MAINE. books, 1,000 law journals and periodicals, 9,552 Government publications, 15,827 volumes of history, literature, and science, 18,000 department reports of the various States and foreign countries, 10,000 manuscripts, maps, plans, and pamphlets, besides duplicate reports and public documents intended for exchange. The number of free public libraries has greatly increased in the past two years. Not fewer than 300 libraries are now giving out books and periodicals. The Stewart Library building, at Corinna, was dedicated and given to the town Sept. 1, 1898, and at the close of 1899 it contained 3,000 volumes. The amount raised for free public libraries in 42 cities and towns was $24,846.88, and $2,000 was given for the same purpose. Schools and School Fund.-The number of pupils reported to the educational department as drawing the school fund was 209,868, and the school fund apportioned was $516,955.09, making the rate per pupil $2.463. The city of Waterville gained 265 pupils in the year; Portland had 11,623 in 1898 and 13,928 in 1899; Augusta gained 50 in the year; Lewiston, 300; Brunswick, 172; and Bangor lost 52. There were 7 summer schools, with an attendance of more than 1,000. These schools were especially distinguished for three things-that the majority of those in attendance are engaged in teaching, that they are earnest and progressive in their work, and that they were composed for the most part of graduates of college or normal or high school. Fish and Game. The number of deer killed in the season of 1898 and shipped through Bangor was 3,032, against 2,940 in 1897; the number killed in the Rangeley region, 217; number of moose in Bangor 159, and in Rangeley 4; caribou in Bangor 59, and in Rangeley only 2. By the laws of 1899 the close time for landlocked salmon, trout, and togue is from Oct. 1 until the ice is out of the ponds in the spring, except on the St. Croix river and its tributaries and in the waters of Kennebec County, where the close time is from Sept. 15 until the ice is out; white perch from April 1 to July 1. Ice fishing is prohibited in all the lakes, ponds, and their tributaries of Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties. The commissioners have power to grant permission to take eels, suckers, cusk, pickerel, and whitefish in closed waters. The open season on partridge and woodcock begins Sept. 15, and a person may send a pair of these birds without accompanying them on payment of 50 cents. The close time on muskrat is from May 1 to Oct. 15. Any person that kills or has in his possession birds known as larks, robins, swallows, sparrows, woodpeckers, or orioles forfeits not less than $1 and not more than $5; and not less than $1 and not more than $10 is the forfeit for destroying a nest, an egg, or the young of these birds. The close time on moose is from Dec. 1 is construed to Oct. 15. The term "calf moose to mean until one year old or until they have two tines or prongs to their horns. The close time on deer is from Dec. 15 to Oct. 1, and Sept. 1 to Oct. 1 a person may take, catch, and kill one deer for food purposes only, to be consumed in the locality where taken, provided such Keepers of persons have a license therefor." sporting camps, lodges, or places of resort for inland hunting or fishing and those engaged in hunting or trapping fur-bearing animals must procure a license and pay the fee required. No person shall in any manner hunt, catch, take, kill, or destroy any caribou for six years from Oct. 15, 1899. "from 469 Ice.--The total ice crop along the Kennebec Insurance. The taxes paid to the State by The The total income from fraternal beneficiary organizations was $22,230,538.35; total disbursements, $20,533,613.21; total admitted assets, $8,482,714.58; total liabilities, $2,584,051.07; total policies in force Dec. 31, 915,958; policies written during the year, 3,116; amount, $3,808,000; terminated during the year, 1,787; amount, $2,591,500. Legislative Session.-A caucus of the Republicans of the Legislature was held, Jan. 4, to nominate a candidate to succeed Eugene Hale, and Mr. Hale was made the nominee. The Democrats met in caucus on Jan. 11 and nominated Samuel L. Lord. Mr. Hale received 27 votes in the Senate and 84 in the House, against none for Mr. Lord in the Senate and 15 in the House. Among the acts passed were the following: For better protection of deer within the counties of Cumberland, York, and Sagadahoc. For pensioning soldiers or sailors in the Spanish-American War who served in the quota of Maine or who were residents of the State at the time of enlistment, and who have been disabled in the service and can not provide for themselves or those dependent upon them. For burial expenses of honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of Maine. For the better protection of the rights of widows and widowers in the real estate of deceased husbands and wives. For the establishment of traveling libraries and the lending of papers, books, and documents from the State Library. Prohibiting the taking of smelts in tidal waters, except by hook and line, between April 1 and Sept. 1. For discontinuing schools and conveying school children to other schools in certain cases. For limiting the rate of interest on loans on personal property. Authorizing the admission of women as attorneys. For annexation of the city of Deering to Portland. Liquors. The report of the Liquor Commissioner gave the amount paid for liquors through the State agency as $35,109.01; gallons of whisky used, 3,764; of brandy, 289; of gin, 644; of alcohol, 3,042; rum, 2,490; of wine, 538; of cherry rum, 140. Military Affairs.