merce and enable New York city to hold the first rank both as the exporting and importing center of our country, while better hghways bring the markets closer to the doors of the farmer. The two are equally important. The one obstacle to the successful consummation of necessary improvements is the constitutional prohibition against long extensions of the bonded debt of the State. The alternative is direct yearly taxation upon the people. The Republican party, having already, through economies and legislation, rendered a direct tax almost unnecessary, believes that these improvements should not be the cause of again imposing such a tax upon the people, and that without imposing unnecessary burdens upon individuals of other interests there should be an extension of time in which payment of the principal and the money for the payment of the yearly interest should be provided. With reference to trusts, it declared that, while we would encourage business enterprises which have for their object the extension of trade and the upbuilding of our State, we condemn all combinations and monopolies, in whatever form, having for their purpose the destruction of competition in legitimate enterprise, the limitation of production in any field of labor, or the increase of cost to the consumer of the necessaries of life; and we pledge the party to the support of such legislation as will suppress and prevent the organization of such illegal combinations.

The following candidates were then nominated by acclamation: For Governor, Benjamin B. Odell, Jr.; Lieutenant-Governor, Frank W. Higgins; Secretary of State, John F. O'Brien; Treasurer, John G. Wickser; Attorney-General, Henry B. Coman; Comptroller, Nathan B. Miller; Engineer, E. A. Bond; Judge of the Court of Appeals, W. Edward Werner.

The Democratic State Convention was held in Saratoga Springs on Sept. 30, and was called to order by John B. Stanchfield, who subsequently yielded the chair to Martin W. Littleton, permanent chairman. The platform declared a belief in the revision of the tariff, and opposition to those corporate combinations, called trusts, that establish monopolies, destroy competition, control raw material, and increase the price of finished product. While the Philippine policy of the present administration was condemned, a recognition was announced of territorial expansion -the expansion of Jefferson and of Polk-and in the honorable acquisition of desirable territory that can be erected into States in the Union, and whose people are willing and fit or capable of becoming fit for American citizenship. Trade expansion by every peaceful and legitimate means was favored, but opposition to the seizing or purchasing of distant lands to be held as colonies was expressed. It advocated the national ownership and operation of the anthracite coal-mines by the exercise of the right of eminent domain, with just compensation to owners. It said: "Fuel, like water, being a public necessity, we advocate national ownership and operation of the mines as a solution of the problem which will relieve the country from the sufferings which follow differences between labor and capital in the anthracite mines."

The following-named candidates were then nominated: For Governor, Bird S. Coler; Lieutenant-Governor, Charles N. Bulger; Secretary of State, Frank Mott; Attorney-General, John Cunneen; Comptroller, Charles M. Preston; State Treasurer, George R. Finch; State Engineer and Surveyor, Richard P. Sherman; Judge of the Court of Appeals, J. Clinton Gray.

The election took place on Nov. 4, when the Republican candidates for Governor, LieutenantGovernor, Secretary of State, Comptroller, Treasurer, and State Engineer and Surveyor were chosen by pluralities respectively of 8,803, 10,134, 11,890, 13,029, 11,541, and 11,977, while the Democratic candidates for Attorney-General and Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals were elected by pluralities of 9,465 and 14,821. Thirty-seven Representatives to Congress were elected, of whom 20 were Republicans. Of the 17 Democrats chosen, 16 were from New York city and 1 from Buffalo. A new Legislature was chosen, including in the Senate 28 Republicans and 22 Democrats, and in the Assembly 89 Republicans and 61 Democrats, a gain of 7 Democrats in the Senate and 26 Democrats in the Assembly.

NORTH CAROLINA, a Southern State, one of the original thirteen, ratified the Constitution Nov. 21, 1789; area, 52,250 square miles. The population, according to each decennial census, was 393,751 in 1790; 478,103 in 1800; 555,500 in 1810; 638,829 in 1820; 737,987 in 1830; 753.419 in 1840; 869,039 in 1850; 992,622 in 1860; 1,071,361 in 1870; 1,399,750 in 1880; 1,617,947 in 1890; and 1,893,810 in 1900. Capital, Raleigh.

