The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-10-13

u
number of inmates in the asylum
August lst 1884, was. ........ ............... t37
Admitted during the biennial term ia
Discharged during the biennial term. ...,.... III
Wholly supported by the state. 1872
Supported by towns with pl.25 per week, each
py sthte) l@
Private patients. .........,. 1879
OF those now in the asylum ninety per cent
are regarded probably incurables. The re-
port of the board of supervisors will be duly
transmitted to the general assembly. 1t is
document of grave and unusual interest to
the people of the state. / especially com
mend its painstaking and elaborate histori-
cal review and suggestions TO the legisla-
ture and the citizens of the state. The
efforts of the board to correct certain evils
of long standing, and which have grown up
under imperfect laws, have been success,
though no perfunctory task.
PENAL AND REFoRMAToRY INSTITUTIONS.
The reports of the directors and superin-
tendents of the State Prison and House of
Correction, and of the trustees of the Yer
mont Reform School, show that these insti-
buttons have been conducted in a manner as
satisfactory as any similar institutions in
the country. The expenditures in their
maintenance have been only ordinary and
the ends for which they are severally insti-
tuted have been fairly well attained. The
retirement of Mr.. and Mrs. Fairbanks from
their long and invaluable services in the
N
vacancy that will be difficult to supply.
Their stewardship there has been charac-
terized throughout by a humane and paren-
tai care and oversight which has tended to
promote the highest degree Of reformatory
influence over the youth in their charge.
The best wishes of our people will follow
them to their new theater of beneficent
work. have visited each of these institu-
tons at least twice, generally with the di
rectors and trustees. The following data
are presented as indicating the relative
number of inmates in these institutions
from and including 1882:
STATE rr ri S '''''''' '''''"'' 81 ~
R RS%sS Of s eRGGiction ...... & & g
The net ordinary expenses of these insti-
buttons for the same period are as follows;
Reform eSS al sc6ooi 257S2 2ssssSi ai2Gi
All public institutions should be kept in
the condition the best of their kind, at all
times, in the interest of state credit and
economy. This cannot be attained without
occasional resort to specific appropriations.
The needs of this come to us most reliably
through the reports of the directors, trus-
tees and superintendent of these institu-
tons, though they are sometimes obvious to
any observer. The vermont wooden stairs
and walks around the cells of the prison at
Windsor should be replaced. In the inter-
ests of safety from fire, of permanence and
cleanliness, they should be replaced by iron
stairs and walks. This would seem in the
end to be economical as well.
BENNINGTON BATTLE MONUMENT.
1t is now ten years since the subject of
erecting battle monument at Bennington
became matter of general interest through
out the state In 1876 the association for
that purpose was chartered and organized.
I tif,t,f AVID t1aa ,tarY Aric
was made by the legislatures of Vermont,
New Hampshire and Massachusetts,, and
soon after by congress. The appropriation
of $500 by the State of Massachusetts had
lapsed by general law before the last ses-
sion of the Legislature of that state, and the
fact being brought to the attention of that
body at their last session by Governor Rob-
inson, with appropriate suggestion, the ap-
preparation was promptly renewed and in
creased to $4,000. The general plan of q
monument has been settled upon by the
association since your last session, but the
eleo.l1 1 VI ,'io Saie mas .ou yet o . Ion
nroviding that no moneys annronriated Inv
! the state shall he used in the erection of the
monument until the governor is satisfied
| that sufficient funds have been raised from
| various sources To complete IT, have moi
! been complied with with sufficient definite
ness to warrant the turning over of the
funds at hand for this purpose to the asso
citation. nor to cover into the treasury or tt
release to the use of the association the
moneys apnronriated Inv the general govern
ment and by the states OF New Hampshire
ana MASSACHUSETTS. me amount OF avail
apie lsinus lor inns OBJECT is now something
over Soz,Vo' nave attenueu Two meet
ihgs Oh uhe assoclatlon AT bennington, ah'
nave hau lhucn correspondence upon IN,
SupJeIc vi ,he pan vi the monument anu :
nhu that the impression mas grown VIII
many thaI has.e Is oeing inaqe 700 SLOW.
III tnis pa,rlotlc en.eipriise' l ~ .iilnk, aiteI
so many years Oh discussion WIN no groun'
broken, the general assembly wen nllgh
lhterpose anu ny appropriate ieslSlaulon en-
courage progress. Inc luhqs are ready ah'
VIII not largely increase Ley the STRUCTURE
rise, grand ana imposing as IL Will BE- a
such cost, lew ieet more or rev Zee
less thah three hundred leet ana let us u'
Ime best we can WIN what luhds we nave
three generations nave come ana gone slnc
the nattle. me lourth ought 10 assure I'M
rearing OF the monument