River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-01-22


attention Of the legislature to the advisabiiity
| OF prov ding for the deaf mutes of the state
some other means OF education. There were in
| Wisconsin, according to the census In 1880
| 1913 deaf mutes, of whom 600 were of school
! age, between six and twenty, and less than one
Lhlrd OF THESE were receiving instruction. This
iact SHOWS that large number of deaf children
IN TINS state are growing up in ignorance and
| that the provision made for the education OF
| deaf mutes Is vet inadequate. The policy of the
state ana the spirit of our people demand for
TINS evil correction In localities where the
number OF snch unfortunates Is sufficient to
| Justify 1t, day schools and the employment OF
teachers for the special purpose of teaching
them TO converse with hearing people, / am led
10 believe would meet the want, and afford
them preparation to enter the common schools
| ana receive the same education other chill
dren. commend this subject to your atten-
tlon, as one well worthy of your careful
study and consideration. The industrial
school for boys at Waukesha has had an aver
age yearly attendance Of 291 for 1883 and 800
Tor 1884: and the current expenses for 1888
were $42,03S.73, and for 1884 were $40, 229. "a.
The per capita cost for 1883 was 80. 7S per week.
and for 1884 So. II. The board estimate that
they will require for 1885 and 1885, for current
expenses and purchase OF material for shops,
81 sc. 200; that there will be received from coun-
ties the sum OF $17, l6S.O2 and from the sale OF
products $780, 0o leaving to be supplied by APP
preparation for the term, $4,000. The state
prison at Waupun had an average attendance OF
1863 prisoners during the year 1888, and an av-
erage of 39S during the year 1884. The current
expenses OF the prison for SS3 were $50. OBI. 30
and Tor 1884 were So3. J49.52: and the proceeds
of the convict labobor for 1888 were $3S, 573 So
and for 1884 were $44. 64S.62. The cost per
capita for 1888 was 81. 65 per week, and for
1884 81. 81. The current expenses of the prison
for 1855 and 1886 are estimated at Sl1S000
and the probable receipts from convict labor at
S94,o 900; and probable surplus Of the last ap-
preparation of 81, 500, leaving to be provided by
appropriation the sum of $40, 500.
COUNTY AsYLUMS.
There are now organized, under the laws,
eleven county institutions for the care of the
fpaane a follows. the COMMITTEES n RrOWn
Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Grant. Green, Jefferson,
Rock, Sheboygan, Walworth and Winnebago.
In addition to these the county of Manitowoc
has building nearly ready to be occupied.
These institutions, to great extent, are under
the supervision of the board of charities and re-
form, and are reported to be in very salts
factory condition. There were cared for in these
eleven institutions at the close of November,
1884, $50 patients-all chronic insane-and the
reported average cost of m aintaining these is
81. 80 per capita per week. When the building 3
Manitowoc county is completed the twelve will
have accommodations for $50 patients. There
are but very few insane persons cared for I'm the
county jails and poorhouses and none Of them
treated badly. those not having proper care and
treatment have been transferred to the state
or county asylums, by direction of the
board. The management in these county insti-
buttons has been very satisfactory during the
past year, and as long as care Is taken that they
do not drift into the contract system of poor
house management they will no doubt continue
TO work beneficent purpose in the care of the
chronic insane. The Milwaukee county asylum,
treating both acute and chronic cases, and which
is maintained at the joint expense of the state
and county, had an average OF 30S patients I'M
der daily treatment for the past two years, and
the work has been conducted very successfully
The state pays to the county the sum OF 81 70
per week for each patient maintained, which
cost the state 500. 929 81 for the year 1888, and
SAL, TAT. 30 for the Year 1884 The total cur
rent cost of maintenance, including replace
ments and repairs OF property, was $50. 14796
for the year ending Sept 80 1884: average
weekly per capita cost of So. SO for the wear
1888, and So. SO for the year 1854 The Wis
consin Industrial School for Girls. now estab-
lished and successful, had. on Sept So 1884,
attendance of 165 pupils The management
is in the hands of a board of ladies, who In their
labor of love, are jealous and efficient The In
stitution gives promise of great usefulness.
INSURANCE.
The revenue derived by the state through
taxes and fees imposed by the law upon insur-
ance companies was $57, 1862. IL for the year
1883 and $64,904.75 for the year 1884. The
laws relating to insurance seem to work great
good in protecting the people OF the state from
the transactions of fraudulent and insolvent
companies and tends to add to the business of
the solvent companies that cannot afford to do
business at losing rate. The administration
of the department has been efficient, and you
will find valuable information in the report OF
the commissioner.
