Arizona citizen., 1877-01-06

d common neutral ground has beer marked off where the followers of tho cross and the crescent may meet in union and harmony, and learn the les sons that will it them for usefulness without the sacrifice of single princI pie. To surrender this system and yield to a division of the school fund upon sectarian grounds could only re suit in the destruction of the general plan for the education of the masses and would lead, as it always has where ever tried, to the education of the few and the ignorance of the many. This proposition is so self-evident, and eX perience has ever proved it so true thai it does not require argument
 TERRITORIAL FINANCES.
 As exhibited by the reports of the Treasurer and Auditor, which will be laid before you with their respective statements, it will be seen that the amount on hand in the general fund December 31st, 1874, was $S36O.5S, and the receipts since that time up tO De. cember 3lst, 1876, have been $24, ,25474, making a total of $32, ,61532. The dis bursements fromthe general fund have been S29,04144, leaving a balance on hand in that fund December 31st. 1876, of S3j13.SS. The amount in the School Fund December 3lst, 1874, was $2466. 65, and the receipts since that tune to December 31st, 1876, have been $9035.- 2S, making a total of $11, ,50193. The from the School Fund up 10 December 31st, 1876, have been S9224.7G, leaving q balance in the School Fund December 31st, 1876, of $227717. It is believed that by the exercise of reasonable economy the present tax of twenty-five cents on one hundred dollars of taxable property will be sufficient to meet the current expenses, including the interest on the prison bonds. Additional legislation is required to more rigidly enforce the collection of poll-taXeS; but a very small portion of this tax is collected, and so far as my observation extends little or no effort is made to collect it. The law should either be enforced or 
 The Territory is in debt $2J, ,00O for expenses incurred in building a Terri torial Penitentiary. This indebtedness consists of S25, ,000 in bonds, issued Oc- tober 1st, 1875, bearing interest at the rate of ten per cent. per annum, the interest payable annually and the bonds October 1st, 1880. A sinking fund should be provided at this session of the Legislature to meet the payment of these bonds promptly when due. It is a subject of pride that the Territory has constantly on hand surplus and is able to pay every demand on presen Lation. Let the strictest economy be your rule of action, and the same sol vept condition will be maintained.
 TERRITORIAL PENITENTIARY.
 The last Legislature passed an act the Penitentiary at Yuma, and authorized the issuance of bonds 10 the amount of $25,000, payable in five years from the date of issue and bearing interest at the rate of ten per. cent per annum. Said bonds were is-I sued by the Territorial Treasurer, Oc- .ober 1, 1875 Immediately thereafter the Board of Prison Commissioners ad- vertised in three newspapers in theI Territory for bids for the purchase of the bonds, fixing the minimum price lt which they would be sold at S5 cents on the dollar A. Luther, of San presented the only bid and they were awarded to him at Sj 1-l6l cents, which netted S21 ,265 62 This sale was made in November 1875, and thereafter the Commissioners com menced the work of constructing thel Territorial Prison For detailed InfOr- nation of its construction and an item zed account of its cost 1 refer you to he report of the Commissioners, copies l Jf which will be laid before you.
 It will be seen from this report that .wo stone cells have been completed, 1 ilso a good adobe building containing wo prison rooms with barred doors md windows, and it is estimated that sufficient room has been prepared to safely keep thirty prisoners. In addi- ion to the above rooms there have also been constructed kitchen, dining room, | nall room for guards, room for Super
  md boiler and 475 feet of pipe have been purchased; a reservoir for the supply of water to the prison has been also a blacksmith shop, which is furnished with punch ana ierrick and shears for hoisting goods . md stone in laying walls
 The walls are built upon a solid tone foundation and are five feet six nches in thickness at the foundation md three feet at the first floor In fact he whole work seems to have been lone in the most substantial mannerI md the prison is considered by those vho have examined it as secure a place or the confinement of prisoners as can )e found in most of the older States. l m pleased to be able to state that the money appropriated for the cOnstruC- lon of the prison has been expended n an economical manner and for the test interest of the Territory, and l Onsider the thanks of the people are ue to the Commissioners for thelT ser ices, which they have gwen without ,ecuniary reward The Commission IS in their report ask for further ap- ropriation at your hands of S20,0O0, nd of the necessity of this appropria- ion at thIs time you must judge. If Ou believe the room will be sufficient pr the accommodation of the prisoners nat may reasonably be expected in the OmIng three years then this expense hould be saved the people at the pres nt time On the contrary if it is bought that the room will prove mad quate then it will clearly be your duty } provide for the emergency. To have | ood order and give security 10 life and roperty it is absolutely necessary to| unish crime with reasonable certainty, nd the completion of this prison af- ,rds the first safe place for the con nement of criminals since the organl- ation of the Territory, and its impOr- lnce should command your mature [ fought and judgment Everything l
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