The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-19

STATE WAS ORIGINALLY
PART OF UTAH TERRITORY
1t Was Made a Territory in
1861, a State in
1864.

Surveyor General Kelley. in a report
which he recently issued regarding the
State Of Nevada. gives some interesting
data concerning the State. From his re-
port the following is taken:
March 2. 1861, the act Of Congress or
ganiEing the Territory OF Nevada from
that part of Utah Territory lying west OF
the 1l5 meridian and north OF the 37th
parallel OF latitude was approved by Pres
ident James Buchanan. Congress appro-
priated $4,000 In currency then worth
about sc cents on the dollar in coin. for
the support of the Territorial government.
In 1863 an election was held to ascertain
whether or not the people were IN favor
OF State government, AT that election
S163 votes were polled, Of which 5153 ia
Vored state government. A convention
to frame q Constitution was held at Car
son City and the instrument adopted by
the convention was submitted to a vote
OF the people in January. 1864. and re-
jected by the decisive. majority OF 5leI
against 1881 in favor Of It's adoption At
tnat time mining was supposed TO be the
only industry that could be protitabl car
ried on In Nevada. and a clause In the
constitution submitted TO the people pro-
Vided for the taxation OF mines and re-
suited as stated In its rejection. y sec
ond constitutional convention. which was
also held at Carson City. frarned the
present constitution, which was adopted
by a vote of 9131 out of total OF II ,3aS,
and on October 81, 1864. Nevada was ad-
State by proclamation Of President LIN
coin,
Years of Travail.
AS an evidence Of the changes which
time, and circumstances make in the
minds Of the people an amendment TO the
constitution providing for the taxation Of
patented mines was adopted by major
ity OF the qualified electors OF the State
= o1n Iip9 10 Fla-
first census taken in Nevada, that OF
1870, the State then had population OF
!2,49l, which in 1880 had Increased 10
creased to 41.76I, and IN 1900 to 4l.S25,
which was less than in 1870. Various
causes are assigned for the decrease IN
population, bur the principal one is con-
ceded to be the exodus OF miners and
others from the silver producing mining
camps when the price Of metal, because
Of IT'S decentralization, was lower than
ever before In historical times. The aban-
donment OF the mines deprived the farm
er and gardener OF markets for their
vailed throughout the State. Banks would
not accept improved real estate as securf-
ties. for loans: and the only Industries
wool growing The great Comstock lode,
which produced over half a billion dollars
in gold anu silver bullion, was supposed
looked upon, east OF the Rocky noun
tains. as an unfit associate for the popu-
lous, prosperous States of the Union
New Birth of State.
But the discovery of mines In what was
deemed the most rarren and desolate
ties again attracted attention TO Nevada.
The mines have proved TO be fabulously
rich. and very extensive, and the dis
coverers and investors have with n bound
risen from comparative poverty TO arflu
ence, reckoning their wealth today by
hundreds of thousands, If not millions.
new Developments is extending TO all
parts OF Nevada, Rich discoveries are be-
Ing made almost daily In old and ahand-
oned mining districts as well as IN the
lief is becoming general that almost
every mountain range In the State con-
talns valuable leads Of gold, silver, cop
per, lead and antImony. Railroads. are
| being built for the accomplodation of the
cities that have sprung UP as II by
magic in many parts OF the State: Thore
is a home market FOR the products OF
the soil and factory, the assessable prop
erty has increased by millions. and TODAY
Nevada Is attracting more attention than
any State In the, Union;
The price of silver, like the price OF
wheat, beef and wool, is q factor In
the prosperity OF Nevada. The advance
the lowest recorded. in January, 1903 10
II cents per ounce, 1906. has installed
new life Into the old silver producing
districts and added materially 10 the
values OF the bullion product of Tono-
pah and other new mining districts.
where the ore carries silver as well as
gold.
Population Today.
As the inhabitants Of the State have
not been enumerated since the census OF
1900. which was prior TO the mining re-
yival. the present population OF Nevada
is an unknown quantity, According TO
the census of 1900. the population of Ne
vada was 42, 1885. The total vote for pres
identia electors that year was l0,l96-
about one vote for every four inhabitants.
In 1906 the total vote Tor governor was
IA S37, which on the basis OF 1900 would
indicate n population of about $4,000
which beyond reasonahle doubt is several
thousand less than the actual number
Since the mining revival thousands from
other States have come to Nevada and
the immigration has been especially large
during the present year. AS the newconl-
ers had not been long enough In the State
to entitlc them 10 registration. of course
they did not vote. and owing to a change
In the laws closing the registration lists
much earlier than usual. at least thou
sand persons otherwise qualified could
not register. Other thousands were pros
Dectng In the hills remote from voting
precincts, and did not exercise the right
of suffrage, and the opening of the Walk
err river reservation just on the eve OF
election day kept many from the polls
Taking into consideration these facts IL
e paSOnablo tO nreslln1p thnt tho noppla