The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-01-18
orTUMwA 49, 1872

COUNTY, IOWA, THUR,
model farm. An orchard and an
experimental garden has been estab.
l.shed !; workshop erected and fur
nishcd with tools and machinery a
chemical labratory constructed, and
fitted up with apparatus; and q be.
ginning made in collecting physical
apparatus. The library aud museum
have received considerable acces.
sions, though yet quito Inadequate to
meet oil demands. The grounds
around the College building are
greatly improved by the construc.
tion Of drives and the planting oi
trees and shrubs. In all these i'm.
provements the progress has been
quite as rapid as the means at hand
would allow.
The income Of the College, derived
entirely from the Congressional en-.
dowment fund, amounts to between
$3O, 900 and s35, 600 per year. This
fund cannot legally be applied for
any other purpose than "the support
and maintenance" Of the College,
and its use for tho construction or
repair Of buildings is strictly pro-
hibited.
The first senior class, numbering
thirty organized last fall, will grad
uate the present year. During the
two years past, the attendance has
been about two hundred students a
year, and many had to be refused
admittance on account of want of
room. By the extension ofthe pres
ent building there will be accommo-
dations, next spring for about fifty
moro students, which, with the "a
cilities for boarding outside the
bnildIng, will enable the institution
to receive an aggregate Of two hul-
dred and fifty. No doubt the insti-
tuition would be filled if it had conve-
niences for double that number. In
order that the College may go on
with the work begun, somo further
State aid seems desirable. Addition
al buildings for students rooms are
required to accommodate the many
who are asking for admission. There
is also . necessity for physical lab.
ratory, and for extending the chem
ical laboratory; for additional pro-
fessors' houses ; for further facilities
for orchard, garden, and farm i'm
provements; for larger gas-works
and for some provision for procuring
an inexhaustible supply of pure wa
ter for the buildings. These en-
largemeuts and additions, the Board
lestimates, will call for at least $780,
O0Os sTrnsa. ,., ,,s,n,
soLDIERs' oHPHAns' HOMES.
Eleven hundred and twenty eight
children have enjoyed the benefit of
these institutions, within the last
two years; and 1880 since their
foundation. The number present,
November list, was lis, from 63
counties. The health Of the Homes
are becoming better improved every
year. New buildings have been
erected, among them one for chapel
and school.rooms at Cedar Falls.
The State contribnfAs - : -tnally sup
purrsh, 1wnron' 'nmudhled, during the
term, to S1S3, ,49O. The support OF
the orphans, and expenses ofrepairs,
improvements, &c, tor which special
appropriations were mado, for the
same period, amounted to S21l,.
324.67. The Board asks appropria-
tions for additional buildings at Glen
wood, and for improvements, repairs
and furniture at all the Homes.
pENITzNTIARY OF THE STATE.
! The general support of the Peni
tentiary during the past two years
| cost SG4,139.77. Of this amour,
81, 2,127. SO was drawn directly or in
directly from the State treasury. IL
the previous term about one-titth o
the entire amount needed for gener
al support was drawn from th'
treasury, and in that ending October
81, 1867, abont two-ftths. As .
present managed, therefore, it vii
be seen that the prison gradually sp
proaches selfsustaining basis. Th'
sum Of 1888 per month is allowe'
for each prisoner out of tho trcasu
ry, it needed. (Less than fifty cent
per month was actually drawn durini
, the last term.) The officers an
, guards salaries are fixed by law. an
: paid from the Stste treasury. Th
entire amount contributed by tn
J State for these several items, and o
, account Of special appropriation
) during the last two years, was SAG
: 979.62.
The number of convicts incarcera
: cd in the Penitentiary, Nov. l, l87
: was 273; an increase OF 81 sine
Nov. l, 1869. A similar increas
Q within the next two years will G.
4 haust the present enlarged capacit
8 of the prison. The question, the
urges itself upon your consideration
; whether the present building sha
' be enlarged, or site be obtained Il
. another prison, and an edifice cor
,, meneed forthwith. The State own
y at Ft. Madison, piece Of ground
l. the westward of the prison wall,
> the extent of 235 feet. The Wardt
l. suggests that this piece, with II
o feet more, to be obtained by pu
% chase, be included within tho priso
Is walls. This extension, that offic
r estimates, will cost $4,000. To g
1t large tho cell-room of the prese
N building, which is necessary if an
thing at all be undertaken at Fo
10 Madison, it is estimated, will CO
IS S2l,O 900. No doubt these extension
is when completed, will answer the q
ct mands of the State for years; but
10 is believed that true economy lies
D. the direction of second penitent
I'D ry building. At best, the impro'
2. mcnt suggested at Fort Madison
Of only an expedient to bridge ov
M the difficulty for time. Sooner
~, or later there will be renewed
to mand for additional prison room.
ut Meantime, the expense incurred
or conveying convicts 70 the prese
ne distant Penitentiary will continue
on bear very equally upon the sevel
la counties, and will be larger in
aggregate than 1t would be WI
N nu.n