Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-01-19

rived entirely from the Congress
sional endowment fund, amounts to
between $4,000 and $4,000 per
year. This fund cannot legally be
applied for any other purpose than
the Support and maintenance" Of
the College, and its use for the con-
struction or repair of buildings is
strictly prohibited.
The first senior class, numbering
thirty, organized last fall, will
graduate the present year. Dur
ing the two years past, the atten-.
dance has been above two hundred
students year, and many had to
be refused admittance on account Of
want of room. BY the extension Of
the present building there will be
accommodations, next spring, for
about fifty more students, which,
with the facilities for boarding out
side the building, will enable the
institution to receive an aggregate
of two hundred and fifty. No
doubt the institution would be filled
lie it had conveniences for double
that number. In order that the
College may go on with the work
begun, some further State aid seems
desirable. Additional buildings for
students rooms are required, to
accommodate the many who are
asking for admission. There is also
b necessity for physical laboratory
and for extending and charging the
present chemical laboratory; for
additional professors houses; for
further facilities for orchard, gar
den and farm improvements; for
larger gas-works; and for some pro-
vision for procuring an inexhausta-
BILE supply Of pure water for the
buildings.
These engagements and additions
the Board estimates will call for at
least 100000.
SOLDIERS ORPHANS HOMES.
Eleven hundred and twenty-eight chill
dren have enjoyed the benefit of these in
situations, within the last two years; and
1880 since their foundation. The number
present November LIST was 71S, from 63
counties. The health Of the Homes has
been very good; ana there have been only
two deaths in an average attendance OF
763. The grounds at the several Homes
are becoming better improved every year.
/ New buildings have been erected, among
them one for chapel and schoolrooms at
Cedar Falls. The State contributes ten
dollars per month for each orphan act
ually supported; which amounted during
the term, to $183, 490. The support of
the orphans, and expenses of repairs, i'm
provcments, &C., for which special ap-
preparations were made, for the same
period amounted to $211, 324.67 The
Board asks appropriations for additional
buildings at Glcnwood, and for improve
ments, repairs and furniture at all the
Homes.
PENITENTIARY OF THE STATE.
The general support of the Penitentiary
during the past two years, cost $64, 1917.
OF this amount $2,127.59 was drawn di-
rectly or indirectly from the State Treas
ury. In the previous term about one
fifth of the entire amount needed for gen
eralsupport, was drawn from the treasury,
and in that ending October 81, 1867,
about two fifths. AS at present managed,
therefore, it will be seen that the prison
gradually approaches selfsustaining
basis. The sum of $3.50 per month is al
lowed for each prisoner out of the State
Treasury if needed. LESS than fifty cents
per month was actually drawn during
the last term.) The officers and guards
salaries are fixed by law, and paid from
the State Treasury. The entire amount
contributed by the State for these several
items. and ofraccount of special appropri-
ations, during the last two years, was
$46,67962.
The number of convicts incarcerated in
the Penitentiary, Nov. l., 1871, was 273;
an increase Of 81 since Nov. /, 1869 A
similar increase within the next two years
will exhaust the present enlarged capacity
of the prison. The question then, urges
itself upon your consideration, whether
the present building shall be enlarged, or
site obtained for another prison, and
an edifice commenced thereon forthwith.
The State owns, at Fort Madison, a piece
ofground westward Of the prison wall, to
the extent of 235 feet. The Warden sug-
gests that this piece, with $50 feet more,
to be obtained by purchase, be included
within the prison walls. This extension,
that officer estimates, will cost $23, 1000.
To enlarge the ccll-room Of the present
building, which is necessary if anything
at all be undertaken at Fort Madison, it is
estimated, will cost 1000. No doubt
these extensions, when completed, will
answer the demands of the State for years;
but is believed that true economy lies in
the direction of second penitentiary
building. Atheist, the improvement sug-
gested at Fort Madison is only an expe-
dent to bridge over the difficulty for the
present. Sooner or later there will be re-
ncwed demand for additional prison ROOM
Meantime, the expenses incurred in con-
veying convicts to the present distant
Penitentiary will continue to be very I'M
equal upon the several counties, and
will be larger in the aggregate than it
would be were there another prison, more
centrally located. would, therefore,
renew tho Recommendation Of my former
message, that o site for new penitentiary
be selected, and would further suggest
that provision be made for the erection Of
suitable buildings thereon. 1t is believed
that very small appropriation-not to
exceed 1O,O00-would be sufficient for
the work which could be done in two
years, convict labor being largely, almost
entirely, employed upon it
Under the contract for the labor of the
convicts made pursuant to the act OF 1854,
the contractors were required to supply
labor for only $50 convicts. A modifica-
ton of this contract enlarged the number
to 175 This number was exceeded more
than two years ago; but as many were
employed in various ways about the kltch
en-, dining hall, and other appointments
Of the prison, there was then little or no
surplus or unemployed labor. The APP
preparation by the last General Assembly
for the increase of the number of cells
furnished employment for such as there
was for several months. Afterward, until
February last, from fifty to seventy five
Of the convicts were entirely unemployed.
At that time, made contract for their
labor. running to the first day of this
month, with Messrs. Soule, Kretsinger &
Co., the present contractors for prison
labor; copy of the contract will be
found in the Warden's report. A provis-
ion for this surplus, which is now again