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

ject ofintroducing these accessories, as q
reward for good behavior, Heartily COM
mend to your early and favorable action.
The subject ofprisons and prison disci-
pline has attracted much attention of late
80 much so, that 1t has been deemed advis-
able to hold national convention to con-
slider the subject. Accordingly conven-
ton met at Cincinnati, Ohio in the month
of October, 1870. To this body deputed
the Warden of the Penitentiary to repre-
sent the State ofIowa. The deliberations
Of the convention, which was very large
~ attended, and whose sittings were pro-
tracted through several days, were of the
most interesting character, and brought
out much valuable information upon the
various subjects connected with the man
agement of prisons.
On the 31st day of December, 1874, the
present contract for the main body of the
prison.labor will expire. Prior to that
time, would suggest that inquiries be
instituted for the purpose of ascertaining
the best mode of utilizing the labor of
the convicts, with regard to both the f.
nancial and reformatory aspects of the
question; and would recommend that
commission be created empowered to in
vestigate the whole subject of prison
management, dicipline and employment,
as well as the means for effecting the
largest amount Of permanent benefit to
the convicts; such commission to report
to the next session of the General AS
sembly.
1t is stipulated in the contract for the
prison labor that the State shall furnish
the necessary shop-room. Some time
ar, additional shop. These additions to
the prison conveniences were needed, and
consent was given by the State authori-
ties for their erection, the contractors to
await an appropriation by the General
Assembly for their reimbursement. I
recommend that such appropriation, to
the extent of the amount found due the
contractors, be made at your present
session.
REFORM SCHOOL.
The number of inmates of the school at
the close Of the term was IS, an increase
of As since the previous report. The
tees were compelled for awhile to stop
receiving any into the institution. A
separate house for girls is imperatiyely
needed. This state of affairs will remind
you Of the ACCESSIBILITY of taking steps
toward permanent location and cdifice
The expense of such edifice the Trustees
place at $4,000.
The expenses of the school for the term,
including payment of note, with interest,
given in former term, amounted to $20,
1920. The State contributed $4,000 to
the income of the school, to which the
farm and other sources Of revenue added
$5,324.92. The expenses thus exceed
the income $787.2S, and this notwith-
standing what deem the most rigid
economy on the part of the Board and
officials of the school. I am well salts
fed that a small increase in the appro-
priation would be a judicious expcndi
| ture.
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The State Historical Society continues
its laudable work of collecting, prcscrv.
ing and publishing the records of the
| settlement of the State and Territory,
and the deeds of our pioneers AS these
! early adventures pass away, this work
becomes more and more important. The
Society receives an annual appropriation
| of $500; notwithstanding which it finds
it's treasury at the date of the report,
overdrawn to the amount of $33.97. The
ANNALS Of Iowa." the Soclety's very cx-
cellent quarterly, the Board say, may
hereafter be considered selfsustaining
periodical. In order to extend the area
of the Society's usefulness, the Board
ask all appropriation Of $4,000 per an
mum, and the erection of fireproof
building for the preservation of its val
| liable collections.
| IMMIGRATION.
The General Assembly, at its last SEES
sion, made provision for Board of I'M
migration, appropriating therefor the
sum Of $4,000. Immediately upon APP
pointment, the Board entered upon their
labors The small amount Of the appro-
priation prevented any extensive system
of canvassing our own and foreign coun-
tries by means of agents; and not to ex-
coed $500 was used in this manner. The
effective work of the Board was mainly
done through the fundamentally of
pamphlet compiled, under its direction,
by its Secretary, Mr.. A. r. Fuller, en-
titled "Iowa the Home for Immigrants"
OF this work, an able and valuable
compend of the resources Of the State,
sixty five thousand copies, each con.
taing miniature map of Iowa, were
printed in English, German, Dutch,
Swedish and Danish languages, and cir
culated widely throughout our own and
other countries. A copy Of this pamph,
let was sent to every newspaper in the
United States; this was followed by no.
tees more or less extended in many Of
the leading journals Of the country. The
Board also distributed great quantity
of circulars containing information con.
corning the State In addition, the Sec.
rotary has written several hundred let
tiers, many of which have been published
in Eastern newspapers. Several persons
have acted without pay as agents tor the
Board, and some Of them, I have reason
to believe, with great efficiency. The
several railroad companies having land
grants, particularly the B. & NJ. r. r. II.
Co., have co-Operated with the Board
in efforts to spread Information. The
railroads running through the Capital,
and the B. & M. and Pennsylvania Cen
trail railroads, and the Hamburg Steam
ship line freighted the pamphlets free of
charge.
The benefit derived from these efforts,
it is believed, has amply repaid the out
lay. Aside from the more manifest indi-
cations of accomplished results, in the
shape of colonies which have been plant
ed in different parts of the State, the al
most unprecedented growth of the newer
counties of the West gives evidence that
great work has been done.
THE NEW CAPITOL.
The act of the last General Assembly
providing for the erection of a new State
Capitol appropriated the sum of $4,000
for commencing the work. The Commits
sioners having charge Of the matter, in
accordance with call issued by me in
pursuance of the act, held their first meet
ing May 25, 1870. One of their firstand
most important duties was to avail them
selves of the information requisite for the
adoption Of suitable plan for the build
ing. After visiting and examining several
of the buildings of other States, erected
for similar purposes, and careful in
spection and comparison Of the plans
submitted, they were enabled to adopt
one which, it is believed, combines, in an