Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-04-24

a grasshopper scourge that reduced
production Of cereals, an increase in
Montana territ0ry's expenditures Of
S3,56l, an outstanding bonded and
warrant indebtedness of SI25,G85 and
4 deficiency in The appropriation for
current expenses Of tie penitentiary
were some Of the causes OF anxiety
for Sol Star, auditor Cor the territory
of Montana in 1879, according TO the
annual report Of hat year.
Revenue for that year from taxes
and license fees totaled S47,228. with
81 ,028 from other sources, and the ter
ritory's expenses were S32.287. Assessed
valuation Of all property was Sl0,062,-
904, a gain of S678,592 over the previous
year. OF the nine counties, Lewis and
Clark, with an assessed valuation of
1897, obs, contributed Sl4, 100 in taxes,
or nearly one-third Of the territory's
total income.
The increase in expenditures is
caused mainly by assumption by the
territory of the humane responsibility
of providing for the proper care and
custody Of the insane" said Auditor
Stars territorial report.
The amount paid for the care Of
this unfortunate class from Jan. l TO
Nov. l, 1875, was $11 1893, or more than
one-third of the entire debt created for
the year. The continued increase in
the number of insane the territory is
called upon to provide for will require
an annual expenditure of from $4,000
to Sic, 900.
$50 large an increase Il the I'M
funded Indebtedness" Auditor Star
continued, will, in my opinion, have
a tendency to depreciate the good credit
the territory now enjoys; therefore, I
would suggest to the legislature that
it restore the law of Jan. II, 1872, pro-
yiding for a territorial levy of four
mills"
Exhaustion in October, 1875, of the
$4,000 appropriated to defray current
expenses of the penitentiary was re-
ported by Auditor Star. The sum vas
intended TO provide for the prison for
two years. He estimated the probable
cost for 1876 at not less than $3.50 a
month, or q total of $1,000.
Mr.. Star also reported that the COM
missioners for the centennial exhibit
ton at Philadelphia in 1876 had COL
lected and shipped some $4,000 pounds
consisting of gold, silver, copper and
lead ores, from 200 different mines;
specimens of iron and tin ores, coal,
coke, limestone, granite, plain and fan
cy marble. friedrich, potter's clay, yell
lowstone curiosities and cereals and are
at present engaged in collecting gold
dust from placer mines in the territory,
with such other articles as may prove
of value. 1t is the aim of the COM
nl1cCInnprc tn m1la q hln t~anra-
sentation of Montana productions at
the exhibition"
In 1875, in accordance with an act
approved Feb. IL, 1874, locating the
seat of government for Montana, the
auditors and treasurer's Offices, with
certain indispensable articles. were re-
moved TO Helena.
Mr.. Star reported that the territorial
library, official records, books and pa
pers and some valuable articles Of
furniture yet remained at Virginia City
and that an appropriation OF about
$3.50 would be required for their trans
p~ortation.
THE summary of statistics collected
and returned for the year, 1915, dis
played a better showing than IN any
previous year." said the report. In the
production of cereals a noticeable de-
crease was perceptible and must be at
tributed to the grasshopper scourge
with which farmers have been afilict-
ed for two years past
The report makes suggestions rela-
tive to furnishing blanks to county Of
ficials, reducing cost OF printing and
fixing the beginning Of the territory's
fiscal year as Jan. l.. The nine coun-
ties in the territory then were Lewis
and Clark. Madison, Deer Lodge, Gal
latin, Jefferson, Beaverhead, Meagher,
MiSSoula and Chouteau.