Metals and minerals have not yet been found to any extent in Nebraska. Coal has been discovered here and there, ranging in layers from 5 to 22 in., but it has not so far yielded sufficient quantities for the home demagid. Prof. Hayden believes that this deposit is the western margin of the great coal-basin of Missouri and Iowa, and that the coal is so much thinned out by pressure from above that it will not prove profitable to mine to any extent. Bnilding-limestone has also been discovered, and is in daily use for the erection of dwellings, together with a dark, yellowish, gray sandstone, and a dark free stone. Clay, for the manufacture of brick, is easily obtained, and in the central and western parts of the state there arc numerous salt-basins, yielding 16 per cent of salt, which is declared to be the purest and best in the world. Smelting works have been in successful operation at Omaha since 1871, and in the year 1873 they turned out in fine silver and gold about $1,100.000, and during the following year they refined and sep arated 7,000 tons of base bullion, and smelted 2,000 tons of ore. The value of the gold and silver produced was $1,350,000; the quantity of lead shipped 6.500 tons, valued at $800,000, making a total of the value of products of this establishment $2,135,000. Though the manufacturing industry of the state is in its infancy, there are already car works. foundries, distilleries, gas-works, breweries, flouring mills, broom factories, pork packeries, soap•orks, pickle factories, carriage, wagon, and implement factories in prosperous existence. Altogether there were, in 1870, 670 manufacturing establishments, employing 2,695 operatives and $2,169,963 capital, using $2,902,074 of raw material, and producing annually goods valued at $5,738,512. For the year 1875 this amount is reported to have been about three times larger, and nearly every industry since has con tinued to give promise of much prosperity.
Nebraska necessarily has only a domestic commerce. Except that portion of the state's productions and manufactures that are shipped on the Missouri river, all are trans ported over the railroads. The actual amount of this trade has never yet been accurately estimated, but in 1874 more than 1,500,000 bushels of grain were sent to the market by a single railroad, from which an idea at least may be formed of the magnitude of the state's relations to the general commerce of the country. In 1874 there were 10 national banks in operation in the state,with a paid-in capital of $1,025,000 and an outstanding circula tion of $895,900; 7 state banks, with an aggregate capital of $575,000; 1 savings bank; and 22 private banking-houses. The number of railroads in operation was 10, with 1120 m. of track. These werethe Atchison and Nebraska, the.Brownville 10 Fort Kearney, f 2•Aa • the Burlington and .Missouri River, the Omaha and Southwestern, the Midland Pacific, the Omaha and Northwestern, the St. Joseph and Denver City, the Sioux. City and Pacific, the Tremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley, and the Union Pacific. The assessed of these roads at that date was $11,183,114; and their cost and equipment, accord. lug to the reports of the various companies, was $53,727.S33. The Union Pacific traverses the entire state frolu e. tow.; the Burlington and Missouri has direct through connection between Kearney, iu central Nebraska, and Chicago; the 31idland Paeitic places the eastern part of the state in communication with St. Louis; and the St. Joseph and Denver in the s., tile Omaha and Northwestern in the together with connecting roads to the eastward and elsewhere, afford Nebraska excellent facilities for moving her produce and for carriage traffic generally.
In 1878 the state had no indebtedness except $50,000, in 10 per cent 10-year bonds, issued for the relief of grasshopper sufferers in 1875, and 8549,267.35 in 8 per cent fund ing bonds, issued April, 1877, providing for the outstanding warrants: and other indebt edness, making a total of $599,267.35. The assessed value of all Oxhide property during the year 1879 was $74,389,535.97, an increase of $3,077,957.07 over the previous year. The rate of taxation was 6.37 mills on each dollar, and the amount collected for the fiscal period of two years was as follows: General fund, $517,977.82; sinking fund, $120, 240.58; common school fund, $145,333.27. university fund, $40,314.39. The disburse ments for all nurposes during the same period were $1,772,209.90; and there ',vas a balance in the treasury in Nov., 1878, of $460,181.09. The total valuation of the state, as reported by the state board of equalization in 1874, was $81,218.813. The lands held by private
owners and subject to taxation amounted to 11,000,579 acres, the assessed value being $43,004,800; town lots, $9,941,809; money used in merchandise, $2,448.235; in manu factures, $522,410; stocks and shares, $979,455; moneys and credits, $1,578,329: house hold furniture, $343,762. The horses, cattle, and other live-stock were valued at $77,081,044. The railroad property was valued at $11,183,114; and the telegraph, of which the Western Union company owned 737 in., and the Great Western company 126 in., at $61,555. Mr property of corporations is taxed in the same manner as that of individuals.
