Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-02-01
STATE E\CURSIONISTS.
VISIT STATE PROPERTY
IN UPPER PENINSULA.
Business and Pleasure Judiciously Com
bined
Champagne and Flowers abundant y Sup
piled by The People"

Champagne and Flowers abundant y Sup
piled by The People"
From our Special CORRESPONDENT.
Sunday evening, January 20. mem
bers of the Michigan legislature bound
Tor the upper peninsula left Detroit IN
three handsomely furnished Wagner
cars, in two of which were Bullets
bountifullv supplied with refreshments
liquid and solid for the inner man.
The members of the different committees
We're on hand for the start, with the eX-
ception of Rep. Donovan, who ioined
the party at Bay City.
Mackinaw was reached early Monday
morning, and after breakfast the party
was transferred across the straits to 81.
Ignace; thence TO Newberry, where the
asylum was the first of the state institu-
tions to receive official attention.
The asylum is located about two miles
from the village, but is not ready for
occupancy. There have been expended
on the asylum to date $4,000, and to
complete according 10 the plans will
require at least $50, 600. The result of
this visit Is a strong sentiment opposed
TO giving any more money TO this insti-
tuition, but to use the money asked tor
in erecting cottages for the use OF the
patients in the Traverse City asylum,
and To sell, or even donate, the build
ings already erected in Newberry to that
village. 1t is strange that the asylum
should have been located in a place at
least fifty miles from any settlement of
more than 800 or 900, and in a region
where pine stumps are the only ve9eta-
ton. 1t is an open secret that there Is
large sized African in the fence and
that there are some facts connected with
the matter that will not bear investiga-
ton.
special train conveyed the party 10
Marquette, which was reached early in
the evening. \ binding snow storm
and the Marquette Snow Shoe club well
coined the Legislators, who were escorted
10 the club house, which place was the
banquet hall in the evening. The dis
play of oratorical pyrotechnics was re-
markable for even Michigan men. The
lion of the occasion was donovan Of
Bay" who was inclined to be somewhat
facetious in his remarks. His assertion
that IF the republicans continue treat
ing me as well as they have begun, | do
not know but the democratic party will
be lost entirely" was greeted with deaf
ening applause.
The state prison in Marquette was
visited the next morning. Pure air and
light, good food and plenty of exercise
keep the one hundred and fifty inmates
in excellent physical condition. The
prisoners. are constantly employed on
contract work, making brOoms, knit
goods and snow shoes, but the prison is
not self-supporting. Even with the
present number of prisoners. the warden
says that from $4,000 to $50, 900 will
be needed for the next two years: if more
prisoners are transferred there from the
other prisons, the appropriation must
be increased.
The legislators found a crowd await
ing them in lshpeming, who endeavored
by the warmth of their welcome. TO
make amends for the six below zero
weather. The visit in Ishpeming was
purely social in its character. They
were rendered banquet in the evening,
and at midnight left for Houghton
The wire mills of the Tamarack Min
ing company were first visited, and the
mysteries of wire making and timing
copper for cooking utensils carefully
explained to the visitors thence TO the
smelling works where the ore is reduced
and the ingots cast.
One of the states most important in
stitutions, Mining school, is in Hough-
ton 60 this the legislators devoted con-
siderable time and careful attention.
The superintendent and teachers of the
school sought TO impress upon the minds
of the law makers the need of generous
appropriations as an auxiliary 10 sue
cessful work, and the imperative neces-
sity for immediate improvement and
extension in justice 10 the large number
of students in attendance. The super
intendent estimates that the work for
the next two years cannot be success
fully prosecuted with less than $ll5.-
900. and that more than this sum could
be used in the line of true economy.
The next morning the legislative
party boarded special train and in a
few minutes were at Lake Linden, seven
miles from Houghton where are located