-The history of the Kennebec arsenal dates from 1827, when $15,000 was appropriated for the erection of a depot for military stores. In 1899 the military stores were valued at $156,119.44, and the estimated value of the post was $143,700. The expense to the State for the Spanish-American War was $12,000, including bounties. The Legislature authorized a loan of $100,000 to pay the bills against the State for equipments, etc., of which amount $86,000 will be repaid by the United States Government. The total number of Maine men who died in the war was 56. The number of pensioners in the Togus Soldiers' Home on June 30 was 2,207; absent on furlough, 434; sick in hospital, 326; sleeping on floors, 141. By an act approved March 3, 1899, $30,000 was appropriated for barracks and furniture. The contract for the new building calls for the completion of the work by June 20, 1900. labor yearly, $5,000,000. Poplar wood is used by 3 companies and the rest use spruce mainly, though small quantities of fir, pine, and hemlock are also used. To make a ton of sulphite pulp requires 1,000 feet of spruce, while ground pulp requires 800 feet. Quarries. In the 4 slate quarries at Monson and 3 at Brownville there were many men at work in August with good wages. In the mill at Portland more than 1,000 articles are manufactured from slate. In Monson the quarry has reached 150 feet in depth, and pieces of slate have been taken out measuring 10 × 15 feet. The lime supply of Knox County is apparently inexhaustible, there being over 100,000 acres of limestone land in the county. Several of the quarries are putting in machines for hoisting the limestone. At one quarry a new stone wharf has been built out 50 feet from the old wooden wharf, giving 20 feet of water at medium tide. From Knox County last year 1,700,000 casks of lime were shipped. There Railroads. The number of miles of railroads in operation Nov. 30, 1899, was 1,905.25, of which 154.17 miles were narrow gauge. There were added during the year ending June 30, 1899, 122.90 miles, and since that time 33.4 miles have been completed. The gross earnings of the steam roads operated in the State were $8,723,218.62, and the number of passengers carried 4,908,971, a gain of 12,906 during the year; amount of freight carried, 6,539,200 tons, a gain of 892,824 tons. were employed upon the steam railroads 7,036 persons, and the wages received were $3,242,411.31. The mileage of street railways June 30, 1899, was 240.20, a gain of 71.48 in the year. After June 30 there were constructed 27.96 miles of road, making the total mileage of street railways on Nov. 30 268.16 miles. There were employed upon the street railways 864 persons, an increase of 139 over 1898. The wages paid amounted to $390,250.50. The gross earnings were $1,090,417.69, and the operating expenses $686,419.96, to carry 18,496,374 passengers. There were 2 fatal accidents, and 7 persons were injured. Mines. A copper mine has been opened at Shipping.-About 50,000 tons of new shipMarion. The McFaul-Vose copper mine, at ping were launched in Maine this year, Bath Smith's Mills, is the latest to yield quartz ore alone furnishing 40,009 tons. The fastest craft heavily charged with copper, 10 surface samples ever built in Maine was launched May 29-the showing 3.97 per cent. of copper. In the Pittston torpedo boat Dahlgren. It is 147 feet long and gold mine, at 18 inches below the surface, the 16 feet 4 inches broad, and has a displacement ore assayed $17 a ton, with silver enough to pay of about 146 tons. In the year ending June 30, for the work. A mine of lead and silver was 1899, there were lost at sea 78 vessels, with a discovered at Solon in the spring, and yielded total tonnage of 24,076; loss to vessels and cargo, $60 in lead and $100 in silver to the ton. A $3,626,235; number of persons on board, 469; shaft 60 feet deep was sunk, and a vein of Galena number of lives lost, 204. ore mixed with quartz 5 feet wide was found. Peddlers. The number of registrations for 1899 was 185; number of county licenses 90, against 100 last year; State licenses 100, with 150 last year. The change in the law, allowing a taxpayer to peddle certain goods in his own town and its vicinity, has reduced the number of necessary licenses. Pulp and Paper Mills. There were 30 pulp mills and 28 paper mills in the State in December, 1899, comprised in 37 different plants. The operatives employed number 5,902, with an average daily wage of $1.62. The daily output in 1895 was 2,400,000 pounds, and in 1899 it was 3,670,000 pounds; cost of wood used, $2,500,000; amount of paper of all kinds produced daily, 600 tons; amount of ground-wood pulp, 735 tons; of sulphite pulp, 330 tons; of soda pulp, 110 tons; leather board, 60 tons; total yearly output, 550,500 tons; annual receipts, $17.916,000; total capital invested, $30,000,000; total amount paid for Lumber. The amount of lumber cut in the winter of 1898-'99 in the Moose river region was 15,470,000 feet of saw logs and 6,150,000 feet of pulp logs; in the Moosehead lake region, 