The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-16

the State within the year, and two hun
dred others are in process of erection
Many schools are in successful operation
and in large portion of the State tht
people are manifesting commendablt
,iberality in imposing on themselve.
heavy taxes to build school houses anC
support the schools In addition to the
local taxes there was distributed among
the counties, on the 1st of April, 1866
the sum of $lO5, ,56S 16, from the State
school fund, and the sum. to be distribu
ted on the lst of April, 1867, is 1905
showing an increase of more than fifty
thousand dollars. While, under existing
laws, this fund will continue to increase,
yet, without the fostering care of the
Legislature, its annual distributions will
not be equal to the growing demands for
the education of our people. feel that
l cannot too zealously urge upon you the
duty of liberal legislation on this great
subject of free schools. The security OF
free government and the hopes of the fu-
ture depend, in a great measure, on the
elevation of the masses of the people
and this can only be accomplished by pro
vlding them with the necessary facilities
for their education.
From this report it appears, also, that
the want of competent teachers continues
to be severely felt throughout the State {;
and the Superintendent renews his rec
ommendation of last year for the estab.
lishment of State Normal School, in
order to remove this difficulty. l concur
IN this recommendation and commend
what is said in the report, on the subject,
toyour favorable consideration. | would
also suggest that this subject might well be
considered in connection with that of the
establishment ofthe Agricultural College,
which is alluded to elsewhere.
In this connection l also renew the re-
commendationm made to the last legislature,
that ali the bank stocks owned by the
State, and all the unsettled balances due
from the North Western Bank of Virgin
Ia and its branches, and from other banks,
be transferred to the Free School Fund. u
As these stocks stand, their proceeds are
scarcely felt in the general treasury, but
if transferred as indicated, they would
contribute to swell the fund which, more
than any other, needs and is worthy of
our continued fostering care.
From the report of the Board of Pub
lie Works, herewith communicated, it
may be seen that the members of the
Board, as required by "An Act to provide
a Penitentiary for the State" passed Feb.
ruary 10, 1866, selected and located as a
site for the Penitentiary, piece ofground
near the town of MoundsvIlle, in the
county of Marshall, which was donated
to the State by the people of the town and
vicinity, and, on the 1st day of June last,
deed was made to the State therefor /;
and on the 9th day of June the Board ap-
pointed FIVE directors for the Penitentiary,
who. shortly thereafter qualified and pro-
ceeded to the execution of the duties re-
quired of them.
The report of the Directors of the Pen
itentiary is also herewith communicated /;
from which it appears that, soon after
their appointment, they proceeded to com
ply with the law under which they were
appointed. The plan set forth III the re-
port, as adopted for thelGying out and en-
closing of the grounds and for the erec-
ton of the buildings, seems to be practi-
cal and economical, yet sufficiently sub
stantlal and capacious, and convenient in
its arrangement, for the confinement and
profitable employment of all couvicts
that the State is likely to have at any one
time for some years to come. The esti-
mated cost of the whole when completed
is one hundred and sixty thousand dol
lars. The work is proceeding satisfacto.
rily, and the exhibit of moneys expended
shows reasonable economy. 1t is expect
ed that one wing of the building contain
ing cells will be so far finished by the Ist
of December next as may be necessary
for the safe keeping of the convicts, and
that the whole will be completed against
the 1st of January, 1869. 1t may be seen,
however, that the existing appropriation
is not regarded by the directors as suffi-
cient to continue the work during the
present year, and that to secure its speedy
progress and completion, as contempla-
ted, they recommend a further appropria-
ton of fifty thousand dollars at the pres
ent session of the Legislature. 1t is hard
ly necessary, l apprehend, for me to say
that concur in this recommendation. We
have now near one hundred convicts on
our hands, with scarcely any place to
keep them, and the necessity for an ap-
propriate place of confinement, where the
more vicious and the better classes may
be kept separate and. where all may be
properly and profitable employed, must
be apparent to every one.
The report of the Commissioner of I'm
migration shows the partial success that
has attended his efforts during the year,
and contains statement of the Difficult.
ties he has had to encounter in the execu-
tion of the duties of his office. The chief
embarrassment is the want of money to
employ agents and defray other necessary
expenses. Without this, very little can
be accomplished, and this the Legislature
has hitherto declined TO provide. Ny
opinion has been, and still is, that this
office might be made more effective for
the advancement of the interests of the
State, and at every session of the Legis.
lature since the creation of that office /
have urged a more liberal policy, but it
has not met with favor; and as a conse-
quence, it has not accomplished what, ir
my Judgment, it otherwise would have
done l have nothing to add to what /
have heretofore said on the subject, but
again ask that you will give it that consid.
Grafton which its Importance demands.
The reports, respectively, of Hon. C.
D. Hubbard, representative of this State
in the Board of Commissioners of the
Soldiers National Cemetery at Gettys-
burg, and of g. l.. Cranmer, ESQ, repre-
sentative. of this State in the Board of
Trustees of the Antietam National Gene
terry, are herewith submitted from which
1t may be seen that the work on each is
progressing satisfactorily. 1t may also be
seen that West Virginia has appropriated
and paid her proportion of the cost of.
both these cemeteries, and has thus
shown that she is not unmindful of the
noble men of our own and other States
who, On these battle fields, laid down
their lives for the Republic.
The Board of Visitors of the Institu-
ton for the education of the Deaf aud
Dumb and the Blind at Staunton, Virgin
ia, have caused to be transmitted to me a
copy of a report made to them by the
Principal of the Institution, showing the
number of pupils therein from within the