The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-01-19
STATE Prison.

AT the close of the fiscal year there were
confined IN the State Prison at Waupun 3iS
persons The total cost of maintaining the
prison Tor the past year has been 81, ISL 80, of
when the prisoners earnings have furnished
$5i lzs.3D; receipts from visitors were $1aS.5O,
making the net cost to the State of supporting
lnelnstitutlon @i0.4z&53. The broad distinc-
ton between the confirmed criminal and the
man who has committed his first Offense
and who by jud.cious training may be
restored TO self-SustaiDing ana seIf-respectinC
citizenship. leads me to the belief that the Leg.
lsiature might, with much propriety. devise
some method by which the courts should de-
ternlne whether the offense was the first or
not, ana That the sentences should be such that
inc public would be protected from the depre-
dauons OF the habitual criminal The Board
or control, in their report, have recommended
a a, system OF lndeterminate sentences. While
the matter should receive your earnest con-
sideratlon, am not prepared to say whether
the criminal who makes crime a profession
snould be sentenced to police supervision when
ms term OF Imprisonment has expired, or the
sentence of Imprisonment should be indeter-
inmate.
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS.
The number of boys in attendance at the
s state Industrial 1n School at Waukesha on Sep
tember 3Oth. last, was 299; average attendance
during the year, 321. There have been admit
TED during the year 95 boys; disch arged, $780,
inc gathering together of the hayward and
lncorrlglble boys from every community,
compelling them to attend school. teaching
them habits of industry and obedience
to Just authority. and endeavoring to impress
their minds with just conceptions of the
true dignity of manhood. is one Of
the most humane and profitable duties
of the State. But the work requires most
studious and painstaking watchfulness to
avoid the liability of making the inmate more
1ncorrigible or narrow and contracted in his
usefulness by too long reliance upon the in
sttution for advice and support.
The boy is sentenced before the age
OF fourteen and may be kept there
until he is eighteen; and 1 have serious
doubts as to whether the term of attendance
is not too long; as to whether the institution
should not be rather more school ard some
what less penal institution. There is some
force i'll the view that if boy can rot be re-
formed IN two or three years so that he can
properly conduct himself in the community,
longer attendance in such an institution is not
only useless to him, but is fraught with
danger TO his companions and may, and prob
ABLY always does, exert a very injurious in
huence upon the newer and younger inmates
of the institution.
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS,
The whole number of patients who have re-
ce1Ved treatment at the State Hospital for the
Insane at Mendoza during the past fiscal year
was $780, The number discharged recovered
was 40; improved SO; unimproved IS. The total
cost of this hospital for the year was S9564S.37,
being weekly cost per capita of $685. At the
commencement of the past year the Northern
Hospital for the Insane had under treatment
5I2 patients; admitted during the year, 225;
total, 1877. OF these there were discharged re-
covered, 81; improved, 26; unimproTed, 80.
The number present at the close of the year
was 564; average for the year; 529. The cost of
maintaining this hospital was 1913, 100. 02, which
is equal to a weekly cost per capita of 1887.
am constrained, by the great Importance
thereof, to again call your attention TO the
proper care of the insane. The laws of the
State now provide very mixed system for the
care OF the insane: a portion are cared for
under State system; portion under a coun-
ty system, and a portion under a combined
state and county system. Whether all these
d t. systems in operation at the same
time throughout the State work advantageous
ly to the unfOrtunates and to the State, or
which one of the systems is the most humane
and economical, are subjects to which you can
not give too much care and study. / cannot
believe that it is conducive to the well-being
of society or properly discharging the duty
we owe to the insane, to care for them
within the ~, walls of county jails and aims
society may be protected from dangerous luna
tics being at large, and humanity dictates
that we secure the welfare and comfort of
those who are thus unable to care for them
selves. 1t is not the full discharge of this
duty, however, that we keep the insane from
doing harm, or even that we make them hap
Ply; they have right to be cured when pos
sible for they are thereby returned to society
and take from the State a lifelong charge.
That this care and attention, so much desired,
can best be secured in State institutions and
under State supervision, L am firmly con-
vinced, and have thus urgently brought the
subject to your attention for the reason that
unless speedy action be taken upon it, large
local expenditures under the present system
will have been made, thereby precludng q
change hereafter without serious loss.
INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND DUMB.
The whole number of pupils enrolled at the
institution for the education of the deaf and
dumb at Delavan, during the past year, was
IA; OF these there were present September3 30;
1882. 1872: average attendance during the year,
l76. The total cost of supporting this institu-
ton for the year was $34, 1854, which amount
represents weekly cost per capita of So. rs.
At the institution for the education of the
blind at Janesville there have been enrolled
during the year total of 50 pupils, of whom
there were present on the last day of the fiscal
year; 81; average attendance for the year, 63
The total cost of supporting this institution
was SIC, T26 II. equal to a weekly cost per eapi-
ia Of $5.11.
CHARITIES AND REFORMS.
The State Board of Charities and Reform has
the power of inspection of all public and pri-
vate charitable and correctional institutions
in the State, excepting the six State institu-
tons. Their report, which is now in the hands
of the printer shows the semi-State insttti-
tions,Lthe Milwaukee county insane asylum
and the Milwaukee county house of correc-
tion-tO be in excellent condition; that there
are 81 county jails; with 1886 prisoners DUR
ing the year, and 255 at the date of the re-
port; that the jails are generally in good con-
dition, but they report that there are few in
such wretched condition and so insecure that
they should be condemned if there were any
power competent to do so. Of the popr-houseS;
80 in NUMBER with 1859 inmates during the
year, and I,179 at the date of the report
they say the condition is good, and that the
class of dependent population is as well cared
for as is considered desirable. The increase
of private benevolent Institutions, both in
number and resources, as reported, speaks
well for the benevolent disposition of the peo-
pie of the State. The Board make numerous
recommendations, and they should be careful
ly considered. They ask that their power of
visitation be extended to the six State institu-
tions. and this recommendation meets my APP
proval.
THE NATIONAL GUARD
fully meets the constitutional standard in
being in the strictest sense "wel regulated
and its energies are being we'll directed to the
attainment of a thorough knowledge of rifle
practice, guard and camp duty. The maximum
fixed by the Legislature, in pursuance of its
constitutional authority, of IS companies, with
amemberShlp OF $3.50, has been reduced. IN the
interests of more compact organization and
economy to 81 companies, with a membership
of 2247.
Under the authority of chapter 1852, Laws
1882, tents and camp eqTipage sufficient to
comfortably encamp 400 men have been pur-
chased and about twO-thirds of the force Or
dered into camps of instruction tor six days,
with results that amply justify the expense.
The results obtained in the administration of
the force, in proportion to the expense IN
Cured in its behalf, will favorably bear the
most critical comparison with those obtained
in any of the States. For full details refer
you to the reports Of the Adjutant aid Quar-
termaster Generals, and especially ask your
attention to the practical suggestions of the
Adjutant General and particularly with ref
erence to the war records, which should be
cared tor and preserved at an early date.
INSURANCE.
The valuable report of the Insurance Com
missioner shows that for the year ending De-
eember 81, 1881, the fire insurance companies
had:
Risks written..... committeeman 65, 336, 642
Premiums received .............. l,991.243
Losses paid Observation-Disclosures. 925, 1893
The fe insurance companies doing business
in the State reported for the year ending
March l, 1882:
Policies in force. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. $32, 705, 956
Premiums received. .............. 873, 143
Losses paid. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 555, 743
of law prescribing a uniform policy con-
tract / have no doubt that such
a law, properly guarded, would simplify the
liability of the companies for losses and avoid
many misunderstanding upon the part of the
people, which now grow into expensive litiga-
ton, and is well worthy of your consideration.
RAILROADS.
The year just closed has been one of more
than usual activity in railroad enterprise, both
in the volume of business and in the building
of new roads.
On June 80, 1881, the various companies
doing business in the State of Wisconsin re-
ported to the Railroad Commissioner total
June 80, 1852, was 3,i75.73, an increase during
what may be termed the railroad year OF 333 3
miles. From June 80, 1882 to the end of the
calendar year, December 81, 1882, So. oil miles
of rail were laid, making p total mileage OF
1888 IA miles of railroad III the state OF WIS
miles built during the cSlendar year was 39O.29.
The prediction contained in my mess age TO
the Legislature one year ago, of an increased
amount of railroad construction during the