The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-18
HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE IN NEVADA?
Present Population Difficult of
Estimation, but the Growth
Is Wonderful.
HISTORY OF STATE
FROM EARLIEST DAY
Prosperity Today Incident to
Mine Discoveries Is Not
Unduly Emphasized.

The Surveyor General and ex-ofncio
State Land Register Mr.. E. ID. Kelley,
has issued his biennial report givins
the early history and growth of the
state of Nevada. extracts from which
are made as follows, says the Mining
and Engineering Review.
March =. 1861. the act Of Congress or
eanizing the Territory OF Nevada from
that part OF Utah Territory lying west
Of the 1lSth meridian and north of the
31th parallel OF latitude. was approved
by President James Buchanan. Con-
gross appropriated 100000 in currency,
then worth about 60 cents on the dollar
government In 1868 an election was
held to ascertain whether or not the peo-
pie were In favor OF State govern
ment. At that election S163 votes were
poled OF which 5l5S favored a State
government. y convention To frame a
constitution was held at Carson City,
and the instrument adopted by the con-
Nention was submitted TO a vote Of the
people IN January 1864. and rejected by
the decisive majority OF 5l91 against
1881 in favor OF its adoption. AT that
1nlN Industry that could he proiitably
carried on In Nevada and a clause in
The constitution submitted to the people
provided for the taxation Of mines, and
resulted, as stated In It's rejection. A
second constitutional convention, which
was also held at Carson City. framed the
present constitution. which was adopted
by vore OF 9l3I out OF a total of
1885, and on October 81. 1864. Nevada
was admitted into the Union as n SOW
orelSn State by proclamation OF Presi-
dent Lincoln.
As an evidence OF the changes which
Time and circumstances make In the
the constitution providing for the taXa-
tlon of patented mines was adopted by
~ majority OF the qualified electors of
the state al the recent election Ac-
cordiug To the iirst census taken i'm Ne
vada. that OF 1870. the State then had
a population OF 42, t9l. which In 1880 had
laton had decreased to II.76l, and in
700 10 II, ,325, which was less than In
lh'p Various causes are assigned for
The decrease in population but the prln-
cipal one Is conceded TO be the exodus
OF miners and others from the silver
producing mining camps when the price
OF metal. because OF its demonetization.
was lower than ever before in his
torlcai times. The abandonment OF the
mines deprived the farmer and gardener
OF markets for their products and bust
ness depression prevailed throughout the
state Banks would not accept improved
real estate as security for loans and
The only Industries that prospered were
great Comstocls lode which produced
over half billion dollars in gold and
SILVER bullion, was supposed 10 be all
worked out and Nevada was looked
upon. east OF the Rocky mountains. as
An unit associate for the populous and
prosperous States of the Union.
But the discovery of mines in what
latcs mountains in Nye and Esmeralda
counties again attracted attention to Ne
Nada., The mines have proved 10 be fab
ulously rich. and very extensive and
the discoveries and investors have with
bound risen from comparative poverty
10 afhucnce, reckoning their wealth to-
millions. OF dollars. The revival caused
by these new developments is extending
10 AL parts OF Nevada. Rich discoveries
are are being made almost daily in old and
abandoned I'll
IN the new and unexplored localities. and
the belief is becoming general that al
most every mountsin range in the State
contains valuable leads OF god. silver.
copper; lead and antimony. Railroads
arc being built FOR the Accommodate of
the cities that have sprung up as If by
is a home market for all the products
of the soil and the factory. the assess
anle property has Increased by millions.
tcntion than any other State in the
Union.
The price of silver. like the prices OF
wheat, beef and wool is factor IN the
prosperity of Nevada. The advance In
the metal from 47s cents per ounce. The
lowest recorded. In January, 1903. to II
Gen,S t.er,,sb per ounce In November 1906. has
duclng districts and added materially to !
the values OF the bullion product OF To- |
nopah and other new mining localities.
gold ''' 40
geographically the State of Nevada
may be briefly described as a series OF |
mountain ranges and sagebrush covered |
valleys, the general trend of which is |
northerly and southcrly. biologists tell |
MS that in bygouc ages what are now |
valleys were lakes. the shores of which /
nave been traved by expeditions sent by /
the government under the direction OF |
the geological survey. Those ancient |
lakes have been named and mapped in |
the reports OF the geological survey
None. OF the rivers which rise in Nevada