The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-08-07
GROWTH OF MINNESOTA
REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
FIFTY YEARS.
Everything Shows a Most Wonderful
Growth. All Done in the Last
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 it's organization, with the present
year.
Taxes levied for all purposes, state,
county, township, city and village, in
1858, were $554,000. In 1908 they
were $2S,000,O00. The total assessed
valuation of taxable, real and per-
sonal property of the state in 1858
was $41,000,0O0. In 1908, $685.
100000. From January LIST, 1858, to
February LIST, 1859, the total receipts
of the treasury we're s286,000. For
the fiscal year ending July 31st, 1908,
the receipts were $12,446, 2SO.64, as
compared with $11,25O,34227 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
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 100000.
Since the organization of the state
there has been disbursed for the sup
port of all state institutions $33,0OO,-
600. The total expended for the
buildings of the various institutions
has been SIS 100000, of which the in
sane hospitals have received S3,O00,-
600, the university 100000, and the
new capitol $4,500,000 This amount
($15,0 00,000), with the value of the
ground where the institutions are To-
Gated estimated at $5,000,000, makes
the institutional property of the state
worth $20,000,O00.
The permanent school fund now ag-
gregates $18,000,000, and the univer.
sity fund $1,5OOOOO. The state lands
still unsold, including swamp, univer-
sity and school lands, aggregate about
2,750,000 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
$1O0,000,000 and the university fund
$10,000,000 to $15,OO0,OO0, and that rs
not an idle estimate when it is con-
sidered that from one 40-acre tract
there will be taken 20,000,000 tons of
ore, on which the state receives roy
atty of 25c a ton, or $5,O0O,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 $150,000
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 $2,500,000
The large railroad taxes are due
and payable the LIST of March, and the
June county settlement with the
state brings in large sum to the
treasury, so that during the summer
months the states strong box is full
to overlooking. The amount on hand
dwindles gradually from July to Oc-
tober, reducing the cash balance Of
about 100000 to little over a
million. In October the legislature
has made the school apportionment,
which this year will amount to about
100000, and the state aid to school
appropriation, which this year was
over $856,000, payable. This arnocnt
Of nearly 100000 is made available
at time when the states cash bal
ance is only something over MIL.
lion. AS result each year the state
is compelled to borrow from half a
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 borrow
er until the spring months. These
loans are only temporary and anticf-
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:
Railroad taxes ..............s SO, 425. 343. 70
| General taxation ............. l ,559 $40. Al
| Insurance companies taxes :. 365. 294. II
| Incorporation fees ........... 68, 1850. 90
| Transportation and express
companies ............ 80, 4OS 70
| Vessel tonnage taxes ......... 1913 &c
| Telephone companies ........ 103, 053 81
| Inheritance taxes ............. 1878 IA
| Hunters licenses ............. 16,464 20
| State prison twine plant $50. 1928, 293 60
Other state institutions ..... 280, 959. OF
1t 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 $34,562.S7, to which may pe
| added $13,49442, representing unpaid
auditors drafts in process of collec
ton, making total of $4S,057.29 for
| the fifteen months during which the
law has been in operation.