Columbia gazette., 1854-01-21

descriptions OF public printing required
define the size Of pages-the kind o
letter to be used respectively in Legis
Iative reports, the laws, journals, AM
bills-the number Of ems each page shall
contain-the matter to be as compact a
possible in the pages, without injury
to the appearance ofthe work and reserve
to the Comptroller, the right, in the set
tlement of the printing accounts, af
ter examining carefully the work execut
ed, to allow or refuse compensation fol
blank pages.
! The fact, that at the time the exist
ing contract for public printing was en-
tered into, State scrip did not command
in the market, more than seventy-fve
cents on the dollar, and that now, nine
ty-three can readily be obtained, would
alone justify considerable reduction in
prices.
| The exercise ofproper care and judg-
ment, both as to matter and amount, in
ordering printing to be executed, permit
me here to remark, is equally as neces-
sary, as measure Of reform, as the re-
duction of prices to a fair cash standard
1t is believed that, heretofore, more
print ng has been ordered and executed
during the session than was absolutely
required for the information of the peo-
pie, or to facilitate and secure enlight-
ened legislation. BY the exercise of
sound discretion in this respect, the
amount of printing, no doubt, can be
greatly reduced.
The reforms and reductions proposed,
would, it is anticipated, in the aggregate,
lessen the expenditures for Public Prin-
ting considerably moro than one third
the whole amount now paid.
The last Legislature having adjourn
ed without electing Quartermaster
General, and the Physicians and Trus-
tees for the State Marine Hospital in
the city of San francisco, and the Asy-
lum for the Insane at Stockton, as re-
quircd by law, the duty Of filling these
vacancies, until the meeting of the pres
ent Legislature, devolved on the Exec
utive.
The appointments were made, and the
incumbents will hold their officers until
their successors shall have been elected
by the Legislature. 1t is hoped that
this important matter will receive imme-
| date attention
In California the afflicted and inirm
have ever been the objects of peculiar
care and protection. TO the appeals of
the sick and destitute, the aged and in
firm, the young and helpless, the hearts
of our people have ever been open, and
the hand of charity freely extended
Private beneyoIenca has done much,
and will, doubtless, no more, towards al
leviating the wants Of suffering humani-
ty in our midst; but to the State do the
people look for that extended aid to the
sick and insane, which their condition
and necessities demand.
In providing for the sick and insane,
large sums of money have been annu-
ally expended by the State, and por-
ton of the existing debt thereby incur
red The State Marine Hospital has,
during the year, cost the State more than
forty thousand dollars, over and above
the amount of the special tax allotted
to it by law.
The Insane Asylum, at Stockton, in
cluding the buildings erected, has also
during the year, cost the State large
sum from the General Fund.
If possible, provision should be made
for more economical administration of
these institutions, and expenditures so
far reduced, at least, as hereafter to rem
der unnecessary appropriations from the
General Fund.
During the year, about seventy five
thousand dollars have been paid from
the Ger eral Fund in erecting buildings
for the insane, in the city of Stockton
The principal, or brick ediice, is one
hundred and thirty feet in length, fifty
feet in width, two stories high, is we'll
finished and furnished, and the interior
arrangements admirably adapted to the
purpose for which it was erected. The
other, a frame structure, is forty feet
square, and well finished. There is a.
bout one hundred acres of very superior
land attached to the asylum, small
portion of which has been enclosed.
The whole number of. insane in the
establishment on the 18th of December,
1853, was one hundred and one-nine
ty-one males and ten females.
The whole number Of patients admit
ted into the State Marine Hospital at
San Francisco, since the first of July
last, was fourteen hundred and forty five
males, and forty two females. On The
twenty third of December, 1853, there
were in the Hospital three hundred
male patients, and eleven females. Of
the whole number admitted since July,
nine hundred and twenty-one we're pa