Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-08-12
GROWTH OF MINNESOTA
REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
FIFTY YEARS.
everything Shows a Most Wonderful
Growth. All Done in the Last
Half Century.

Half Century.
This year marks the fiftieth anniver.
sary of the state of Minnesota, and It
is interesting to- compare the financial
condition of the state, the first year
Of its organization, with the present
year.
Taxes levied for all purposes, state,
county, township, city and village, in
1853, were 1854 900. In 1908 they
were $2S,O00,OO0. The total assessed
valuation of taxable. real and per-
sonal property of the state in 1858
was $41,00C.oo0. In 1908, $685.
100000. From January list. 1858, to
February list, 1859, the total receipts
OF the treasury were $2S6.o0o. For
the fiscal year ending July 31st, 1908,
the receipts were S12,446,280.64, as
compared with $11,250,342.27 in 1907.
In 1861 there were only two classes
of state institutions. the state prison
and normal schools. For them there
was expended that year for support
a total of $500. Last year for the
prison, reformatory, insane hospitals,
university, normal schools, schools for
the deaf, dumb, blind and feeble-mind-
ed, the state public school and sol.
diers' home, over $2,000,0O0.
Since the organization of the state
there has been disbursed for the sup.
port Of all state institutions $33,OOO,-
900. The total expended for the
buildings of the various institutions
has been $15,000,000, of which the in
sane hospitals have received $4,000
900, the university $2,000,O00, and the
new capitol $4,500,0OO. This amour,
($15,000,C00), with the value of the
ground where the institutions are 10.
Gated estimated at $5,000,O00, makes
the institutional property of the state
worth $20,o0o,000.
The permanent school fund now az.
gregates $1S,000,0OO, and the univer-
sity fund $1,500,0O0. The state lands
still unsold, including swamp, univer.
sity and school lands, aggregate about
2,75C,O00 acres, and when all these
lands are sold, when the timber is cut
and sold, and when the ore royalties
are all receievd, it is fully expected
that the general school fund will reach
$1OO,00O,000 and the university fund
$10,0O0,000 to $15,000,0O0, and that rs
not an idle estimate when it is con-
sidered that from one 4O-acre tract
there will be taken 20,000,O0O tons of
ore, on which the state receives roy
atty Of Csc ton, or $5,OO0,00O. The
state has contracted on similar terms
over 500 forties.
The bonded Indebtedness of the
state, represented by the old railroad
funding bonds, is now 100000, and is
being reduced at the rate of $15O,OO0
a year. The certificates of indebted
ness issued by the capitol commission
ers for the building and furnishing OF
the new capitol which are still un.
paid amount to S2,500,O00
The large railroad taxes are due
and payable the LIST of March, and the
June county settlement with the
state brings in a large sum to the
treasury, so that during the summer
months the states strong box is full
to overflowing. The amount on hand
dwindles gradually from July to DC.
tober, reducing the cash balance of
about $3,000,OOO to a little over a
million. In October the legislature
has made the school apportionment,
which this year will amount to about
$1,O00,000, and the state aid to schcol
appropriation, which this year was
over $S5S,0G0. payable. This amosnt
Of nearly 100000 is made available
at time when the states cash bal
ance is only something over mrl.
lion. AS a result each year the state
Is compelled to borrow from half
million to a million and three-quarters
dollars, paying the market rate of in.
terest. A great many people, even
bankers and county treasurers, who,
perhaps more than any other class in
the state, are familiar with finance,
do not know that the state becomes
borrower each year about the lst
of November and continues a borrow
er until the spring months These
loans are only temporary and antlc1-
patory, taxes having in all cases been
levied to pay such loans beforehand.
The general administration ex.
penses of the state government are
paid out of the general revenue fund.
which has various sources, several Of
which are as follows for the year end
ing July 31st, 1908:
H 1sa.aoau .aAts ..'............ "a. 81. 1876
Insurance companies taxes :. 3G5 '294.4i
incorporation fees ......... GS c5O GO
Transportation and express
companies .................. 39,40S.70
Vessel tonnage taxes ......... 1888. G6
Telephone companies ........ 1O3 O53 81
inheritance taxes ............. 43.15 Ia
hunters licenses ..........,.. 1f asa 20
State prison Irvine plant 800. 1925. 293. so
Other state Institutions ...... 2SO,9 $50. o.
It may be of interest to know the
amount which has been received from
the 2 per cent tax on liquor licenses
for the establishment of state inebri.
ate hospital. There has been received
in cash s34,562.S7, to which may ne
added $13,494.42, representing unpaid
auditors drafts in process Of collec-
ton, making a total of $4S,057.29 for
the fifteen months during which the
law has been in operation.
Flower Day At Prison.
Stillwater-The state w. C.. r. u.
held it's thirty-first annual flower day