Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1861-01-16

II
good and solvent foreign companies there
by cutting of healthy competition.
In the progress Of eur State in posula-
ton it has been fouud necessary 10 erect
two prisons, which contaia about Ave hun
dred convicts, and OF that number absut L
fifty are under twenty-oae years Of age,
The Legislature Of 1855, impressed with
the necessity Of providing aplsce in which |
the young delinquents might be confined, |
where the old and hardened crimisal should |
have no power to lead them further astray,
or Induct them deeper into crime, provided
for the purchase Of piece of ground for |
the purpose of establishing House Of
Refuge. In April last, Gov Willard and
the State officers negotiated with General
James P. Drake for the purchase Of one
hundred acres of land, four miles west OF
the city, for that purpose.
The importance Of such an Institution
cannot be everestimsted, and it has had
frequent Recommendations of my prede-
cessors. In view of the fact that the pen
itentiary to young mind is perfect
school for vic.; that mere boys are SEN
fenced there in order to avoid an expense
to the county for their maintenance in the
county jail; aud that by contact with old
offenders, come out at the end of their
term as vicious az their instructors. l can
nardIy conceive q want more seriously felt
thai This. In our sister States, these in
stitutions, under the names of" Houses Of
reform" Houses of Correction % I" State
Reform Schools" &c, have been tried
with success. The establishment of
House of Refuge upon the ground selected
aud purchased for that purpose, is imper
atively demanded demanded alike by
gooi morals and sound poliey-and re-
commend that prompt and adequate as-
t,on DC taken by you In the natter, aad
that an appropriation fer that purpose be
made.
BY law, approved March 5th, 1883, .he
Legislature provided for building State
Prison North of the National Road. and
appropriated fifty thousand dollars to carry
the provisions Of the law into effect. A.
the Legislature failed to elect three direct
ors, the Governor. by virtue of the law, APP
pointed DR.. b. r. Mullen, John P. Duss
and John W. Blake, such directors, who
proceeded to locate the prison at Fl way.s
But for some reason the Governor failed to
approve of this location, and il was finally
abandoned, and the location subsequently
made at Michigsa City. Usder a contract
made by the directors on the part of the
State. with Messrs. Talbot and Costigaa,
for the building OF such State Prison,
learn the full sDsuat Of the sppropristios
has been expended As have had ne con
nectien, either personal or official. with this
TRANSACTIONS, am compelled in this general
manner 10 allude to it. In regard to the
location OF this prison, the making the con-
tract and the direction Of the work, in a
matter of the Importance Of this, it's due
to these directors as well as to the public
that ysu should cause full investigation
to be made in references to their action as
such directors, and ! respectfully recon-
mend that you cause such an investigation
to be made. Their report is herewith sub
mitted.
The commission sPpointed under ioiut
resolution OF the General Assembly at the
last session, 10 relation % the settlement.
adjustment and eollectien of the dues 10
the State, assenbled in this city in july
1889, to discharge the duties ssnfided to
them.
By the terms Of the joint resolstien. the
| Authority OF the commissioners seems to h,
limited to the detailed statement of unset.
tied accounta Of all persons heretofore act
ing as Officers or aeeats of State. and evil
dences of debt, delivered to them BY the
Auditor Of State. They thsrouehly in YES.
tigated such accounts and claims, and, as
far as practicable, nave settled the same "A
pursuance Of the terms of the joint resols-
ton. The investigation required in some
instances, much labor, and the examination
of q great variety of facts. The settlements
so made were. in my opinion, such as n q
interests Of the State rendered necessary,
aud have upon an examination Of them
given my full approval thereof ia writing
The report oftheir proceedings is herewith
laid before yea.
In order that the citizens of Indisas
should compete faverably with hose Of her
sister States in the full and profitable de-
velopment Of her mineral resources, the
last Legislature, following ost the wise
and enlarged policy demanded by an in
crease in the number Of our inhatitasts
and friendly emulation with our sists,
States, passed an act requirisg geological
reconnsisance of our State preparatory to
a more fell and extended examination OF
all her hidden resources. This survey you
placed under the fostering care of the able
and energetic State Board OF Agriculture
who have, in their direction of the survey
fully sustained their we'll merited character
for diseernment in plan and promptness in
execution ofwork entrusted 10 their charge
Already with the Ave thousand dollar.
placed by you at their disposal, they hsv.
had neatly every county partially examine
and are ready. through their geoloGist, to
report upon the most important localities
minerals. soils. DC. meriting more full and
detailed examinations, should the same
wise and liberal policy dictate a further
prosecution of the work, and furnish the
necessary means.
The advantages Of thorough geological
survey are manifold. It will show to oul
citizens aud the world that we have more
than twenty counties in which a good
working coal can be developed to any re-
quired amount; coal beds from which oil
can be extracted equal in quality, and
nearly in quantity TO that of Breckinridge
county, Kentucky; abundant deposits oil
iron ore at present worked successfully al
few furnaces, chiefly on the edge of our
coal field; and also on the same coal fold
margin favorable locations for sinking
brine wells and boiling salt; various local..
ties in which extended search may devel-
one lead and other metals-one deposit
having recently been developed by ana
lytical research in the laboratory Of the
State Geologist as rich in the valuable min
eral cobalt, extensively used in arts and
manufactures besides, further, the exami-
nation and recon nendation of many valu-
able quarries sffording materials for build
ing rock and road making, with others sf-
fording grindstones and whe.stones of ex-
cellent quality, and good article eflitho
graphic stone; rs well alss 80 pumsreus
deposits adapted to the mAnufaeture Of Are
brich. earthenwase, &c. Besides ell these
iaportant and practical results, could
more especially call your attention to the
chemical analyses of thirty-ihres soils se-
lected from different geological formations,
designed to show the manner n which
that Important work shoald be performed
for every county in Indisns.
To esumerate ell the advantages which
our State would secure, would occupy
more space than can be appropriately de
voted, Notwithstanding ths vital i@P9r.
lance of the subject TO our whole csm1sui-
ty, but it is confidently hoped enough has
been here said to direct your attention TO
a work. alike useful snd Interesting to the
farmer, the mechanic, the engisser, and
many others, as we'll as to the general low
ers Of science. axe
Our lanented man Of science, Of world
vide reputation and an ornament to cur
State, our late State Geologist. DR.. David
| Dale Owen, 10 lost to science and to us by
/ -. L. - l. q