NEBRASKA. 



603 



debt incurred before the adoption of the pres- 

 ent Constitution, which provided that the Legis- 

 lature should at its first session provide by law 

 for the funding of all outstanding warrants and 

 other indebtedness of the State. 



The original issue of bonds was for the 

 amount of $549,267.35, which was reduced, 

 June 28, 1879, by the redemption of bonds to 

 the amount of $100,000, leaving the balance 

 stated above, $326,267.35 of which is held as 

 an investment by the permanent school fund, 

 the remainder, $123,000, being held by private 

 parties. 



The assessed valuation of the taxable prop- 

 erty of the State in 1885 was $133,418,699.83, 

 an increase of $9,802,812.98 as compared with 

 the assessment of 1884. The assessment of 

 1886 gave the value of the property of the 

 State for the purposes of taxation as $143,932,- 

 570.51, giving a total increase for two years of 

 $20,316,683.56. 



The rate of taxation for State purposes for 

 1885 was 7 f$ mills, and for 1886, 7f mills on 

 each dollar of valuation, and there was collected 

 during that time the sum of $1,904,158.06. 



The appropriations asked for the operating 

 expenses of the State government to March 

 31, 1889, amounted to $2,043,568.73. 



This, as compared with the estimates for 

 operating expenses of the State government 

 for the two years ending March 31, 1887, is an 

 increase of $927,165.13. 



The amount due the State from counties for 

 the care of patients in the Hospital for the In- 

 sane, to Jan. 1, 1887, is $179,138.67. 



The cash in the permanent school fund 

 amounts to $1,524,356.36. 



In addition to the above, all principals on 

 sales of school lands are to be included, which 

 can not be estimated with accuracy, but will 

 be about $200,000 per annum. 



Public Institutions. The Institute for the Blind 

 is now entering upon its twelfth year. There 

 have been received seventy-three blind chil- 

 dren, nine of whom have completed the pre- 

 scribed course of study. The enrollment and 

 attendance for the past two years was thirty- 

 nine pupils, which taxed present accommoda- 

 tions to the utmost. 



The number in attendance at the Deaf and 

 Dumb Institute during the last two years has 

 been 144 ; of this number 83 are males and 61 

 females. The total number in attendance since 

 the organization of the school is 242. 



The number applying for admission to the 

 Home for the Friendless has greatly increased 

 during the past two years. Number of inmates 

 in the home in December, 1884, was 42; ad- 

 mitted since that time, 345 ; making the total 

 number aided through this agency, 387. 



The building provided for in the act of the 

 last Legislature, establishing an institution to 

 be known as the Nebraska Institution for Feeble- 

 minded Youth, and locating it at Beatrice, sub- 

 ject to certain conditions, which were fully met, 

 has been erected and will be ready for occu- 



pancy as soon as provision is made for that 

 purpose. The cost of this building was $45,- 

 444. 



The total number received at the Insane 

 Hospital during the past two years was 747, 

 with a daily average of 365, and at the date of 

 report for two years ending Nov. 30, 1886, there 

 were remaining in the institution 374 patients. 

 Of the number treated during the past two 

 years, 56 per cent, have been restored to men- 

 tal health, and 20 per cent, have been returned 

 to their friends. Old and incurable patients 

 have been returned to their homes to make 

 room for more recent cases. The death-rate 

 has been 5 per cent of the whole number 

 treated each year. The whole number of pa- 

 tients treated since the opening of the hospital 

 is 1,740; the total number of insane people in 

 the State at the present time is about 1,000. 



The new insane asylum at Norfolk, provided 

 for by the act of the last Legislature, has been 

 completed at a cost of $65,772. 



The number of commitments to the State 

 Reform School has increased from 15, at the 

 opening of the school, Nov. 30, 1881, to 208, 

 Nov. 30, 1886. The number under instruction 

 at date last given was 136 ; out upon leave of 

 absence, 24; making the total number of com- 

 mitments in force at this time, 160. 



As shown by report of the Warden of the 

 State Penitentiary the total number of prison- 

 ers received at the prison since its opening in 

 1869 is 1,146 ; total number discharged during 

 that time, 818 ; leaving in prison at date of 

 report, 328. 



The contract leasing the convict-labor was 

 extended at the last session, and will expire 

 Oct. 1, 1889. 



Organization of Counties. Since the last ses- 

 sion of the Legislature the necessary papers 

 have been filed in the Executive office asking 

 for the organization of the counties of Logan, 

 Dawes, Sheridan, Chase, Blame, and Sioux. 

 Proclamations, as required by law, have been 

 issued, and the organization of the above- 

 named counties has been perfected. During 

 the past four years eleven counties have been 

 organized, making the total number seventy- 

 seven. 



Capitol Building. The work upon the central 

 portion of the Capitol has gone steadily for- 

 ward during the past two years, and the build- 

 ing is nearing completion. The cost to the 

 State thus far is as follows: West wing, $74,- 

 988.75; east wing, $100,000. The amount 

 appropriated and expended under the levy of 

 1883 and 1884 upon the main building was 

 $116,964.45, and the amount expended for the 

 same purpose under the appropriation and levy 

 of 1885 and 1886 was $138,613.75, making 

 the total amount expended, in connection 

 with the central building during the past four 

 years, $255,578.20, and the total expenditure 

 upon the Capitol to Nov. 30, 1886, including 

 amount paid for plans and specifications and 

 pay of superintendent, $430,567.15. To com- 



