The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-02

to the department building in Columbia, and
will form the nucleus for permanent museum.
State Agricultural and Mechanical
Society.
The recent annual fair Of this society was
one Of the most successful ever held. The eX-
hibits exceeded largely those Of any previous
year, and the number of persons In attendance
was eQualled but once before in the history OF
the society. The exhibition was particularly
gratifying as showing the marked improve
ment resulting from greater attention to the
breeding Of live stock. =.
The annual fairs of the society give strong
impetus to the development of our mechanical
and agricultural industries, and they arc espe'
cially useful as the means Of bringing togeth-
* ~ a.. pleasant social intercourse citizens from
all parts Of the State.
I recommend that the appropriation of $500
heretofore made in aid Of the society be con-
tinued.
State BOard.Of Health.
I invite your attention to the report Of the
State Board of Health, which contains much
valuable information relating to The sanitary
condition of the State, and makes useful sug-
gestions for It's Improvement.
The Militia.
The report of the adjutant and inspector gen.
eral shows that the State militia Is In very fair
condition. The State Volunteer Troops, with
only one or two exceptions, are we'll drilled
and take great interest In their duties. The In.
creased appropriation for the present year OF
four dollars per capita has added a. greatly to tne
purchase the regulation uniform or other nee
esSary equipments.
A decided Improvement has taken place In
the cavalry. The troops are nearly all well
mounted and present a creditable appearance
Since 1869, when the Governor of the State
exhausted the annual quota received from the
United States Government for SO years In ad,
vance by drawing 10000 stands Of arms and ac'
no arms have been received by
South Carolina from the annual appropria'
tions made by Congrcss. After repeated efforts
our Senators and Representatives In Congress
succeeded in February last in having an Act
passed which relieved the State of this obliga.
ton to the General Government. Under The
terms Of this Act the chief of ordnance has
credited the State with the sum of S2t,6 AZ
the amount Of the annual quota for 1HS3.S8 Is
81, 1881, making total sum of S'O7S7: rs due
the State. Against this credit. arms, ordnance
stores, &C., to the amount of 2l,2735O have
been drawn, leaving a balance of 1,5l48 still
due the state. With portion OF this amount
it is proposed, If satisfactory arrangements can
be made with the ordnance department III
Washington, 10 obtain tents and equipments
for infantry cncampments.
Railroad Commission.
The report Of the commission states that
there has been q decrease in the number OF
filed, and that, through the prompt
and harmonious ion OF the officials connect
ed with the various roads, much more con.
vcnient form of classification has been adopt.
ed.
The commissioners say that, in consequence
of the financial depression prevailing through
out the country, but few railroads have real
lied profits during the last fiscal year. and that
to many roads the result has been most unfts-
vorable; but thai, Notwithstanding this fact,
eight of the roads In the stale show an in
crease over the business of the previous year,
and ten show small percentage OF decrease.
The number of miles of new road construct
ed was greater than during any one yearof the
past ten years. The report furnishes full state
men,s of the action Of the commissioners for
the year and contains much valuable statisti.
cal information.
State House.
The Act passed at the last session Of the Gen.
cral Assembly. "to provide for the completion
of the main building of the State House" ap-
propriatcd $4,000 to dcfray the expenses OF con.
tinuing the CONSTRUCTION for tue year leso, ana
appointed the Governor the Secretary OF
State and the comptroller general commits
sion TO make lEe necessary contracts, incud-
ing the employment of an architect.
The commission organized on the "a OF jan
uary last. Mr.. j. r. Nicrnsce, the distinguish:
ed architect who designed the building, and
who superintended its construction until the
work was suspended In 1864, was appointed ar
chitecl. He entered upon the discharge OF his
CuClCS anu DcpGQ tUe pTcF&t!dtlOu VI Tue plullh
and estimates for the completion of the build
ing. When the estimates for the granite work
were ready, bids to be submitted by the 10Th OF
June were called for by advertisement. In CON
sequence of the death of MI Nlernsee, which
cd until after the selection Of his successor
Mr.. j. Z. Nelson, Of Baltimore, Md. The low.
est bid, that of the Westham Granite Compa'
ny, of Richmond, Va, for SN,Oo5, was accept
ed. After the contract was made, all Of the
stone balustcrs required for present use were
found III the basement of the building, there
by reducing the outlay for granite work by
$500. Some additional cost will arise from
the fact that the amount OF cut stone on hand
which formed part of the consideration OF the
contract, is less than that estimated, and also
because it will be necessary to have WORK
done on the old stone to make 1t correspond
with the new. The architect reports that the
present roof is in bad condition, and that the
cutters and spOuts will require about $3.50 foI
renewal, unless the new roof Is put on In !SS6
The underground drains for carrying OIL tue
rain water have been put in perfect order, and
Ing the sewerage Of the building with the rif'
er has been completed. The report OF the ar.
chitect will give detailed information of the
work proposed for the coming year. Two
plans are suggested for increasing the accom-
inodations now afforded in the building. The
architect states that the work for the neXl
year, and, consequently. the appropriation tc
be made, will depend upon the selection OF
one of these plans by the General Assembly
and that n sum varying from $50, to SlA,OOl
can be expended with advantage according tc
the plan selected Much Of the work. includ
ing the making Of brick, can be done by con-
vict labor.
Criminal Courts.
The necessity for some changes in our Grim
inal Courts Is apparent. The trial justice sys
TEN, which was intended TO relieve lne EII.
Inferior Courts In which petty offences could
be tried readily and at small cost, has failed
to fulfill the purpose which 1t was designed tc
accomplish. 1t Is proper, therefore, that rec;
ommcnd, for the consideration of the General
Assembly, such amendments to the law as
seem most likely to give relief to the Courts
Of Sessions, while providing fol. the prompt
trial of persons churged with crime. ana the
speedy punishment of those who may 6e con
v.ctcd. But two modes suggest themselves to
me by which this may be accomplished
These are the establishment Of County Courts
or an increase In the number or Circuit
Judges Careful consideration of this subject
induces me to believe that the latter mode Is
best suited to our wants. 1t has recently been
decided on Circuit. after grave consideration
that trial justices have no jurisdiction III
cases Of petty larceny tins ,d decSGn iS
Of trial Justices will be greatly restricted, ana
the work Of the Courts of Sessions correspond
Ingly increased. In that event the present
number Of CIrcuitJudgcs will be insufficient
to discharge the duties required. DOUBTS
have been expressed whether, under the Con-
Stitutinn Of this State. the General Assembly
can create County Courts having such juris-
dictinn as would be adequate to relieve the
Courts of General Sessions of the trial or OF,
fences of this class. Apart from these doubts
there are grave objections to such Courts.
Among these objections are: Their cost. even
as compared with such an increase in the
number of Circuit Judges as will be sufficient
for the purposes in view; the fact that the
number of appeals from the County Courts
will be so large as to crowd undnly the dock
cts Of the Courts OF Sessions, end the incrcas-
ed demands of jury duty upon that class OF
citizens whose services rs jurors are essential
to the impartial administration Of justice
The Circuit Court undoubtedly has jurlsdic
tiOn of all crimes. It has the power to com.