Government.-The following were the State officers in 1902: Governor, Charles B. Aycock; Lieutenant-Governor, W. D. Turner; Secretary of State, J. B. Grimes; Treasurer, B. R. Lacy; Auditor, B. F. Dixon; Attorney-General, R. D. Gilmer; Superintendent of Education, T. F. Toon, who died in February and was succeeded by James Y. Joyner; Commissioner of Agriculture, S. L. Patterson; Commissioner of Insurance, James R. Young; Adjutant-General, B. S. Royster-all Democrats; Geologist, Joseph A. Holmes; Librarian, M. O. Sherrill; Commissioner of Labor and Printing, H. B. Varner; Chemist, B. W. Kilgore; Corporation Commission, Franklin McNeill, Samuel L. Rogers, D. H. Abbott; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, David M. Furches, Republican; Associate Justices, Robert M., Douglas, Republican, Walter Clark, Democrat, W. A. Montgomery, Democrat, Charles A. Cook; Clerk, Thomas J. Kenan, Democrat.

The State officers are elected for terms of four years, at the time of the presidential elections. The Legislature mets biennially in January of the odd-numbered years. The length of the session is not limited, but legislators are not paid for more than sixty days.

Finances. The fiscal year ending Nov. 30 began with a balance from the previous year of $18,262.52. From Dec. 1, 1901, to Nov. 30, 1902,

there was received into the Treasurer's office $1,907,958.68. This includes the $200,000 loaned by the Park National Bank, of New York city. The disbursements in the fiscal year amounted to $1,863,849.79, leaving a balance in the treasury on Dec. 1, 1902, of $62,371.41. Outstanding warrants brought the actual balance down to $30,213.59.

Among the larger items of expenditure in 1902 were: For interest on bonds, $299,999; State hospitals, $317,950; public schools, $180,664; Agricultural Department, $66,143; Judicial Department, $69,539; deaf-mute and blind institutions, $115,911; pensions, $200,046.50; Soldiers' Home, $12,000; university, $37,500; Normal College, $35,000; orphan asylums, $15,000; experiment station, $15,000; Agricultural College, Raleigh, $64,511; Colored Agricultural College, Greensboro, $23,250; normal schools, $20.250; Corporation Commission, $12.400; printing, $20,568; Shell-Fish Commission, $18.713.

Valuations and Taxes. From the figures given out by the Corporation Tax Commission in

December it is learned that the value of real estate was fixed in 1901 for taxation at $175,366,240, and of personal property at $108,075,569, giving a total of $283,441,809. On this the tax at 21 cents on the $100 was $595,227.79.

Other valuations were: Railroad companies, $42,448,799; telephone companies, $355,357.22; steamboats, canals, ferries, $220,471.63; street-railways, $756,360; electric-light and gas companies, $93,623.46; telegraph companies, $904,200; sleeping-car companies, $181,720; express companies, $189,573.69; water companies, $84,429; corporate excess, $5,837,442; building and loan stock, $560,521; bank stock, $6,147,703; total, including the above, $341,222,009, and the total tax, $716,566.21. The pension tax amounted to $136,488.80; and the tax on 267,687 polls to $32,122.44. Income and license and other taxes brought the total for the State to $1,169,024.53. The school taxes, payable to county treasuries, amounted to $1,139,219.03; the county taxes, to $1,593,254.45; municipal taxes were $1,149,902.68; total of all taxes, $5,051,400.69. The State debt amounts to $6,527,770. The bonded debts of the counties amount to $1,195,817, and their floating debts to $321,222; the bonded debt of the towns was $4,091,659, and current liabilities, $274,818.51.

Education. The number of illiterates in the State, by the last census, was 386,251. In the percentage of children from ten to fourteen able to read and write, the State stands forty-third in the list, with 78.25 per cent.

An educational conference was held at Raleigh in April for the purpose of devising means for improving the public schools and awakening greater interest in education throughout the State. The superintendent named as the 3 greatest needs, improvement of the schoolhouses; consolidation of school districts; increase of the public-school fund by local taxation. About 57 per cent. of the school districts in North Carolina have a school population of fewer than 65 children, the minimum number prescribed by law. The work of consolidation of districts has been begun; in December the number had been reduced from 8,115 to 7,853. It was decided at the conference to hold educational rallies in all sections of the State, to have at these rallies inspiring educational addresses, and to have in attendance, in addition to the general public and all friends of education, the county superintendents of the 15 or 20 surrounding counties, and to conduct an institute and conference of these superintendents.

