The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-09

! timber. and general natural history of
! the resources of the State, has consider
ablv enlarged its work during the past
two wears through more liberal coop
! Grafton between it and the several Gov
! ernment scientific bureaus in Washing
! ton. The general basis of this corpora
ton is an agreement on the part of the
| several Government scientific bureaus
| that for every dollar expended in these
| investigations by the State SurvCE they
| will exnend an equal amount toward
helping the State to carry forward these
| Investigations in more elaborate and
satisfactory manner. During the past
two years this arrangement has been car
| ried forward on a basis even more salts
factory to the State than can be indicated
by this statement. The Investigations
made have been mainly along the follow
ing lines:
ID AS to the present condition and
possible methods of extending the pro-
ductive oyster beds in the waters of
| Eastern North Carolina
(2) AS to the artesian waters and con-
ditions under which these waters may be
| obtained in eastern North Carolina; and
drinking water supplies for the towns in
our middle and western counties.
go The methods of highway improve
ment and an investigation of the mite
rails suitable for road building in North
| Carolina.
ca The forest resources of the State;
the forest conditions bordering the larger
! rivers and on the swamp land owned by
the State Board of Education; the influ-
ence of forest clearings in western North
Carolina, in causing destructive floods.
| During the past two years the damage
| caused by these mountain floods in the
state has reached $5,000,000).
90 The water powers on the streams in
the midland and western counties of the
State and their development for manu-
featuring purposes.
co The miscellaneous mineral resources
and mining development in the midland
| and western counties.
The investments in the development Of
| our mineral and timber resources have
been larger than usual during the past
two years and they are now progressing
satisfactorily in many of these counties
AS illustrating the growth of the good
roads movement in North Carolina-duC
| largely to the Geological Survey-it may
be said that ten years ago the cash ex-
penditure for this work in the State die
not exceed 1000 per annum. 1t now ex-
ceeds $1,000 per anpum; and the survey
has in it's employ one expert whose sole
duty is to aid counties in the wise ex-
penditure of this money. The oyster
industry in our State has been little I'M
derstood and is greatly in need of just
such Investigations as are now beins
carried on by the Geological Survey witt
the aid of the United States Fish Com
mission
The report of the State Geologist de-
scribing the above Investigations in de.
tail and also giving a full detailed state.
ment of the expenditures of the survey
and a list Of the persons connected with
the same will be submitted to the Gen.
eral Assembly at an early date.
STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC CHARITIES
The reports of this board which will bt
sent you later in the session show thai
the State is now paying nearly double
the amount for the care and the education
of the afflicted and defective classes
which it paid ten years ago. The num-
bers cared for have likewise doubled
| This largely increased expenditure is
heavy drain upon the resources of the
State in one way, but in another it more
than pays for itself in freeing the indi-
viduals who would otherwise be charged
| with the burden OF supporting and educat-
ing these unfortunate people All parties
are pledged TO maintain and enlarge the
charitable work which the State has un-
dertaken to do. This requires much mon
| ey, but if the people mean what they say
| in their political platforms the money
| will be cheerfully paid by them. The
| Board of Public Charities in quiet way
| has greatly ameliorated the conditions
of the inmates of the homes for the aged
| and infrm and the prisoners confined in
the jails. They investigate every charge
Of bad treatment and of the want oil
! sufficient food and raiment. BY these in
| veStigations the authorities have beer
| informed of their duty to the afflicted and
to those confined in prison, with the re-
suit that there is a constant lettering
| of the institutions having the care OF
/ these people. Mr.. G. B. benson, the eff
! cient Secretary to the Board has devoted
| himself to this great and good work and
| it is with pain that l learn Of his criti-
| cal illness. He has erected for himself in
! deeds of kindness to those who arc
helpless a monument which will be en-
| during.
EXAMINERS OF STATE INSTITUTIONS
Under an Act of the last General AS
| sembly l caused to be mailed to each
member of the General Assembly during
the month of November, 1902, a printed
copy of the report of the Board of Ex-
aminers of State Institutions. This board
was created by the last General Assembly
| and the report shows the result of it's
first work Full and detailed informa-
ton in regard to each of the institutions
| investigated is TO be found in said report
! together with the recommendations Of the
| Board for legislation.
| PARDONS
Accompanying this message will be
| found, as required by the Constitution, a
| list of the pardons, combinations, and
| respites together with the reasons there
| for 1t will be found from this list dur
| ing the past two years [ have pardoned
one hundred and thirty-four people and
| committed the sentence of twenty-six.
| Much unfavorable criticism has been
passed upon my frequent exercise Of the
| CcnStitntiop Tiy mn ia