Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-01-14

refer the entire document to you
careful consideration. It has cost time
thought, correspondence, and careful in
vestigation, and should receive merite,
attention.
And here it is proper for me to sa,
that in my judgment the duties of thi
committee, with such additional mem
beers as may be thought wise, should b,
widened to something in the nature O
a permanent board of charities, having
a limited supervision of all benevolent
reformatory, and penal institutions il
the State, to include also in the scope
of its duties the examination and sug
gestion OF improvements in the jails anG
poor-houses of the counties The
reasons which might be adduced to en-.
force this suggestion are numerous and
unanswerable. At present, boards OF
trustees of the different institutions arc
likely to have their judgments colored
as to the needs of the institutions they
are set to supervise by the local feeling
of the town in which it may be located,
But this committee, looking over the
whole field, could impartially determine
the relative appropriations which should
be made to each. 1t would be stand.
ing committee to examine and adjust
any complaints of Encouragement. II
our prison discipline shall be advanced
to conform more nearly to modern
theories, this board could supervise the
classification, and examine applications
and recommend to the Governor fit
subjects for clemeacy.
But cannot enlarge upon matters
which will suggest themselves to the
legislator. l am led, however, to re-
mark that the committee could consider
and recommend the character, cost and
style OF buildings which would be most
economical and best adapted to the pur-
poses of these several institutions. I
have long entertained the opinion that
unless public building is intended for
ornament as well as utility, or as
kiEd of memorial structure,
brick buildings, plain in design and
substantial in architecture, should al
ways pc preferred to stone. They would
be far cheaper and, unless great care Is
!aken in the selection of stone, much
more enduring. I have limited at the
possible advantages of this committee.
Should these suggestions be deemed
worthy of consideration; the details of
Its organization must be matured by the
General Assembly.
THE SOLDIERS ORPHANS HOME
The report of the board of trustees
and of the superintendent of the sol.
diers' orphans home, show this institu.
ton to be in satisfactory condition.
They ask that an appropriation of 81. 800
De made for the Cedar Falls branch, and
$4,SOO tor the branch at Davenport. the
object OF which will be found FULLY de.
tailed in tho reports. They also ask.
contingently, that $1O,7O0 be appropri.
ated to aid in the establishment of
industrial departments in the home.
During the past year the branch at
Glenwood has been discontinued, as the
number OF inmates had diminished I'm.
til the monthly allowance for support
would no longer clear the expenses. A
full history of the proceedings connected
with this discontinuance will be tound r..
ported by the trustees.
On November LIST, 1873, there were in
the several branches of the home sos
children, whilst on the first day of last
November there were but 29e. This
indicates that within the next two wears
1t will be necessary to close the institu-
ton unless It should be opened for the
reception of other orphans than those
OF diers. The policy of opening 1t
for general orphans home is strongly
recommended by the superintendent
and the trustees. I fully endorse these
views, and, not having space to give the
reasons which influence my judgment, I
ask for their suggestions a careful read
ing. l will add that In my opinion the
State Will save the cost of such an in
stitution in raising TO useful citizen
ship INDECENT orphans who woald, if
unprovided for, become criminals. New
York On the first day of this year re-
moved all pauper children from county
aims houses to State asylums; and it is
announced that no..event ha, caused more
JOY In that State since the Emancipa-
ton Proclamation was issued.
The Glenwood Building.-The discon-
tinuance of the branch at Glenwood
leaves building which, either now OF in
the near future, should ba utilized for
some purpose of education or benevo-
lence. tits possible 1t might with small
expense be made safe retreat for the
chronic and harmless insane, and thus
relieve the crowded condition of the
present hospitals. The State will eventu.
ally establish an inebriate asylum, for
which the building could be used. And
when we consider the wonderful refor-
nations these asylums have wrought In
other States, it is none too soon to think
of having one in Iowa. a school in
course of time will be established for the
instruction Of the feeble minded. II not
therefore Immediately, this building will
eventually be, required for some benevo-
lent object, and should neither be fritz
tered away MOI be suffered to fall into
decay.
THE NEW CAPITOL BUILDING.
As the progress made upon the new
capitol can be seen by each member of
the General Assembly, statement of
what has been done is unnecessary.
Tables, prepared with care, showing cost
OF material, cost Of labor, and cost of
superintendent in all departments, &C.
company the report of the commission
ers. Also classified abstract of ex.
penditures to the smallest outlay has
been prepared from the records, BY the
superintendent of finance and the secre-
tary OF the board, for your information.
Attention thereto is invited. The ex.
animation of these reports will commend
to the people of Iowa the care, economy,
and good judgment with which this
enterprise has been supervised oy the
architect overseer of the work, and
assistant superintendent and secretary.
The beauty and durability of the stone
finally selected. after manv yexafioua