Page:EB1922 - Volume 31.djvu/1151

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
NEVADA
1097


sions was for the most part peaceable: the long-standing strife in Achin was almost stilled by 1912, though sporadic outbreaks have occurred since; the warfare in Gowa (Celebes) since 1905 was brought to an end in 1911 and the country annexed. In 1914 there was a revolt of Young Chinese in Mampawa (Borneo), and slight native disturbances in Sumatra and Lombok, the latter apparently arising out of rumours of a Dutch defeat at the hands of Japan. Military garrisons had to be maintained in parts of Bali till 1914.

Disputes arose with Portugal when it was endeavoured to delimit the frontier between Dutch and Portuguese territory in Timor according to the treaty of 1904. The Dutch claims were allowed by M. Lardy, a Swiss member of the Hague Court of Arbitration, acting as arbitrator in 1914. (O. J. R. H.)

NEVADA (see 19.450). The pop. in 1920 was 77,407; in 1910, 81,875, a decrease of 4,468, or 5-5% as against an increase of 93-4% for the preceding decade. The native whites in 1920 numbered 55,897; foreign-born whites 14,802; Indians 4,907. The density of pop. in 1920 was 0-7 per sq. mile. The urban pop. (in places having more than 2,500 inhabitants) was 19-7%, the rural 80-3%. Reno, with a pop. of 12,016, an increase of 10-6% over the 1910 figures (10,367), was the only city having more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Agriculture. The number of farms in 1920 was 3,163. The value of farm property increased 1910-20 from 860,399,365 to 99,779,- 666. The value of crops harvested more than doubled from 1915 to 1920 largely owing to higher prices. In 1919 and 1920 the value of agricultural products surpassed mineral production with every indica- tion that this predominance would continue. Sheep and cattle form Nevada's most important agricultural output. The Agricultural Experiment Station at the university of Nevada, the Department of Range Management, a state Board of Stock Commissioners, the state Veterinary Control Service, the Agricultural Extension Division of the university and the Federal Bureau of Animal In- dustry all show rapid development of experimental research as to poisonous plants, the handling of live stock on white-sage ranges, the haemorrhagic disease of cattle which is peculiar to the Pacific slope and inter-mountain country, tuberculosis control, particularly among dairy herds and pure-bred beef herds, and the control of rabies. Predatory animals are abundant in so thinly settled a state and rabies infection from them, especially the coyote, is a constant menace to domestic stock. A state Sheep Commission enforces quarantine laws. Nevada honey has a high reputation but is limited in amount because alfalfa, the chief honey plant in Nevada, is cut before it has fully bloomed.

The better utilization of water supply for irrigation and power is one of the most pressing needs. The riparian law, common to Eng- land and the eastern states, was found to be ill-suited to Nevada. Early state laws, therefore, gave vested rights in water to those who used it for irrigation. Increase of settlement led to difficulties of adjudication and during the decade 1910-20 many of these have been settled by the courts. The result will be to make available more irrigable land and thereby to increase the population which can comfortably be supported thereon. The fuller use of Lake Tahoe for storage was in 1921 a subject of negotiation with California. The Colorado river project includes five other states with Nevada. The first unit proposed by this plan to provide for irrigation, flood control and power is a great reservoir to be created by building a 7OO-ft. dam at Boulder Canyon, Nevada. Legislation for this purpose was being considered by Congress early in 1921. The development of under- ground waters has been encouraged by the state since 1915 through study by commissions, through Irrigation District and Drainage District laws and through enactments favouring the sinking of artesian wells. The Pittman Act of Congress offers favourable condi- tions for the acquirement of public lands in Nevada through the development of underground waters. Since 1919 California and Nevada have maintained a cooperative snow survey.

Minerals and Manufactures. From 1907 metal production stead- ily increased until it reached its peak in 1917, in which year gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc were produced to the value of $54,424,- 580. In 1919 production decreased more than 50 % from that of 1918, owing to a variety of causes which included exhaustion of ore bodies, scarcity of labour, decline in metal prices and high operating costs. Exhaustion was so rapid that the production of gold declined from 55!,683 fine oz. in 1915 to 219,695 in 1919. During the same period production of silver declined from 14,459,840 fine oz. to 6,863,580. Until 1918 copper production increased remarkably, being 68,636,- 370 Ib. in 1915 and 122,794,704 Ib. in 1917. This had declined in 1919 to 5 2 i33 J t I 75 'b., chiefly owing to the sharp fall in market value.

