The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1875-01-21

the knneae Pacific the counties mQe
scverely afflicted are Reno, Rice. "a
warda, Barton, Rush aud Barbour
The populations of these counties u
i787O was seven persons. That vol
may have full Information of the con
dition of the state, | have deemed ]
advisable to request Of the kansa
Central Relief Committee q report O
their operations including statcmen
of the donations received and the man
4 uer of their disbursement.
4 The President of the United States
in December, ordered the distribution
Of quantity of army clothing anon;
the needy. The quantity furnishe,
was rather limited, but it was careful
~ distributed, aud did much good
When we take into consideration tn
fact that the president ordeIed the dis
tribution of this clothing without di
lrect authority of law, relying upol
subsequent legislation for indemnifi
cation, we can appreciate the kindnes
which inspired his action in our be
half. The agencies which are now q
work may be sufficient to meet, a
present, all pressing demands; but, t
my mind, it would be extremely haz
ardous, even if it were advisable L
continue them, to trust to them dur
ing the entire winter and spring.
is of paramount Importance, not I,
the needy alone, but 70 the entire stat,
as well, that the distress and sufferin:
Of the unfortunate should be relieved
and it will be your duty to provide
tho means therefor il those alread,
adopted should appear faulty or mad
equate. The secretary of the stat
board of agriculture, in his efforts u
secure reliable data, has been untiring
but in the collection of his statistic
he has been compelled to rely entirel,
upon correspondence. In order tina
the legislature may have the fullest in
formation possible, | suggest that /;
committee be Immediately appointed
10 visit the destitute districts. A re
port could be made before the cxpira
ton of half the session, and yol
would thus have a basis for action
which would be more satisfactory K
you, doubtless, than that Of which yol
are already in possession.
In any contingency, it would seen
to be necessary to make provision fol
furnishing seed for spring planting t.
those who are unable to obtain it 9th
erwise. IL may not be thought out o
place in this connection, to call atten
ton to few noticeable figures takel
from the official reports in the agricul
turai department:
| The aggregate acreage embraced
within the organized counties of tn,
state is $780, 400. Number of acre.
at present subject to taxation, 16, 996,
TAG. Number of acres cultivated
1868, 1859. The increase of cultivated
acres from 1873 to 1874 was 7O5, 1872, OF
20.S0 per cent. A similar increase il
to be noted in dairy and other pro
ducts. The following figures from tn,
same source, afford some indication,
Of the progress which is being mad,
in manufacturing enterprises:
Number Of water-power saw mills
fifteen; steam saw mills, fifty wafer
power Touring mills, ninety; stean
Touring mills, fifty-nine; water-powel
saw and grist mills, thirteen; steam
saw and grist mills, fourteen; furni
ture factories, thirteen foundries anc
rolling mills, five; weolen factories
six; miscellaneous, embracing oil fac
tories, gypsum, soap, carriage, etc.
fifty.
This is exclusive of cigar mauufac
tories, breweries, machine shops O
the different railroads, and the minor
industries. Our total bonded indebt
edness is 1884, 75. OF this amount
1903, 1925 has been purchased. and til.
actual bonded indebtedness of til,
state is only 1857 $50. The receipt,
into the treasury during the fiscal yeal
from all sources, exclusive of balances
were 1895, 1925 and the expendi
lures, exclusive of transfers, 1915.
S05.S2. The total balance in the treas
ury, at the beginning of the fiscal year
was $207 ,334.99; at the end of the ifs
cal year, 1927, 8S0.06. The permanent
school fund Oh the 30th of November
1873, amounted to 81, 00S, 1859; o,
the 30th of November, 1874, SLIPS,
300. S2-an increase during the year o
$l17. 1873.
For the past two years the levy t.
been four mills on the dollar. Tn,
general decrease in values throughout
the country has kept the total valua
ton of taxable property in the stat,
at about the figure which it had reach
cd three years ago, notwithstanding
the large actual increase of wealth
This year the appropriations will,
fear, necessarily be somewhat larger
than usual, mainly because of the ex
penses incurred by the militia on &C
count Of Indian troubles, and tn,
probable disposition of the Legislature
to assist, at least with seed for spring
planting, those who have suffered i,
the disasters of the past season. Tn,
expenses of the state government ar,
mainly betrayed from the general rev
enuc fund. am inclined to think tha
a little earnest work, having for it,
object a proper curtailmeut of thes.
expenses. would result in adyantag,
to the taxpayers, and prove highl,
creditable to the Legislature. Tn,
public printing costs entirely toe
much. and you will not, it is to b.
hoped, permit the session to expir,
without providing for its reduction
The appropriations for the state insti
buttons form an item of NJ inconsid
cradle proportion, those for last veal
aggregating 1921 ,5S8.34. We can,
think, in q short time dispense with
the necessity for a large portion Of
these appropriations. The appropria
tons for the pcnitentiary have swell
ed considerably our annual expendi
lures, that for the last year amounting
to $74, 461.06. The building is now en-
tirely enclosed, and l hope to be abls
&c say, in another year, that the insti
| nj hoo orpsirn NJ s,1 IF ..
existence when it can provide for it.
self. The great burden of the people
is local taxation. The tax collected
throughout the state last year fol
county purposes alone was ncarl,
twice Us great as that collected BY the
state. The same is true Of the col!ec
tions from school districts. while thu
amount collected by city and TOWNSHIP,
governments is about equal to the Gu
tire amount paid into the state treas
ury. There is broad field for reform
it appears TO me, in the management
Of our county governments, and Il
this subject l invite your special at
tention. One great source of expense
in fact, the greatest-is that attend
lug the holding of the courts. Fol-
the year ending September /, 1874, il
cost the county of Leavenworth, foi
this purpose, SiS,37S.03, aud this ex.
elusive of the sum OF $ll, ISL .04 fol-
boarding prisoners and other jail cx-
penses. The state has expended, sine,
its admission into the Union, exclu.
sivc Of the expenses of the past year
| for defense against Indians, abou,
$4,000. In 1867 it expended $50. 900