discussion, urban establishments (i.e. those in the two municipalities—Salt Lake City and Ogden—having a population in 1900 of at least 8000), increased in number from 205 to 256 or 24.9%, and rural establishments decreased in number from 370 to 350 (5.4%); the capitalization of urban establishments increased from $4,212,972 to $7,700,750 (82.8%), and that of the rural from $9,006,067 to $18,303,361 (103.2%); the average number of wage earners in urban establishments increased from 2832 to 3859 (36.3%), and those in rural establishments from 2581 to 4193 (62.5%); the value of the products of urban establishments increased from $5,521,140 to $10,541,040 (90.9%) and that of rural establishments from $12,460,508 to $28,385,424 (127.8%). This unusual predominance of rural over urban manufacturing is further shown by the fact that in 1900, 64.3% of the establishments reporting, and 69.3% of the value of their products were from factories classified as rural, and in 1905 the proportion of rural factories was 58.8%, and the value of their products 72.9% of the total. This predominance was largely due to the smelting and refining industry, the smelters being chiefly in the rural districts.
The flour and grist mill industry was the most important in the state, with products valued at $1,659,223 in 1900, and $2,425,791 in 1905. The values of the products of other industries in 1900 and 1905, in the order of their importance, were as follows: Car and general shop construction and repairs by steam railway companies, in 1900, $1,306,591, and in 1905, $1,886,651; printing and publishing, in 1900, $770,848, and in 1905, $1,466,549; confectionery, in 1900, $403,379, and in 1905, $1,004,601; canning and preserving fruit and vegetables in 1900, $300,349, and in 1905, $801,958. The value of the products of industries of lesser importance in 1905 were: slaughtering and meat packing (wholesale), $653,314; malt liquors, $636,688; and foundry and machine shop products, $587,484.
The beet sugar industry is one of growing importance in Utah: there were in 1900 3 refineries, having a daily total capacity of 1100 tons of beets; in 1905, 4, with a daily total capacity of 2850 tons; and in 1909,[1] 5, which treated 455,064 tons of beets and produced 48,884 tons of sugar. In 1853 a sugar factory bought in England was erected at Provo, but no sugar was manufactured there, and none was successfully refined until 1889. Sugar beets were first grown by irrigation in Utah; under that system it becomes possible to estimate closely the tonnage of the product. Slicing stations established at distances of from 12 to 25 m. from a factory receive the beets, extract the juice and force it through pipes to the factory.
Transportation.—The first trade route to be established by white men within the present boundaries of Utah was the old Spanish trail from Santa Fé to Los Angeles. The trail entered what is now Utah, just east of the Dolores river, crossed the Grand river near the Sierra La Salle and the Green river at the present crossing of the Denver & Rio Grande railway, proceeded thence to the Sevier river and southward along its valley to the headwaters of the Virgin river, which it followed southward, and then westward, so that its line left the present state near its south-west corner. The presence of this and other trails to California was of great importance during the gold excitement of 1849, when many miners outfitted at Salt Lake City and the Mormons grew rich in this business. The first considerable railway enterprise in the territory was the Union Pacific, which was completed to Ogden in 1869. This system (which includes the Oregon Short line) has since been supplemented by the Denver & Rio Grande, the Southern Pacific, the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake, and various connecting lines. The railway mileage in 1870 was 257 m.; in 1890, 1265 m.; and in 1909, 1962.87 m.
