CHARITY — FINANCE, DEFENCE — PRODUCTION 499
The coloured population in 1910 numbered 1,834. Of the total popu- lation 107,113 were foreign born. In 1900 the foreign population comprised 10,310 Canadian English, 9,436 Irish, 8,077 English, and 7,162 German, There is an Indian reservation of 13,532 square miles, with a population of 9,904. The largest cities in the State are Butte, with a population of 39,165 in 1910 ; Great Falls bad 13,948 ; Helena (capital), 12,515 ; Missoula, 12,869 ; Anaconda, 10,134 ; Billings, 10,031.
The r(digious bodies are Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Epis- copal, and Lutheran.
In 1910 the public elementary schools had 2,250 teachers, 66,141 enrolled pupils; 29 public high schools had 202 teachers and 3,483 pupils. The normal school had 10 teachers and 160 students in 1910. The LFniversity of Montana in 1910 had 24 instructors and 154 students. The State also supports a College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, to which is affiliated the Experimental Station, and a State School of Mines.
Charity- — The benevolent institutions in Montana comprise 16 hospitals, 15 of which are private or ecclesiastical ; two orphanages, one of which is a State institution ; four homes for adults, one of which is a State home ; and the State School for the Deaf and the Blind. The county commissioners have exclusive superintendence of the poor. Applicants for relief must, (except in extreme cases) have resided 2 months in the county. Parents, grand-parents, and descendants of a pauper are liable for his support. The board may establish a poor-farm, or may let out the support of the poor by annual contract.
Finance, Defence. — The total receipts and disbursements for the yeaT September 1, 1910, to August 31, 1911, were : —
Dollars Balance on September 1, 1910 . . . . 682,243
Receipts, 1910-11 3,275,460
Total 3,957,703
Disbursements, 1910-11 3,179,442
Balance, August 31, 1911 . . . 778,261
Bonded Debt.— Direct State obligation, 279,000 dollar 4% ; Capital Building Grant, 350,000 dollar 6% and 425,000 dollar 5%. Sinking Fund for Capital Building Bonds, September 1, 1911, is 222,750 dollars, and for State Bonds, 4,986 dollars. State has 3,437,850 dollars invested in Bonds yielding an average of 41**^% per annum.
The assessed valuation of all kinds of property in 1910 was 309,673,697 dollars.
The National Guard (artillery and infantry) in 1910 consisted of 62 officers and 684 enlisted men.
^ Production- — Montana has considerable undeveloped agricultural and mineral resources, and opportunity is offered to prospective settlers of acquiring land and becoming permanent residents. The lands on prairies which cannot be irrigated and which hitherto have been used for cattle grazing are being settled upon, and good crops are raised when scientific dry farming is employed. Large irrigation projects are being constructed by the United States Government, and many private enterprises are being success- fully carried out. Under the Federal Reclamation Act an area of more than
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