Litchfield enquirer., 1873-05-22
Legislative Roportts.

The School Fund commissioner reports the amount of the fund at g, CA, 190. The receipts for the year were $156, ,158. The number of children feportedsis 132, : 924 an increase of 1,160 over last year In Litchfeld Co.,, however, there is de- crease of 263.
 The Comptroller's report shows an in- crease in the grand list of the State of S9,072, 724, mainly on buildings. The es- timated receipts of the coming year are g. .642, ,247; expenses $1, 1852, ,154. The Insurance commissioner has sent in the first volume of his report. consist ing of over 200 pages. He considers the old rates too low, censures the modern style of building and presents tables on tables of figures of the value of which we have not yet had time to form any opin- ion. ~'' -.-"
 The report of the Fish commissioners state that the run of shad in the Connect icut has increased to such an extent that fishermen complain of low prices. They matched about 90 million young shad, most of which were put into the Con- necticut, and they hope to make shad 'sso abundant r'that the poor man with his quarter of 2 dollar may obtain as good fish as, three or four years since, readily commanded dollar" The catch of shad in the Connecticut. last year, is estimat- ed at 450, 900; in the State, at 100000 Stocking the river with salmon has been delayed by the prolonged litigation be- tween the Holyoke Water Power Go. and the Massachusetts Fish commissioners regarding fshways in their dams. The U. s. Supreme court has finally decided against the company and suitable fish, ways are being built. This important decision is given at length at the close of the report and the commissioners hope for a speedy return of the salmon to our waters
 The State Prison Directors report that repairs authorized by the last legislature have been nearly completed, and that the prison is in good condition, Regarding discipline the Directors say: E.# 4aa
 The experiment of administering the ing to corporeal punishment, which was entered upon eighteen months ago, and continued ever since, has proved to be satisfactory, and we trust has become an established feature in the discipline of the prison.
 The Directors give no opinion as to the system of prison management, though we should be inclined to prefer the ''Crof- ton, or Irish system, which consists in three successive grades, or stages, the first of which is characterized by great rigor;: and the two following by increas- ing mildness, and greater facilities for, and inducements to, reformation" They do not recommend the immediate con- structipn of new buildings but the repair of the present ones until such time as ''ex- periments now in progress in Europe, and in some of our neighboring States, shall have developed the best possible system. ,
 The railroad commissioners report everything lovely, as usual, and oppose any reduction in fares or freights by leg islative actions. The Shepaug railroad has cost least of any per mile for con- struction ($25, AID which is late and rath- CT limited consolation to the stockho1d- CTS, while the Air Line has cost over $100, 1000 per mile. There have been 23 fatal accidents and only one to passen- ger About half the income of the vari- ous roads comes from the passenger bus mess. a4l*lc e- -ia1oso0 ,5tLa 9tfa1