The total miles of railroads In the State of
Wisconsin, on the 81 st day Of December, 1884,
was 4,20454; an increase of 370s miles since
Dec 81 1892 The earnings for she year end.
ing June 30, 1883, were $40, T06, S5S. 10, an
average of IS, 344 20 per mile of operated road:
the operating expenses and taxes were S12,513,-
90, average of So, 393.74; aud the net
earnings for the year were 81, 1913, IL Is, or an
average of $1.950.46 per mile. The earnings
for the. year ending June 30, 1884, were 800
All, 573 SO; expenses and taxes, $l2, $685.
996 40; earnings per mile, So, 131 81; expenses
per mile, So, l90.54 net earnings, $7,721,-
577.47, and net earnings per mile, 81 ,94l.37.
The number of passengers carried in the year
1888 was 1907, CTS, being an equivalent OF
100 99l ,697 passengers carried one mile. In
the year 1884 there were 4,473, $50 passengers
carried, or an equivalent of 90 919,011 passen-
gers carried one mile; being an average of 46.6 90
miles travelled by each passenger, and at an
average cost of 269 cents per mile. The num-
Der of tons of freight carried in the state in 1883
was f. 62 367, equal to 75S, 352 663 tons car
ried one mile: in the year 1884 the number
OF tons of freight carried was 4,670,2 01, an
equal of 949, 567. 5S5 tons carried one mile and
at an average cost of ] Al cents per ton per
mile. This is less than 1t has ever been in this
state, and 1t Is a most gratifying exhibit to the
producer and shipper and creditable TO the car
riers The number of persons employed by the
railroad companies for the year ending June 80,
1884, was 1923, and the total sum paid these
employees was SO, 834, 35S. 63, being an average
of 1872. so each per annum. Thus it will be
there is large army of persons employed.
and large sum of money distributed in the
state by this one active and useful industry OF
our commonwealth. The revenue paid to the
state for licenses to operate the railroads was
1856, 32s.5S for the year ending Sept. 80, 1882;
1888, 0S2. 81 for the year ending Sept. 80, 1888,
ana $754, 26944 for the year ending Sept. 80,
1884.
large amount of means is invested in the
railroad property of Wisconsin, and railroad in
terests and industries are largely identified with
and woven into the life of our people; railroads
in this age have become necessity to the peo-
pie, and the creative industries and enterprises
are the life blood and support of railroad in
vestments; the one Is, and ought to be- identified
with the other and legislation should be in the
interests of harmony, firmly for the protection
of some right, or the correction of some wrong,
and freed from animosities and hostilities The
legislature at the last session passed law re-
curing reports and imposing license upon such
sleeping car companies as operate in this state.
This law may be somewhat defective under the
Interpretation insisted upon by the companies,
and the reports and revenue to the state are OF
the most meager sort. l commend the matter
to your careful consideration. The commission
in Wisconsin is, in most cases. one of suggestive
and advisory powers. rather than arbitrary; and
in no state has the commission system been
productive Of better results or more good than
in our own, and l commend to you careful
study of the commissioners report for the de-
tails of railroad work and railroad operation
MILITIA.
The strength of the Wisconsin national guard
at the last semi annual meeting, Sept, %, 1884.
was 2,529, organized as follows:
Companies. Men. Offers
Commander in chief and STAFF. IS
First regiment. ..............1O 656 80
Second regiment. ............1O 6S2 3S
Third regiment. 693 80
Fourth battalion. ........ 2S2 IL
Light horse squadron ....... / %
Making total of.......35 1881 14S
During the past two years three companies
have been disbanded, four new companies or
ganized the Third battalion increased to regt-
ment the original Fourth battalion disbanded
its companies assigned to the regiments, and a
new Fourth battalion organized, composed OF
the infantry companies located in Milwaukee.
These changes have secured more equitable
distribution of the companies allowed by law, a
more systematic organization of the regiments,
and are believed to have materially increased
the efficiency of the force, which is now in bet
ter condition than ever before, and under good
discipline.
invite your early and careful consideration to
the necessity OF making provisions for compil-
ing perfecting and recopying the files and rec
ords of the adjntant generals office pertaningto