24,900 feet of saw logs and 9,400,000 feet of pulp logs; in the Dead river section, 23,050,000 feet of saw logs and 1,800,000 feet of pulp logs; in the east branch and the Kennebec, 13,850 feet of saw logs and 7,050,000 feet of pulp logs. The amount of dry pine surveyed at the port of Bangor between Jan. 1 and July 1, 1899, was 10,853,623 feet; of green pine, 708,983 feet; of spruce, 41,037,731 feet; of hemlock, 8,488,475 feet; total, 61,053,821 feet, against 48,322,706 feet in 1898 and 53,663,275 feet in 1897. The Tramp Chair. The town of Oakland at its spring election voted to purchase and use a peculiar chair invented for the punishment of tramps. Its chief peculiarity is in the formation of its door, which is so constructed that it follows the lines of the chair itself so closely that when the person is seated and the door locked there is no space for change of position or rest. On the front, opposite the chin of the occupant, is a shelf for food, which can be reached through a hole in the door. When the first man to be punished was released and put into the lockup he broke out and smashed the chair before leaving town. A second chair was made and put in its place. Topographical Survey.-The Topographical Commission began work where the United States Geological Survey had triangulated the section, near Bucksport. The sum of $2,500 was appropriated by the State for the work of 1899, and the United States Government added a like amount. Only 432 square miles can be surveyed in a year with the present force. Vital Statistics.-The population of Maine was 715,000 on Jan. 1, 1899, against 661,000 in 1890. The report of the Bureau of Registration gives the number of births in 1897 as 15,429; in 1896, 15,430; in 1895, 14,607; of which 7,292 were males and 7,127 females. The number of marriages in the year was 5,331. The age of the oldest groom was eighty-six; of the oldest bride, seventysix; of the youngest bride, thirteen. There were 722 divorces, in 536 of which the wife was libelant and in 186 the husband. The deaths numbered 5,634 males and 5,606 females, 4 women and 2 men having reached the age of one hundred. The number of unmarried men in the State in 1899 was 55,976, and the number of women twenty-five years old and past unmarried was 40,907. Political.-A special election was held June 19, 1899, for the purpose of filling the vacancy caused by the death of Nelson Dingley. It resulted in the choice of Charles E. Littlefield, Republican, against John Scott, Democrat, by a vote of 11,624 to 2,736. MANITOBA, a western province of Canada; area, about 80,000 square miles. Population in 1897, 108,957; in 1899, 229,881. Capital, Winnipeg. Government and Politics.-The Government met Parliament on March 16, 1899, with a large majority-two thirds of the whole house, and a popular majority in the elections of 1896 of 25,000 out of a vote of 38,000. The ministry was composed of Thomas Greenway, J. D. Cameron, Robert Watson, C. J. Mickle, and D. H. McMillan. Mr. Greenway had been in power since 1888, and had run the gantlet of three general elections. The Legislature was opened in its fourth session by Lieut.-Gov. the Hon. J. C. Patterson with a speech from the throne, of which the following were the main points: Never was Manitoba in as prosperous a condition as that in which she stands to-day, as is shown by the increase in the value of farm lands and of farm products generally and the steady growth of population. The province must be congratulated upon the increased immigration during the present year. It is satisfactory to note that farmers' institutes and agricultural and kindred societies have continued to be of great value to our agricultural classes, and that our great industrial fairs are attracting wide attention. "Railway construction within the province during the past year has been carried on to a very considerable extent, and the districts affected have been very materially benefited thereby. In particular I might refer to the Swan river country, which a year ago was void of settlers, but is now a well-peopled district. A considerable portion of the railroad to the southeastern part of the province has also been built, with great advantage to the districts through which it runs, and with a promise of great and lasting benefit to the whole province when it is completed to its objective point. The building of the Northern Pacific and Manitoba Railway branch from Belmont westward has also been highly advantageous to the farmers in that district, while the settlers along the Foxton branch of the Reston extension of the Canadian Pacific Railway have been equally benefited. “We have reason to congratulate ourselves that so much of the land which this province is acquiring as swamp lands and otherwise is contiguous to and largely increased in value by the railroad construction of last year. "It is gratifying to be able to refer to the fact that my Government has effected an excellent arrangement with the Dominion Government for more speedy transfer to this province of swamp lands to which it is entitled and a more economical method than heretofore. It is expected that within a very few years all these swamp lands will be under provincial control, forming an exceedingly valuable asset. "It is, however, to be regretted that the Senate of Canada took the ground that