842 



UTAH. 



on that date. The bonded debt of the Territory on 

 Dec. 31 was $278,000, on which the rate of inter- 

 est is 5 per cent. Of these bonds, $150,000 were 

 issued in July, 1888, and $128,000 in July of this 

 year. The assessed valuation of property for 

 1890 was $108,612,216, of which the valuation of 

 Salt Lake County, including Salt Lake City, was 

 $52,270,966. These figures show an increase of 

 more than 100 per cent, over the valuation of 

 1889, a result which was chiefly produced by the 

 operation of the amendments to the revenue law 

 passed by the Legislature this year. The rate of 

 taxation for Territorial purposes is 5 mills on the 

 dollar, of which three mills is devoted to schools. 

 _ Legislative Session. The twenty-ninth ses- 

 sion of the Territorial Legislature began on Jan. 

 13, and ended on March 13. A new school law, else- 

 where considered, was an important result of the 

 session. The following appropriations were made 

 for completing buildings for public institutions 

 already established : For the Insane Asylum, 

 $163,000; for the Reform School, $35,000; for 

 the Agricultural College, $33,000; for Deseret 

 University, $50,000. In order to raise these 

 sums and $25,000 additional for the Deseret 

 Agricultural and Manufacturing Society in aid 

 of the erection of fair buildings, provision was 

 made for the issue and sale of Territorial bonds 

 to an amount not exceeding $300,000, bearing 

 interest at a rate not exceeding 5 per cent. Im- 

 portant amendments were made to the revenue 

 laws. The assessors of property are now required 

 to assess at double its value all property which 

 they find to have escaped taxation in the previ- 

 ous year by reason of the fraud, or willful neglect 

 of the tax payer in not reporting it. Asses- 

 sors and their sureties are made liable upon 

 their bonds for all taxes on property which, 

 through their willful failure or neglect, is not as- 

 sessed or is assessed at less than its cash value, 

 and the prosecuting attorney of each county is 

 required to enforce this provision. The rate of 

 taxation for Territorial purposes was reduced 

 from 3 to 2 mills. A Territorial board was cre- 

 ated for 1890 and 1891 to adjust and equalize 

 the assessments made in the various counties for 

 those years without increasing the total valua- 

 tion of the Territory beyond the figures of the 

 assessors. Provision was made for assessing 

 stock that is driven from one county to another 

 to escape taxation. A Territorial bureau of sta- 

 tistics was established. The penalties for mur- 

 der, manslaughter, robbery, burglary, and forg- 

 ery were increased. A memorial to Congress 

 was adopted protesting against the proposed re- 

 moval of the southern Ute Indians to the Terri- 

 tory. Other acts of the session were as follow : 



Providing for the incorporation of building and 

 loan associations. 



Attaching a part of Sevier County to Sanpeto 

 County. 



Exempting from taxation all property used in the 

 mining or producing of raw material for, and in the 

 manufacture of native or Portland cements, and ex- 

 empting also the stock and bonds or mortgages of 

 any company so engaged. 



Amending the bounty law. 



Making 8 per cent, the legal rate of interest, but 

 permitting agreement upon any rate. 



Providing for the appointment of a Territorial fish 

 and game commissioner, and of a similar commis- 

 sioner for each county. 



Providing a new mechanics' lien law. 



Appropriating $30,000 to be paid in bounties to 

 persons, firms, and corporations engaged in manu- 

 facturing iron, cast-iron pipe, or lap-welded wrought- 

 iron pipe, sugar, rope, and twine from materials 

 mined or produced in the Territory. 



Forbidding the consolidation of competing lines of 

 railroad. 



To establish a right of way and easements for the 

 development of mines. 



Establishing a chair of geology and mineralogy in 

 the University of the State of Deseret. 



Providing a new game law. 



Creating Grand County out of a portion of the 

 countv of Emery. 



Prohibiting the giving, selling, or furnishing of 

 tobacco in any form to minors under eighteen 

 years. 



To provide for the incorporation of loan, trust, and 

 guarantee associations. 



Education. The new school law passed by 

 the Legislature this year makes the following 

 changes from the former law : The schools are 

 made free. Under the law of 1880 tuition might 

 be charged in any or every district. Cities of 

 the first and second class are now organized 

 under one central authority, while before there 

 were as many boards of trustees as there were 

 districts. Under the present law there may be 

 established in cities of these classes schools 

 from the kindergarten up to and including high 

 schools, together with manual training schools. 

 Cities of these classes may levy a tax for the . 

 special support of their schools ; they may also 

 bond for the erection of buildings, etc. It pro- 

 vides for compulsory education, but not in a 

 manner that will be effective. 



Early this year the buildings for the Terri- 

 torial Agricultural College were completed, and 

 the institution was opened on Sept. 4. The 

 Legislature appropriated $15,000 for current 

 expenses, in addition to $33,000 for the build- 

 ings that have been completed. 



Charities. The report of the Territorial In- 

 sane Asylum, at Provo, for the year ending Nov. 

 30, is as follows : Patients on Dec. 1, 1889, 129 ; 

 admitted during the year, 42 ; discharged, 41 ; 

 remaining on Nov. 30, 130. The per capita cost 

 for care and treatment has been 54'9 cents each 

 day. On account of the crowded condition of 

 the building, which is the southern wing of a 

 larger proposed building, the Legislature appro- 

 priated $163,000 for completing the structure, 

 and the main building and northern wing are in 

 process of erection. 



Lire Stock. The assessment of horses, cat- 

 tle, and sheep in the Territory for 1890 was as 

 follows: Horses, 75,895 value, $2,619,739; cat- 

 tle, 237,496 value, $2,907,490; sheep, 1,156,295 

 value, $2,281,585. It is estimated that about 

 70 per cent, of the stock in the Territory was 

 assessed. The increase over the assessment of 

 1889 was 172 in the number of horses, 37,929 in 

 cattle, and 28,182 in sheep. 



Mining. The mineral product of the Terri- 

 tory for 1889, as estimated by Wells, Fargo & Co., 

 is summarized as follows : 2,060,792 pounds cop- 

 per, valued at $206,079.20 : 2,359,640 pounds re- 

 fined lead, valued at $89,662.52; 59,421,730 

 pounds unrefined lead, valued at $1,378,584.13 ; 

 7,147,651 ounces fine silver, valued at $6,656,254.- 

 65 ; 24,975 ounces fine gold, valued at $449,500 ; 

 total export value, $8,830,080.50. These figures 