A comparison of the number of teachers at the beginning and at the end of the last decade shows that there was a movement toward the employment of more women as teachers in proportion to the number of men. In 1890 there were 2,659 white male teachers and 1,883 white female teachers. Of colored teachers there were male 1,513, and female 1,010. In 1900 there were only 2,428 white male teachers and 2,591 white female teachers. The colored male teachers numbered 1,131 and the colored female teachers 1,276. The average monthly salary was given as $26.18 for men and $23.14 for women. The receipts of the school fund for the year ending June 30, 1902, were $1,311,301, and the disbursements $1,276,036.

The State Normal and Industrial College, at Greensboro, graduated a class of 34 in May. The receipts from Oct. 1, 1900, to Sept. 15, 1902, were $174,015.02, and the disbursements $173.983.88.

The Board of Examiners of State Institutions found the conditions at the Normal Schools for Colored Teachers, at Plymouth, Goldsboro, and Franklinton very unsatisfactory, and censured the directors for neglect. Similar criticisms were

made upon the Colored Agricultural and Mechanical College. The examiners said:

"We next note that since the exclusion of girls the number of boys enrolled as students has somewhat increased, until now it is said to be as many as 95. We have tried to learn the actual average attendance, but have not been able to do so because no books have been kept. We have heard reports that it was as low as 40 and as high as 50.”

The Executive Committee of the college praises its work, saying: "We believe that the college is offering the kind of education best suited to the colored people, and is doing a great work for them and for the State. It is not true that no books are kept at the college from which the attendance can be learned. There are now [November, 1902] in actual attendance 114 students and an enrolment of 121, which is growing almost daily. Every room in the college, including those formerly occupied by the girls, is full, none having less than 2, and some as many as 5 boys.”

The regular appropriations are as follow: United States appropriation, $8,250; North Carolina appropriation, $7,500. In addition to this, the last Legislature appropriated $5,000 for two years to help pay for the farm and help pay debts.

There were 369 students at the Agricultural College, at Raleigh, in May, and 450 in November. The Legislature appropriated $20,000 for a textile building. The oldest student was sixty-nine years of age, the youngest fifteen. Nearly $4,000 was earned by students in the year; the largest amount was $161.95, and the smallest 15 cents, the average being $16.95.

The State University had an enrolment in 1901-'02 of 565, the largest in its history. It has been decided to establish in Raleigh a college of medicine in connection with the university.

The Joseph K. Brick Agricultural, Industrial, and Normal School, to which Mrs. Julia Brick, of Brooklyn, N. Y., has given $500,000, is on a farm between Whitakers and Enfield, near the Atlantie Coast Line. The Brick school is located in the heart of the largest negro population in the State. This is the only large sum of money given for negro education of late years that has come to any institution except those at Hampton and Tuskegee.

There are published in the State 293 newspapers. Only 28 are dailies; 180 are weeklies; 20 semiweeklies; and 44 monthlies. In politics 142 are Democratic, and 17 Republican; many of the weeklies are religious, and some are technical.

Charities and Corrections.-A school for white deaf children is located at Morganton, and one for the colored at Raleigh. In the school at Morganton are 221 pupils. The number taught by the oral method is steadily increasing. The yearly per capita is $174.67.

The board finds that while there are about 900 insane persons in the eastern district, there are only 404 patients in the Raleigh asylum. The others are either in the jails, in the county homes, or in charge of their relatives. The cost of maintenance per capita is $15.13 a month.

The number of white blind children in the Raleigh institution is 160; of colored deaf and dumb and blind, 173. The annual per capita is $175.18.

There must be in the western district about 1,548 insane persons. But there are only 782 in the Morganton hospital. There are on file 490 applications for admission, not one of which has been granted for lack of room. The annual cost per capita is $151.40.

The hospital for insane negroes, at Goldsboro, has 470 patients. The cost per capita is $9.16 a

month.

There are 41 patients in the hospital for the dangerous insane, which is in the State Prison building. The cost per capita is $114.98 a year.

In April there were 850 convicts in the charge of the State. Of these, 439 were at work on the Ohio River and Charleston Railroad. There are among the convicts 55 women, of whom 3 are white; 155 of the men are white, and 2 are Indians.