the province was not entitled to the sum of $300,000, for which it had made application to the Dominion Parliament to be paid out of the Manitoba school-lands funds, as we believe that such advance made in the early history and formative period of our educational system would be of far greater assistance than if given later, when our population and resources will be greater than now." Finlay M. Young was re-elected Speaker, and the house did not adjourn until July 21. The legislation passed was not very important. The bill to amend and change the electoral divisions was the measure most discussed, in view of the coming elections and the alleged fact that certain alterations in the boundaries of constituencies made them safe for the Government candidates. The great subject of controversy during the year was the coming general election. Hugh John Macdonald, the only son of the late Conservative leader at Ottawa, Sir John Macdonald, had assumed the leadership of the oft-beaten remnant of the party in the province, and upon his personal geniality and popularity and his name the Conservatives pinned their faith and were prepared to make a strong contest. Greenway hoped to win upon his record of the establishment of an unsectarian public-school system and his personal influence as a successful farmer. On July 11 a large Conservative convention was held in Winnipeg, 85 delegates were present, and the following party platform was enthusiastically adopted: Mr. "That the alarming condition of the finances of this province demands the introduction of such economical methods of administration as will re-establish the equilibrium between the receipts and expenditures. "That the number of salaried ministers be reduced to three, two ministers without portfolio being added to the Cabinet for the purposes of consultation. "That the indemnity of members be reduced to $400. "That the present iniquitous franchise law be repealed, and that an equitable act, based on the principle of manhood suffrage and one man one vote be enacted. "That the alien-labor law be strictly enforced. "The encouragment of an immigration policy which will secure to the province her just pro portion of a desirable class of European immigrants, as well as those from the older provinces of Canada and the United States, but restrict the wholesale importation of undesirable immigrants from southern Europe. "That the affairs of the province should be administered on ordinary business principles, without regard to political considerations, especially in so far as our educational system is concerned, which should be absolutely freed from party politics by the establishment of an independent Board of Education. "That the province have complete control of the school lands and the proceeds of the sales of all lands that have been sold or will be sold in the future, to be used only for the purposes of supplementing the ordinary school grant as given from year to year. "That the proper administration of justice, including the appointment of justices of the peace and other officers of justice, be from representative men independent of politics. "That the province, provided its revenue be found sufficient for the purposes, establish and maintain an agricultural college; also a technical school, at which mechanics and others may receive a practical training. "The adoption of the principle of Government ownership of railways, in so far as the circumstances of the province will admit, and the adoption of the principle that no bonus should be granted to any railway company which does not give the Government of the province the control of rates over lines used, together with the option of purchase. "That demand be made for the transfer of all Crown lands within the boundaries of Manitoba to the province. "That aid be granted to municipalities by way of guarantee of interest upon debentures when required. Equal rights to all. "That an act be passed providing for compensation for injuries received by workmen in their usual employment. "That the boundaries of the province be extended northward to Hudson Bay. "To assume control and administration of the fisheries within her boundaries. "That a line of railway be constructed to Hudson Bay. "That a measure be adopted to give effect to the will of the people regarding prohibition of the liquor traffic, which measure shall go as far in the direction of prohibition as the powers of the province will allow." During the next few months Mr. Macdonald spoke in every constituency of the province. On Nov. 16 the Legislature was formally dissolved, and Mr. Greenway issued the following appeal to the electors: "I have the utmost confidence that my appeal to the country will, as on three previous occasions, result in the return of my Government by a sweeping majority. With reference to the great prosperity of the province during late years, I think I can fairly claim that this in some measure has been due to the legislation and administration of my Government. The development of the province by construction of railways for competitive and colonization purposes has been the consistent policy on our part throughout my administration. In the last twelve years we have secured the construction of about 1,100 miles of railroad with satisfactory results. Our attention has been continuously devoted to the