1941: Idaho

Area and Population.

Admitted to statehood July 3, 1890, Idaho ranks 12th in size among the states, with an area of 83,557 sq. mi., including 749 sq. mi. of inland water surface, according to remeasurements of the United States undertaken for the 16th census in 1940. In population it ranks 42nd, numbering 524,873 according to the same census. The largest cities are Boise, the capital, 26,130; Pocatello, 18,133; Idaho Falls, 15,024; Nampa, 12,149; Twin Falls, 11,851; Lewiston, 10,548; and Coeur d'Alene, 10,049.

Agriculture and Lumbering.

A birdseye view of the agricultural economy of Idaho can be had from the mere statement that more than 60 per cent of its land area is made up of Federal land holdings, and about 20 per cent is in farms. The 1941 crop production value was close to $90,000,000, and in addition livestock had a value of approximately $65,000,000.

The year 1941 saw a substantial development of the reclamation program of the Boise river and other projects, authorized to assure supplemental water for the 2,500,000 A. of land now under irrigation.

Lumbering, another important industrial activity of Idaho, showed a healthy gain in volume because of heavy demands for the war effort.

Mineral Products.

Idaho's production of metals, the state's chief mineral resource, showed a great increase in 1940, the total value amounting to $37,744,393, compared with $29,794,144 in 1939. The largest gain was in zinc, for which Idaho rose to third place in the Union, with a 48 per cent increase, totaling 70,601 tons worth $8,895,726. Silver production, in which the state leads, was slightly in excess of 1939, with 17,552,240 oz. valued at $12,481,593. Copper showed a 33 per cent rise at 6,698,000 pounds; and gold exceeded any figure since 1871, with 146,480 oz., valued at $5,126,800. Lead, for which Idaho ranks second, amounted to 104,834 tons worth $10,483,400. The state also produced 240 tons of tungsten concentrates. The discovery during 1941 of extensive deposits of tungsten ore in the Yellow Pine district of government survey crews, was heralded as the most important development of the year for this mineral, and added greatly to available supplies for defense and war programs.

Finance.

Actual collections of state property and excise taxes gained by 7.7 per cent in 1941 over the preceding year, with a total of $10,122,202. Of this amount $5,721,786 came from motor fuel taxes and $2,405,374 from income taxes. Ad valorem taxes for state purposes yielded $2,382,812.

In a move to ameliorate some of the disadvantages faced by a relatively high state income tax, the Legislature refused to pass the so-called privileged dividend tax bill and instead authorized citizens to classify Federal income tax payments by individuals and corporations as items of expense in computing state income taxes.

Defense.

The most significant development industrially, at the year's end, was the indication by government agencies that as new war industries were authorized they would be located in the inter-mountain area, thus giving promise of stemming the heavy drain of war industries elsewhere, which was believed to have reduced the state population by more than 25,000 persons during the year.

The only military activity in state was the establishment of the Gowen Field heavy-bomber airbase at Boise, as part of the Second Air Corps with headquarters at Spokane.

State Officers.

Governor, Chase A. Clark; Lieutenant Governor, Charles G. Gossett; Secretary of State, George Curtis; State Auditor, Calvin E. Wright; Treasurer, Myrtle Enking; Attorney General, Bert E. Miller; Superintendent of Public Instruction, C. E. Roberts; Superintendent of Mines, Arthur Campbell.

United States Senators:

D. Worth Clark, John Thomas.