1939: Nevada

Area and Population.

First settled in 1849, Nevada was made a territory in 1861, and was admitted into the Union on October 31, 1864. The state has three popular names, the 'Sagebrush State,' the 'Silver State' and 'One Sound State.' It ranks 6th in size among the states, with an area of 110,690 sq. mi. In population it ranks 48th, numbering 91,058 according to the census of 1930; and 102,000 according to a Federal estimate of July 1, 1938. The largest cities are Reno, 18,529; and Las Vegas, 5,165. The capital is Carson City, 1,596, the smallest capital in the United States.

Of the population 37.8 per cent is urban, 17.9 per cent rural farm, and 44.3 per cent rural non-farm; 89.4 per cent are whites, and 10 per cent are divided as follows: Indians 6.6 per cent, Mexicans and Orientals 3.4 per cent. The total area of Indian reservations and colonies on Jan. 1, 1939, was 795,576 acres, and a United States census taken in 1939 stated that the Indian population of Nevada numbered 5,381.

Agriculture.

According to the farm census of 1935, Nevada had then 3,696 farms with a farm area of 3,621,796 acres, of which 379,658 acres were crop land. The farm population was 15,385.

On Jan. 1, 1940 there were in the state 360,000 beef cattle; 21,000 dairy cattle; 23,000 hogs; and 845,000 sheep; the number of sheep shorn was 774,000, and the shearings totalled 6,192,000 pounds of wool.

Mineral Products.

Through the lowered production which was general in the mining industry in 1938, the total value of Nevada's leading metals, copper, gold, silver, lead and zinc was greatly reduced. It amounted to $23,529,064 compared with $34,617,056 in 1937. Preliminary figures for 1939 show a value of $29,321,587. The greatest difference in 1938 was in copper values, the product in which Nevada ranks fourth in the Union. The output for 1938 was 92,338,000 lb. valued at $9,049,124 as against the record 149,206,000 lb. valued at $18,053,926 in the preceding year. The estimate for 1939 is 130,830,000 lb. Silver was fairly stationary in amount in 1938 at 4,355,471 oz., but reduced in value from $3,762,884 in 1937 to $2,815,638. Zinc production fell to 8,940 tons from 14,236; and lead from 9,347 tons to 4,679. Gold was slightly in advance of the 1937 figures with production at 296,434 oz. valued at $10,375,190. The estimate for 1939 is a further increase to 339,000 oz., more than any year since 1916.

Although Nevada was still far in the lead in 1938 in shipments of tungsten concentrates the amount was only 1,461 tons compared with 2,153 in 1937. The production of vanadinite was seven tons, and no molybdenum was produced in 1938. One car load of manganese ore was shipped. Mercury was produced in a number of counties of Nevada. The total output of the state, however, was only 336 flasks.

In gem stone production Nevada showed increases during 1938; 8,000 pounds of turquoise and turquoise matrix were marketed at $3.00 per pound; thirty-nine mines were noted in the state. A discovery of emerald was made early in 1939, but its importance is uncertain.

Education.

The University of Nevada had an enrollment on Jan. 1, 1940, of 1,125, including 702 men and 423 women. On Dec. 15, 1939, Dr. Leon Hartman was inaugurated as president of the University with impressive ceremonies. A new athletic set-up was established during the year, and Joseph T. McDonnell was named graduate manager. Plans for the erection of new buildings were postponed until 1940.

In 1939, Nevada had 253 elementary schools, 14 kindergartens, and 47 high schools, staffed by 629 elementary teachers, 13 kindergarten teachers, and 258 high school teachers. The total enrollment of school children was 19,973.

Events of the Year.

The outstanding event of the year was the Nevada Diamond Jubilee Celebration which took place in Carson City on October 29, 30 and 31, 1939, marking the 75th year of statehood. Power development in Nevada continued to assist materially the state's industries. The completion of dams on the Truckee and Humboldt Rivers resulted in industrial benefits to a wide area.

One of the acts of the last Legislature, was the adoption of a resolution to amend the Constitution so as to prevent the diversion of any gasoline tax or special automobile tax revenue from strictly highway use. This important measure will go to the vote of the people at the next general election. If the results are favorable to the amendment then these special funds will be forever retained for highway work. Nevada will thus join other states that have acted to prevent diversion of such taxes, for the benefit of residents and tourists generally.

Finance.

The cash balance of state funds as of Dec. 26, 1939, was $1,271,946.75. The outstanding bonded indebtedness was $531,000, all of which was held by trust fund accounts of the state. Bonds owned by the various state trust funds had a book value of $3,375,877.02 on July 1, 1939. The resources of the eleven insured commercial banks in Nevada totalled $40,102,000 on June 30, 1939, and deposits were listed as $36,696,000.

State Officers.

The principal state officials are: Governor, Edward Peter Carville; Lieutenant Governor, Maurice J. Sullivan; Secretary of State, Malcolm McEachin; Attorney General, Gray Mashburn; Treasurer, Dan W. Franks; Controller, Henry C. Schmidt; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mildred Bray.

United States Senators.

Key Pittman, Pat McCarran.