From 1914 until 1918 extensive developments were made in tung- sten producing mines. At the time of the signing of the Armistice in 1918, it appeared the Nevada could supply the United States with that metal. When the World War terminated the price

of tungsten dropped below the cost of production, resulting in the suspension of all tungsten mining in the state. Mining in Nevada in 1920 and 1921 was in a greatly depressed state. All copper-mines suspended production, as did most lead and zinc operations. Pro- duction of gold and silver materially decreased, and those metals were the only two the state continued to produce extensively. The high price of silver which prevailed well into the middle of 1920 kept alive the production of that metal. Although in 1919 there were produced only 6,863,580 fine oz. as compared with 10,000,599 in 1918, the gross value for 1919 was not greatly diminished because of high market price. In 1919 silver averaged in value Si. 12 per fine ounce. In 1920 oriental purchases so largely declined that the market dropped below the price fixed in the Pittman Silver Purchase Act. This law then enabled producers to sell their silver to the U.S. Mint at the fixed price of $i per fine oz., and to continue production which otherwise would have ceased. Much attention was devoted to the so-called commercial minerals. While statistics were not available, it was known in 192 1 that gypsum, fluorspar, diatomaceous and fuller's earths, alum, potash, sulphur and other rock products were being produced in commercial quantities.

Other minerals commercially developed were quicksilver, antimony, manganese and platinum. The principal silver-producing district is Tonopah, Nye county, but there is also extensive production at Virginia City, Storey county; Rochester, Pershing county; Eureka, Eureka county; and Pioche, Lincoln county. Most of Nevada's gold comes from Tonopah, Manhattan and Round mountain in Nye county, Goldfield in Esmeralda county; Virginia City, Gold Hill, and Silver City in Storey county; and Jarbridge and Gold Circle in Elko county. Copper is produced chiefly in the Ely district in White Pine county. The Mason Valley district in Lyon county and the Luning district in Mineral county have extensive deposits. Lead mines are located principally in Eureka, Mineral, Clark and Lincoln counties. Zinc comes almost entirely from Clark and Lincoln counties. The larger tungsten deposits are in Pershing, Humboldt, Mineral and White Pine counties. Quicksilver is found principally in Nye and Mineral counties. Platinum is mined at Good Springs in Clark county. Since 1919 extensive developments have been carried out at Gold Hill on the Comstock Lode in Storey county, and give promise of an extensive revival of precious metal output in that district, which was formerly of great importance.

The value of all manufactured products increased 35-3 % between 1909 and 1914 and 42-2% between 1914 and 1919, but the value added Jay manufacture in 1919 showed a decrease from 1914 of 5-7 %, due to the decrease in the smelting and refining of copper.

Transportation. Since 1910 the Western Pacific railway has ac- quired a part of the Nevada-California-Oregon line and has altered it to broad gauge, thus making connexion with Reno, the largest town in the state. Several short lines have been built. The Las Vegas and Tonopah Railway Co. discontinued operation from Beatty to Las Vegas in 1918. The Legislature of 1919 designated the line as part of the state highway system and the Highway Department acquired the road bed, which in 1921 was being converted into a modern highway. Under the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 $962,684 became available for use in Nevada, and by the amendment of 1919 an additional sum of $2,564,591. The state took steps to provide its quota and the Overland Trail Club received promises of further aid from California and from the Lincoln Highway Association. The frequency of waterspouts in some areas and of drift sand in others presented difficulties which were being overcome by the state High- way Commission. A scenic highway was opened on the W. side of Walker lake as a part of the North-South highway. The Phipps Highway bill, before Congress early in 1921, provided for Govern- ment aid in proportion to area of public lands in the state, and should greatly promote road building in Nevada, since 90-6% of the area of the state was still at the time Federal property. The Railroad and Public Service Commission of Nevada was seeking to render per- manent the elimination of the " back-haul rates " removed by the Interstate Commerce Commission in March 1918. The inter- mountain region was asking for " graded rates " in 1921. The 25 % increase in freight rates, in Aug. 1920, resulted in the cessation of much mining activity and a loss of markets for live stock.

Government, Education and Finance. State social service has been extended through numerous commissions and a few new departures, such as the industrial school and the grant of state aid to the Florence Crittenton Home. The Nevada Historical Society, made a state institution in 1907, has published six volumes of historical papers besides numerous pamphlets. The Orphans' Home is noteworthy in that it educates its children in public schools and does not dress them in uniform. The necessity of securing increased public revenues and equalizing the burden of taxation gave rise to the Tax Commission in 1913. Nevada was one of the first states to have industrial in- surance. An extensive building programme for state institutions was begun in 1917. It includes new prison and asylum structures, a Heroes' Memorial Building, additions to the Orphans' Home and the Nevada School of Industry, and several new buildings at the university of Nevada. A branch of the Federal Bureau of Mining Extension was removed in 1920 from Colorado to the university of Nevada. All Federal experimental work relating to rare and precious metals is conducted at this station, which works cooperatively with