The net profit of the present administration has been $20,643.28. In 1901 the prison failed of being self-supporting by the sum of $32,773.

From July 1, 1901, to July 1, 1902, the number of criminal cases in the courts was 9,301-males 8,634, females 667-against whites 4,951, against negroes 4,339, against Indians 11. Convictions and submissions 6,418, acquittals 1,183, nolle prossed 1,594, otherwise disposed of 106.

Railroads. The Corporation Commission this year reduced the passenger-fare rate over the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, and the Southern Railway. The commissioners' standard rate of 23 cents a mile for second-class fare and 3 cents a mile for first-class fare is now applied, in fact, to nearly every road in the State.

There are 3,681.95 miles of railroad in the State, an increase of 30.82 miles over last year. There were, however, 66.63 miles of new road built, but 35.81 miles were abandoned.

The aggregate earnings of the railroads were $16,476,173.56; the operating expenses, $10,187,100.64; the cost of roads, $104,864,959; bonded debts, $52,697,380; capital stock, $77,877,115; taxes paid, $547,262; number of employees, 11,401; amount of wages, $4,452,590; accidents, 87 killed, 1,068 injured.

The gross earnings of the street-railways were $531,019; operating expenses, $408,338; number of passengers carried, 5,741,046.

The Supreme Court decided that the law passed by the last Legislature should not be construed to mean that the franchises were to be taxed separately from the tangible property.

Banks.--In 1899, when the banks were placed under the supervision of the Corporation Commission, there were 65 in the State. There are now 120-83 State, 23 private, and 14 savings. In 1902 the capital stock was $3,513,564; deposits, $14,046,775 ; gold, silver, and national-bank notes on hand, $1,158,810; total resources, $20,725,288. Building and Loan Associations.-There are 30 building and loan associations, with assets amounting to $2,020,676.

Insurance.In the year ending Dec. 31, 1900, the total of premiums received by North Carolina companies was $208,021.03, and the amount of losses paid $52,817.98. For companies of other States doing business in North Carolina, the premiums received were $765,082.49, and the losses paid were $350,336.65. Premiums received by foreign companies doing business in the State amounted to $369,162.16, and the losses paid were $176,137.95.

Industries and Products. Following are census statistics on farms in the State: Number, 224,637; value, $194,655,920. Of the valuation 27 per cent. was in buildings and the remainder in Îand and other improvements than buildings.

The tobacco-crop of 1899 was 127,503,400 pounds, valued at $8,038,691.

The cotton-crop of 1901-'02 was 550,000. The estimate for 1902-'03 was 650,000.

This State showed the largest yield of sweet potatoes in 1899. From 68,730 acres the product was 5,781,587 bushels, valued at $2,119,956.

The wooded area of the State is 35,300 square miles.

The textile mills of the State show an increase for the year 1901. The number of mills enumerated is as follows: Cotton-mills, 226; woolenmills, 11; knitting-mills, 41; carpet-mill, 1; jutebagging mill, 1; silk-mills, 3; total, 283.

In 1900 the number of spindles in use was 1,481,771; it is now 1,694,163.

In the knitting-mills there are in use 3,814 machines, against 2,048 in 1900. The hours of labor for the operatives run from ten in the knittingmills up to twelve and a half in the cotton-mills.

The number of operatives employed is as follows: 18,171 men, an increase of 21 per cent. over 1900; 18,377 women, an increase of 15 per cent.; 7,996 children under fourteen, an increase of 5 per cent.

In flour and grist mills $2,905,310 was invested in 1900, and the product was valued at $8,867,

462.

Historic.-A celebration was held on Guilford battle-ground, July 4, when a monument to Nathaniel Macon was unveiled and an oration on his character and services was delivered by the Hon. T. S. Pittman.

Elaborate preparations are making for celebrating, on Roanoke island, the landing and settlement of Sir Walter Raleigh's colonies and the birth of Virginia Dare (in August, 1587), the first Anglo-American.

Federal Appointment.-Considerable excitement has been raised over the question of the reappointment of Sam Vick, a colored man, postmaster at Wilson. The people of the town testify freely to his good character and capacity, and place their opposition frankly on the ground of his color. It is said there is not a white Republican in the town.

