100 Years Ago: 1st Flag, 9th Legislature, 61st Congress

The following was adapted from the Improvement Era magazine of April 1911.

First State Flag

An official state flag for Utah, to be given to the Battleship Utah together with the silver service, has been officially adopted by the legislature. The flag was made by the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and presented by them to the state.

[When the flag arrived at the USS Utah, it was discovered that the shield on the flag was in full color instead of white, and a gold ring around the shield had been added. Rather than have the flag remade, the Utah legislature changed the law to allow the USS Utah version to become part of the official flag. In 2011, the legislature fixed a mistake promulgated since 1922, when the year 1847 was stitched just above the year 1896, instead of on the shield.]

9th State Legislature

The Utah Legislature closed its long session of sixty-nine days on Saturday morning at 11:50, March 18. Many important laws were passed, including:

• Regulating the liquor traffic.
• Prohibiting the sale or exchange of cigarettes or cigarette paper.
• A nine hour law for women.
• Giving first and second class cities a commission form of government.
• Providing for the erection of a state capitol building.
• A provision for the increase of the state revenue without increasing the set levy.
• For the erection of an Armory building for the Utah National Guard.
• For the erection of a main building for the University of Utah.
• A gymnasium for the Agricultural College at Logan.
• The establishment of a state highway.
• The creation of an emigration and labor bureau under state supervision.

61st Congress

Many important enactments passed directly and indirectly affecting Utah in the 61st Congress. The most important measures were:

• $25,000, to be expended in the extermination of the alfalfa weevils on Utah farm lands.
• Relief to prospective homesteaders on the Uintah Indian reservation, providing that a homesteader is only required to reside on the land for a period of eight months.
• The state was given, for educational purposes, the group of federal buildings at Randalet, in Uintah county, formerly used by the government for Indian schools.
• $15,000 for the construction of a steel bridge across the Duchesne river in Wasatch county.

[In 2008, Utah received $17.1 billion from the Federal Government made up of $5.6 billion in retirement and disability, $3.4 billion in grants, $3 billion in procurement, $2.4 billion in salaries, and $2.7 billion in other payments. Measured by per capita, at $6,255, Utah receives the least of any state.]

Adapted from: “Passing Events”, Improvement Era, Vol. XIV. April, 1911. No. 6.