The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-02

OF cells for males were erected q GEN.
tu'y or more ago, and were intended to
meet the requirements Of the State
when whites only were II 4 BILE to imprison-
ment In the penitentiary, and the whole
white population did not exceed half
a million, while now the population,
white and eolored, reaches nearly two
millions. Prior to the late war the num-
Der of conNicts confined in the prison
never exceeded three hundred while
now about thirteen hundred are crowd
ed into 1t, In many instances almost as
thick as cattle in q railroad car where
In all seasons, particularly In the win
ter, they breathe the foetld and pois-
onous abr. and in, summer pant for
breath when locked up for the night j
He considers that no time should be
lost In the erection of q new and mod
ern prison, sufficiently commodious not
only for existing, but future, demands.
In this work much of the labor can be
performed, and the stone procured and
the brick made ut the State farm or
nearer, ir desired, so that In the course
of four years, at the farthest. the struc-
| ture can be completed at comparatively
little cost to the Commonwealth. and
without any appropriation beyond the
net earnings of the prison.
THE STATE FARM.
No recent action of the General As
sembly has been followed by more bene-
fetal results financially than the ac-
quicement of a farm for the employment
of short term convicts. The land has
yielded well, and during the past year
the following products were raised:
Corn, 10000 bushels; wheat los bushels:
rye, 1,124 bushels; oats. $500 bushels;
peas 500 bushels; tobacco. $4,000 pounds:
sugar bects, 2lA tons; and vegetables
and truck in large quantities.
Besides supporting on the average $50
sick and disabled and about 150 work
ing convicts, the farm, with some addi-
tionai ground. which was rented. has
| furnished the penitentiary with products
worth $4,000 at the regular market
prices, leaving farm deficit of only
S4.45O at the end OF the last fiscal year
The Governor states that from indi-
| cations the production of sugar from
beets will soon become an important
industry in Virginia, and 1t has been
| suggested that it would be wise for the
State to dispose of her farm and pur-
chase much larger body of land
adapted to the culture Of the sugar beet.
and confine her farming operations
practically to the growth OF this plant
The quantity of land now owned is not
sufficient to keep the convicts who are
| sent 10 the farm al work and now that
IL Ia so highly improved there will
be still less work for them.
PROTECTION OF THE WATERS OF
THE COMMONWEALTH.
FOR the last two years the oyster
grounds of the Commonwealth have
been practically unmolested by non-res
ldents. In fact, ever since n vigorous
protective policy was inaugurated and
me oyster police navy strengthened, in
| no i'm ps,i,
frequent for long time hav, ceased
and we have had no trouble worth men
iioning. and the oyster beds in the Tan
gier and Pocomoke Sounds are richer
than they had been for at least two
decades prior thereto The command
ants of the steamers and schooncrs in
The service of the State have been dill
gent IN the discharge of their duties
ana deserve commcndation.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Virginia can look with infinite salts
faction upon the success of her nuhIic
school system. Foo the scholastic wear
closing July Il. 1897, she had G $50 white
and 2,2I9 colored schools. with pa. .5s,
white. and 123,23i coored pupils enrolled
Inc white schools were taught by 2.152
male, 4291 female teachers. and The COL
ored scholS were conductcd hy SCI male
and 1,266 female teachers. To.al n-hftn
teachers. G,4dS, total colored teachers.
2,127, The average" monthly salaries
paid were $31. .9S TO male. and S2667 IN
female teachers She had 70S7 school
houses, and the estimated yalue. of thc
| school property owned by school dis
tricts was S3,090777.29. Her school rev.
enue from all sources amounted to 81.
St3.Toi. and her expenditures fer all pur-
poses TO sl,S2I, ,003.22. Year by year ou-
CIV or,
sulting from it's superior management.
the character OF its training, and the
proficiency of its pupils. z,
ROADS.
The Governor considers it hardly ne
cessary to call attention to the import
ance of enacting a general public road
law AT present there is no provision for
working and keeping the public roads
OF the State In order, except in a few
counties under the operation of special
statute The general road act which
provided 70" compulsory road service
was declared unconstitutional by the
supreme Court of Appeals several years
since. and no action was taken by the
General Assembly at It's last session to
meet the new condition. created by the
courts derision. hence the roads almost
everywhere have been long neglected,
ad are consequently much out of re.
pair.
There is nothing that contributes more
to the progress of n State or indicatea
more forcibly the thrift, energy and en-
terprisc of people There is nothing
that increases the farmers profits more
by reducing the cost Of marketing his
crops than smooth, firm and well-gradcd
roads. With the same horse power
and with less train on his team and
wagon. he can haul much larger loads