stone Park expedition; to Superintendent P. W. Norris, whose ability and energy, as well as long familiarity with the park and great devotion to its interests, so well fit him to discharge the duties of his office, for important information and service in aid of my explorations in that region; and to Col. A. W. Evans, Maj. W. A. Elderken, the Union Pacific Railway Company, the Wyoming Stage Company, and the Messrs. Patrick, for generous favors in the way of transportation. Of private citizens, in every section, who have kindly assisted me in my investigations, the number is so great that I am properly limited to this general and grateful acknowledgment of their many services. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant, JOHN W. HOYT, Governor of Wyoming. Hon. SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD, Secretary of the Interior. REPORT OF THE GOVERNOR OF THE TERRITORY OF IDAHO. Hon. S. J. KIRKWOOD, Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C.: SIR: In compliance with your request of October last, I have the honor to submit the following report, showing the condition of affairs in Idaho during the past year, together with a brief statement of its resources, industries, &c. The following comprehensive and interesting exhibit of the financial condition of the Territory, prepared by Hon. James L. Onderdonk, controller, I submit in full: To His Excellency Hon. J. B. NEIL, Governor of Idaho Territory: TERRITORIAL CONTROLLER'S OFFICE, SIR: In obedience to your request for a condensed statement of the financial condition of this Territory, I have the honor to submit the following report for the twelve months preceding the date hereof, being the period elapsed since my predecessor's last biennial report. The total gross receipts of the Territorial proportion of taxes and licenses during that period were as follows: Property taxes Poll taxes, at $2. Licenses Total $43, 157 19 11,022 00 7,934 00 62, 113 19 The total net receipts into the Territorial treasury during that period have been as follows: From taxes and licenses Total $56, 125 70 400 00 56,525 70 Net receipts from all sources during the 12 months preceding the above... 53, 645 68 Increase 2,880 02 The rate of Territorial taxes was decreased by the last legislature from 75 cents to 40 cents on every $100 of taxable property. As this change took effect on the 1st of April, 1881 (the beginning of the present fiscal year), properly to appreciate the effect of this large reduction, it is necessary to compare the receipts of the period in which it has been in force with those of the corresponding period of last year. Net receipts of the first six months of the present fiscal year, with Territorial tax at 40 cents per $100.... $23, 281 07 Net receipts of corresponding period in 1880, with Territorial tax at 75 cents per $100.......... 22, 861 67 Increase 419 40 The fact that the net receipts of the Territory during the first six months of the present fiscal year show an actual increase above those of the corresponding period of last year, when the rate of property taxes was nearly double that of the present, is in itself a significant commentary on our present prosperous financial condition. As appears by the Territorial treasurer's last biennial report, the balance in hand November 15, 1880, was. Receipts since then, as above... Total....... Disbursements during same period, as follows: General fund Prison fund.. $15, 009 94 56,525 70 71,535 64 $18,568 25 17, 204 65 714 40 397 92 362 54 59 72 43,707 48 27,828 16 71,535.64 The following table shows the valuation of assessed property inthe Territory by counties, as appears from the assessment rolls of 1881, with the exception of Idaho County, from which returns have not yet been received, and for which the valuation of 1880 is given: It should be borne in mind, however, that the foregoing statement embraces only what are known as "original assessment rolls," and that the "subsequent assessment rolls," to be reported in January, will undoubtedly show a considerable increase over the foregoing, bringing the total figures to something probably little short of $8,000,000; an increase of more than $1,500,000 over the completed assessment rolls of last year. As will be seen in the last published report from this office, the condition of the Territorial debt, on November 10, 1880, was as follows: Bonds, act 1875, dne December 1, 1885 Bonds, act 1877, due December 1, 1891 Prison fund: Warrants outstanding.. Interest... General fund: Warrants outstanding.. Interest... Total indebtedness... with cash on hand of $15,009.94. Since that time the outstanding warrants and interest have been paid, leaving as the only indebtedness the two classes of bonded debt, as above stated, due, respectively, in 1885 and 1891, and together amounting to $69,268.60; with cash on hand, $27,828.16. Under the judicious management of my predecessor, Hon. Joseph Perrault, Territorial warrants, in a few years, rose steadily from 60 and 65 cents on the dollar until, in 1880, they reached par, where they have since remained. It is peculiarly gratifying to note that, notwithstanding the reduction of taxes, the revenue receipts show no indications of corresponding decrease. The increase of business and population, and consequent increased value of property, during the past year, have each contributed to this generally prosperous condition of the Territory, whose present financial outlook is brighter than it has been for many years. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAS. L. ONDERDONK, PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Notwithstanding the many defects in our school laws, the past year has witnessed a most encouraging revival of interest in school affairs. The separation of the offices of county auditor and school superintendent has worked well when tried. The number of school children last year was 6,698. This year, with a proportional increase in the counties not heard from, the number will probably exceed 9,000. There are about 170 school districts this year, as against 149 last year. I desire to call attention to my report for 1880, and renew the recommendation therein made regarding Congressional aid to the public schools of the Territories. Until Congress comes to our relief in some such way as suggested, and gives us the benefit of the sales of public lands, or makes similar provision, the progress of education must necessarily be slow in the sparsely settled Territories. INDIANS. The reservation Indians in the Territory have been quiet and peaceable throughout the year; no complaint has reached me of trouble from any of our own reservation Indians. But the Duck Valley Indians, of Nevada, roamed throughout Owyhee County during the entire summer, and I am advised that a large number of them are still in the mountains in that section. These visitations are not agreeable to the settlers in that county, and I fear if the Indian Bureau does not take steps to prevent Nevada reservation Indians from roaming over Idaho serious trouble will ensue. I refer you, for full details of this matter, to my telegrams aud communications of last summer, and also to the reports of Colonel Stone, of the 21st Infantry, and Colonel Parnell, of the 1st Cavalry, both of whom investigated the matter. For the following information I am almost wholly indebted to Robert E. Strahorn, of Denver, Colo. LOCATION AND EXTENT. Idaho Territory extends from latitude 42° to 49°; has the British possessions on the north, Montana and Wyoming on the east, Utah and Nevada on the south, Oregon and Washington on the west. It is 410 miles long, and its width ranges from 257 miles in the extreme south to 60 miles at its northern limit. Its total area is 86,294 square miles, or 55,228,160 acres. Of this, 18,400,000 acres are classed as mountainous; from 13,000 to 16,000 acres, arable; 25,000,000 acres pasture-lands; 10,000,000 acres timber lands; 8,000,000 acres mineral, and about |