1940: Washington

Area and Population.

Admitted to statehood Nov. 11, 1889, Washington ranks 19th in size among the states, with an area of 69,127 sq. mi. In population it ranks 30th, with 1,736,191, according to the census figures of 1940, a growth of 172,795, or 11.1 per cent between 1930 and 1940.

Nine of the fourteen cities having 10,000 population or more increased during the decade, the largest growth being registered in Bremerton (naval center), 15,134, which showed a 48.2 per cent increase. The largest cities, in order of size are now as follows: Seattle, 368,302; Spokane, 122,001; Tacoma, 199,408; Everett, 30,224; Bellingham, 29,314; Yakima, 27,221; Olympia, the capital, has 13,254.

Education.

Important progress was made during 1940 on an educational survey for school-district consolidation, conducted by the State Planning Council. Of the 331,409 students registered in the public schools of the state for the school year ending June 30, 1940, elementary school students were 203,085; regular four-year high-school students, 64,573; senior high-school students, 30,685; and junior high-school students, 32,166. Of the 1,605 schools in the state, 1,228 are elementary, 303 senior high and regular four-year high, and 74 junior high schools. The total current expenditure for the 1939-40 school year was $29,073,466. The average salaries in the public schools are; superintendents, $2,704; principals, $2,322; supervisors, $1,773; teachers, $1,630.

Mineral Products.

The year 1939 brought again a substantial increase in the production of Washington's chief metals, gold and copper, even above the high figures of the preceding year. Gold amounted to 90,420 oz., compared with 74,175 in 1938; and copper rose to 17,996,000 pounds, compared with 12,034,000 in 1938, the largest amount up to that year. Zinc fell slightly below the figure for 1938, at 20,262,000 pounds. The output of bituminous coal amounted to 1,690,000 tons, an increase over the preceding year, when 1,567,000 tons had a value of $4,939,000.

Industry.

Industrial production during 1940 showed steady expansion under the impetus of the national defense program. This expansion was felt especially in the lumber industry (backbone of the state's industrial life), shipbuilding, and aircraft production. Shipbuilding projects reminiscent of World War days are being launched. The Boeing aircraft plants at Seattle are being rapidly expanded to meet government contracts; at present this work is giving employment to some six or seven thousand workmen. Special schools and classes are being provided for the training of skilled workmen for the aircraft industry. Federal housing projects are being started at Bremerton and Sand Point, near Seattle, to care for additional defense personnel. Iron and steel manufacturing is being established on the Columbia River at Vancouver, and the press reported on Dec. 17 that an eastern company is considering construction of a $6,000,000 plant on Puget Sound for the reduction of aluminum ore, recently discovered in large quantities in King and Pierce counties.

Legislative Matters.

In the November election, two initiatives held the spotlight. Bill Number 139 failed of passage. According to its proponents, this measure would have provided popular control over the issuance of bonds of public utility districts; according to its opponents, it would, by various means, have dealt a death blow to the public ownership program. Initiative Number 141, providing for an increase of old-age pensions to forty dollars per month (half to be paid by the state), passed. There is some question as to whether or not the Federal Social Security Board will approve all the provisions of the act.

Referendum Bill Number 5, providing for continuance of the present 40-mill tax limitation on real property, passed by a large majority. Three amendments to the state Constitution were up for a vote: one repealing the present two-term limitation for county officers; one permitting the Legislature or the people by popular vote to fix the salaries of all officials provided for in the Constitution; and one eliminating the double liability of stockholders in state banks. Only the last of these three was approved by popular vote.

Political and Other Events.

Probably the outstanding governmental development of the year was the expansion of the military program at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma. This fort, one of the leading training camps of the World War days, is again rapidly assuming the air of a war-time military establishment. During the last months of 1940 more than 15,000 soldiers were stationed at the fort and at near-by Camp Murray, Washington's National Guard headquarters. A press report of Dec. 16 estimated that more than $9,000,000 worth of building construction was completed or in progress at Fort Lewis, with thousands of workmen laboring at top speed to provide for full occupation at the earliest possible date. When the work is finished, more than 1,800 buildings will have been completed.

A controversy of interest in the field of conservation arose during the year in connection with the proposed Cascade National Park. The State Planning Council prepared a study of the proposal by the U. S. Department of the Interior. The Council recommended that the park be not created. Arguments on both sides of the controversy have been well aired, and the question is still pending. The Planning Council is currently engaged in making other valuable surveys of the state's natural resources and setting forth recommendations as to the most effective conservation policies.

The most startling news event of the year was the collapse, during a high wind on Nov. 7, of the famous Tacoma Narrows Bridge across Puget Sound, with the third longest span in the world (2,800 ft.). The huge suspension structure collapsed at a time when the traffic was at a minimum, so no loss of life was incurred. Built at a cost of $6,400,000, the bridge had been opened only in July. An investigating committee went to work immediately to ascertain the reasons for the collapse. The structure was insured.

State Officers.

Governor, Arthur B. Langlie; Lieutenant-Governor, Victor A. Meyers; Secretary of State, Belle Reeves; Treasurer, Otto Case; Auditor, Cliff Yelle; Attorney-General, Smith Troy; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Pearl A. Wanamaker.

United States Senators:

Homer T. Bone, Mon C. Wallgren.