Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XI.djvu/625

 MINNESOTA 607 tons cleared. In 1873 5 steam vessels of 510 tons and 4 barges were built in the Minne- sota district. Since 1857, when congress made to Minnesota a grant of six sections per mile of the public lands to aid in the construction of railroads, which was increased to ten sec- tions per mile in 1865, not less than 13,200,000 acres of land, or more than one fourth of the entire area of the state, has been granted to railroad corporations, either by the general government or the state. These grants com- prise 11,250,000 acres by congress and 1,950,- 000 by the state; and 5,515,007 acres have already been conveyed to the companies. The railroad companies in the state organized under special charters are required to pay to the state, in lieu of all other taxes, 1 per cent, of their gross earnings for the first three years, 2 per cent, during the next seven years, and 3 per cent, thereafter. Other railroad compa- nies can acquire the same privileges by com- plying with the provisions of the law. The gross earnings of the companies subject to this law in 1872 were reported at $5,399,578, on which the tax amounted to $106,876. The gross earnings during the year ending Sept. 1, 1873, were $5,536,104, including $1,385,272 from passengers and $3,811,603 from freight. The total expenses of all the companies amounted to $4,140,885. A commissioner is appointed by the state, whose duty is to re- port to the legislature annually concerning the finances, business, and general condition of every railroad company in the state. Min- nesota had 31 m. of railroad in 1863, 298 in 1866, and 1,092 in 1870. In 1874 there were 1,833 m. of main track and branches, exclusive of side track, &c. The railroads completed in the state, and their termini, in 1874, with the capital stock issued, the latter items being re- ported by the state commissioner for the year ending Sept. 1, 1873, are as follows : NAME OF CORPORATION. TEBMINI. Miles com- pleted in the state in 1874. Total length between termi- ni when different from the preceding. Capital stock issued as re- ported by state commissioners, Sept. 1, 1873. Acres of land granted by congress. Chicago, Dubnque, and Minnesota Dubuque, la., to La Crescent 24 118 $426,215 Chicago Milwaukee and St. Paul. 8 152 000 Via, La Crosse Milwaukee Wis., to St. Paul 130 824 " Prairie du Chien 127 405 Branches Mendota to Minneapolis 9 Leased (Hastings and Dakota) Mason City, la., to Austin Hastings to Glencoe. 10 75 40 750000 500000 Lake Superior and Mississippi ( Stillwater and St Paul St. Paul to Duluth White Bear to Stillwater 156 13 ... 5,125,000 400 000 480,854 Leased -< Minneapolis and Duluth. . White Bear to Minneapolis 14 200,'000

( Minneapolis and St. Louis. Northern Pacific Minneapolis to Sioux City Junction. . . Duluth to Puget Sound 254 1 800 92,000 18 239 300 2918466 St. Paul and Pacific St. Paul to Breckenridge 217 75 125 500,000 1 468 600 1,248,688 940 000 St. Vincent extension. St. Cloud to St. Vincent 35 815 2 OOO'OOO St. Paul and Sioux City St. Paul to St. James 122 1 851,500 850 000 St. Paul, Stillwater, and Taylor's Falls Sioux City and St Paul Near St. Paul to Stillwater Sioux City la. to St James 18 66 148 277,500 1 515780 Southern Minnesota Grand Crossing to Winnebago 168 8 825 000 450000 West Wisconsin St. Paul to Elroy, Wis 4 197 Winona and St. Peter Winona to Lake Kampeska, Dak .... 288 826 400,000 710,000 1,838 There were 32 national banks in operation in Minnesota, Nov. 1, 1874, with a paid-in capital of $4,448,700 ; total amount of circulation is- sued, $4,455,000 ; amount outstanding at that date, $3,393,501, the latter being $7 71 per capita. The ratio of circulation to the wealth of the state was 1-5 per cent. ; to bank capital, 76*3 per cent. There were five savings banks, with deposits aggregating $843,498. The total number of fire and marine insurance com- panies transacting business in the state in 1873 was 45, including 2 Minnesota and 36 other American and 7 foreign companies. The number of life insurance companies was 35, of which only one was organized under the laws of the state. The present constitution of Minnesota was adopted Oct. 13, 1857, and the government organized May 22, 1858. The qualifications for voters are, that they be males, 21 years of age, who are or have de- clared their intention of becoming citizens of 560 VOL. XL 39 the United States, and who have resided in the United States one year, and in the state four months next preceding. Indians and persons of mixed white and Indian blood, who have adopted the language, customs, and habits of civilization, are also allowed to vote in any district in which they have resided for the ten days next preceding. The legislature consists of 41 senators elected for two years, and 106 representatives elected for one year. They must be qualified voters and residents in the state one year, and in their respective districts six months next before the election. The election is held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of each year, and the legislature meets on the Tuesday after the first Monday in January. Its sessions are lim- ited to 60 days. The executive department consists of a governor (salary $3,000), lieuten- ant governor, secretary of state ($1,800), trea- surer ($3,500), attorney general ($1,000), all