The news & observer., 1897-01-08

| l commend the recommendation Of the
| Commissioner heartily as follows:
| 1st. That a law he passed limiting the
| length of working day to eleven hours.
| End. That no child under twelve years
| Of age be allowed to work in any build
! ing, and those between twelve and four
| teen only when they have certificate
| showing that they have been to school at
| least three months during the preceding
| year. A penalty should be attached to
the violation Of these laws and the Com
| missioner should be empowered to see
| that the law is enforced.
3rd. The salary OF the Commissioner
| should be increased to $1,000, on a par
| with other State offers such as Railroad
| Commissioners, &c, and at least $4,000
| appropriated to prosecute the work.
| COST OF THE PUBLIC PRINTING.
The Legislature changed the method
Of letting the public printing. from that
| by contract to that Of the lowest bidder.
| According to the prices for work sub
mitted by the successful competitor, and
upon which the printing for two years
| and more, was let by the Legislature.
| it was anticipated that meterial saving
| to the State would result The following
| comparative statement Of the cost Of the
| printing for twenty months under the
old method-from April /, 1893, to 1st
| Of December, 1S94-with the twenty
| months-from 1st OF April. 1895, to 1st
| Of December, 1S96-under the new meth
| Cd, is by no means encouraging:
| Cost Of printing from LIST Of
| April, 1888, to LIST OF Decem-
| ber 1894 4.....S 25 500 or
| Cost OF paper furnished by the
| State on requisition Of Public
Printer, same period ..... 909Z0S
Total cost for said period
under old Notwithstanding
and paper....... ...... .$34959.14
| Cost of printing from 1st of
| April, 1895, to 1st Of April,
| 1S96-new method .S 334G0. 81
Cost of paper for same period, 13,850.4l
Total cost Of said period uu-
der new method .........$ 413197G
To this last however, should be
properly added two payments
made on printing account on
December Bird and 4th, respec-
lively . .............. 3,293.9S
| But for work done before De
| cember 1, 1896 This would
make the toal cost from LIST
Of April, 1896 to 1st Of De-
cember, 1896 ..........s 50,61s.74
Cost Of printing from 1st Of
December, 1904. to 1st OF
April, 1895 Qast work done
under old method, including
work for the Legislature
during its session OF 1895 &C.. 7t1934
Cost Of paper for same period 1.066.S5
8,2081 10
| This would make period Of
twenty-four months (the las0
under the old method, adding
the above to the. ... 81 959 Il
Makes a total Of ........ 1916. .33
| For twenty months. as against
| $50,61374, for twenty months
under new method, a differ
| ence in favor OF the old Of. : 7,446.41
| IL the cost Of printing and paper for
| the four months from December /, 1896,
| to April /. 1897, be no more than for
| four months above cnmputod--from lat
| OF December, 1894. to April 1st 1896,
| viz. IS. 10 1--WE have no reason to
| expect it to be less), it win make the total
cost of printing for the twenty-four
months under the present lowest bidder
method S5S,06015, as against the last
| twenty-four months under the former
method Of $43, 1913, or a difference in
favor OF the former method Of $14, ,S92S2
| The above does not include the cost OF
| printing or paper for the Agricultural
Department, and other institutions which
pay for their printing out Of funds be-
| longing to them
| TENNESSEE CENTENNIAL.
| A small appropriation, authorizing the
| Board Of Agriculture to make an exhibit
| at the Tennessee Centennial is favored.
BOUNDARY LINE.
| The boundary line between this State
and Virginia has been marked by COM
| missioners appointed to that end at q
! cost OF 1856 half Of which it is expect
ed Virginia will pay. There was a gain
Of 80 acres to North Carolina ihthis sur
| Vey.
| MINING LAWS.
| The accident at Cumnock mines sug-
I gests to the Governor the necessity of