390 



IDAHO. 



IDAHO. The assessment-rolls of the differ- 

 ent counties for 1876 were as follows : 



The receipts into the Territorial Treasury, 

 from December 1, 1874, to October 31, 1876, 

 were $61,674.28 ; amount on hand, $9,676.77; 

 total resources, $71,351.05 ; disbursements, 

 $55,496.30 ; balance, $15,854.75. The bonded 

 debt (coin) amounted to $71 ,386.45 ; the unfund- 

 ed debt (currency), consisting of unredeemed 

 warrants and accrued interest, was $56,606.82, 

 after deducting cash in the Treasury. The Gov- 

 ernor, in his message to the biennial session of 

 the Legislature, December 4, 1876, says: 



Being unable to meet our obligations at this time, 

 it is due to our creditors, as well as to the people 

 themselves, whose honor is involved, that at this 

 session measures be taken which will afford suffi- 

 cient time; and, what is more important still, pro- 

 vide the means of payment according to the new 

 promises we make. 



It is recommended that an act be passed, supple- 

 mental to that of January 8, 1875, providing for a 

 new series of ten' per cent, gold bonds, running 

 fifteen years from December 1, 1876, with interest 

 semi-annually, both payable at the Territorial Treas- 

 ury. Let the principal of the coin debt, yet unpro- 

 vided for, be merged in these bonds. Allow to 

 creditors ten per cent, difference upon the principal 

 of their old bonds, but none on accrued interest 



It is also worthy of consideration whether it is 

 not sound economy to put the warrant debt into cur- 

 rency bonds having sufficient time to run to give us 

 the advantage of growth in population and resources. 

 Let this be done, and a sure income provided to pay 

 as we go all our current expenses as well as interest. 

 This will justify the repeal of the law under which 

 we now pay ten per cent, interest on warrants which 

 we sell at thirty per cent, discount. 



The estimated revenue for the years 1877 

 and 1878 is as follows : 



Prom property-tax $62,500 



From license and poll tax 28,250 



Total $85^750 



The estimated expenditures are : 



ITEMS. Amount*. 



Territorial prisoners $10,000 



Interest on bonds 13,000 



Salary of Controller 8,000 



Salary of Treasurer 2,000 



Printing blanks 2,000 



Interest on prison-fund warrants 5.000 



Interest on general-fund warrants 8,000 



Salary of three district attorneys 9,000 



Total $47,000 



The whole number of children in the TerrU 

 tory, between the ages of five and eighteen 

 years, so far as reported for 1875, was 3,852 ; 

 for 1876 it is 2,777 ; some of the more popu- 

 lous counties not having reported. 



In the former year, the number attending 

 school was 2,093 ; receipts, including balances, 

 $23,734; expenditures, $18,478.63. In 1876, 

 2,724 were reported as attending school; re- 

 ceipts, including balances, $36,215.42 ; expen- 

 ditures, $16,590.55. Says the superintendent 

 in his report : The reports of the county su- 

 perintendents show, " for the most part, but a 

 meagre array of figures, which by no means 

 represent the flourishing condition of many 

 schools in the Territory, and the deep interest 

 taken in education by the people. Ihis is not 

 the fault of the county superintendents, but that 

 of the system under which they are compelled 

 to act. The law makes the county superin tend- 

 encies ex-officio appendages to other important 

 and responsible county offices, which confine 

 the incumbent to his place of business and to a 

 routine of duties ; thus rendering the personal 

 supervision of schools impossible. The county 

 superintendent can only collate and report 

 such information as he may recive from re- 

 ports made to him by the trustees of the dif- 

 ferent school-districts in his county. The law 

 gives to the trustees of the various school-dis- 

 tricts the entire control and supervision of 

 schools within their respective districts, as re- 

 gards the qualifications of teachers and all lo- 

 cal matters pertaining to education. The same 

 reflections and remarks will apply with equal 

 force to the Territorial Superintendent of Pub- 

 lic Instruction. He cannot go beyond the 

 source of information thus furnished, how- 

 ever much good- will he may bring to the 

 task." 



A large share of the wealth of Idaho lies 

 beneath the soil. The surface has only been 

 sufficiently worked to indicate the rich deposits 

 yet awaiting development. Capital, skill, and 

 machinery, are wanted. Owing to the great 

 distance from railroads and navigable streams, 

 the most enterprising have found almost un- 

 conquerable discouragement. 



It was proposed to the Legislature to me- 

 morialize Congress to cause a thorough geolog- 

 ical survey to be made, as has already been 

 done in other Territories and States ; and, as 

 soon as resources will permit, to organize a 

 Geological and Mining Bureau, for the purpose 

 of developing the mines, forming a cabinet of 

 ores, and of publishing useful knowledge in 

 this most important department of industry. 



Provision was made at the last session of 

 the Legislature for a revision and publication 

 of the Territorial laws under the supervision 

 of commissioners. 