Lawlessness.-Reports have been published of the lynching of 4 negroes, 1 for criminal assault and 3 for murder. The negro lynched at Washington in March had poisoned the whole family of Dr. D. T. Tayloe, none of whom died. The Governor offered $400 reward for the arrest and conviction of each member of the mob that lynched 2 negro brothers at Salisbury in June; they were believed to have murdered a young lady who had ordered them off her premises, though there seems to have been some room for doubt of the guilt of the younger, who was but fourteen years old. In the case of the negro lynched for criminal assault at or near Kinston, the coroner's jury found that he came to his death at the hands of parties unknown to the jury, and added: "In view of the enormity of the crime committed by said Tom Jones, alias Frank Hill,

we think they would have been recreant to their duty as good citizens had they acted otherwise."

Legal Opinions. The justices of the Supreme Court contend that their salaries are not liable to taxation on the ground that the Constitution declares that their salaries are not to be diminished during their term of office, and the Attorney-General agrees with this opinion, which applies to the salaries of other State officials as well.

The decision against the antitrust law of Illinois probably invalidates that of this State as well.

Political.At the State election, in November, a Chief Justice and 2 Associate Justices of the Supreme Court were to be chosen, for terms of eight years, succeeding Judges Furches, Clark, and Cook, and a member of the Corporation Commission to succeed D. H. Abbott, for a term of six years; also a Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The Democratic Convention, in Greensboro, July 16, nominated Walter Clark for Chief Justice and Henry G. Connor and Platt D. Walker for Associate Justices. Eugene C. Beddingfield was named for Corporation Commissioner and James Y. Joyner for Superintendent. The platform declared allegiance to the national platform of the party; congratulated the people upon the adoption of the suffrage amendment; commended the State administration; denounced the policy of "imperialism"; condemned trusts and Congress for not restraining them; favored the establishment of the Appalachian park; and favored nominations by primaries.

The Republican Convention met in Greensboro, Aug. 28, and nominated Thomas H. Hill for Chief Justice, D. H. Abbott for Corporation Commissioner, and D. A. Long for Superintendent of Instruction.

After approving the national administration and affirming allegiance to the party principles, the platform accused the Democrats of violating their preelected pledges in regard to reductions in expenses, number of offices, and salaries, and said further:

"They promised, by affidavit and otherwise, that no white man would be disfranchised under the amendment to our Constitution, but instead of observing their pledge with respect to this matter, the Democratic State chairman is now forced to admit that 18,000 white men will be denied the right to vote at the approaching election.

"We condemn them for their unwarranted effort to impeach 2 of our Supreme Court justices for purely partizan purposes, for following precedents established by the Supreme Court of this State in a long line of decisions covering a period of more than sixty years.

'We further condemn them for the enactment of legislation appropriating the money of the people for the purpose of defraying the expenses of persons indicted for violation of laws which they had sworn to obey, and for granting amnesty to such persons from prosecution in the State courts.'

The convention was composed entirely of white men; contesting delegations of negroes were not seated in any instance.

Negro Republicans held a convention in October; they made no nominations, but adopted a set of resolutions condemning the treatment accorded

them.

All the Democratic candidates for State offices were elected. For Chief Justice, Clark, Democrat, had 132,239 votes, and Hill, Republican, 71,275. All the 10 representatives in Congress are Democrats. The Legislature stands on joint ballot 144

Democrats, 22 Republicans, and 4 Independent Democrats. There was a tie in the Thirty-fourth Senatorial District, each candidate having 3,816

votes.

NORTH DAKOTA, a Northwestern State, admitted to the Union Nov. 2, 1889; area, 70,795 square miles. The population was 182,719 in 1890 and 319,146 in 1900. Capital, Bismarek.

Government.-The following were the State officers in 1902: Governor, Frank White; Lieutenant-Governor, David Bartlett; Secretary of State, E. F. Porter; State Auditor, A. N. Carlbloom; State Treasurer, D. H. McMillan; Commissioner of Insurance, Ferdinand Leutz; Attorney-General, O. D. Comstock; Superintendent of Public Instruction, J. M. Devine; Commissioner of Agriculture and Labor, R. J. Turner; Commissioners of Railroads, C. D. Lord, J. F. Shea, J. J. Youngblood; secretary, C. C. Hammond; State Land Commissioner, D. J. Laxdahl; Adjutant General, E. S. Miller; Geologist, Frank A. Wilder; Oil Inspector, L. W. Schruth; Superintend ent of Public Health, H. H. Healey; State Examiner, R. E. Wallace; Veterinarian, J. W. Dunham; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Alfred Wallin; Associate Justices, N. C. Young, D. E. Morgan. All are Republicans.

