AGENCY: Bureau of Immigration, Labor and Statistics
SERIES: 1267
TITLE: Letterbooks
DATES: i 1906-1916.
ARRANGEMENT: Chronological
DESCRIPTION: The bureau's function was "to collect, systematize and present in annual reports to the Governor, statistical details relating to agriculture, mining, manufactures and other industries in the state." Reporting duties were expanded in 1911 to include all natural, economic, educational and cultural resources of the state, in order to promote immigration of individuals and businesses. Starting in 1911, the bureau also was to investigate and report unsafe working conditions and labor law violations. These letterbooks contain press copies of outgoing correspondence pertaining to all such duties. The diversity of topics treated makes them an excellent, if promotionally biased, source of socioeconomic data on the state in the early 20th century.
Mailing lists and copies of standardized forms for gathering data are sometimes included. Forms and letters were regularly sent to county officials, private businesses, and the courts requesting data on tax rates, indebtedness, lands and crops, elected officials' names, indigent expenditures, reform school commitments, criminal convictions, marriages, divorces, roads, canneries, assorted manufactures, railroads, communications, mining, knitting works, laundries, etc.
There are also replies to requests for information on the state which discuss economic conditions, average wages, investment opportunities, and homesteading possibilities; specify where immigrant labor is needed; and answer more arcane questions. Copies of parts of reports are also included, as are various production charts, business listings, and social data tables. The success of promoting immigration is discussed in some letters, notably regarding ethnic Jewish (Clarion), Greek, and Russian colonies.
In 1911, the bureau began monitoring certain working conditions focussing on violations of the nine-hour day female employment law and minimum wage scales for females. A limited number of letters refer to eight-hour days in mines and smelters. Letters discussing the absence of other safety codes or male employment laws are also included, particularly from 1916-1917 when Utah began requesting comparative data on workmen's compensation laws.
The bulk of all the correspondence deals with agriculture, homesteading, mining, and industry with a portion of later letters dealing with female labor law enforcement. However, the number of topics treated on a lesser scale is extremely broad and includes social (schools, hospitals, newspapers, etc.) factors as well as commercial. Limited correspondence also deals with administrative functions of the bureau, e.g.__report printing, expense accounts.
The location of any letterbook(s) prior to 1906 is undetermined. The absence of a 1909-1911 letterbook may represent a missing one, or one may never have existed, the auditor (then serving as ex-officio Commissioner of Statistics) regularly complaining of the press of other duties.__The office of Commissioner of Immigration, Labor and Statistics was abolishedg in 1917 with the creation of the Industrial Commission.
RETENTION
DISPOSITION
RETENTION AND DISPOSITION AUTHORIZATION
These records are in Archives' permanent custody.
FORMAT MANAGEMENT
Paper: Retain in State Records Center until microfilmed and then destroy provided microfilm has passed inspection.
Microfilm master: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
Microfilm duplicate: Retain in State Archives permanently with authority to weed.
APPRAISAL
Historical
This series provides extensive, intensive, and diverse data on a broad range of socioeconomic topics. Provides a compilation of early 20th century Utah data not readily available elsewhere.
PRIMARY DESIGNATION
Public