The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-01-07
,h,, no,n, either sor the erection Of new
....,.-;.a rapayvx upon those that

= 1. 40 serious Is 10 be the subject Of constant
nls,nt. and there IL no reasonable prospect OF
Heauate supply. II the existing INSTITUTIONS
- b. hereafter r ain,ained, or II new buildings
3 be erected al jacksonville, an appropriation
n N he made 10 secure an ample snppy of
II, Is not lust that the State should expect
iDhsbjtsnts OF that city should incur the
nse necessary TO meet the wants VI 'ne
sof the Sta'e,
THE SOLDIERS ORPHANS HOME.
,ert of the Trustees of the Soldiers Of-
dome shows that this institution, estao-
and maintained by the State for the desti'
orphans OF soldiers IL DONG us s lou VIZ ~
/ commend the report 10 the Afternoon OF
eneral Assembly. with the confident Deiief
appropriations will be made that will be ade.
10 ali the real wants of the institution.
OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
"Soldiers' College" az Fulton, Whlteslde
,.ty, which has rendered valuable service In
tfstui;ous education of honorahly discharged
icrs. and the "Chicago Eye and Ear lnnrma-
(which has afforded relief 10 many unfoftupafe
| ,ons from all parts OF the state, nave Dotn
aidei by appropriations from the treasury OF
tate. Whatever may be my anxiety TO con.
TO assist these emnently useful institutions,
compelled TO the conclusion that the 10th
n of the 4th article Of the Constitution pro-
. further appropriations from the State
1nry for their benefit.
= reports of the Trustees Of the Asylum for
Insane, In process of erection at Anna, Union
T., and the Northern Illinois Hospital and
IN for the Insane. at Elgin, show progress OF
! 3stces in the construction of their buildings.
Ahaye been acquired for the use of these
1ls, and one wing of the building at Elgin
completed within this year. The Trustees
Asylum at Anna have not progressed as
y. respectfully suggest that the number Of
istees Of the southern institution he reduced
q, The General Assembly, in view of the
es Of the State for additional provision
| insane. will no doubt make liberal ap.
ions for the completion of these build
for furnishing aud maintaining them
| ~ are competed.
.,oARp OF COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC cHARI.
| fit conclusion TO my recommendations
| late TO the State institutions to allude to
oard of Commissioners Of Public Chari
tested by an act Of the General Assembly,
ed April 9th, rS5t The State institutions
creased so rapidly in number anu HhlGG;r ST,
| and the amounts required from the treasury
| cir support had become so large, and re-
| such degree Of attention, that the crea-
"a board of visitation and inspection, with
'wers. became q necessity. To meet this
the act referred to was passed. and other
were given to the Board of the most i'm.
At chara ter submit the reports prepared
the direction of the Board for the Informal
| ( the General Assembly.
general report Is filled with information col
with care from reliable sources Nj relation
general subjects Of crime, pauperism, In
and Others of like character, and also pre-
the results OF the examinations made by the
# the institutions receiving State aid, and
'pections made by the members person
jails. poor houses, etc, In the different
and also statistics of the most valuable
The earnest, patient and unselfsh
the Commissioners deserve the warmest
md report contains the results of the
ion made by the Commissioners of the
of the trustees and managers OF the
titutiOns. At my request the Commits.
undertook to investigate the whole sub.
appropriations to the State institutions, and
especial attention to the report that presents
conclusions.
THE PENrTENTrARY.
i've the honor to submit to the General As
iy the report of the Penitentiary Commits.
rs, for the year ending December I, 1870. and
4lso furnish all the snbreports submitted to
18th their report, for the year ending Deem
1860 the report for that year being mislaid.
management Of the penitentiary concerns
interest in the State, for whether il il con
as an agency for the reformation or for
-,ention and punishment, Of criminals, or as
We and burdensome public establishment II
attract the attention Of the people and claim
thoughtful consideration of the General
splbly. Two leading systems for the man
eent of the .penitentiary have their ad-
tee. and divide public opniOn--the
Sc systcm," Which was followed In the
or history of the State, and that of the /" State
r the authority of the act of June 2sth, 1871
final results of the lease system, and the
ton of the peniteniiary when it closed
forciby described by my predecessor in hi.
Message to the General Assembly. He says
State. for the first time, occupied its own
Tertiary on the first day of July, 1867. Up to
slime Sl.O,5,0 900 had been expended In its cree
The Commissioners found, on their arrival
lake charge Of it for and In the name OF
the yalls, wings containing nine hun
MI ahnV n,,Ia tI,nv
y ipsi'e. amounting to S5i,ss5.53 A thou
nd fit eight convicts were 10 be promptly
led TO, FED, clothed and put to work.
te Commissioners appointed by the Governor
GER theanthoriiy of the act of June 2sth, 1867
3e ther hrst report on the first day of Decem
1865 from which 1t appears that the number
pnvcis then confined In the pcnientiary was
:, snd that the entire expense OF its manage
rom the first day of July, 1861, to the first
4 December, rs, was 1858, 5000; that the
erty of the State then in their possession, in.
my The amount OF S5!9Il.39, outstanding &C.
Us, was OF the value OF Si19, ,75.l,, aud that
surrent debts of the Institution amounted to
am OF ssI.O'0.Sa. In June, 1853, visited the
ventiary and met the commissioners and
zen, and learned that II was believed by them
the debts of the institution were under.esti
n IN the report of December !, 1863. or that
had rapidly increased between the date OF
report and the fret day of May, 1863, when
reoree W. fcrkins, then warden. assumed
".
'" visited the penitentiary, accompanied by
Minor, late Auditor, and Samuel Il.
~, of Carlinylle, an experienced &C.
nd after receiving the report of the re.
.sttiai examination OF the books aud
constitution, made by them. / formed
mat the property included In the in.
December ], 1865. had deprecated In
the amount OF the debts due on that
'eat'y nnder-stated. and from my own
Ion concluded that the Commissioners
I'd SO widely upon important points in the
cement OF the institution, that Its admins
was deficient IN that degree OF unity and
due, however, TO the Commissioner. that 1,
ID be stated that their differences were those
nest men. Jealous for the success of their
moment, and the evil was incurable, because
N4c responsible TO no authority TO which
could directly appeal This disagreement
sen the Commissioners produced an injuriou,
ylo ~ I'm tre 'tssai.e:aiss
Ahed the sense of responsibility In the en-
0es and affected the prodpctiveness of IN,
OF the convicts, and will, think, account /,
~ extent for the failure of the present man
3eni to achieve success. ] did not investigate
POUNDS OF the difference between the Commits
pr, being without authority TO adjust them
0med " judicious to leave the responsibilit,
those 10 whom il was coniidcd by law,
n0n an examination Of the report OF the Com
loners It Will be seen that the whole humble
pnvicts IN The penitentiary on the first day o
4mber, 1870. was 1889, an increase In Nv,
OF Ia, aud II may be expected that IN,
aDcr VIII, within the next six months be In
eeed To- upwards Of fourteen hundred The re
OF the Commissioners OF the peniteut
81 the warden and other officers will aifor,
PC information needed ~ TO Its financial con