, 1890-10-30
ADVANCE OF A YEAR.
The Governors 1890 Report to the
Secretary of the Interior.
Population---VaIuatio - Railways
Agriculture and Mining.
Six Hundred Streams and 1000.
600 Acres of Timber.

reporter for this paper was Yesterday per-
mitted to read the original.
The governor reviews the elevation OF
Wyoming to statehood and then touches
briefly on important subjects. After Civ
ing the result of the census he says that
it was probable all the people were not
listed. For reasons well understood it
would be a very difficult matter to record
the population in the time allowed aud
with the means afforded. The population
young and medium age and Of high char
acter in intelligence. aud morals. The
mines employ a few thousand alien popu-
lation including 500 Chinese. The more
thickly populated districts are in the
southern portion of the state along the
line of the Union Pacific. but the increase
the past year has been the greatest in the
northeastern portion.
1t is believed the assessed valuation for
tax purposes in Wyoming does not exceed
one-third the actual valuation, but as a
fairly uniform assessment is made a basis
of comparison has been established. In
1870 the total assessed valuation of prop
ertY was Sc, 924, 1857; in 1880, $II, 1857, 344;
in 1890. 1905, 499. The revenue
laws are wise and beneficial. Wyo-
ming had, on September /, 1890,
a cash balance in the treasury OF
s94, GA. The territory will bequeath to
the state a bonded Indebtedness Of $500
900. These bonds bear interest at the
rate Of 6 per cent. The entire proceeds
of their sales, together with large amounts
appropriated from time to time, we're
used in the construction of public build
ings.
The area Of Wyoming is 90, Gas, 100
acres. OF this nearly 4s, 000. 900 acres
have been surveyed and Is, 900, 900 vet
remain unsurveYed. More than three
fourths of the lands of Wyoming are
open for settlement under the homestead
and other land laws, and the field is in
viting for the emigrant desiring new coun-
try and early privileges in the selection of
homes. 1t would much benefit Wyoming
if congress would adopt a more liberal
policy in the matter of public surveys.
Wyoming is without navigable waters
and therefore its must depend
entirely on railways. Some 600 streams,
large and small, are located within its
borders and although none are large
enough for navigation they all furnish
practical grades for railway buildinG-
The Union Pacific extends entirely across
the southern portion, the Oregon Short
Line across the northwest, the Denver
Pacific and Colorado Central come in at
Cheyenne. the Laramie, North Park &
Pacific comes in at Laramie from the
south to the Union Pacific, and the Chey-
enne & Northern extends northward from
the Union Pacific at Cheyenne. The
Cheyenne 4 Northern is completed lbs
miles, and the iron is now being laid on
an extension which will connec it with
the Wyoming Central. The latter ex-
tends from the eastern line of the state to
Casper, nearly in the center, a distance of
100 miles. The Cheyenne & Burlington
has about thirty miles from Cheyenne
east, and the Burlington & Missouri,
through its Wyoming branch, has a line
extending into the Northwest, with the
evident intention of continuing to Mon
tana. Valuable coal fields, rich In cokiug
coal, have been tapped by this line. A
connection is contemplated from Alliance,
Neb,, southwest to cheyenne. The
Pacific Short Line, or Wyoming Eastern,
has a large number of engineers in the
field through the state. There are a
dozen lesser lines and branches contem-
plated, and work is being done upon some
of them. Wyoming has about 1000
miles of railway already finished.
Increased development is noted in agri-
cultural pursuits and new districts are
constantly being opened up. The success
which has attended irrigation in the arid
regions OF the country and its growing i'm
portance has attracted much attention, as
it has been shown hat the greatest re-
suits in individual size and in general
yield of crops Grown are reached by the
artificial application of water. Wyoming
has a large number of reliable streams
and great development in irrigation is
possible and probable. In many places,
and especially in Northern Wyoming s
much successful farming is done without
irrigation.
Stock raising is the Oldest industry in
the state and a large amount of capital
is invested in that business. There are
less large herds and more smaller
ones than formerly. The pasturage OF
Wyoming continues to be of the very
best known and it is believed that the
live stock grown here will increase in
numbers with agriculture rather than de.
crease as was feared when the open range
system was the only one pursued. As
water is taken out for irrigation much
more hay and other feed is grown which
increases the total product. The number
OF sheep and horses has increased very
considerably during the past year, while
the number of cattle is not much changed.
The herds and hocks are improving in
grade. No fatal contagious diseases exist.
Without doubt mining presents the
greatest possibilities of any OF the various
resources Of the commonwealth, Tn,
area underlaid with coal exceeds 10000
square miles and coal measures are beinl
rapidly developed and the output greatly
increased. During the last year man,