MINNESOTA. 



523 



The value of flour manufactured in the State 

 in 1877 is estimated at $15,500,000, and that 

 of manufactures of all kinds at $42,600,000. 



The inquiries of the commissioners have 

 elicited information respecting a variety of 

 sugar-cane which is cultivated on a small scale 

 with great profit, and which, it is believed, can 

 be made an invaluable addition to the general 

 products of the State. The cane is said to 

 yield from 150 to 200 gallons of sirup per acre, 

 which is readily granulated, and experiments 

 have shown it practicable to grow sugar and 

 liquid products valued at $150 per acre, while, 

 in addition, the leaves of the plant equal in 

 weight and value crops of the best hay as food 

 for stock. The article has excited wide-spread 

 interest for its many uses, and it is the preva- 

 lent conviction among inquirers that farmers 

 can profitably produce their own sugar and 

 sirups of a quality equal, when skillfully manu- 

 factured, to those of Louisiana. The bounti- 

 ful crops of last year, coupled with fair prices, 

 have stimulated an extraordinary demand for 

 the cheap and productive lands of the State. 

 OfficialNreports from the several United States 

 land offices show for the year a total absorption 

 of the government domain, under the various 

 modes prescribed, amounting to 850,000 acres, 

 of which 410,900 were taken during the three 

 months succeeding harvest. The same unusual 

 demand for lands is shown by the sales of the 

 several railroad companies, which comprise a 

 total of 223,419 acres, more than two-thirds of 

 which were sold during the latter half of the 

 year. Adding the sales of the State land office, 

 comprising those of school, internal improve- 

 ment, and other State lands, amounting to 33,- 

 531 acres, a grand total of about 1,107,000 

 acres is shown to have been transferred to 

 individuals during 1877. A far greater part of 

 this is intended for immediate cultivation than 

 was ever before devoted to practical use in a 

 single year. The effect of this land movement 

 has been a rapid increase in the population of 

 the State, which is now estimated at nearly 

 700,000. 



The returns of vital statistics show a total of 

 24,205 births, and 7,043 deaths, being a con- 

 tinuance of the rare proportion, heretofore 

 shown, of more than three births to one death. 

 These returns also show the deaths to have in- 

 cluded no case of small-pox for two years prior 

 to 1877, while of those of the latter year, 213 

 were caused by old age. 



The report of the Superintendent of Public 

 Instruction gives the following summary of 

 common schools for 1877 : 



Fire and Inland risks taken $4#T5,681 00 



Premlumspald thereon $072,87488 



Losses Incurred $867,705 26 



Number life policies issued 1,997 



Amount Insured thereby $3,900,964 00 



Life premiums paid, including renewals $482,667 04 



Death los incurred $2M,1W> 78 



The number of persons confined in the State- 

 prison at the close of the year was 235, which 

 is 23 in excess of the capacity of the prison. 

 The current expenses for the year were $45,- 

 075, and the earnings $23,322, leaving a net 

 cost to the State of $21,753. This shows an 

 average yearly cost per convict of $109.86, 

 which is a reduction of $28 from that of the 

 preceding year. The Governor recommends 

 that " steps looking to the early construction 

 of another prison be immediately taken," and 

 that the convicts be employed in the construc- 

 tion of the buildings. 



The number of patients in the Hospital for 

 the Insane is 579, and the full capacity of the 

 institution is limited to 600. " The urgent 

 necessity for immediate action," says the Gov- 

 ernor, "looking to the erection of another 

 hospital, was shown in the last Legislature, but 

 the necessary steps for the purpose were not 

 taken. The necessity for action is now still 

 more imperative, and as the preliminary selec- 

 tion of a site combining so many requisites will 

 absorb much time, the matter will admit of no 

 further delay. This requirement, and that of 

 the State-prison before referred to, must of 

 necessity take precedence of the claims of all 

 other institutions." 



The railroad facilities of Minnesota are shown 

 in the following statement : 



Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul : Mn. 



River Division La Orescent to 8t Paul 128 



Hastings & Dakota Division Hastings to Olencoe . . 75 



Iowa <fe Minnesota Division St. Paul to State line.. 127 



Branch Mendota to Minneapolis 



Branch Austin to Lyle li 



St. Paul & Pacific : 



Main line 8t. Anthony to Brecklnrldge Ml 



Branch St Paul to Sauk Rapids. 



St. Vincent extension Sauk Rapids to MdroM.... 



St. Vincent extension Barne* northward lOfl 



St. Vlncnt extension Barnes to Brecklnrldge .... 



Bralnerd branch Sauk Rapids to Bralnerd 8T 



St. Paul A Sioux City St Paul to St Jamo 121 



Sioux City & St Paul - St. James to State line W 



Worthinfrton <k Sioux Falla 



Winona & St. Peter Wlnona to State line 2SS* 



Connection with Mankato ** 



Southern Minnesota La Crescent to Wlnnobago City . . IfiTfr 



Northern Pacific Junction to Farm * 



St. Paul & Duluth St. Paul to Dniuth 1 M 



St. Paul 8. & T. F. St. Paul to Stlllwater 17* 



Branches To Hudson and 8. Stlllwater 



Stlllwater & St Paul White Bear to Still water 



Minneapolis A; Duluth Minneapolis to White Bear. . . . 



Minneapolis & St Louis Minneapolis to State line .... 128 



Central Railroad Mankato to VS'eUa 40 



Total enrollment ................................ 



Number of districts ............................. 



Number of school-houses ........................ '** 



A ifirrepate value of real property ................. f 'if' VlS 



Whole number of teachers ....................... IJ2 



Amount of Permanent School Fund .............. $S,87s,8W 



The following summary of the insurance 

 transactions within the State during the year, 

 is given by the Insurance Commissioner : 



Total. 



8,120 



Of the above total, 1.900 miles were in Gyr- 

 ation in 1872, so that only about 220 miles 

 have been completed since that year. About 

 six-sevenths of the entire mileage of the Stato 

 was bnilt in the eight years from 1865 to 1872 

 inclusive. There is now in process of con- 

 struction a narrow-gauge railroad from W- 

 basha to Zutnbrota, a distance of about 85 miles. 

 It is expected that the 62 miles necessary to 



