1942: Utah

Area and Population.

With an area of 84,990 sq. mi., Utah ranks as the 10th state in size. The surface water area comprises 2,806 sq. mi. The population of 550,310, does not include an approximate 106,000 new residents brought here by defense industries during the past two years. The 1940 census gave Salt Lake City, the capital of the state and also the largest city, a population of 149,939; however, there has since been an estimated increase of 25,000 residents. Other important cities are Ogden, 43,688; Provo, 18,771; Logan, 11,868; Brigham, 5,648; Murray, 5,740. In all of these, except Logan, there has been a like increase in population because of defense projects.

Education.

In 1942 the school census showed an increase in numbers, as well as a shift to cities from smaller towns. It showed a school population (ages six to seventeen) of 148,632. Elementary schools number 376, including 101 one- or two-room schools. There are 81 junior high schools and 75 senior high schools. The number of pupils enrolled in the elementary schools was 80,327, in the junior high schools 24,639, and in the senior high schools 33,666. The state expended for the public-school system $12,292,390. Over 60 per cent of this amount went for instruction, salaries, and textbooks, or educational supplies. The average yearly salary of men in the elementary grades was $1,203, for women $1,270; in the junior high schools the men averaged $1,484, the women, $1,523; in the senior high schools the men averaged $1,671, the women, $1,518. During 1942 $96,872 was spent for vocational education. This money represented Federal, state and local funds.

Agriculture.

Agriculture in Utah has been given an upward lift due to the war and the increase in population. Sugar-beet production increased 25 per cent over 1941. In production of wool and lambs Utah ranks 5th among the states. The average annual value of the lambs is $11,000,000 and the wool clip of some 20,000,000 lb. is valued at $8,000,000. Cattle for both beef and dairy purposes, and hogs, are produced in large number, and the poultry industry is of growing importance.

Mining.

The mining industry has increased production during the last year. At Monticello the Vanadium Company of America has a $1,000,000 plant under construction which will treat vanadium ores found in this region. The Utah Copper Company at Bingham produces from a quarter to a third of the nation's output of copper. Magnesium, tungsten and aluminum deposits are being developed constantly. Potential coal supplies are estimated to be as great as any in the Union, as more than one-seventh of the total area of the state contains workable coal deposits. Iron ore deposits are immense and will be converted on a greatly increased scale when the Columbia Steel Company's plant near Provo is completed. These are but a few of the 201 metallic and non metallic minerals found in Utah.

Events of the Year.

One hundred and sixty-five miles southwest of Salt Lake City, in the Pahvant valley, a relocation center for Japanese has been established, named Topaz. It houses 8,500 people of Japanese extraction. There are educational opportunities for both young and old, including two elementary schools for about 350 students each, a junior and a senior high school for about 1,000 students. Over 2,000 adults have registered in adult education classes. Most of these Japanese have come from the San Francisco bay area. With 700 acres of fair farming land to be cultivated, the colony is expected to produce a good part of the food that will be needed during the next year. The center has its own city-council form of government under supervision of a United States government representative. There is also a hospital with 175 beds.

Near Salt Lake City an Air Replacement Center has been built which is able to accommodate 40,000 army air men for basic air training. Other military projects are a naval depot; the Utah ordnance plant; the northwestern remount station; the dugway proving grounds; the division and district engineering army headquarters; a transfer of the Ninth corps area headquarters to Salt Lake City; a general depot, and the Ogden air depot; and the Salt Lake air base.

Finances.

In 1942 relief expenditures totaled $9,467,093.13. Unemployment compensation benefit funds disbursed amounted to $1,640,301.63. The state insurance fund (workmen's compensation) paid out $2,726,650. In the governor's reorganization program the Finance Commission was given control of a general fund, which it disburses according to requests and needs. Appropriations made in other years are now taken care of in this manner.

State Officers.

Governor, Herbert B. Maw; Secretary of State, E. E. Monson; State Treasurer, Oliver G. Ellis; Auditor, Reese M. Reese; Attorney General, Grover A. Giles; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Charles H. Skidmore.

United States Senators:

Elbert D. Thomas, Abe Murdock.