Page:History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.djvu/335

This page needs to be proofread.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
303

Mill Creek F. and M. company, and the Cascade rail- road — making in all 1,197.7 miles, and the increase of mileage was augmenting yearly. The amount of coal mined in the territory in 1888 was 1,138,801 tons. The output in lumber of the Washington mills in four localities only for the year was 320,848,203 feet, their capacity being a million feet greater, shingles and lath in proportion. The amount consumed within the territory was 105,940,225 feet of lumber; 14,474,000 lath, and 12,921,250 shingles; the remainder was ex- ported. The estimated capacity of all the mills was 1,043,596,000 feet.

An insane asylum, costing $100,000, was completed at Steilacoom in 1888, in which were treated 200 pa- tients ; and $60,000 was appropriated for the erection of a hospital for the insane at Medical lake in eastern Washington, which was being expended on the work. Up to 1887 the territorial prisoners were confined in a private prison, under the control of contractors, but in 1887 a penitentiary was completed at Walla AValla, costing $153,000. At Vancouver a school for defect- ive youth was erected, partly by the citizens of that place donating land, and the rest by the legislature, making at two sessions appropriations for that pur- ]3ose. The national guard had completed its organiza- tion, the legislature having levied a tax of one fifth of a mill for military purposes, and consisted of two regi- ments of infantry and a troop of cavalry — in all 750 officers and men. These and various other matters, including the question of who should pick the hop crop in Puyallup valley, were reported to the secre- tary, and Governor Semple put it: We are rich and reputable, and do not require anybody to settle our bills. Give us the right to regulate our local affairs, and we will not only pay our own officers, but we will render much service to the union."

In 1888 Miles C. Moore of Walla Walla, republi- can, was appointed governor to succeed Semple, democrat, but only in time to be immersed in the