The State officers are elected for terms of two years in November of the even-numbered years. The Legislature meets biennially in January of the odd-numbered years. The length of the session is limited to sixty days.

On Jan.

Finances.-The Governor says in his message: "I desire particularly to draw your attention to the improved condition of our State treasury and the reduction made in our State debt. 1, 1901, there was less than $10,000 in the general fund. The accounts against the State were six months past due, upon the Auditor's table were $80,000 of funding warrants issued to pay current expenses, and more than $150,000 of vouchers awaiting payment. It had been a common praetise for the Legislature each two years to authorize the issuing of short-time warrants to square accounts. These warrants drew a high rate of interest, were not considered good by investors, and were often only sold upon the personal assurance of the officers issuing them that they would be taken care of. During the past two years $270,000 of these warrants were issued. All these warrants have been gradually paid off. all other obligations of the State have been promptly met, and the biennial period closed with practically all bills paid and with a small balance in the general fund. During the same time, by a special tax, $153,000 of asylum bonds have been paid off and the bonded debt reduced to that extent. This has been accomplished principally by reason of increased revenues. Our assessed valuation and tax levy for general purposes have grown very materially."

Valuations. The valuation of all property in the State for purposes of taxation is $133,880.414: The valuation in 1901 was $124,592,521. The principal increase in valuation is in real property, which as equalized this year was more than $7,000,000 above the value in 1901. The value of real property is $85.195.926. In 1901 the total was $77,858,024. Reduction of the assessed valuation of live stock kept down the total of personal property. Railroad property is val ued at $19.970,000. Telegraph property is equalized at $219,465, telephone property at $125,865. and express companies at $143,665.

The rate of the general State tax is 4 mills: that of the bond interest tax, fl mill : for State institutions, 1 mill; and for schools, 2 mills. The

collections of taxes in the two years amounted to $935,654.46 for general purposes.

Education. The number of illiterates in the State in 1900 was 12,719. In the percentage of children from ten to fourteen able to read and write, this State stood twenty-ninth on the list, with 97.65 per cent.

The school census, 1902, shows a total of 103,728 children of school age, an increase of 7 per cent. over 1901. The support of the schools in 1901 cost $1,670,093.28. There were 3,262 schools and 4,319 teachers in that year. The value of school property in 1901 was $2,750,313.52. The public schools of the State have a land endowment worth $50,000,000. The land endowments of the State educational institutions are: Agricultural College, at Fargo, supported largely by Congress, grant of 130,000 acres; State University, at Grand Forks, with school of mines in connection therewith, 126,080 acres of land; normal school at Valley City, with grant of 50,000 acres; normal school at Mayville, with a grant of 30,000 acres; School of Forestry, at Bottineau, no land grant; Scientific School, at Wahpeton, with a grant of 40,000 acres. Nearly 100 traveling libraries are in use in the schools.

Charities and Corrections. The following are the State institutions with the extent of their land endowments; Hospital for the Insane, at Jamestown, a land grant of 20,000 acres; Soldiers' Home, at Lisbon, a grant of 40,000 acres; Blind Asylum, at Bathgate, a grant of 30,000 acres; Industrial School and School for Manual Training, at Ellendale, a land grant of 40,000 acres; Institution for Feeble-Minded, at Grafton, has a congressional appropriation of $150,000, which with interest amounts to about $31,000; State Penitentiary, at Bismarck, no land grant; State Reform School, at Mandan, a land grant of 40,000 acres; Deaf and Dumb Asylum, at Devil's Lake, a grant of 40,000 acres.

The new institution at Grafton is nearly finished. It will open with about 150 patients, many of whom will be transferred from other institutions.

Banks. In the year the number of State banks increased from 138 to 176. The total deposits increased from about $7,000,000 to more than $10,000,000. The resources in September, 1901, were $9,603,699.96; and in September, 1902, $13,437,076.88; the loans and discounts increased from $5,820,436.89 to $8,482,721.64.

