The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-12-16

to the practical business of life, particularly
to agriculture, and to teach the correct the
ory and practice of mining, with the scien-
ces herewith connected. The project is
of the deepest importance to the future pros
perly of the commonwealth.
1t is necessary to invite the attention of
the legislature to the act Of 5th April,
1894. relative to the standards and denomi.
nations of weights and measures. That
act expired, bv its own limitation, on the
18th Of last April, before any of the duties
enjoined upon the executive were perform
ed. The agency Of the Franklin Institute,
had hean requested and obtained by my
predecessors, and the matter has been since
continued in the same well qualified hands.
The accompanying letter from the chair
man of the committee, to whom the sub
ject is now entrusted by the institute, will
explain the cause of delay which mas oc-
CURED, and the proposed cost and Kramer
of accomplishing the object. But as no.
thing can be done unless the law be re-
enacted, permit me to suggest the propriety
Of that measure.
1t has been frequently a reproach to
Pennsylvania, that her great staple, coal, is
not used on her public works, while negl :
boring states have it in successful opera
ton. Though it is not by any means Ger
tain that mineral coal, particularly of the
anthracite kind, has been successfully useI
to generate steam any where on rail roads,
at least to any profitable extent, vet the
object is one Of paramount importance here.
A few wears more will so thin our forests.
that wood, to supply our locomotives and
OH steam engines, must become scarce.
Now is the proper time to provide a sub
situe. All see that it must be coal. But
the use oft for this particular purpose, is
not vet sufficiently understood; nor the re-
quisite knowledge ever he acquired by state
experiments, except at greatly increase ex-
pense. would therefore, advise that in
ducemens he held on by the state, to en-
courage individuals to embark in the under
taking. Such stimulus will soon effect
the object.
The culture of the mulberry and the
production Of silk, are now known to be
well adapted to the soil and climate of this
state. The care ofth silk worm is also
suited to the other employment of the mass
Of our population, and the manufacture of
the article will add greatly to our wealth.
The legislature endeavOred to promote it,
~ the act Of 1882, authorising the estab-
'ishment of one silk company in each coun-
tv; bit the means adopted, seem not to
have produced the desired result. COM
panv has been chartered in each of the
counties of Beaver, Chester. Cumberland,
Lancaster, Lebanon and Philadelphia, but
without much apparent success; nor is il,
perhaps, desirable that they should sue
reed. The silk business will, undoubted-
", become one of first rate importance a.
nong MS and will probably be the sooner
fairly established, if left to The unrestralned
exercise of private enterprise, properly en-
couraged by the legislature. With this
view, | would recommend it at a small pre-
MUM be offered hv the state, for "A limited
time, on specified quantities of the article,
when the production of our own soil and
industry.
The accompanying memorial from the
"society for alleviating the miseries Of pub
lie PRISONS" will be read with interest as
coming from body that has accompanied
so much for humanity in the perfection of
the penitentiary system Of Pennsylvania.
Their object now is, to carry that system
in the county prisons, with the view Of
obvating the demoralizing effect produced
by throwing the mere debtor or the new and
comparatively gudess culPrit into the
same den Of vice with the old and hardened
offender. 1t appears that the ials of ma
nv of the counties are verv old structures;
that of Delaware was built in 1924, Inn
caster in l745, York in l749, Norlhamp-
ton in 1856, and those OF Chester and Cum
berlanl at an early day Most of the 9th
ers are constructed on the old plan, though
recently built. II must therefore be that
they are all i'll adapted to the increased
population and improved prison discipline
Of the present time. Permit me to recon-
mend this matter to your serious attention,
as one intimately connected with the moral
welfare of the state.
Perhaps the best measure that could now
be adopted would be the passage of law
making it the duty OF the secretary of the
commonwealth to collect from the Sheriils
ofthe different counties, and report to the
next legislature for their action on the sIb-
iect, full information of the date ofhuliing,
size interior arrangements and discipline of
all the country prisons in the state, together
with the actual and usual numbers Of Pris-