Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-12-07

I De recorded IN fSi:ld court. some person
| in said county or corpora ton upon
whom proper legal notice of such mo-
! tio1 os suit can a t all time be made. I
/! would also recommend that provision
| eb made for service of notice Of such
application on the present owner OF
| record where such owner is different
from the person in whose name the
| land is assessed en- the last land book
! It is also recommended that in all such
Legislation. provision be made for
county and municipal taxes. as We'll as
! II is n well-known fact that many
purchasers of real estate. after years
Of occupancy and fancied security, have
been compelled to pay delinquent taxes
On their lands assessed in the name Of
| former owners. which taxes. if known
at the time Of acquisition. would have
been paid out of the purchase money.
| Therefore. for the better protection
o. purchasers of land. and the better
collection Of such taxes, it is recon-
| mended- that as a prerequisite to the
rec3,iatton of all deeds and convey
arces oc land. other than Wills and re-
lease deeds. there shall be endorsed on
such conveyance 4 certificate from the
proper officer. or officers, showing that
! I'll taxes. State. county, and municipal,
| in the name Of the grantors upon the
property conveyed prior to the begin
ming OF the current tax Year, have been
| paid This. it is believed. will inaugu-
rate a simple. Inexpensive system,
growing more effective year by year,
| and one which Will eventually prove
safe. satisfactory and efficient. without
| hardship or material expense to the
| Commonwealth or land -owner. and will
| obviatc the necessity for large
amount of tax legislation.
| OUTSTANDING AND JrNCOLLECr-
ED ASSETS.
| There are Il number Of unpaid
claims and judgments in favor Of the
! commonwealth, Which. owi!-:; to the
bulk and volume rf current business.
it is impossible for the Attorney Cen
eral 20 give time, attention, and Wig
o1ors special effort necessary to real
ze anything therefrom.
1T is believed th;rt earnest effort. by
| special attorney. selected with a view
to his special fitness for this work.
would realize large amounts in the
! Commonwealth from these claims.
1T is, therefore. recommended that
the Governor, Auditor, Attorney Cen
tral and State Treasurer. be authorized
and empowered to select for the per-
! formance of such special work an at
! rorney. He TO be paid from the amount
| realized from said sources his neces-
| sary expenses incurred in the investi-
CATION and prosecution thereof, and
such percentage from the amounts re-
| ali2ed as may be agreed upon by said
Board: said Board to be authorized
ond empowered TO investigate and sue
| for. adjust. compromise. and settle all
obligations claims. or demands due the
! STATE, upon such terms as they may
deem for the best interest Of the State
| No suit To be instituted on such claims
however. unless first authorized and
approved by the Attorney General, and
then ratified and approved ~ said
| Board
THE PENI7ENrIARY.
THE reports of the Superin tendenr
and Board of Directors of the peniten-
tiarv show .har that important insti-
| tuition has been carefully and success
fully managed. and during the past two
fiscal years has contributed to the pub
uc treasury the net sum Of SIS, 105.20.
to-wit: s30OS6.64 for the year 1S97-9S,
and S+6, 1856 for 1s9S99. The expense
pf transporting prisoners to and from
1.-THE penitentiary. amounting, under the
4 new and economical system, to between
$4,000 and $4,000 per annur1, is not .in-E
lcluded in these figures. "A 1argeS show
I ing would have been made for the first
fnamed year, but for the imperative nee
cessity of adding to the hospital build
ingS at the prison and at the farm, and
charging the penitentiary work shops.
During both years large amount of
permanent Improvements have been
made at the State farm. The net cash
revenue remaining in the treasury TO
the credit Of the Denitentiary for the
4 year just passed is the largest on rec
: =
ing from a financial standpoint, I am
glad to be able to say that, in my judg-
ment, the prisoners are employed I'M
der a system which is the De.t that
could be hoped Tor SO far as their we'll
being is concerned. Practically speak
ing. all the convicts are worked under
the eye OF State officers Experience
has shown that the health of convicts
is better when they are employed than
when they are idle. and better under
the existing system than it was when
prisoners We're hired out upon public
: works.
: THE CHIEF REVENUE.
The chief revenue OF the Institution
= comes from the hires received from the
5 Jos. Davis Boot and Shoe Company
e But the State farm has fulfilled the ex-
: Dectations INDUCED in when it was es-
tablished. The crops there were short
the past year on account of great fresh
: ats in the river which flooded our val
: liable low grounds at a critical period
> and by reason of droughts later on
But. as q usual thing, the farm may be
; relied upon to support the prisoners
: sent there, q large portion Of whom are
"a more or less unfit for work. The farm
' is in high state of cultivation and is
: very fertile. The State owns 943 acres
II of land on the north side of the James
II river, and for several years past also
= has been cultivating. on shares the hes
i,art of Mr.. fuckers farm on the oppo.
{ site side OF the river. An opportunity
Il now presents itself for the State to buy
, the Tucker farm, and, if in your judg,
y lnent the price asked is reasonable, ant
: the condition of the States finance:
1 will permit. / would recommend tina
$ the purchase be made. we should no
e we are now paying, and would be jus
y tilted in making improvements there