FLORIDA. 



313 



these improvements are unparalleled in the history of 

 the State, yet it is a source of deep regret that neither 

 of the several lines leading to Tampa and farther 

 south have yet reached that desirable section. The 

 Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund, appreci- 

 ating the great advantages of that highly favored sec- 

 tion, and with an earnest desire to secure to it railroad 

 facilities reserved lands for five different lines run- 

 ning to Tampa and some farther south, through the 

 counties of Hcrnando, Polk, Hillsborough, and Man- 

 atee. From information received, however, I can but 

 believe that the time is near at hand when these facil- 

 ities, so long needed, will be secured. 



STATISTICS. The total receipts into the State 

 Treasury on account of general revenue (includ- 

 ing interest taxes) for the fiscal year ending De- 

 cember 31, 1882, amounted to $350,569.80, as 

 follows : 



The estimated appropriations necessary for 

 the fiscal year 1883 are $315,573, including 

 $69,000 for expenses of legislative session and 

 $80,000 for interest on bonds; for 1884, $243,- 

 573. The following is a statement of the bond- 

 ed debt : 



7 per cent bonds of 1871 $350.000 00 



6 per cent bonds of 1873 925,000 00 



8 per cent Convention bonds 1,500 00 



Total $1,276,500 00 



Of this indebtedness there is : 



In sinking funds $159,500 00 



In school fund 285,600 00 



In Seminary fund 87,400 00 



In Agricultural-College fund 134,200 00 



Total $666,700 00 



State-tax proper, 1882 $14,21548 Leaving in the hands of individuals $609,800 00 



' " 1881 124,045 11 



" isso 6,728 79 I n relation to other bonds, the Comptroller 



ism .'!::!!!!!! ! !!!!!!!;." ! ! ! ! 120 il makes the following statement : 



u u 1 375 24 52 ^ n Edition to the above bonds there appears to be 



" 1375'.'" 459 40 outstanding $4,000 of bonds issued in 1875, which 



" " 1874. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . . 1,446 94 have never been presented at the Treasury for pay- 



License-tax 104,785 62 ment of either principal or interest. 



Auction-tax 641 73 There are also 7 per cent bonds of the State held by 



Criminal prosecutions (costs) 311 25 the Indian Trust Fund of the United States amount- 



CommfsS-ux 715 00 in = to S 132 * 00 ^ but <* an offset the State has a claim 



Sale of Dio-est 774 00 against the United States for an amount more than 



sufficient to cover the face of these bonds with inter- 

 Total $258,243 38 CSt. 



General sinkiu" fund and interest-tax, 1881 55 969 55 Upon coming into office, I receipted to my prede- 



1880 1,247 49 cessor, the Hon. Columbus Drew, for $75,000 of the 



1879 115 09 6 per cent bonds authorized to be issued under the 



> act of February 21, 1873, which had not been sold or 



1877.... 5139 exchanged, as provided by said act. They numbered 



u Jo?* { from 2,951 to 3,700. These were destroyed on the 



' ' 17th of February. 1881, by a committee of the Legis- 



Total $57,474 82 lature appointed for that purpose. 



Special sinking fund and interest-tax, 1881 27^54 68 The tab]e of assessment for 1883 sho W8 that 



1879....! 5663 the taxable valuations amounted to $45,285,977, 



" ^ u *ps 22 H a large increase since 1880. But more than 



1876.!!!! 50 $3,000,000 of this was upon railroad property 



18 ? 5 20 for which exemption is claimed. " It is deemed 



Total j23 669 31 safe, however," says the Comptroller, "to base 



General and 'special" sinking fund 'and 'interest- estimates for a revenue upon $42,000,000 of 



tax,i882 6,18229 tax-paying property, and if the income from 



ofcn K^ on licenses is not diminished, a rate of four mills 



} on the dollar is thought to be sufficient to raise 



The following statement shows the amount the revenue required to defray the current ex- 



of warrants and coupons paid at the Treasury penses of the State government and meet the 



for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1882 : accruing interest on the bonded debt. This 



Salaries, Executive Department $18.787 oo estimate is not intended to include the consti- 



" judicial Department.... 83,02000 tutional tax of one mill for school purposes." 



fS^S^l^^e^,^^ 2 S S , The question of the liability of the particu- 



Expenses of collection of revenue 22,566 14 iar railroads claiming immunity irom taxation, 



Expenses of Bureau of immigration 7,36740 has been submitted to the courts of the State 



Printin rtei n8 619887 by suits brought in compliance with a resolu- 



Maintenance of lunatics .'!.'!.'!.'!.'..'!...! 27!i77 92 tion adopted at the last session of the Legisla- 



insurance of Capitol .'.*.'..'.'.'. ' 525 oo the cases are now pending in the Supreme 



Watchman at Capitol 28700 Court of the United States on appeal. 



Conveyin-^^^ 2 ?0 50 The State taxes in 1882 were as follow: 



Kaiiroad-tax litigation !.'!!!!!!.'!!! 13712 State tax, $200,827.28; sinking funds, $91,- 



CrTmi^rpSStion; ^sl 21 53L95 5 sch o1 fund ' $45,332.71 total, $337,- 



Expenses of printin^Di^est "" 293250 691.94. The county taxes were: County tax 



Legislative relief acts 45614 proper, $175,369.82: county school tax, $135,- 



Interest on coupon bonds of 1871 and 1873... . 118,123 72 | 35 P 42; COlinty Special tax, $115,963.84-totai, 



Total $289,693 68 $426,569.08. 



