River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-22
THE MESSAGE OF GOV. RUSK.
What the Governor of Wisconsin Has to Say
to the Badger Legislat-
Ors
The State Finances and Various Trust Funds
Reported TO Be in Good Condi-
ton.
Concerning Charitable and Penal Institutions
and County Asylums Suggestions as
to Railroad Legislation.
Numerous other Topics treated, and Various
Suggestions Relative to Matters of
Present Interest.

/ To the Honorable the Legislature: You assem-
! BILE after the laps of a longer period than any
/ which ever separated legislative sessions In Wis
consin. and 1t is fitting that we first reverently
| and gratefully acknowledge the blessings which
| under Providence, have come in rich abundance
| to us as a commonwealth and as people. Dur.
! ing the two years just gone we have happily
| been spared the presence of pestilence famine
| or other cause of general distress. The CONNER
/ eial distress prevalent In the country at large
has touched us more lightly than many Other
| states. Peace has dwelt continually within oul
| borders. The spirit of obedience to law has
abided with our people. Justice has beer
promptly and faithfully administered. Educa-
| ton, the life of our governmental system, has
| gone forward with vigorous STEP All in all we
| have abundant cause fW contentm emit and graft.
| tude.
FIN4NcEs
/ The state finances are in good condition, and
the trust funds, kept constantly invested as fai
as possible in interest," bearing securities, pro-
| duce satisfactory income. The general fund
/ account, as reported b. the secretary of state
| furnishes a complete statement of the cost Of
maintaining the state government for the past
| two wears, including interest paid upon certfh-
Gates of indebtedness to the several trust funds
| Of the general fund. there was on hand on the
30th day of September, 1882, 1864 900 So. The
receipts of the fund for the biennial term have
been 81, 907. POI Oh the disbursements there
from So. 332, S5Z57, leaving balance on
hand Sept. So 1884. of 1898, 567. 10.
BY separate years, and by comparison
with the year ending Sept. 80, 1882
! the disbursements were as follows: Fol
the year ending Sept. 80. 1888, 81 ,296, Az. 40
| being Sl09, 664 IS more than for the year end
/ ing Sept. 30, 1882. This increase is explained
by the facts that the capitol extension expendl-
tara FOR
| 1882; the Legislative expenses $20OO460 more
| than in SS2, and the expense OF publishing the
| geological survey, asprov1ded by law more oy
| 500, 2S202 than in 1882. For the year ending
Sept 80, 1884, the disbursements from the gem
| eral fund were $1,036, $50. II, being 500.
| 42237 less than for the year $50. The greater
part of this reduction arises from the fact that,
while IN SS2 the legislative expenses and cost
of publishing the laws were $121, 4S6.2S, the b1-
enniai system obvialed the necessity of any ex-
penditure for either purpose IN 1851 Inc ex-
penses incident to the care of the capitol build
/ ing have increased somewhat during the past
| year, because of the many repairs which did
not deem it prudent to delay, and OF the
purchase of furniture required for the new ex-
tensions. The expenditures thus made to Jan.
i, 1885, are: For the rebuilding OF the west
steps and portico, which l found to be in q
dangerous condition. the sum of 81, 493. Oh: for
building and repairing the walks and driveways
around the new wings and In the PARK the sum
court and library rooms into committee
rooms, and making d connecting corridor, the
sum OF Y2,OHl. IL TOR furniture Tor the new
wings, $4,71991: for carpets for the new wings,
81, 764.l and for gas fixtures, and fitting same
In the new wings the sum of 81 1862. have
also caused to be placed N the boiler rooin' at q
cost of 81, 200, two new boilers for the purpose
OF supplying he additional heat required for the
extensions. The expenditures for the govern
ors contingent fund to Jan. j, 1888, were
81, As, and the balance to the credit of the
fund was 81, 0S7. 80. In view of the many pos
sible urgent demands upon this fund, would
recommend that the usual appropriation be In
creased.
TRUST FUNDS.
There was to the credit of the school fund in
the treasury on Sept. so, 1884 81 8. 492.67, and
the productive school fund on that day amount
ed to So, 913, l6, and the school fund in
come for the biennial term was 1898, 1913. 81.
The university fund has received during the two
years $2I ,OS5 IS: had on hand Sept. 80. 1882.
81, 966,39. and has paid out for bonds and loans
1874, 933.: The totai amount of the university
fund prodl1 ng an income on Sept 80, 1884,
was S22S. 0O9. 80. The receipts of the university
fund income for the two fiscal years were S152.-
05S, of which $3.50 was interest on the johnson
endowment, 500, 1872 % were received from the
the university fund, and S103,075.0 3
from the tax levied under the stat
ute. The agricultural &C. college ds fund receipts
hand Sept. 30 l 1872, s. AZ. The disburse-
ments, $35, S66.45 leaving balance Sept. 30.
