Laurel outlook., 1947-12-31
MOntana's Output
Continued To Fall
Continued from Page One)

01ShO III NoLlbS l0tO dnQ luIl
Der production jumped sharply, Blu
mining, covering minerals, oil am
coal, continued a downward trend
Within the mining classification,
however, petroleum and natural ga
production were at record or nea
record levels in 1916 on the basis Of
preliminary reports.
Using 100 as the figure to repre-.
sent the 1859 comparison period
the report sets the 1916 overall Mon
tana production index at 1913, with
lumber at 1853, agriculture at 14S
and mining at rs. The overall in.
dex of production had climbed t.
146 in 1912 and dropped to 12S in
1915.
Despite the overall production de-
crease, income payments for 1916
reached 1869 million, far above the
1915 record of $555 million. The
statistics on income payments in
clude net salaries and wages, other
labor income, proprietors' income
and such items as dividends and in
terest.
Net salaries and wages increased
from 1914 million in 1915 to 1921
million in 1916, with other labor in
come decreasing slightly from S45
million to $44 million. Proprietors'
income increased from 1892 million
in 1915 to 1854 million in 1916. Di-
vidend and interest items increased
from $44 million to $50 million.
The annual cash income from
farm marketings reached a new high
of 1921 100000 in 1916, compared
with $234,535,O 900 in 1915 and $780,
10000 in 1914. Lowest figure for
farm marketings in the 16-year per-
iod covered by the report was $780,
$4,000 in 1882.
Annual income from mining show
ed a continued decrease from the
peak of $96,681,6O4 in 1912 to $751;
$4,000 in 1915, the last year on
which mining income reports were
yet available.
The 415,421 900 board feet OF
lumber produced in Montana in 1916
was valued at $17,2O4,O 900, well
above the 341, 749 900 board feet pro-
duced in 1915 but slightly under the
totals for 1912, 1913 and 1914 which
were 433,O89, 900 board feet, 423,-
100000 board feet and 448, 498, 900
board feet respectively.
The cash value of the 1916 lumber
production, however, was far above
any preceding year, the more than
SIT million total comparing with
$11, 706,35O in 1912, $12,69 700 in
1913, $14,297,OOO in 1914, and $12,-
1850 in 1915.
Assessed valuations in Mon
tana in 1916 totaled 81 ,179, 004,-
143 compared with $1,167, 1924 in
1915, and taxable valuations totaled
$362,483,153 for 1916 compared with
1858, 730,970 in 1915. Higher totals
in both categories were reported in
1880 and 1881, and the low point
was touched in 1889, with $1,013.-
905 ,288 assessed valuation and $315,-
363,281 taxable valuation.
The total tax bill in 1916, exclud-
ing income taxes, was S28, 093, 900
compared with $25,8S7, 900 in 1915.
State income tax collections for 1916
S 1,588,122 compared with
81 ,454, 704 in 1915, while federal in.
tax collections in Montana in
1916 totaled $5O,192,OOO compared
With $52,342, 545 in 1915.
The heavy federal income tax bill
'or 1914, 1915, and 1916 totaled
;15O,831 1856 while federal income
for the preceding ID years
:otaled only $64,788, TAG, the report
'eveals.
Loans and discounts in all Mon
ana banks totaled $60,615,0OO, ac-
to preliminary figures for
GAG, almost so per cent higher
han 1915 but slightly under the
81, PAS, 900 total in 1941. Bank in
estments climbed to a new high of
342, 035, 900 compared with $333,-
$4,000 in 1915. Bank deposits
otaled $531, O24,OOO in 1916, conf
AIRED with $499, 100000 in 1915.
ank debts totaled 81 ,644, 1892, 900
,r 1916, compared with $1,323,072,-
DO in 1915. Savings deposits at
lie end of 1915 totaled 1,215, 900
national and state banks. No
cures were available on such de-
osits in state banks for 1916, but
lie total savings deposits in nation
banks in 1916 showed an increase
approximately 10 per cent over
AS.
Of the many phases of Montana's
:onomic life covered by the. report,
lie of the most notable changes
ON preceding years was the esti-
ated expenditures ~of tourists trav-
ing by automobile, their total
in Montana climbing from
6,466,O25 in 1915 to $53,861, 971
1916, far above the peak pre-war