The Ely miner., 1916-02-11
GREAT IMPROVEMENT SHOWN BY
MINNESOTA HEALTH
BOARDS REPORT.
STATE CAPITOL HAPPENINGS
Events Of General Interest in Mime
sofa Condensed and Revised for
the Greater Convenience
OF Busy Readers.

Oh H9dltH. scarlet IeVer cases report
ed in the state in 1915 were 3,S13, OF
$3.50 less than in 1914. There were
2,610 cases of diptheria in 1915 az
against 4,577 in 1914. A decrease Of
SOs typhoid fever cases is shown with
a total of 976.
Classifications of death returns fol
1915 are not yet complete, but the esti
mates warranted by the incomplete
compilation indicate that there was G
marked decrease in the death rate OF
1915 from these deases as compared
with that of 1914.
In 1914 there were 321 deaths from
scarlet fever, $50 deaths from diph
iberia and 220 deaths from typhoid
fever. The estimated number ci
deaths in the state in 1915 are; Scar
let fever, 191; diptheria, 201, and ty'
phoid fever, 120.
The report of the division of prevent
able diseases shows the number oi
cases reported, as follows: Smallpox
1880; cerebro-spinal meningitis, %;
diptheria, 2,610; leprosy, L; measles
3,177; poliomyelitis, 104 scarlet fever
3,S13; trichinosis, 4; typhoid fever
976; chickenpox, 1,457; erysipelas
104; rabies (human), l; trachoma, 10;
tuberculosis, 1860; whooping cough
552; anthrax, l; malaria, 1.
The prevention of smallpox by vac
cination is shown by the statement
that for the past three years there
were 6,356 cases Of smallpox in Min
nesota and that 92.5 per cent of these
cases were persons not vaccinated.
To Reclaim State Lands.
Every voter of Minnesota will be
asked to cast his ballot next Novem
ber for Amendment No. 1, providing
for the establishment of a revolving
fund by the state for the develop
ment of the state lands, now wild and
unproductive. Members of the com
mittee in charge of boosting the
plans for campaign to reach every
precinct in the state.
The amendment contemplates &
fund of $250,O00 to be used for putting
these undeveloped lands in condition
to make them salable. The lands, they
assert, are of no value to the state
because there are no roads leading to
them, they are in no condition to be
titled. The tract amounts to nearly
100000 acres.
To raise funds for carrying on the
educational campaign, the committee
decided to issue tags to be sold al
county fairs, neighborhood picnics an(
political meetings at cents each. II
is estimated that $4,000 will be neces
sary to carry on the campaign.
X X X
$1,530,495 Treasury Balance.
Business of January closed with &
cash balance of $1,530,495 in the office
of Walter J. Smith, state treasurer
despite the fact that the revenue funG
was overdrawn $563,669. The prison
revolving fund which is used to main
tain the prison industries held a bal
ance of $429,405. This fund is made
up of earnings Of the twine and ma
chinery plants. The road and bridge
fund contained $173,303 which will be
sent to counties to aid in building
roads.
X X X
Fedora! Aid For "U."
A check for $12,449 has been re
ceived by ]. A. o. Preus, state auditor
from the Federal treasury department
as government aid to the extension
department of the University of Min
nesota. The money is made available
under provisions of the Lever bill, and
covers aid for six months.
Ten Railroads Ask Stay.
Attorneys representing ten railroads
affected by the common rate point or
der of the Railroad and Warehouse
Commission asked the supreme court
to stay enforcement of the order un
til the cases have been decided by the
court.
State to Import Sisai?
That the state of Minnesota charter
a steamer and make its own impor
tations of sisal from Progreso, Mexico
for the state prison twine plant, has
been suggested to the state board o
control.
Would Stop Timber Sales.
The state should stop selling state
timber, in the opinion of J. A. o. Preus
state auditor, who has returned from
an inspection trip of county sales o.
state timber. There is only abou
s12,O00,OCo 70 si5,O0O,GG0 worth Of tim
Der left" he said. The state shoult
now adopt the practice of selling as
little as possible of it's timber. Only
that which is endangered should bt
Sold" Sales were held in Koochichins
Lake, st. Louis, Itasca and Aitkir
counties, 100000 worth of timber wa
disposed of.
Attacks Primary Aaw.
An attack on the present primary
election law was made by L. C
Spooner Of Morris, chairman of the
state efficiency and economy commits
sion. He advocated, in its stead, {
combination of the present primary
election system with modification o.
the old-time convention method o
nominating candidates for state ant
county offices. Mr.. Spooner said the
commission probably will not take III
the subject of primary law, gener
ally regarded as outside of the juris
diction of the commission.