The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-01-13

~
Loan payable after December 81,
1886, bearing per cent inter
est ....................... 2,4eo, 900 oC
Total foreign debt. .. 90, ATS, 140 sc
Domestic debt, payable at Column
bus-canal loan, not bearing in
terest. $1,665 Od
Total funded debt .......... 81, Al, ,805 80
The total amount paid In, and balance
remaining to the credit Of the respective funds,
November 15, 1880, was as follows:
Section 16 School Fund $3 084, ,622 q
Section 29 Ministerial Fund. .... H. ,157 81
Virginia Military School Fund 80. 191, 1856 5s
y. s. Military School Fund. ..... 120,272 IL
Western Reserve School Fund. 257, ,429 21
Ohio University (Athens) Fund. 2,7O0 7s
Ohio State University Fund 80. 525, 1917 80
Franklin Co. Agrl Col. bonds a. 500 90
Total Observation-Disclosures .$4, ,333, ,0O5 6(
On the 18th day of November 1880, there was
in the Sinking Fund 1928, 761. .05 which will b<
increased by the February settlement. 1t Il
safe to assume that by anticipating the August
settlements, the debt maturing July /, 1881, can
be reduced to $3,oOO.ooO.
Although the Commissioners of the Sinking
Fund have the power to issue and negotiate
certificates of indebtedness for the purpose Of
Governor calls the attention of the General As
ssmbly to the subject of providing for the $3,
600, 600 of the State debt maturing July
Section 7, article 8, of the Constitu.
ton requires the maintenance of 6
Sinking Fund that will render certain tn,
payment of the State debt by the first day oi
July, 1891, and this Constitutional requirement
the Governor Declares must be rightly adhered
fn Ho 10 fhof fha
missioners of the Sinking Fund be authorized
to issue bonds in amount Of SO, ,000, 900 to bear
interest at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum,
payable semi-annually, interest and principal
payable at the option of the holder in New
York, or at the State Treasury, $500, 900 OF
which to mature every six months, commencing
on the first day of January next, the bonds to
be offered to the public at not less than their
par value. The Governor believes that such
bonds can be sold at premium, and therefore
does not doubt but that they can be sold at par.
The present levy of fve-tenths of one mill
for interest and Sinking Fund purposes will, il
is believed, furnish the means required to pay
the bonds as they mature. A similar method
can be adopted when the remainder of the State
debt natures, viz: Two millions four hundred
thousand dollars ca, 4O0, ,00O) on the 31st day
of December, 1886, and thus, on or before the
LIST day of July, 1891, all the State debt that
be paid will be paid, and the Constitutional pro-
vision referred to will have been fully complied
with.
1t is shown, by tabular statement covering
the years 1S73-18S0, inclusive, that the local
indebtedness of cities and villages has more
than doubled during that time-the larger por.
ton of which, however, is chargeable to single
city-Cincinnati. ss-
Governor Foster refers to the finances Of the
Board of Public Works, statement of the con-
dition of which was published some days ago.
In respect to our public institutions, the Gov
- H.
cial management of our public institution the
lack of uniform system of bookkeeping
renders it next to impossible to institute cor
rect comparisons between the management Of
the different institutions. Nearly all Of them
have connected with their management agri
cultural and manufacturing industries. No at
tempt has been made to keep the accounts in q
manner that shows what the financial results Of
these industries are, whether profitable or un-
profitable. The cost in some cases is paid out
of the General Expense Fund, and the proceeds
paid into it; and in other cases the money il
received and paid out without any account be-
ing kept of its receipt and disbursement
The present system of auditing, accounting and
paying for the supplies and expenses of the
public institutions is not as thorough as good
administration demands; and this remark ap-
plies as well to all classes Of expenditure. An
attempt has been made, and is still under con-
sideratiOn, to secure n uniform system of book
keeping through the voluntary action of the
Auditor of State and the Secretary of the Board
of State Charities. As there is grave doIbt as
to whether . satisfactory result can be reached
in the way proposed, recommend that the
General Assembly, with the Auditor Of Stats
and the Secretary of the Board of State Charl-
ties, devise q system of uniform bookkeeping
and require its adoption and use in all the pub.
lie institutions, thus giving it the dignity and
authority of law
The Governor holds that the Reform School
xla ~ Ind tria n.
stitutions designed exclusively for incorrigible,
vicious, or criminal boys and girls, and that il
is wrong to admit others to them. He asks fol-
law compelling any Court or Judge to enter
upon record facts upon VIII: h his action is
based for sending boy or girl to these institu-
hons, and that q certified copy of such finding
be attached to each commitment.
Reference is also made to the indiscreet man
ner of transferring patients from one insane
asylum to another, which is done without
proper process.
There has been an Improvement in the man.
agement Of the Penitentiary, with better line
of discipline and less severe punishment, with
most gratifying results. In this connection the
Governor renews his recommendation for
Board Of Pardons. His experience during the
past year has strengthened his convictions in
this direction.
The graded schools in the State are in excel
lent condition, but the attention of the General
Assembly is directed to ungraded schools, and
invited to enact laws for the betterment of their
condition.
The attention Of the Legislature is invited to
the unfinished publication Of the recent Geolog-
ical Survey of the State. Seven volumes have
already appeared, but the Paleontology, which
is really part of Volumes ]. and H., but in
the general estimation passes as an independent
volume, contains illustrations Of . necessarily
expensive character, and with the large edition
required to match the volumes already pub
lished. a considerable appropriation will be
ol1Al
issued. 1t is beyond dispute that the last
survey has done . great deal for the develop
ment of the mineral wealth of the State. It's
publications have been eagerly sought for at
home and abroad, and its official and uncolored
testimony has encouraged the investment Of
large amounts of capital from within and from
without the State in our Goals and ores. But,
on the other hand, it is equally beyond dispute
that the reports, a. they now stand, are incom-
plete and inadequate for almost every district
Of the State
Tho labor statistics Of the State are encouf-
aging. Wages have increased, and in q num-
Der Of leading industries OF the State the num-
Der Of employees have been largely augmented.
In the manufacture Of pig iron the number Of
employees has increased from 9, 1853 III 1878, to
s,796 in 1880, and in the rolling mills the In
crease has been from 8, 400 in 1S7S to 10, TAG in
1880
A chapter Is devoted to = history Of the labor
troubles in tho State during the year, giving
the particulars, ~ far as obtainable, Of los
strikes; and the Commissioner again urges
arbitration, not as . means Of settling disputes,
but to prevent them. Attention Ia called to
the continued use Of store checks, scrip, ETC.,
in payment of wages, contrary TO State laws.
A list Of tho steam boiler explosions in the
State for the year is given, and the recommend
alton again made for a law to prevent the em-
ployment of inexperienced or incompetent
persons to take charge Of steam boilers in man
ufacturing establishments.
encouragement to those desirous Of organ