problem of placing our settlers in the position of hav ing a readily convenient market for their prod ucts, and of securing the lowest possible freight rates to the seaboard. I think I can with propriety state that our efforts in both directions have been in a great measure successful. "In regard to the latter question, that of freight rates, I am strongly convinced that still lower rates than now prevail can be ultimately secured. Our intention is to continue our efforts, determined to place our farmers in the best possible position in this respect. I have long maintained that grain can be profitably transported to Lake Superior at a maximum rate of 10 cents per hundred pounds. If such a rate can not be obtained over existing lines, I am in favor of turning our attention elsewhere for relief. "I need scarcely tell you that we have been greatly disappointed at the action of the Senate of Canada in defeating the bill which had passed the House of Commons authorizing the payment to the provincial treasury of a portion of the school-lands fund after the Dominion Government had agreed to make the advance requested. I am of the opinion that the province is entitled to this fund, and to have transferred to it the whole of the school-lands reservation, to be administered by it for educational purposes. Any opposition to this policy I regard as most unjust to the settlers of the present day. "Since the last provincial general election a judgment has been rendered by the Judicial Committee of the imperial Privy Council upon the subject of the jurisdiction of the Dominion Parliament and provincial Legislature respectively with reference to the prohibition and restriction of the liquor traffic. That judgment was considered ambiguous in some respects, and we proceeded to procure opinion of eminent counsel thereon. When the question came up for consideration during the last session of the Legislature I stated it was the intention of the Government at the next session to introduce legislation prohibiting the sale of liquor to the extent of the powers of the province in that regard, and such statement still stands as our declared policy. "When I last appealed to you the main subject then presented for your consideration was the attack menaced by the Government of that day upon our national school system. That attack was supported by those within the province who oppose us to-day, but, despite their efforts. we succeeded in preserving the system, which will continue so long as I maintain the confidence of the electors. When returned to power it is my intention to continue on the same lines of progressive policy as in the past. I shall always hold the interests of the farmers as of paramount importance. I shall always advocate their interests and the interests of the province as my first public duty. I think it needs very little impartial consideration to come to the conclusion that the opposition to my Government is not based upon any regard for the public, but solely to gratify the ambition of men who for the most part have taken positions on important questions diametrically opposed to the best and highest interests of Manitoba." After a keenly fought contest the poll was taken, in all but two constituencies, on Dec. 7, with the result of a majority of six for the Conservatives. Sir Charles Tupper, Mr. Foster, Mr. Clarke Wallace, and other federal leaders had helped Mr. Macdonald, while the Government had been assisted by Mr. C. Sifton, Mr. D. C. Fraser, and other Liberals from Ottawa. This result involved the early accession of Mr. Macdonald to the provincial premiership. Finances.-On April 1 Mr. D. H. McMillan, provincial treasurer, reviewed the finances in his budget speech, of which the following are the essential portions: "The ordinary revenue for 1898 was $936,603.31; that is the largest revenue we have ever received. The increase is mainly shown in one item of Dominion Government subsidy. We secured the settlement of an old claim against the Dominion Government; it was for the construction of the Parliament buildings and Government House, and had been in dispute since 1886. At various times efforts had been made to secure a settlement; the late Hon. Mr. Norquay pressed the claim, and Hon. Dr. Harrison went to Ottawa and pressed it as leader of the Government, but they could never get the late Dominion Government to take it up. As soon as this Government came into office we laid the claim before them; it was admitted to be just, a bill was put through the house authorizing the Government to settle, $267,026.45 was placed to the credit of the capital account of the province, and interest for the past thirteen years was paid in cash, $231,306.94. So the province is $498,333.37— in round figures, half a million dollars-better off than a year ago. This is one of the benefits the province has derived from the change of government at Ottawa. The increased capital will give a yearly subsidy of $13,351.32, as we are entitled to receive and will receive 5 per cent. interest. Another item was the advance asked for of $200,000 on school lands; in this there was a very large disappointment. All we received from this source last year was $7,000 or $8,000 interest on school-lands funds. Over half a million dollars is credited to the provinces from the proceeds of sale of school lands. This