Population.—The population in 1850 was 11,380; in 1860, 40,273; in 1870, 86,786; in 1880, 143,963; in 1890, 207,905; in 1900, 276,749; and in 1910, 373,351. Of the population in 1900, 219,661 were native whites, 53,777, or 19.4%, were foreign-born, 2623 were Indians (of whom 1472 were not taxed), 672 were negroes, 572 were Chinese and 417 were Japanese. The reservation Indians in 1909 were chiefly members of the Uinta, Uncompahgre and White River Ute tribes on the Uinta Valley reservation (179,194 acres unallotted) in the north-eastern part of the state.[2] Of the 1900 native-born population 3870 were born in Illinois, 3032 in New York, 2525 in Ohio and 2519 in Pennsylvania. Of the foreign-born by far the largest number, 18,879, were natives of England, 9132 were Danes, 7025 were Swedes; and natives of Scotland, Germany, Wales and Norway were next in numbers. The large English immigration is to be ascribed to the successful proselytizing efforts of the Mormons in England. The same influence may be traced in the other immigration figures. There was, however, a relative decrease in the number of foreign-born in the state from 1890 to 1900. Of the total 1900 population 169,473 were of foreign parentage (i.e. either one or both parents were foreign-born), and 42,735 were of English, 18,963 of Danish and 12,047 of Swedish parentage, both on the father's and on the mother's side. The Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) are far more numerous than any other sect, this church having a membership in 1906 of 151,525 (of these 493 were of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) out of a total of 172,814 in all denominations; there were 479 members of this denomination to every 1000 of the population in the state, and the next largest sect, the Roman Catholics, had only 26 per 1000 of population and no Protestant body more than 6 per 1000. In the same year there were 8356 Roman Catholics, 1902 members of the Northern Presbyterian Church, 1537 members of the Northern Methodist Episcopal Church, 1174 Congregationalists, and 987 Baptists (of the Northern Conference). The state in 1900 had 3.4 inhabitants to the sq. m. While this approached the average—3.5 for all the states west of the Rocky Mountains taken together, with the exception of Colorado, which had 5.2—it was noticeably higher than that of its immediate neighbours, Idaho (1.9), Arizona (1.1) and Nevada (0.4). At the census of 1880 the density of the population was 1.8 and in 1890 it was 2.6. From 1890 to 1900 the urban population (i.e. the population of places having 4000 inhabitants or more) increased from 69,456 to 81,480, or 17.3%, the urban population in 1900 being 29.4% of the total; the semi-urban population (i.e. population of incorporated places, or the approximate equivalent, having less than 4000 inhabitants) increased from 36,867 to 83,740, 71.1% of the total increase in population; while the rural population (i.e. population outside of incorporated places) increased from 104,456 to 111,529, 10.7% of the total increase. The principal cities of the state are: the capital, Salt Lake City, pop. (1910) 92,777; Ogden, 25,580; Provo, 8925; and Logan, 7522.
Administration.—The state is governed under the first constitution adopted on the 5th of November 1895, and amended in November 1900, November 1906, and November 1908. An amendment may be submitted to the people at the next general election by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each house of the legislature, and only a majority of the electors voting thereon is required for approval. By a two-thirds majority the legislature may recommend that a constitutional convention be called; and if a majority of the electors at the next general election approve, the legislature shall provide for the convention, but the approval of a majority of the electors voting is necessary for ratification of the work of the convention. Article III., which guarantees religious freedom, forbids sectarian control of public schools, prohibits polygamy and defines the relation of the state to the public lands of the United States, is irrevocable except by consent of the United States. Every citizen of the United States, male or female, twenty-one years old or over, who has lived one year within the state, four months within the county and sixty days within the precinct has the right of suffrage, except that idiots, insane, and those convicted of treason or crime against the elective franchise are disfranchised; but in elections levying a special tax, creating indebtedness or increasing the rate of state taxation, only those who have paid a property tax during the preceding year may vote. A form of the Australian ballot with party columns is provided at public expense. As in so many of the newer Western states, the constitution specifies minutely many details which in the older instruments are left to be fixed by statute. For example, the employment of women or of children under fourteen in mines and the leasing of convict labour by contract are forbidden, and eight hours must constitute a day's work in state, county or municipal undertakings.
Executive.—The executive department consists of the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general and superintendent of public instruction, all elected by the people at the time of the presidential election, and
- ↑ Year Book of the United States Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ The Report of the commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1909 gives the following figures for the Indian population: under the Panguitch School, Kanab Kaibab, 81, Shivwitz Paiute, 118; under the Uinta and Puray Agency, Uinta Ute, 443, Uncompahgre Ute, 469, White River Ute, 296; not under agency, Paiute 370.