1854, of $6664 The productive Agricultural
college fund, now drawing interest, is $780,
965. %, and the income Of the fund for the ben-
nial term 1874, 94754. The normal school
fund has received during the two years S20S,
S13-53. There was on hand Sept. 30, 1882,
ST., 1863. 81. There has been disbursed during
the same time $262331. II, and there remained
on hand Sept. 30, 1854 Sl4 451.3S. The total
amount of normal school fund now drawing in
terest is 81, 200. SO, and the income for
the PERIOD including interest, tuition
fees, etc, was 81 76.22396 all of which
was transferred to the regents of the normal
schools There was to the credit of the drainage
fund Sept. 30, 1882 S1S, sos. %, and 1t has re-
ceived during the two years $13l, 575.46. There
TWAS m
S131. 763. 90 has been apportioned to counties
and disbursed under the laws. OF the st. Croix
and Lake Superior railroad trespass fund. there
remained on hand Sept. 80. 1884. 1886, 092. 70,
and as the companies have completed their roads
and they are now protecting their own lands.
and but few lands remain unpatented this fund
can now be adjusted between the state and the
companies, and the amounts due them paid over
and the fund closedup.
ESTIMATES OF EXPENSES AND REVENUES.
The secretary of state estimates that the reve-
nues received under the general laws will be
sufficient to defray the ordinary expenses of tho
state for the years 1856 and 1887. At the end
of the fiscal year there was balance on hand of
1898, 567.15. OwinE to this large surplus, the
secretary OF state dill not include the item Of
$40, 600 of state tax, which was authorized by
the last legislature, ia the tax levy of 1884, and
1t seems To that additional tax will be nee
essary for 1886 and 1857. This is the first time
In its history the state has reached this desirable
condition.
STATE DEBT.
The account between the state and the general
government Tor direci war TAX, as stated Dy the
FIRST comptroller of the treasury, shows that the
state is yet indebted to the general government
TO the amount of $51, 1886. The accounting
officers f the government have, from time to
time iited to the state upon the direct war
tex, ccg.ain sums which should have come to
the state as trustee, and have been passed to
the school and swamp land funds. Thus 1t has
come bout that the state has paid a portion Of
its direct war tax out of these trust
funds. As / think these funds, especially
the school fund should carefully and
Ieaouslv maiutaiAed, believe provision should
be made for rembursing them the amounts so
credited. There Is bill now pending in both
houses of congress providing that the entire
direct war tax be refunded to the several states.
by repaying such as have paid, and by credfting
| such as have not paid. The passage OF TINS bill
would entitle Wisconsin to receive back the sum
| Of 1929 1868, and have credit for the 10 )
1856 unpaid. I suggest that the legislature
memorialize congress to pass this bill
CHARITABLEAND PENAL INSTITUTIONS.
The CHART able refOrmatorY and penal 1nst1tu-
tions Of the state are, by the law as 1t now IS,
under the control of the state board OF super
vision, whose report will be laid before Won. or
the whole amount appropriated for these 1nsti-
buttons for the years 1893 and 1884 there re-
manned unexpended on the 3Oth day on eeptem-
her, 1884, 81 D, so. 80, and on the lst DAY OF
January, 1885, the;e remained S56. 414Io. Inc
total number OF persons cared for in the six
state institutions under the charge OF this board
was :; 721, and the tally average was 2,Ol6; the
total cost to the state for current expenses to
Sept 80, 1884, was 1851, 691, and to the list day
of January, 1885, was 1921 lOS.4 40. Tine state
hospital for the insane has had an average or
476 patients under treatment for 1855, ana an
average of $40 for tie year 1884; a weekly cost
per capita for 1888 Of 800 and for 1854 OF
80 46. The cost of subsistence, including farm
products for the year 1888 was T36.921l 10,
and for the year 1884 was S3L566. Il. The
board estimates the expenses OF this hospltal
for the years 1885 and 1886 to be S1o4,oo
each wear, and estimates that there Will pc pald
| by counties for the term. IS 3oi12; there re-
mains of the last appropriation unexpended,
49, 900. and this leaves to be appropriated Dy
the Legislature for current expenses for the TWO
| years. 1914, 600 They also ask for special ap-
propriation of $4,000 for the Improvement or
| the water supply which is now in tanks In the
| top of the building, and which is not safe ana
not SO available ia case OF fire. Inc northern
hospital for the insane had an average OF DO I
patients during 1888, and oil during lSsa. anu io
the current expenses for 1883 were 81 IA. Too AZ,
! and for 1884 were S117,110.52. weekly cost
| per capita for 1888 Of $3.50, and for ISS4
| "a. 81. The cost of subsistence proper, Includ-
| ing products Of she farm. in u S3 was S3o, :
| 927 5, and in Ss4 was S5l .44l.02. The board
| climates that the expenses OF THIS INSTITUTION
| will be S24S, 600 for the years 1883 and 1856
| that there will be paid in by counties SlV4,-
57S "a; leaving to be supplied by the legislature
/ for current expenses $4,000. By fire on
4 Nov Is, 1884, destroying the interior OF the
! building containing boiler. pump engine, iaun-
1 dry, drying and ironing rooms, the INSTITUTION
| sustained an estimated loss of $1,000, ana TO
make the repafrs necessary by reason OF TINS IRE
4 the board have been permitted TO incur an IN
/ de 5tedness in excess of their appropriation 70
/ the amount sc, SOD and for the payment OF TINS
/ sum an appropriation should be made. The IN
stitution for the education of the blind has had
| an average OF fifty-seven pupils for 1888, at an
expense OF Sl6.670. as; and an average OF sixty
three for SSI, at an expense OF I'll f0Zo.3Z. ana
/ the board estimates the expenses for 1888
/ and 1886 at 1886 800; and with a surplus OF
/ 81 500 from the last appropriation, asks that
| there be appropriated for that period POO, oV1-
The per cartta cost 1s 800 per weeh TOE $50,