Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-01-15

ne appea! OF these children iOr
your aid, in receiving intellectual de-
velopment is strong one, aid viii
not | know, be lightly djsfegarded
The Soldiers Orphans Home Is fl
led TO its utmost capacity, an average
of 280 children being present. Ere
quent applications for admission are
made, which must be denied. Ii is
the opinion Of the Trustees, that if
a school building should be erected,
all who viii desire admission can ue
accommodated. The State should
/ furnish a home for ali such children
as need 1t, and | trust such anarrange.
meut, as viii insure the desired result,
| Will be promptly made Left by the
/ patriotism of their fathers in the de-
/ fence Of our common country, with
none to care for and protect them, 1t
| is the duty, and a pleasant one, Of the
/ State. 10 assume their guardianship;
and until the people cease to hold IN
/ grateful recollection the gallant deeds
Of those who died maintaining our ma
tion's honor, they VIII gladly provide
these helpless orphans with homes
aud education. | need not commend
them To your kindly care.
| recommend that YOU make ample
appropriations to defrav the current
expenses orthe benevolent institutions
and provide for such additions and re-
pairs as may be necessary. Also, n
/ reasonable appropriation to the on
/ phan asylums and hospitals in the city
/ of Milwaukee,
sTATE PRISON.
/ The report of the State Prison
! Commissioner gives the number of pris-
oncrs, under his charge during the
wear, as 294. That the financial man
/ agement of the prison could not have
| been Improved is clearly shown by the
/ following brief extract from the re-
| port.
/ Total expenditure during the
last fiscal year, so4, ,s35 II
/ Value of permanent
! impr0yCm
! made by convict
labor Sb3, 1913 OF
/ Increase of supplies
during the year l SOP %
-- S54, ,425 %
Actual cost, less value Of i'm
provements and supplies, s4o9 ss
The improvements were all Of a
/ very necessary character. being a con.
tinuation Of work on the north wing,
grading. extension Of outer wall, well,
/ tagging. &c, and have much exceed
ed the present cost if made 10y other
than convict labor In discipline and
general administration. ! doubt if any
prison in the country eXcels 1t. |
fully concur IN the suggestions of the
commissioner as TO the system Of wor-
king the prisoners for the benefit Of
the state. and recommend the pro
priation Of $50 ,000, which is De eemed
/ sufficient TO pay current expenses for
this year, complete the north wing,
and put into the workshops the ma
chinerv required. / am confident that
after the completion of the buildings
/ and the establishment Of the mechan-
ical departments, the earnings of the
convicts viii, if properly managed. be
sufficient to pay all expenses OF The
tprison The prison school establish
ed by law, has proved a perfect sue
cess. and the zeal manifested bv the
convicts III mental culture IS very
gratifying.
Reform SCHOOL
The State Reform School. an instr
tuition which enlists the hearty SYM.
pathv Of all good men. Is well accom-
! plishing the ends for which ii was es-.
tablishcd The whole number in the
school during the past year was 2I7.
Largest nnmber At any one time, l62.
! The new buildings have been complet.
ed, the grounds and farm have been
/ improved, and evidences Of thrift and
comfort meet the eye on every hand,
sure indications of the fidelity and eE.
iciencv of those IN whose hands the
management has been placed A suE.
fcicnt appropriation should be made
10 meet the current expenses Of thi4
wear. estimated at S2O.50O. and 81.
500 balance due on buildings. The
cordial cooperation Of the legislature
with the managers, year by year, will
enable them TO continue TO give 20
the State from among the inmates Of
this school intelligent and valuable
citizens.
BANKS.
There are but fifteen banks doing
business under the banking law. with
an aggregate circulatio Of H9G.332.
1t being extremely improbable that
the people OF this state viii ever de-
sire an increase Of this circulation in
! preference TO United States Treasury
notes, ! concur III the recommendation
OF the Com ptroller that the Office Of
Bank Comptroller be abolished.
No ta1-s have been collected of
the national banks doing business in
this state under the provisions Of chap
ter I25, General Laws Of 1861 4
case testing the validity Of the tax j.
now before the Supreme Court.
MILITIA
There has been no material change
IN the State militia during the past
year. \ few independent companies
have been organized and manifest con-
siderable spirit. Our militia iaw Is 50
defective as 10 be nearly a dead letter,
but until Congress decides whether or
not It will provide for . national mili-