The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-02-05


The whssls Clogxsd-Two state Omccs 10
He Abolished - signed His First Bill
Asscssm~nt and Tsxation-To Bs Inves-
tigated-whsre tho Money Ii Kept-Pub-
lic Buiidings-" Agin" = Reccss-Minor
Notes.
from Our Own Correspondent
LANSING, Jan. 26, 1885.
Business during the past week has been
very much retarded and the wheels of leg
islation almost blocked by a seemingly
small thing-the lack Of paper. OF late
years the State buys the paper and the
State Printers use such as il furnished
them from the Office of the Secretary Of
State A large batch of bill paper was re-
ceived some days ago. but. not being up to
contract quality. was very promptly refused
and returned. Before new stock was re-
ceived that on hand was exhausted, and SO
the work of printing bills came to stand
still. thus delaying legislation very materi-
ally. The difficulty has been remedied, and
business is expected to boom this week.
SWAMI LAND COMMISSIONER.
The duties heretofore required OF this
officer have practically been oil performed
and SO bill was passed two years ago to
abolish the Office, but Gov. Begole had q
special pet whom he wanted to appoint to
the soft position (no work and good pay),
SO he vetoed the bill. A bill to abolish the
Office will no doubt be passed by the pres
ent Legislature and as promptly signed by
Gov. Ager.
HIS FIRST BILL
The first bill that it becomes the duty
Of Governor Alger to affix his sign manual
to was one TO authorize Saginaw County
to borrow 500. 900 with which 70 pay out
standing indebtedness 1t wasn't of any
| he Gxofa I,xfx
the Governor will no doubt remember it
much longer than others of more import
ance tina. he will sign later in his official
life.
| COMMISSIONER OF IMMIGRATION.
This is another Office that will quite likely
be abolished before the present session
ends, on the theory that while the times are
30 hard and SO many of our own citizens
find it difficult to obtain employment at any
thing like remunerative wages the urging
Of foreigners to come here and compete
with them is direct blow at the laboring
classes instead of benefit to Michigan, as
was the original intention Of the law creating
such an Office
| ASSESSMENT AND TAXATION.
It is apparent that the subject of assess
ment and TAXATION Is to be thoroughly
overhauled, SO a Joint committee of the
two houses has been formed, to whom all
matters on the subject are to be referred.
1t consists of Senators Hubbell G.. A.
Smith and Pulver, and Representatives
Campbell. Post, Coomer, Hankerd and
Ford Mr.. Hubbell (for ten years in Con-
gress from the old Ninth District), will most
likely be the Chairman of the joint COM
mittee.
TO DE INVESTIGATED.
A committee appointed by the State
Board of Health to investigate the sanitary
condition of the State House of Correction
at Ionia has made n report to the Legisla-
ture that has set on foot thorough investi-
cation of tie institution, and not moment
too soon. The report is quite long, but
interesting, as follows: The committee
would probably be stating nearly or quite
the exact truth if they said they found the
sewerage, plumbing, and ventilation. in
every part of the building. in the worst
possible condition. Butto be more specific,
the committee first examined the sewer
leading from that part of the building
where the offices are situated. The primary
defect of this sewer seems to be that it
empties itself at the wrong end-that is.
into the basement instead of into the catch
basin near the barn. The theory of the present
engineer and warden rs. that the whole of
that portion of the building has settled and
carried down with it the house end of the
sewer, until it is several inches lower in the
basement than it is few feet from the
house. This sewer is of six-inch tile,
very tortuous in its course for about one
hundred and fifty feet, where it connects
with the main sewer. There il no flush
tank, or any provision for flushing it ex-
cept with hose attached to the hydrant in
the yard. There is little or nothing to pre-
vent garbage and refuse of any kind being
thrown into the sinks in the kitchen and
wash-ro and into the water closets,
and from thence carried through the waste
pipes into the main sewer. From this
cause, and from another probable cause,
that portion Of the sewer in the yard near
the house is higher than at its commence
ment in the basement, the sewer has be-
come filed up. A new sewer should be
laid, leading from the basement Of
the Office building to the main
sewer. The engineer says there is
ample fall between the basement and
the point where this lateral connects with
the main sewer. The plumbing connecting
the kitchen, wash room, bath room, and
water closets with this sewer is in wretched
condition, and should be replaced with
new, with properly ventilated soil-pipes
and approved traps. The floor in the large
bath room for the use of convicts is of
brick hummocky, and without proper in
cline to allow the water to drain off at the
center. This should be relaid with hard
wood or concrete, with sufficient incline to-
ward the center to allow the water to drain
off quickly and afford an opportunity for
the room to become dry in short time
after being used.
OF the ventilation, or rather the want of
it, in all the buildings comprised in this in
stitution, 1t is difficult to speak with any
degree of composure. There is an attempt
to ventilste the cells by means of a shaft
leading from each to the top of the second
tier of cells, where it connects with a
horizontal shaft running along on top Of
the brickwork. This shaft is supposed to
open somewhere, but just where your COM
mittee was unable to ascertain. Each up
right shaft is made TO do duty for two cells.
one above the other, but none of them are
heated, nor is the horiz ontal shaft into
which they open. There is an opening
into these shafts at the bottom of each cell
large enough to receive the night-bucket.
Your committee consider this arrangement
an admirable one for the equal distribution
of poisonous gases through all the cells,
but can hardly call il ventilation. In the
shoe-shops your committee found that an
attempt had been made to carry out the
recommendations of former committee of