The educational interests of the state have been for many years watchfully managed. The school lands donated by the government comprise &bout 2.700,000 acres for schools in general, and 400,000 acres for the erection and mainter.ince of a state university at Lin coln. Out of the sale and lease of these lands and a general lax of two mulls, together with the money received from fines, licenses, and a dog tax, the schools are supported, the apportionment being made by a state superintendent among the counties according to the number of children between the ages of 5 and 20 years. In 1874 there were 2,215 school districts, containing 72,991 children, of whom 47,718 attended school. The total number of school buildings was 1516, of which 134 stone, brick, or frame, and 171 log. sod, or dug-outs. Their value was estimated at about $1,546,480. The number of male teachers employed was 1252; of female, 1483. The average monthly wages of the first was $37.98: of the second, $32.12. The total receipts for school purposes from all sources were $988,740.20; and the total expenditures, $1,004,957.03. There are graded schools in 12 towns, and high schools in every tow:,.. At Peru there is also it state nor mal school, with 10 instructors, which has an average attendance of about 200 pupils. The state university was first opened in 1871, and comprises 6 departments: (1) a college of ancient and modern languages, mathematics, and natural science; (2) agriculture; (3) law; (4) medicine; (5) practical science, mechanics, and civil engineering; (6) fine arts. The number of its professors in 1874 was 8, and the number of students in attend ance was 114. Besides these institutions there are two colleges under denominational control, Nebraska college (Protestant Episcopal;, at Nebraska City, and Doane college (Congregational), at Crete. The former was cht.rtered in 1868, has 10 professors, and grounds and buildings valued at $23,000; the latter was organized in 1873, has 4 profess ors, and ground and buildings worth $50,000. Of the libraries throughout the state, the census of 1870 reported 390, containing 147,040 volumes, of which 219, with about 95,000 volumes, were private, and 171, with 51,9a5 volumes, were public. The number of newspapers and periodicals published in 1880 was about 77. Of these 10 were dailies, 62 weeklies, 1 semi-monthly, and 4 monthlies. The total number of church organizations in 1874 was 514; church 279; church property, $665,150. The leading denominations were: Baptist, 90; Disciples, 15; Congregational, 65; Protestant Episcopal, 26; Evangelical Association, 10: Lutheran, 30; Methodist, 94; Presbyterian, 78; Roman Catholic, 18: Unitarian, 3; United Brethren in Christ, 84; Universalist, 1.
The constitution of Nebraska provides that every male person of the age of 21 years and upwards, who is a citizen of the United Stites or has declared his intention 30 days previous to an election to become a citizen, and who is neither. insane, an idiot, nor an unpardoned felon, shall be entitled to vote, provided he has resided in the state six months. The executive department consists of a governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, auditor of public accounts, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, and commis sioner of public lands and buildings, who are elected every two years. In 1880 the house of representatives consisted of 84 members, and the senate of 30. The judicial power is vested in a supreme court of three judges, elected for six years; six district courts, with one judge for each, cleeted.fdr four3:tars; and county courts, each presided over by one judge, whose term of office is two years. Justices of the peace and police m are appointed to try minor cases. Under the apportionment of 1872 the state is entitled to only one representative in congress. Its electoral votes have been cast as follows: 1863, Grant and Colfax, 3; 1872, Grant and Wilson, 3; 1876, Haves and Wheeler, 3; 1880, Garfield and Arthur, 3.