Building and Loan Associations. - There were of these in 1901 6, with 2,000 members and assets amounting to $428,684.

Railroads. Statistics show an addition of 120.72 to the railroad mileage of the State in 1901, and 98 miles in 1902. The total mileage is 3,330. The Soo road was extended this year from Braddock to Bismarck, a great advantage for the capital city. The opening of the road was celebrated there with enthusiasm Aug. 23. The line passes through an unusually productive country.

Insurance. The life-insurance claims paid in the State in 1901 amounted to $260,661.

Industries and Products. From statistics given by the Commissioner of Agriculture for 1901, and a review of the progress of the State, are taken the following: Number of flouring-mills, 70; lignite-coal mines, 33; cheese factories, 8; creameries, 20; farms, 38,808; ranches, 6,150; combined farms and ranches, 20,150; tons tame and wild feed made, 926,005; acreage lost by hail, 1900, from one-fourth to total, 812,482; estimate of flax per acre, 10.15 bushels; estimate of wheat per acre, 12.25 bushels. The returns show a most

remarkable increase in such grains as corn, flax, barley, and rye, and the garden produce was nearly doubled in 1901 over 1900.

The estimates of crops in 1902 were: Wheat, 55,000,000 bushels; oats, 20,000,000; flax, 25,000,000; corn, 2,000,000. North Dakota is the leading State in the production of flax.

Tests of lignite for use on railroads, which were made this year, are reported to have proved that with engines constructed for the consumption of lignite this fuel is available for use on the road at a great saving over the fuel now used. The principal objection in the past, when tests of lignite have been made in railroad locomotives, has been that the draft has lifted the fire out of the fire-box and carried the live coals through the flues and out of the stack, rendering it difficult to keep a fire. This has been overcome in the construction of the engine with which the recent test was made. This engine has a brick arch over the fire-box, which prevents the lifting of the fire, which passes around the end of the arch, and then through the flues, keeping a steady and hot flame. All gases from the coal rise to the top of the arch, where they are consumed.

Lands.-In North Dakota there are 15,071,477 acres of unappropriated lands, of which 10,121,977 acres are surveyed and 4,949,500 acres are unsurveyed. The reserved area embraces 8,325,490 acres, and the appropriated lands 26,513,113.

The wooded area is estimated at 600 square miles. In 1901 the State Land Commissioner sold lands that brought in cash payments of $282,000 and represented a total cash value of nearly $1,500,000. The common-school fund receives about $200,000 in cash.

The State institutions received $79,239, placed to the credit of their permanent funds, as follows: Agricultural College, $16,160.23; Blind Asylum, $4,522.18; Capitol building, $9,813.09; School for the Deaf, $6,144.98; Insane Hospital, $2,496.12; Industrial School, $4,935.96; Valley City Normal School, $4,862.52; Mayville Normal School, $2,817.52; Reform School, $5,085.78; Scientific School, $2,461.55; School of Mines, $3,642.16; Soldiers' Home, $4,585.90; university, $11,063.07.

Fort Lincoln. This new military post near Bismarck has been in progress of construction more than two years, but it is far from complete; when finished it will comprise 62 buildings. Only 3 are finished. These are the officers' quarters, the barracks, and the engine-house and waterworks. All the buildings are of brick.

Grand Forks.-This city is to have a Carnegie library as soon as the subscription list for the lot, furnishings, etc., which is now nearly complete, is finished.

Legal Decision.-A law of 1901 which aimed to give those counties that had not taken advantage of the provisions of the Wood's bill for the collection of delinquent taxes by tax judgment and sale opportunity to act under the old law has been held unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, on the ground that it is special legislation.

Political. At the Republican Convention, which met in Fargo July 23, the following candidates were nominated for the State election in November: For Governor, Frank White; Lieutenant-Governor, David Bartlett; Judge of Supreme Court, John M. Cochrane; Secretary of State, E. F. Porter; State Auditor, H. L. Holmes; State Treasurer, D. H. McMillan; Attorney-General, H. C. Frick; State Superintendent, W. L. Stockwell; Commissioner of Insurance, Ferdinand Leutz; Commissioner of Agriculture, R. J. Turner; Railroad Commissioners, J. F. Shea, C. J. Lord, and Andrew Schatz.