The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-01-16
$l.50 Per Annum

one Scholarship for each Congressional
District in the State, it will be the best
service to the cause of popular educa-
ton that can be rendered.
IMMIGRATION.
The report of Commissioner KiIle-
brew shows, that during the two years
past, more than 1000 immigrants have
settled in the State through the agency
of this Bureau. They have not come
as paupers to increase burdens, but
have become purchasers of homes.
The State needs men of skill, industry
and thrift to occupy our large, uncul-
tlvated territory. The entire area of
the State is ~, 900 square miles, or 90
$4,000 acres. about 100000 acres
are in cultivation, leaving over
2O,OOO,OOO unoccupied The value
of farms in Tennessee, and the
comparative small area in cul-
tivation, is not creditable to
our enterprise in the past; but the la
bOrs of the Commissioner of this bu-
reau are making Tennessee a fOrmida-
bic rival of the States west of us, and
with q continuance of present efforts
for the next few years the population
of the State will be largely increased.
PURIIC ROADS.
One of the most important functions
Of government is the making provision
for public roads for the use
of the people. 1t is a mat
ter Of public notoriety that the State
of Tennessee has made discreditabIe
failure in the attempt to mOke this re-
quirement, and now complaints of the
inefficiency Of the road laws come
from all parts Of the State. The re-
Iuctance Il the part Of juries of the
country to punish overseers for neglect
of duty, is the result of a system that
annexes to the unpaid office of road
Overseer heavy penalties for his neg
ligence, bat clothes him with no suffic-
lent authority to secure prompt obedi-
ence 70 his own orders. | submit to
the General Assembly the propricty of
providing by law a Board of Road
Commissioners, selected by lot from
the body of the justices, who shall
have stated meetings and general SUI
pervisien Of the roads of the counties,
with power TO appoint and remeve
Overseers, to assess and collect through
the oveseer, tax from the property
and persons Of each road district, suf-
ficient in amount to maintain the road
in good order, with privilege to the
taxpayer to discharge the assessment
against him in work upon the road.
The County Court should have the
power, upon proper complaint, to com
pei by mandamus the citizens of each
road district to comply with the law,
and the existing proceeding against
the overseer should not be disturbed,
but moderate compensation, fixed by
law, should be allowed for his services.
No compensation is necessary for the
Commissioners, except that which Is
now allowed to them for similar ser
vices when acting in their ordinary
official capacity. No exemption from
road tax should be made in favor of
any property liable to taxation, nor ii
favor of any person by reason Of age
)r occupation.
RAILROADS.
Since the adjournment of the For
-ieth General Assembly, the debt Cf !
the Memphis and Charleston Railroad,
to 81 ,671,916 90, and that
If the Mississippi and Tennessee Rail
.oad, amounting TO S316,774 90, the
salance due from purchasers of the
Knoxville and Charleston Railroad,
10 s51,125 90, and that
IF the Mississippi Central Railroad,
mounting to $1,199, ,1S0 90, have
been paid in the bonds of the State,
and the same have been cancelled in
pursuance Of Law. | transmit the re-
port of Il. p. Neely, receiver of the
Central Railroad. This re-
cost the State nothing. !
req ired the purchaser to pay all tie
expenses Of operating the road while it
was in the custody Of the State.
THE PESTTENTIARY.
The number of convicts in confne-
nent on the 1st of December, 1873,
,as 1853. The total number OH the
ist of December, 1876, was 997,
moving an increase of 156 in two
ears. The number confined in the
main prison on the 1st Of December,
1878, was GOO.
One of the greatest improvements
made in the administration Of the af-
fairs of the State is in the manage
ment of this institution. / have made
frequent personal inspection Of it, and
( am satisfied, after making due allow
ance for its deficient accommodations
for the large number of convicts, that
there is no penal institution in any Of
the States where It's inmates are under
better moral training and discipline, or
where the sick or death roll is smaller.
The officers in control Of the prison
have secured the result by kindness
and humane treatment, and by the
enforcement Of proper sanitary regula-
tons.
Under the provisions Of the act APP
proved March 26, 1877, the Peniten-
tiarv and labor Of the conv cts was
leased to 4. NJ. Shook for six years,
from the 1st day Of August, 1877, for
a rental of $40, 800 per annum. The
payments are made quarterly, and
have been met as they mature, and
the proceeds passed into the treasury.
In addition to this cash rental, the
lessees receive the convict at tie place
of conviction, which heretofore cost
the State an average OF Sl2, 800 per
annum. But two or three States OF
the Union realize a surplus from prison
labor, ana the STATE prisons III t"o e..
three others are self-sustaining. III
prisons of about the same number OF