Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-12-02
for tho rcoapturc Of escaped conricts by
DrDviaino ro,uord for fbo ooptoro


for tho rcoapturc Of escaped convicts by
providing q reward for tho oaptors.,
Where criminals arc to be punished for
short tcrms, say for four or six months, it
would be better if they could bo worked on
the roads, or for somo other public interest
in their own county. The expense of
transportation, 10 muny cases, costs about
M much as tho labor Of the convict is
worth.
AS one of tho primo objects Of punish
mont is reform, recommend that some
provision be nude for tho services of a
chaplain to minister to the wants of tho
convicts.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
The abo report of this department, mado
by tho Commissioner, Col. A. =. Butler,
deserves at your hands careful cousidora-
ton. 1t is the first report Of its operations
since the act croatiDg the department, and
includes besides, statement it's receipts
aud expenditures, an exposition Of tho
objects of the act, also tho systcm adopted
by the Com missioner, under the direction
OF tho board of Agriculture, to protect tho
farmers from tho use of inferior fertilizers.
1t is claimed that the protection is now ab.
soIutc, whi'o, it is generally conceded, that
before it was failure. Tho modus opcr-
audi is given at length in the report.
About lO0,0 900 tons of fertilizers, valued
at So ,0U0, 900, were sold in the State lapt
pear; small discount in valuo per ton Of
this amount would mako considerable
sum.
The Offices of o phosphate inspector and
phosphate agent have been abolished, and
the duties thereof arc now performed by
special assistant of the agricultural bu-
rcou.
The amount Of phosphate rock mined
ond shipped for tho nine months. ending
goth of September last, is 53,05l tons,
upon which the State has received a ROYALTY
of s53,054
AS to tho concurrent jurisdiction of the
Commissioner and tho Comptroller General
over the phosphate mines 60, l ask your
consideration Of tho matter US explained by
these officers, and that you make suci,
amendments as you may in your wisdom
think best.
The report Of the Commissioner also
Includes the report of the chemist to the
department, DR.. Charles u. Shepard, Jr.,
and the repo't of Mr.. Il. J.. Roche, special
assistant.
a report Of tho Fish Commissioner,
made by G. j. Euske, Il practical pisci-
oulturist, who hns charge of TINT depart
ment, is included with the reports. / ask
n favorable consideration Of this subject,
as am Satisfied tho Statc will be amrly
repaid for the small outlay made. With
facilities for Matching fish eggs and the
ready co operation which is given by the
United States Fish Commissioners, it will
pot be long before large increase of Gah
will be seen in our waters.
1t is not an untricd experiment. The
Fish Commissioners of New Hampshire
report, cas- the results Of artfeisl breeding,
tho price of shad in tho Now York market
had fallen from SIS to So per hundred, and
fishermen complained that fish were SO
plenty they were unable to get fair pay for
tho labor Of taking them, and that poor
man could now buy as good fish for shil-
ling, or twenty five cents, as he could few
years ago for dollar"
The following is tho number of fish
distributed in our waters: California eal-
mon 80 900, Land lock samon $4,000, shad
$3.50, 600, California trou: g., SEQ.
also call your attention to tho very i'm.
portant sahjcc: of Immigration embraced in
the Commissioners report. a subject OF
so much Importance viii, I am sure receive
the consideration it deserves. You might
we'll consider whether a portion of tho
forfeited lands could not DO proftably dis
posed OF in settling cmigrants.
STOCK LAW.
While this law would not be acceptable,
and perhaps would not be to tho interest of
majority Of the citizens of somc of the
counties Of the State, yet am satisfied
that it will prove great blessing in tioso
counties where it is now of force. Besides
the time which is eavcd from 80 much fenoe
building and repairing, ond Which may 30
applied to Improvements generally, tho soil
will naturally improve much faster by tho
vegetation which grows, dies aud shades tho
land. Thousands Of acres which, before
tho law was passed, were almost valuccss
for the want of timber to fence against
stock, are being brought into cultivation
and uso.
PUBLIC ROADS.
For more than half century tho attcn :
.on of the members of the General
Assembly et the State has been repeatedly
called to the bad condition Of our public