Mairufactures.—The chief manufac turing industries of the State are con cerned with the refining and smelting of copper and lead. There are also impor tant meat packing plants and nianufac tories of foundry and machine shop products, lumber and timber, railroad cars, etc. In 1919 the statistics of the manufactures of the State were as fol lows: number of establishments, 939; average number of wage-earners, 13,704; amount paid in wages, $13,001,000; value of materials used, $46,744,000; value of finished products, $84,446,000.
Banking.—On Oct. 31, 1919, there were reported 138 National banks in operation with $5,030,000 capital, $3,792,711 in out standing circulation. There were also 256 State banks, with $8,290,000 capital, and $2,190,000 surplus; 9 private banks with $645,000 capital, and $49,000 sur plus. The exchanges for the year ending Sept. 3, 1919, at the United States clear ing house at Helena amounted to $109, 910,000, an increase over those of the preceding year of $6,353,000.
Churches.—The strongest denomina tions in the State are the Roman Cath olic, Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian, North; Protestant Episcopal; Disciples of Christ; Regular Baptist, North; Meth odist Episcopal, South.
Education.—The school population of the State in 1919 was 158,674. There were enrolled in the schools 122,000 pupils. The average daily attendance was 87,660. There were 749 female and 616 male teachers. The average monthly salary for elementary schools was $91.25, and for high schools, $114.00.
Trans portation.—There were, in 1917, 4,930 miles of main line track, 205 miles of double track line, and 1,594 miles of branches. The total mileage in operation was 6,987. The roads having the longest
mileage were the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, the Great Northern, and the Southern Pacific.
Finances.—The receipts for the year ending Nov. 30, 1918, were $9,254,263, and the disbursements $9,704,868. There was a balance at the end of the year of $2,583,810. The total indebtedness of the State was about $2,000,000.
State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of four years. Leg islative sessions are held biennally, be ginning on the first Monday of January, and are limited to 60 days each. The Legislature has 54 members in the Sen ate and 108 in the House. There are two representatives in Congress.
History.—Montana was partly included in the Louisiana Purchase, and partly in the Oregon country, acquired by the treaty with Great Britain in 1846. Till the discovery of gold in 1862 this region was but little visited, excepting by hunt ers, fur companies, explorers and mis sionaries. In 1864 the Territory of Mon tana was organized from parts of Idaho and Montana, and in 1875 Helena was made the capital. In August, 1873, sev eral battles occurred between the United States troops and the Sioux Indians on the Yellowstone river, and in May, 1876, in an attack on the Confederated Sioux tribes, under Sitting Bull, in Rosebud river valley, General Custer and his en tire force were massacred. This was fol lowed by the removal of the Sioux and the opening of the country to settlement. In February, 1889, Congress passed the "Omnibus Bill" providing for the admis sion of Montana, Washington, and the Dakotas. A constitution was adopted in July, and on Nov. 8, 1889, Montana was admitted to the Union as a State.