The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-01-13

ouAhS vi EuI1lLCu uAuCl IIlC SCuCldl
corporation law, and seventy state
banks doing business under the bank
ing law passed at the last session OF
the legislature. The private banks
are not under supervision, owing to a
decision of the supreme court holding
that the banking law which sought
to subject private banks to examina-
tion was unconstitutional. During
the fiscal period eight private banks
have failed while among the state
banks there has been but two fail
ures. In all the private banks which
have failed there were county depos-
it's held, which resulted in consider
able losses of public funds. The two
state banks which failed had been
organized under the general corpora
tion law, and their failure would have
been prevented had they been organ
lied under the new banking law in
stead. According to thereports made
May IA, 1892, by the seventy banks
organized under the banking law, and
the forty banks organized under the
general corporation law, their total
resources were S., ,3OS, 557. The depos-
its subject to check at that date
amounted to 81, ,5s9,774, and the GER
titicates of deposit amounted to ST.
233,654.
Tho rnpnrf ch yrrifh fc
the treasures of the several counties
that during the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1892, the receipts Of the
counties from all sources were IS, ,667,-
l69, and that while the cash on hand
in the various county treasures on
July ], 1891, was $500, ,7Ss, it was 1885,
46s July l, 1892, an increase which
indicates general improved financial
conditions in the state.
COMMISSIONER OF SCHOOL AND PUB
Lie LANDS.
In his report Commissioner Ruth
furnishes some interesting statistics
concerning the school and public
lands of the state, by which itappears
that the state has received the mag
nificent gift of 1881 400 acres of land
from the government, of which 2, $685.
800 acres belong to the common
schools, of which ISIS acres have
been decided, and 9S,945 acres are
under contract OF sale, leaving the
state still in possession of 2,72l, 494
acres. The sums realized from sales
amount to 81 1887 1913, of which $685.
0s0 have been paid into the treasury,
leaving the balance due from pur-
chasers, upon which they pay inter
est. The number of acres leased is
90s, l03 and the receipts from leases
amount to S48,81S. The average price
realized from sales of land is $14.62a
per acre. During the year 1891 the
income fund apportioned to the
school districts of the several coun-
ties of the state amounted to S45, ,082
or 81 cents per child for the S6,676
school children in the state, while
for 1892 the total income fund appor-
toned was $7S,10S, or So cents per
child for each of the 9O,S24 school
children. The increase in the num-
Der of school children in the state
from S6,676 in 1891 to 90,sA in 1892
is nearly 6 per cent.
Commissioner Ruth recommends
that the legislature should authorize
an inquiry into the legality of the
proceedings had by the Dell Rapids
Mining company in obtaining a
patent for 200 acres ofstone land near
Dell Rapids, to the end that suit
should be commenced by the state to
set aside the patent. The validity of
a number of other entries in the state
would be determined by the result of
this contest.
He also recommends that an at
tempt be made to compel railroad
companies to pay for their right-of-
way across school sections. He
desires further that law be enacted
to prevent timber cutting and farm
ing operations upon school sections.
1t is his judgment that convictions
for trespass of this kind is impossible
where prosecution is brought in the
cou4ty in which the land lies. With
regard to investment Of the perma-
nent school fund he suggests that the
constitution be so amended as to per-
NIT the upurchase of county bonds
Herewith. 1t is also his Judgment
that. the permanent school funds
should own all the state bonds at the
rate of per cent. interest.
Eclipses This Year.
There will be but two eclipses in
1893 and both of the sun: /. A total
eclipse of the sun, April 16, visible as
a partial eclipse throughout South