The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-02-24

Whatever may be the other short
comings of Neyada-and in the eyes
of many other states they are legion
this state can make a financial
showing not equaled by any other
state In the union and can put to
shame many that affect to despise
Nevada as the black sheep in the SIS
terhood of states.
Nevada is not a rich state-rich In
population and diversified resources
and in the total property valuation,
as compared with some of the older
states of the union; but there is no
state that has better financial credit;
no state that has so little indebted
ness: no state that has so large a
property valuation per capita, or is
making such large percentages OF
gain in valuation from year to year;
no state that has a larger school
fund, per capita, and lower state
tax rate.
Nevada has never repudiated a
debt, nor does she owe a single cent
to any one. How many of her many
critics among the states, that can
say as much? There is not a single
dollar of bonded Indebtedness owed
by this state, and on the other hand
she owns bonds of other states in
which she has invested her surplus
school funds, to the amount of hun
dreds of thousands of dollars. Proud
Massachusetts, that wraps her dra-
peries tight around her and reaches
for the smelling salts whenever Ne
yada Is mentioned, does not hesitate
to borrow money from this same de-
spised state and is In our debt to the
amount of $S50.000 as evidenced by
the bonds held in the school funds of
this state At the same time, dur
ing the prudent administration of
Governor Sparks, there has always
been abundant money for all state
purposes, and a large surplus is ever
in evidence in the state treasury for
general and special purposes. And
II our state finances have been IN
such healthy condition during the
lean and hungry times of Nevada S
past. what can be anticipated for the
future, now that the yaate Is enter
ing into the period of her greater
prosperity?
The total valuation of all taxable
property in the state of Nevada for
1903 at the beginning of the states
revival. was $50. 161 $50. In the
succeeding year, it increased by four
million dollars. or, to $3f. 1873, 169.
In the following year, Goldfield and
Bullfrog districts began to figure In
a substantial way In the tax rolls,
and the valuation jumped over six
million dollars. or. to 3,239, 6S4.
In 1906 there was another big gain.
the total valuation being $4S,000,-
600. But 1t remained for the year
1907 to make the most startling gain
of any year. for the total valuation
for that year was S71 ,9S6.2S1. Thus,
in the five years from 1903 to 1907,
inclusive, the property valuation of
the state increased from 1913, :
$50, to $71,S96.2S1. or 100 per cent.
What may we expect in the cur
rent year. 1908? The increase in the
total valuation for this year will not
be less than 100000. This pre-
diction is based upon the fact that
much of the extensive building of the
state. begun last year. did not figure
on the tax rolls of 1907. but will
come into this years total. The
Bulfrog road. the Clark road the
bOTdA oHlltH IDdu, the NtSttih a
cific road all finished after the as
sessment of last year, will add ire
mendously to the tax roll of 1908,
and in addition there are several
shorter lines. Then, also, Goldtield
will contribute more to the grand to-
tai this year than last. for all the
principal business blocks and hotels
of this city and many of the finer res
licences were completed too late to
be included In last years roll. but
will come In this year Esmeralda
county made a gain of $4,000, 900
In taxable property last year over the
year previous. The gain this year
will not be so large, perhaps, but IL
will he very material; for, outside
the improvements in the Goldtield
district including town structures
and large reduction plants, other
parts of the county will contribute
more. In the meantime, other coun-
ties with other camps are coming
along, including the great Ely cop
per camp, which will soon be pro-
ducing bullion, and it is not in the
least improbable that the total valu-
alton of the state for 1908 will reach
$S5,000,000 Figuring the total
population of the state at 10000
possibly a low estimate-this would
represent STAG for every man, wo-
man and child in the state. The per
capita for 1907 was $1,000.
At the beginning of the last regu-
lar session of the legislature, early
in 1907, 1t was found that the state
treasury held in the general fund
some s250,000. beside various large
sums that had been set aside for spe-
cial funds. That session of the legis-
lature made large appropriations.
These appropriations were based
upon the estimated revenues for the
biennial period. The ways and
means committee studied the gain
of the previous years. and estimated
that probably the total average valu-
alton for the years 1907 and 1908
would be $57.000,000 On this val
uation it was figured that the tax