The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-28
Under the Dome

Referring to the inspecting tour of the
penitentiary legislative committee, yes
terday's Wilmington Messenger says:
Under the action of the Democratic
caucus the pcnitentiary committe is on
its rounds inspecting the State farms.
The committee has already inspected
tie fine farms in Halifax county, and
on Tuesday the Arson county farm was
visited and inspected.
THE following members of the com
mittee arrived here yesterday from the
Arson farm and to-day will visit the
States rice farms around Wilmington
and the farm at Castle Hayne, viz:
Representative II. S. Harrison, of Hall
fax; Representative j. X. Abbott, of
Camden, and Senator John c. Thomas,
OF Davidson.
The committee is out to ascertain
and report upon the condition of the
farms and the convicts, the amount of
products gathered and ungathered, and
to make general observation of all mat
ters concerning the farms and the man
ner in which they have been conducted.
I'VE learn that on the Halifax farms
there yet remain ungathered in the
fields 500 bales of cotton and 5000 bar
rels of corn. Not more than a third
Of the crops has been gathered. 1t is
estimated that on the fine farms in
Halifax not less than $50 bales of cotton
have been lost; the cotton having drop
ped from the bols is rotting on the
ground"
The Morganton Herald thus refers to
the visit of Legislative committees:
"A special committee from the Legisla-
ture visited the North Carolina school
for the Deaf and Dumb, and expressed
themselves as highly pleased with what
they saw. Superintendent Goodwin
afforded them every opportunity to see
the school in all its departments visiting
every school room, industrial schools,
stock lots. and the surroundings. They
also looked into the methods of keeping
accounts, and were unanimous in their
opinion, that the school deserved the sup
port and confidence Of the State. They
agreed that the management Of the
school were very reasonable in their re-
quest for additions and additional sup
port Superintendent Goodwin showed
them applications for eighty odd more
children seeking admission. We believe
tie Legislature will give what is needed
to run the school. We know Hoffman
will.
The bill to create finance committee
for Stokes county and to investigate the
taking of unlawful fees by officers in
that county provoked considerable dis
cussion in the Senate on Thursday,
Senator Newsom (Rep.) of Stokes. OPP
posing the bill. The speeches of Sena-
tors Glenn and Hairston, who were ac-
quainted with the facts in the case, dis
closed some very reprehensible conduct
on the part of the Republican officials
of that county and the point was raised
as to whether or not an Indictment of the
county commissioners could be sustained.
The bill was supported by petitions con-
tanning the names of hundreds of the
best men in the county. 1t passed the
Senate by an overwhelming vote and
will likely pass the house the same way.
and the honest taxpayers OF Stokes viii
soon get relief. $50
Speaking of the proposition to estab-
lish an Insurance Commissioner, the fol-
lowing extract from page 81 of Secre-
tary Of State Thompson's report shows
the present emoluments of that office:
The fees and emoluments of the
Secretary of State derived from these
sources for the fiscal year ending No
vember 80, 1893, were as follows:
For salary .............S 81, 100000
Commission on sale Supreme
Court Reports ..s....:. 142.@2
Commission on seals ... 6.JG
CORPORATION fees ......... 1851
Examining and certifying
statements and agents certiti-
Gates .............. 3,615.43
Making total of. Sc, 160.05