
Territory of the State, and taken together,
comprise an area equal to that of the
States Of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and
Connecticut.
The Governor devotes, very properly,
We think, large space to the Common
Schools Of the State. Number Of districts
l46l, number of schools 7,OO9, number Of
achnlar dl2 Leg numlAaH In arora nxo attain