is our money, and we are entitled to administer not only the money but the lands. The grants for school purposes are increasing so rapidly, while the revenue is almost stationary, that we consider the time has arrived when we should participate in the benefit from this large sum. The value of the lands is estimated at about $15,000,000. We represented the matter to the Dominion Government, pointing out that the grants to schools since we came into office had increased from $65,000 to $200,000 in one year, and that it was necessary to continue the grants in order to enable the people to maintain the schools; also that all we had received from the school-lands fund was $83,000. The Government decided that it was to the interest of the province to give a portion of the money. A bill was introduced by the Minister of Finance to advance $300,000; it passed the House of Commons, but it was bowled out by the Senate. Our receipts from provincial lands were $22,146.23. We have a regularly established land department now. Of course, we have only swamp lands. There were sold last year 25,967 acres, at prices ranging from $2 to $8, averaging $3.41 per acre. The expenditure for 1898 was $836,160.23. Of this, $81,036.30 was spent for civil government, less than in any year since 1891; for administration of justice, $68,528.04, an increase of expenditure, for the reason that the population had increased and the criminal work was also increasing. In cash grants there was expended $293,853.52. Of course, the largest part was grants to schools, $205,867.81; there were also agricultural grants, $20,749.64-namely, for electoral division agricultural societies $13,865.14, Winnipeg Industrial Exhibition Association $3,500, Western Agricultural and Arts Association $2,000, farmers' institutes, dairy and other associations $1,384.50; charitable grants, $33,254.56; general hospitals-Winnipeg $15,150.30, St. Boniface $10,303.93, Brandon $4,882.31, Morden $1,288.12; Salvation Army Rescue Home, $250; Women's Home, $250; Children's Home, $500; St. Boniface Orphanage, $500; Prisoner's Aid Association, $125; public works and aid to municipalities, $26,570.76; cash grants to municipalities, $33,281.51; expended on colonization, roads, and bridges, $26,570.76; maintenance of public institutions, $95,396.81; maintenance of courthouses, jails, legislative buildings, etc., $19,303.56; total Public Works Department expenditure, $190,236.19. Agricultural Department expenditure and dairy instruction, $6,929.03; diseases of animals, $3,655.65; noxious weeds inspection, $1,619.39; other agricultural expenditure, $2,663.99. For immigration there was expended $20,682.40. The advantages derived from this expenditure are very evident. We see a larger immigration set in this year than we have ever had. The efforts of the department have been very successful in the past year in Ontario and in the states south of the boundary line. "In the estimates there are only little changes. Three hundred thousand dollars is estimated on account of school lands, and something more from swamp lands. We estimate to spend $50,000 more in grants to public schools, making $250,000 for this year. All the other cash grants, which have always been large under this Government, will be increased again. It is certainly to be hoped that we shall succeed in securing the assistance asked for from the Federal Government-a portion of the school-lands fund. The large grants can not be continued unless we derive some benefit from the large asset set apart for this purpose. Only 15 to 20 cents per child has been received, while the grants amount to $4 or $5 a child." General Progress.-On April 1 the AttorneyGeneral, the Hon. J. D. Cameron, reported to the Legislature important figures of municipal and general progress. The following is a summary of his statement: Population of rural municipalities, unorganized districts, etc., 161,635; cities, towns, and villages, 68,246; total population of the province, 229,881. Number of acres in rural municipalities, 13,798,750; acres under cultivation, 2,824,929; acres wooded, 1,159,806; number of horses, 98,303; number of cattle, 219,743; number of sheep, 29,566; number of pigs, 66,565. Assessment, real and personal, in rural municipalities, $43,134,980; in cities, etc., $31,455,619. Taxes for municipal purposes in rural municipalities, $289,901.44; taxes for school purposes, $323,148.70; debenture purposes, $42,536.62; district and county, $48,949.58; municipal purposes, cities, etc., $405,755.98; school purposes, cities, etc., $158,834; debenture purposes, cities, etc., $20,817.21; district and county purposes, cities, etc., $15,486.05. Total taxes imposed in 1898, rural municipalities, $704,536.43. Assets, rural municipalities, $1,226,647.26; liabilities, rural municipalities, $772,548.23; assets, cities, towns, and villages, $989,600.47; liabilities, cities, towns, and villages, $1,124,439.01; debenture indebtedness, rural municipalities, $484,535; debenture indebtedness, cities, etc., $4,561,023.12. Number of rural municipalities in the province, 74; cities, 2; towns, 11; villages, 6. Rural schools in operation, 1,002; estimated number of school children in rural districts, 40,129; in cities, towns, and villages, 8,812. Amount of annual Government grant to rural schools, $130,000; grants and |