The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-13

work Of the character expected of such
boards has been accomplished during
the past two years. This includes
among other things sanitary inSp action
of the states Institutions; of all public
water supplies, and of suspected private
supplies on request; advice and in
structlonS to municipalities; health Of
hcers and individual citizens; the COL
lection Of vital statistics and the dis
among the people of varied
information as to the preservation OF
health. The educational effect of this
work is apparent in the improved pub
lie sentiment on his very important
subject. Hygiene is the latest and
highest development Of medical science.
The promotion of the health Of the peo-
pie makes for both their prosperity and
happiness. All efforts therefore to at
tain this object should be fosIered and
encouraged.
THE PENITENTIARY.
1t is gratifying to be able to report
to your Honorable Body hat the pen.-
tertiary is self-sustaing n will need
no appropriation. BY reference to tn
report of the board of directors it will
be found that when they took charge
Of that institution there was on hand
the sum Of s33,S77.S0 with outstanding
1CDlS dlllOulllLS 10 S00,LU-.O5. Inc 7
report shows in hand as of the first o
January Of this ear s23, 994. %. In ad-
dition TO the money on hand the p5ni-
tertiary has available assets in the
form of surplus crops which will here
after be sold amounting to Sc, sos. So.
Some years ago the authorities Of the
penitentiary leased a considerabl bic body
Of land in Arson county which they
worked at an annual loss in addition
to the rents which the state was pay
ing for the leased property. Finding
this to be experience of all the differ
emf managers of the penitentiary the
board of directors compromised with
the owners of the property by sur
rendering the lands TO them and pawn
he owners s2,5S7.72. This has been paid
In addition to this expenditure the
states prison has paid out Of its earn
ings S1.2l6.61 for the capture OF soap ID
convicts. an expenditure which Under
the Immediately preceding admins
tration was paid out of the genertl
fund.
Early in the spring of 1901 a great
freshet in Roanoke river swept away
the dikes which protected the SIT
farm and caused damage to the amount
Of $4,000. During the summer this
was replaced but was subsequent Y
swept away by another freshet. Not
withstanding the loss incident to this
freshet the directors by most careful
management have been able to show 2
balance in their favor. 1t is their pur-
pose the coming year to reconstruct
h dixie, but at a greater distance from
the river so as to give water larger
room and lessen the pressure upon the
dixie.
AT present the dangerous insane are
under the management of the pen'ten-
tiary. Insane people whether danger
Gus or otherwise ought not to be kept
in the Penitentiary but seperate pro
vision ought to be made fol
them. If the dangerous insane de.
partment is to remain under
the management of the states pris-
on an appropriation Of $4,000 a yeal
will be required for its support. INC
there ought to be an additional apOro.
priation of $1,000 for the improvement
of the system Of heating.
The thanks of the state are due II
the managers Of the states prison -
the excellent results attained by the.
Il III HOSPITALS FOR THE IN.
SANE