The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1868-01-23
NO. 3.

( manifest aud urgent that / trust 1t will
receive your prompt aud favorable atten-
tion. The biennial period just elapsed
| began with eighty-seven convicts and
las cells, and closed with l6o convicts
and lG2 cells, leaving only two unoccu-
! pied. 1t will be observed that the num-
Der Of convicts has nearly doubled with
In the last two years; and with the pro-
gress of population II Is but reasonable
! to anticipate a continual increase of
crime, requiring additional facilities for
the keeping and accommodation of con-
victs.
! 1t should be borne in mind that these
additional cells must be provided for i'm
mediately, unless the State Is prepared
to adopted the vicious and discarded
system of doubling the convicts in their
cells, which is prejudicial to health not
only, but destructive of proper discipline.
| With the large amount Of combustible
material unavSidably kept In the various
workshops and about the prison incios-
ure, the danger from destructive fires IL
constant and imminent, and its occur
renee would prosince immense loss both
| to the State and the lessees Of the con-
I Wet labor. To provide against such u
catastrophe, inasmuch as no insurance
/ can be effected upon tho buildings or
their contents, IL Is necessary to con-
stialct u reservoir of sufficient dimen-
sions, at some point on the prison walls,
with suitable pipes and other fixtures
! requisite for. flooding the various build
ings when necessary, IN any alarm OF
fire. This reservoir must be supplied
with water obtained form the river by
means ofhydraulic power; all Of which,
I 4 moderate expense to the state. g,t...
| The accounts and vouchers Of the
I Warden have been examined from time
4 to time, and found TO be correct Tho
business. and affairs OF, this Institution
7 appear to have been managed, In all re-
spects, with conlniendabls prudence.-
Its sanitary condition Is excellent, not q
Edeath having occurred during the last
two years, and the good order and sys-
tenn which prevails are evidence that
the discipline Of the prison Is efficient
and complete. -" ,...t r .E.,. ..
! STATE REFURM SCHOOL.
The report Of the Warden shows that
out of the one hundred aud sixty con.
victs now In the l0nitcntiary, there nrt
hftynine under twentyOnc years Of age,
and and thirtyfour of these vary from
twelve to eighteen years. An exanain.
alton of our criminal returns will reveal
the melancholy fact that \ very large
and increasing proportion Of those ar'
raigned III our courts, upon criminal
accusations, arc persons of tender age,
/ many Of whom lind their way into tht
4 Penitentiary, there to serve for term
Of years in colnpanions'lip with old .ant
confirmed offenders. A large majority
Of these unfortunate youth are eithe
orphans, cast out upon their own re
parents who nre either too poor to sup
port, or have, with criminal indiffer
ence, neglected the education and mora
training Of their children, Thus neg
lectcd, or deprived Of the restraining in
fluences OF D well ordered home. thcs
unfortunate children are often driver
into association with older companions
BY whose corrupting manners and vi
;, ciOus propensities they are conducted
by sure degrees, into the perpetration Q
crimes, from which their better natures
IL they had been properly directed
would have turned with horror.
Some years OF observation and expe
rience both as judicial and executiv
officer have deeply impressed me will
the conviction that the soundest consi,l
eratiOns of public economy, and ever.
sentiment Of an enlightened and Chris
tian pllilanthrophy imperatively dc
: mand the erection Of reform school fC
the instruction and reformation of il
veniIe offenders. Instead of wogkin
the reformation fsuch persons, n teri
in the State Penitentiary, by keepin
: them I'm the perniciOus atmosphere
r prison life, constantly subjected to tn
, delnoralizing influences of confirme
and hopeless criminals, only serves
prepare them for entering upon u higLt
! and bOlder career Of crime.
r Many other States have deemed
: eXpedient to adopt the policy here sus
. gested aud the signal success which h,
| marked the experiments of Ieforl
: schools, and their universal popularit
' wherever they have been tried, serv,
/ to encourage me in urging the Gener;
e Assembly to establish one in this Sta
) at the earliest day practicable. Fer tn
, purpose | would recommed that ira
, Of land, say from fifty to one hundre
Y acres, be procured by donation or othe
= wise, at some eligible and convenicI
t point, and that an appropriation |
: made for the erection of suitable buil'
# ings to put the school into immedia
and successful operation.
: Reference should be had to the ere
e ton of workshops where these otlende
"A may also acquire a knowledge Of son
/. mechanical art, which combined vii
t. well directed intellectual and moral il
Il struction. will serve to qualify them Il
!, a useful manhood, and stimulate thel
: to higher and nobler aims after the
r terms of sentence shall have expire
= With the income deriven from tiles
). industrial operations, the income ma
r. also to II great extent, ii not altogethe
l. be rendered self sustaining.
,c In my opinion subject more gra'
rt aud far-reaching in its character cam
l. engage the attention Of an enlighten'
d and humane legislator. ~ e,a
r SCHOOL. FUND. r-
le I respectfully and earnestly rene
II the suggestions contained in my bicI
N nial Message to tho Eleventh Gener
n Assembly, in reference to tisc urge'
d necessity of requiring the permane1
=. school fund, now on loan to the cot'
,s ties, to be returned to the State Trea
q ury, for the purpose Of more safe Al
le available Investment. ,@.Ns
~ This suggestion did not originate Wi
10 me, nor am alone in entertaining Il
DO opinion that it has become a subject
grave concern. My predecessors, Go
o. eriiOrs Grimes, Lowe and. Kirk wO0
/ wisely directed legislative atteation
A. this subject, and ia forciblc terms urg
A. the necessity Of . more prudent nanaG
ia ment ofths fund. III these views tn
q. were cordially sustained by the accou
- ting and financial officers ofthe Sta'
iH whose duties and means Of Observable
n entitled their opinion to additional co