Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-15

vieus. The average number in confinement
was 52s-nine less thaa the average for the
psesedin, year There we're only $50 CON-
mtments during the year as against 2l3 for
the year ending September 80, 1878 II does
not follow however that there has been de-
crease in crime as under the change IN the
law relating to larceny mary ara now sens
fenced TO county jails who were formerly sent
TO state prison. l am very reluctant 10 rec
ommend a return 10 the law as II was prior
to the revision of the statutes, and yet il
must be conceded thas incarceration III the
average jail not conducive to reformation
OF character However unfortunate it nay be
for this class OF offenders it certainly is cred>
liable to the state, that our criminal popula-
ton is not numerous enough to justify the
erection of an Intermediate prison. A TEN.
porary and tentative solution of the problem
may possibly be found in utilizing the north
wing OF the prison at Waupun as an interme-
date prison under some appropriate name
other than state prison This would ohvi-
ate the necessity Of erecting new and expen-
siye buildings and providing an extra corps
of superintendent and officers, and measur-
ably remove the odum attaching 80 sentence
to state prison.
Ofthe 100 conVicts committed TO the state
prison during the last fiscal year only twenty
had Heretofore been in prison and but sew
enteen were without the rudiments of an ed
ucation. The total cost to feed, warm, elothe,
guard, instruct and discharge the prisoners
was $40, 2790S, or 81 So c ach per week The
principal items of disbursements were for
salaries and wages l5,5S575 and for subsis-
tence Sl4,367o2. The total receipts from all
sources were sac, 6l9 %, the disbursements
S47, 1924 and the cash balance at the close
OF the year was Sll ,09044. The expenses
for the current fiscal year are estimated at
So, $780, of which the prisoners earnings
are not expected to pay to exceed three
fourths. 1t seems almost impossible to COR
rect the false impression that because the
prison authorities do not ask for approprias
tons the prison has become self-supporting
The time is apparently not far distant when
the accumulated capital will be exhausted
and moderate appropriations be required to
meet dehciencies--;.n in Justice to all cons
cerned this fact sh luld not be forgotten, Il
has been the aim OF the directors and warden,
first Of all, to place the prison upon the high
es. ground as a reformatory, and this from
considerations Of wise economy as well as
utility. The great cost of crime is not in
prison expenses, but in the expenditures look.
ing to the protection of life and property and
the arrest, detention and conviction of GRIM
inals. The directors renew their recommen~
dations of last year in regard to the good
time law and extra provision in extreme cases
for discharged prisoners, and | commend
these recommendations to your favorable con
sideration. | also renew the recommendations
contained in my previous messages in regard
to the substitution Of indetermiuate for fixed
sentences.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.
The trustees OF the Wisconsin Soldiers Or
phan Home have submitted their fourteenth
annual report and therein give a brief re-
sumo Of the work done and the expenses in-
Cured in the prosecution of this charity since
the Slst day of March 1865, when the Home
was adopted by the State Six huudr ed and
eighy-three child rem have shared in the ben
etits Of the Home and the total cost 10 the
State has been 3342, 800. From the Ward
and Smith fund.- originally amounting to S25,-
584 81, and its aceumulations, there has been
paid TO former inmates of the Home tie sum
OF Sls,Tl6.99 and there remains on hand in
cash and bonds the sum of $l5, 552.77.
at the Northern Hospital for the Insane
ISL patients have received treatment, of
whom 60 were discharged recovered and So
improved. The daily average of patients was
553. The total expenditures were Sl32.452-
62, of which $2l, 9S5.56 were for additions
repairs and improvements, leaving as current
expenses the snm of $ll0,46706 or at the
rate OF 5000 for each patient. The current
expenses for the next hospital year are esti-
mated a. Sl22 ,99l.96, requiring an approprl-
alton, in addition to other sources OF revenue
of S72, Ss9.45, The Superintendent and truss
tees think it expedient to construct tunnel
from Lake Winnebago to the hospital in order
to secure an adequate and unfailing supply of
water, and not rely as now exclusively upon
the artesian well, which may fail The esti-
mated cost of this Improvement is SIS 100000
They also ask appropriations for steam fire
engine So, 10000 and sundry other purposes
So, 10000.
The Wisconsin State Hospital for the In.
sane has given treatment to COZ patients dur
ing the year and reports 81 discharged
cured, and thirty-fve discharged im-
proved. The average number under treatment
was 425, and the total expenditures were
$l35, 555.S2 of which $3095lS3 were for
additions, repairs and Improvements by which,
among other points gained, the capacity Of
the hospital has been increased to accommo>
date $50 additional patients Some Of these
additions had not been authorized by the Leg
stature, but it was practicable to secure 50
tr6iug expense, altogether unprecedented in
the history OF hospital construction, that the
trustees yeutured to anticipate your approval
Of the necessary expenditures therefor. The
current expenses at this hospital we're SlO4,-
603 a9-an average of $246 IL for each pa
tent The current expenses for the next hos.
pital year are estimated at 1921 $50 co to
meet which, in addition to other revenues
S79,65700 must be appropriated. The in
crease in the number Of patients beyond
the number estimated forwIl occasion
a deficiency in the funds before the close
of the hospital year. TO meet this defc-
iency and for other PURPOSES additional
appropriations aggregating $50, 1864 90 are re-
quested. | do not clearly understand from
the report Of the board their method Of arriv>
ing at this sum, but you will be able to deter
mine the amount required for actual necessi
ties by ascertaining the condition of their
treasury at The present time and the probable
demands upon it for the current year.
At the institution for the education OF the
Blind 80 pupils were in attendance. The to-
tai expenditures were S20,05l.S0, of which
SlS,G53S4 were for current expenses, the
average per scholar being S207.26 The
estimates for the present year are Sis, 600
for current expenses and 81 200 for special
Improvements. The cost of salaries and wages
was So, 42057 and of subsistence S4,Ss5 81.
At the Institution for the education of the
Deaf and Dumb 49, names were upon the
register at the close Of the fiscal year with
an actual attendance Of l22-seyeraI of the
younger children having been returned to
their homes after the fire. The total disburse-
ments were S30,3ls so of which Sl,2IO66
were for permanent improvements and replac-
ing articles lost in the fire. The cost of salaries
and wages was Sl2, 363.G2 and of subsistence
5000 SO. The current expenses for the pres
ent year are estimated at $4,000
Experiments are being conducted at this
Institution in the articulate system of teach
ing with most satisfactory results. Nearly. one
third Of the pupils have received instruction
in the use of the voice and the progress made
encourages the trustees TO continue the sys
terra.
1t is known to all that the main building
erected by the State for the accommodation
Of the Institution was totally consumed by
fire September i6, 1879. Fortunately the
onl' loss was in the destruction Of property
and the temporary Inconvenience to the
School. Immediately upon hearing of this
disaster, | went to Delevan, and there met
the full, Board of Trustees. The citizens of
Delevan generously opened their houses to
the homeless teachers and pupils, and their
hospitality was accepted for time for the
girls and some OF their teachers, the BOYS
hndiug quarters in the Gymnasium and other
buildings not burned. Most of the furniture,
clothing of pupils, and school room appli.
ances, had been saved and il therefore be-