The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-04

BY the energetic action of the regis
| ter OF the state land office, the rentals
and receipts arising from the lease anC
sale OF the lands and timber belonging
10 the school of mines grant, revenue
| exceeding $4,000 annually is assured.
! therefore recommend to your consider.
ation that you repeal the law author,
| lzins the sale of bonds at per cent
| ana that You authorize the sale Of
bonds bearing per cent. interest, and
| II possible under our constitution, yor
give to such bonds such a guarantee as
VIII assure purchasers of the regular
| ana punctual payment of their inter
est, or that You authorize the treasurer
OF the state to invest the permanent
school fund or enough thereof to take
up such bonds. at the rate of per cent
per annum, the school fund receiving
the benefit of the interest. This | am
sure you can do without violating any
Constitutional provision, for the income
ana revenue derived from the lands
VIII unquestionably meet the interest of
the bonds at per cent. / trust this
VIII receive your immediate and thor
ough consideration.
Reform School, Orphans Home and
soldiers Home.
Upon an investigation made by a
committee of the Fifth legislative as
sembly into the conduct and methods
pertaining in the reform school at Miles
City, 1T was deemed by me necessary
TO the proper management and conduct
OF that institution to make a change in
the super1ntendence, and in doing so
Hon. b. c. White of Fergus county was
selected as director of the school, This
position he has maintained ever since.
ana his wife has been the matron of
the institution. He entered upon the
dlscharge of his duties under circum-
stances calculated to dishearten almost
any one, but by faithful, patient and
energetic work he has succeeded in Ie-
storing perfect order confidence and
discipline in the Institution, and at the
same time, with an increased number
OF inmates. has reduced the cost of
maintaining the school as compared
with the preceding years During the
past two years a perfect and complete
sewer system has been installed at this
institution at cost of something over
$4,000. For this purpose only $500 was
appropriated by the last Legislature,
which at the time was known to be in
sufficient. The imperative necessity of
having sewer system to prevent sick
ness was our excuse for exceeding the
appropriation given by the last legisla-
ture, and / trust that you may see fit
to affirm our action in this respect by
passing the necessary deficiency appro-
priation. There has also been con-
structed cellar for the preservation of
vegetables at this institution, at a cost
of about $500. This was a necessity
that we We're compelled to allow and
order the construction of. Upon the
whole | believe that the general tone
and standing of the school throughout
the state has been materially enhanced
within the past two years, and 1 be-
lieVe that the inmates of this institu-
ton under the management of Director
White and his worthy wife, will be
greatly improved and be better pre-
pared to make good citizens of our
commonwealth.
Rev. Wylie Mountjoy was selected by
the local board as superintendent OF
the orphans home In this institution
there are about so inmates, the wards
of the state. During the past two
years hospital building, at a cost of
about $1,S00, and school building, at a
cost of $4,000, have been erected for
this institution. The management has
been pleasant and agreeable and the
appropriation made by the last legisla-
ture was almost sufficient for the needs
of the institution. 5s
Since the adjournment of the Fifth
legislative assembly the soldiers home
of Montana has been formally opened
for the reception of inmates and at the
present time, I believe, about so of the
old soldiers of the state find in this
place hospitable cheer and welcome and
protection in their infirmities. The
commandant, Captain Hillman, seems
to be well suited for the position and
everything that can be done to make
these unfortunate defenders of our
country pleasant in their maturer years
is being done. The report of the board
of managers is open for your inspec-
ton as to the appropriations and the
NOR 1yy-fNfS ,fe, Of
ask that you give the same careful
consideration.
Insane Asylum.
In my message to the Fifth legisla-
tive assembly l recommended that the
legislature take some action toward Sc
curing for the state a home for our in
sane and feeble minded. This recon-
mendation, through the congestion Of
business, failed to become a law.
have nothing but words of praise for
the management of our present asylum
and believe that the persons having the
same in charge are as well calculated
for the duties imposed upon them as
any one who could possibly be selected
Their treatment is undoubtedly HUI
name and kind and everything is done
that can be done toward giving relief
or perfecting a cure in these unfortu-
nate citizens. But the policy of this
state in letting out by contract the
keeping of our insane and feeble-mind-
ed is one at which the mind will nat
urally rebel. The number of inmates,
according to the last report of the board
of commissioners of the insane is 457
This has been an increase of 45 during
the past year. At the time 1 entered
upon the discharge of my duties as
your executive the cost of keeping the
insane was 80 cents per capita per day.
This cost, since May last has been re-
duced to IS cents per capita per day
This figure, according to my investiga-
tion. is the highest figure paid by any
state west of the Missouri river. l did
not make any investigation as to the
institutions lying east of that stream
If this Legislature can devise a proper
scheme, either for the purchase of the
present quarters or for the erection of
new quarters, to be under the 2ontcol
and management of the state, the same
will meet with my hearty and cordial
approval
The mainstay of our present asylum,
a man of great integrity and kindly
character, DR.. A. II. Mitchell, has gone
from US and We must now look . row