502 



MICHIGAN. 



861.75 ; land in the vicinity, valued at $7,000 ; 

 agricultural fund in the State Treasury, on 

 which the State pays the college 7 per cent, 

 interest, $231,377.46; lands donated by the 

 General Government, and remaining unsold, 

 165,154.57 acres. The State makes to the col- 

 lege a yearly appropriation in addition to its 

 interest, and this in 1875 was about as usual. 

 The college farm is near Lansing, and consists 

 of 676 acres, watered by a small river, and pos- 

 sessing a great variety of soil, and considerable 

 natural beauty. The chemical laboratory is 

 quite complete, and the other buildings suita- 

 ble to the general working of the institution. 

 Number of graduates, 123; instructors, 13; 

 pupils, 156 ; T. 0. Abbott, president. The in- 

 stitution is under the general charge and super- 

 vision of the State Board of Agriculture. 



. The course of study is four years in length. 



Agriculture is taught by extended courses of 

 lectures by three professors, assisted in practi- 

 cal instruction by several assistants especially 

 educated for their work. The various sciences, 

 modern languages and literature, history, and 

 philosophy, find a place in its course of study. 



The distinguishing feature of the college is 

 its labor system. Every student works three 

 hours each of five days of the week upon the 

 farm, receiving a small compensation for. his 

 labor. The labor system is so interwoven with 

 the instruction given, and so managed under 

 the skillful care of professors and foremen, as 

 to keep up the interest of students in it, and 

 make it no loss to the institution. The labor 

 system has been in continued operation since 

 the opening of the college nineteen years ago, 

 and never was more efficient than now. 



The following are the school statistics : 



Three new schools were added to the State 

 University at Ann Arbor during the year a 

 school of mines, a school of dentistry, and a 

 school of homoeopathic medicine. A hospital 

 building was also erected for the medical de- 

 partment. Additional buildings were also pro- 

 vided for the State Charitable School at Cold- 

 water ; and the State House of Correction, pro- 

 vided for by the Legislature of 1873, was located 

 at Ionia, and its construction proceeded with 



The report of S. S. Cobb, Railroad Commis- 

 sioner, bearing date of October 30, 1875 con- 

 tains the following statistics : 



At the close of the year 1874, the railroad 

 interests of Michigan were represented by 

 thirty-four corporations, which owned a total 

 of 5,278.36 miles of road, of which 3,314.98 

 miles were within the State. In addition to 

 this, there were 7,375 miles of double track, 

 and 512 miles of sidings. The increase for 

 the year shows 61.6 miles of road built in 

 1874. 



The several corporations represented in the 

 above railroads had a capital stock of $138,- 

 850,373.61, or $26,529.76 per mile of road 

 owned. The proportion of capital stock for 



