

MAINE. 



463 



and for the year ending March, 1884, of 1,495 ; 

 total for the two years, 3,533. This indicates 

 an increase of 8,762 in population for the for- 

 mer year, and 6,425 for the latter year, making 

 a total increase of 15,16V in population for the 

 two years, or an average increase of 7,093 per 

 annum. There also appears to have been an 

 increase in taxable valuation of estates for 1883 

 of $3,894,855, and for 1884 of $1,022,482; to- 

 tal increase for the two years, $4,917,337 an 

 average of $2,458,668 per annum. 



Indebtedness. The liabilities of the State on 

 all accounts Jan. 1, 1884, were $6,468,921.88; 

 resources on all accounts, $2,693,583.67; net 

 indebtedness, $3,775,338.21. The liabilities of 

 the counties on all accounts Jan. 1, 1884, were 

 $380,589.67; resources on all accounts, $288,- 

 092.90; net indebtedness, $92,496.79. Net in- 

 debtedness of towns and cities, 1884, $9,925,- 

 206.17. Total public indebtedness, not includ- 

 ing school-district indebtedness, $13,403,041.17. 



Education. Steady progress has been made 

 in its school system since Maine became an 

 independent State. There is not a large town 

 in the State but has adopted a graded system, 

 and everywhere there have been increased fa- 

 cilities for a higher education. 



Following are some of the statistics showing 

 educational progress for the school years 1881- 

 '82 and 1 883-^84 : 



Farm Statistics. The number of farms in towns 

 throughout the State in 1884 was 61,449 ; num- 

 ber occupied by owners, 55,716 ; number occu- 

 pied by tenants, 2,808 ; number unoccupied, 

 1,684 ; taxable valuation of all farms and farm- 



"buildings, $52,967,846 ; number of horses in 

 towns, April 1, 1884, 81,247; number of colts, 

 13,662; number of oxen, 39,097; number of 

 cows, 127,296 ; number of young cattle, 125,- 

 491 ; number of sheep, 532,965 ; number of 

 swine, 43,994; taxable value of all live-stock, 

 $12,203,103; taxable valuation of all property 

 used for manufacturing, $20,710,487. 



Deaf, Dnmb, and Blind. The State beneficia- 

 ries of these classes are maintained in three 

 institutions. The following table gives de- 

 tailed information : 



State Pensions. The laws of the State make 

 it incumbent upon the Governor and Council 

 to distribute an annual appropriation for dis- 

 abled soldiers and seamen. The appropriation 

 for 1883 and 1884 was $20,000 for each year. 

 During the year 1883, $19,818.46 was carefully 

 paid out to 571 State pensioners, as follows, 

 viz. : To 283 invalids, 168 widows, 83 mothers, 

 27 fathers, nine guardians of adult and orphan 

 children, and one dependent sister. During 

 1884 the number of applications received was 

 742. The number making application for the 

 first time was 140, and of the total, 225 do not 

 receive United States pensions. The appro- 

 priation of 1884 was exhausted. 



Prohibition. By a resolve of the last Legis- 

 lature, an amendment to the Constitution of 

 the State, forever prohibiting the sale of in- 

 toxicating liquors, was submitted to the voters 

 of Maine, at the election in September, and the 

 return of 70,783 votes for its adoption, and 

 23,811 votes against it, indicates an emphatic 

 declaration in favor of prohibition. During 

 the year there were 818 prosecutions for vio- 

 lating the liquor law, and 163 prosecutions for 

 maintaining nuisances, making a total of 981 

 cases, against an average of 588 for the past 

 six years. 



Taxes. On this subject the Governor ad- 

 dresses the Legislature as follows : 



A new system of taxation was inaugurated in 1874, 

 which has received popular sanction. This departure 

 has already removed a part of the burden from the 

 great productive industries of the State, by placing a 

 more just proportion of the tax on corporations and 

 other business industries never before taxed. The 

 Governor and Council of 1884 assessed a tax of this 

 character on railroad, telegraph, telephone, and ex- 

 press companies, amounting to $110,586.62. The tax 

 on insurance companies paid into the office of the 

 State Treasurer the past year amounts to $16,766.44. 



Political. The Kepublican State Convention 

 met in Bangor in April, chose delegates to the 

 National Convention of the party, and norni^ 

 nated Frederick Kobie for re-election as Gov- 



