576 



NEBRASKA. 



305.11 for 1876, but there were taxes due on 

 the 30th of November, delinquent for different 

 years, amounting to $765,815.25. The re- 

 ceipts of the Treasury for two years ending 

 November 30th were $1,693,849.59, including 

 a balance of $234,543.41 on hand at the begin- 

 ning of that period. The disbursements for 

 two years amounted to $1,369,795.91, leaving 

 a balance at the end of the last fiscal year of 

 $324,053.68. This balance, together with de- 

 linquent taxes, made the resources of the State 

 (exclusive of unsold lands) $1,089,863.95. The 

 total liabilities were $528,524.36, classified as 

 follows : 



Certificates of indebtedness issued to the per- 

 manent school-fund for general-fund warrants 



paid by said fund $842.957 34 



Outstanding general-fund warrants 2,430 74 



Interest on outstanding general-fund warrants.. 652 28 



Outstanding penitentiary-fund warrants 74,756 08 



Interest on outstanding penitentiary-fund war- 

 rants 5,865 83 



Outstanding State building-fund warrants 81.059 32 



Interest on outstanding State building-fund war- 

 rants 20,463 41 



Outstanding temporary school-fund warrants. . . 839 41 



State bonds 50,000 00 



Total $528,524 86 



The new constitution provides for the fund- 

 ing of the certificates of indebtedness issued to 

 tbe school-fund. 



The sixty organized counties of the State are 

 divided into 2,510 school districts. The num- 

 ber of children of school age is 86,191, of whom 

 59,966 attended the public schools during the 

 year. There were 1,984 school-houses, valued 

 at $1,585,736.60, and 3,361 teachers, receiving 

 an average salary of $34.24 per month. The 

 total receipts of the year from all sources, for 

 school purposes, were $1,093,275.39, and the 

 expenditures $1,098,974.75. The bonded and 

 floating school-debt was $1,063,058.60. The 

 State University, at Lincoln, is in a flourishing 

 condition. The attendance increased from 132 

 in 1874 to 282 in 1876. The Normal School, 

 at Peru, is also on a satisfactory basis. The 

 average attendance for the year was 142, while 

 the whole number of different students was 

 268 



The Legislature of 1875 made an appropria- 

 tion of $10,000 for the erection of an Institute 

 for the Blind at Nebraska City, on condition 

 that the citizens of that place should raise 

 $3,000 for the same purpose. The condition 

 was complied with, and the necessary build- 

 ing constructed in 1875. The institution was 

 opened on the 13th of January, and has accom- 

 modations for fifty pupils. The number in at- 

 tendance on the 30th of November was seven- 

 teen. Prof. Samuel Bacon is the principal. 



The Institute for the Deaf and Dumb, at 

 Omaha, has been in successful operation since 

 1869, and during the past two years there have 

 been fifty-three pupils connected with the 

 school. Appropriation was made in 1875 for 

 the construction of a new building for this in- 

 stitution, which was nearly completed at the 

 end of the year. 



A new wing has been added to the Hospital 

 for the Insane, at a cost of $35,000. The 

 maintenance of the hospital for two years 

 cost $60,746.69. Of this amount $26,962.99 

 was charged to the counties having patients in 

 the institution. The number of inmates on the 

 30th of November was 93, an increase of 47 in 

 two years. The whole number admitted dur- 

 ing those years was 118; number discharged 

 as recovered, 50 ; improved, 9 ; unimproved, 

 6 ; escaped, 1 ; died, 5. The daily average in 

 1876 was 81 patients ; the weekly cost per pa- 

 tient was $7.55^. 



The State penitentiary has been completed 

 in a substantial manner. The daily average of 

 convicts for two years ending November 30th 

 was 63. The cost of maintenance for that pe- 

 riod was $57,658, of which $50,000 was appro- 

 priated by the Legislature, and the balance 

 earned by the convicts. The average daily cost 

 of each prisoner was $1.20. The contract for 

 the labor of the prisoners has expired, and it is 

 proposed to establish some branch of industry 

 in the prison itself for the employment of the 

 inmates. The younger class of criminals are 

 kept separate from the rest, and night-schools 

 have been established for their benefit. 



The State has twenty-two organized and 

 well-armed companies of militia, favorably 

 situated for the protection of the frontier 

 against incursions of the Indians. After the 

 outbreak of hostilities with the Sioux, arms 

 were obtained from the Federal Government, 

 the Governor executing a bond for their safe 

 return, and the companies were fully equipped. 

 They have served a useful purpose in protect- 

 ing the frontier and giving the people a sense 

 of security. 



The title of the State to the salt-springs 

 near the city of Lincoln has been confirmed 

 by the United States Supreme Court, against 

 the claim of a private party. 



The Democrats of the State held a con- 

 vention at Lincoln, on the 19th of April, for 

 the purpose of choosing delegates to the Na- 

 tional Convention of the party. They adopted 

 resolutions favoring reform in administration, 

 and a return to specie payments "as soon as 

 it can be done without detriment to the com- 

 mercial and industrial interests of the coun- 

 try." A State Central Committee was also 

 chosen. No instructions were given to the 

 delegates, but a large majority of the conven- 

 tion was understood to be in favor of tho 

 nomination of Mr. Tilden. 



The Republicans held a convention at Fre- 

 mont on the 23d and 24th of May, organiza- 

 tion not having been effected until the second 

 day, owing to a number of contesting dele- 

 gations. The local divisions were between 

 those known as Hitchcock and anti -Hitchcock 

 men. or the supporters and opponents of Sen- 

 ator Hitchcock as a party leader. Six delegates 

 to the Cincinnati Convention were chosen, 

 and instructed to vote for James G. Elaine 

 as the candidate for President. The new 



