The Somerset reporter., 1903-01-08

efforts to guard us from the danger of cpl
denies aud believe that our confidence In
the efficiency of this department is fully
/ warranted.
During the past two years smallpox has
| been widely prevalent throughout the coun-
try, but our state, although surrounded by
the danger of infection, has suffered little,
and the outbreaks of this disease have as
rule been promptly suppressed;
| There has been a marked diminution Of
the death rate from tuberculosis as is
shown by the reports of the department of
i vital statistics The decrease Of the mum
Der Of deaths from this cause In the last
decade has been more than twenty i've per
cent.
SEA AND SHORE FISHERIES.
The sea and shore fisheries furnish busi-
ness and employment to thousands OF our
citizens. We have no interest which re-
qulrcs more careful attention and protec
! ton, and none is more surely and certainly
: benefited by Il wise and liberal policy on
the part OF the state. In other employ
ment or Industry is 1t so easy for poor
man to earn an honest living. and none so
quickly yields a reward to reasonable eff
fort and gives support and an independent
existence To so many citizens who might
otherwise be dependent.
The capital required by the average fish
erman who carries on business for himself
Is small. while his opportunity to live at
home, supporting himself by his individual
exertions Is only limited by the supply of
the products Of the sea the abundance Of
which depends largely upon the vigilance
OF conscientious and competent officials in
the protection of our fisheries from avoid
i able disaster and wilfu destruction.
The commissioner In charge Of this de-
partment fully appreciates tue great lmpor.
tance of the Interests entrusted to his care
and can be relied upon to protect and fos-
/ ter them.
The so-callcd Hay Bond treaty now under
: consideration In the Senate OF the United
States gives free entry into this country
Of the products of the Newfoundland fish
cries IT'S ratification would result In seri-
In In IN ntlE AChf Infn SIC nv
ing to the markets of this country the
products of Newfoundland in competition
with our own.
The welfare of the coast of Maine re-
qnires MS to do everything In our power
to prevent its acceptance.
Two thousand, two hundred and ninety
eight persons in 1853 towns, cities and plan
! tations receive state pensions. One thou
paid $500 per month, and only ia receive
over $500 per month. One thousand, two
hundred and sixty-scyen of these pension
ers arc invallds, and 926 are widows.
Though the amount paid to each Is small,
many home is relieved from want and
suffering, thereby, and the recipients are
| thus enabled to maintain themselves with
out other public aid. This Is but slight
recognition of our obligation TO those val
/ liant men who noby fought for their coun-
try In its time of peril. ] know 1t Is uD..
/ necessary for me to urge the continuance or
the appropriation required for their relief.
RAILROADS.
=. The total mileage of steam RAILROADS in
! during the past wear. This gain Is due to
| the constru' ton OF the Fish River Railroad
/ from Ashland to Fort Kent. $3.50 miles, an
rond from Van Buren, rwo miles up the st;
John River; an extension Of the Rumford
Fails 4 Rangcley Lakes Railroad north
from RENTS, 12.G miles; extension OF
the Wiscasset, Watervile & Pennington
Railroad from Weeks Mills to Winslow, IA
miles: the construction of branch OF the
! lork Harbor K Beach Railroad in Kittery,
"a OF mile. and change in remeasure-
ment of .03 OF mile.
There are 342.6 IS miles of street railways
In the state, all but three miles being OPP
Grated by electricity, gain OF 59.67 miles
during the past year.
During the year ending June &c. 1902, the
gross earnings OF the steam railroads of
Maine were $11 1853 06S. Sc. a gain over the
! previous year OF 1888 0tao0, and an increase
In the last ten years OF $iS4l .S59-62 1t
Will thus be seen that the receipts OF our
steam railroads have nearly doubled since
1892.
The number OF tons of freight carried in
1902 was S,S,iS.303, gain over the year
1892 Of 5173.369 tons or about $50 per cent.
I he gross earnings OF the street railways
for ~ The ooJ year ga ending June 49, 1902 were
and seventy-nine persons were employed
upon both steam and street railroads, who
received during the year, wages amounting
to s., 45S. 3S3 20
MAINE SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
During the past two years the attendance
at the Maine school for the deaf has large.
ly increased. and the school has made
most commendnble progress and advance
ment In every way.
Ninety-two pupils are now in attendance,
nearly every county in the state being rep
resented. Niue teachers give instruction,
and the course includes all the regular
also given. the girls being taught sewing,
cooking and the various duties of the house
hold. while the boys are Instructed In wood:
working glazing, painting, printing and
This Institution is well managed and its
needs should receive your careful consider
alton.
BATu MILITARY AND NAVAL OR.
PHAN ASYLUM.
There are sixty-eght children in the
Bath military and naval orphan asylum, OF
whom thirty seven are boys and thirty one
are girls. They are from four to fifteen
years of. age and all attend the public
This institution is doing good work, and
its management Is worthy of the highest
commendation.
STATE REFORM SCHOOL.
A proper classification of the one hun
bred and forty five boys In the state reform
:, 4i,ut rcuui.r.S the building of two nddi
tona cottages modelled upon the same
! general plan as Those already vNi>tl.
Eighty five of these boys live in the orlgi
naI Guiding. which was erected about nifty
years ago. This structure should he thor
oughly remodeled to meet the present ] =
quirements of the institution. 1t Is unfoc
tunate that SO many of these poor children
should thus be congregated together, as II
is practically impossible to separate those
of vicious tendencies and crlmina II.
stlncts from those who have committed
only trihing offences and who are simply
the victims of poverty and misfortune.
1t Is neither right nor just that this insti
tuition should be termed a reform school
and that its inmates. who are only chill
dren, should he stigmatlzed MS convicts.
Nor should the time they spend here he
termed Imprisonment The school should
bear some more appropriate name | trust
that the needs of this school will receive
your most careful consideration. and that
you will grant sufficient appropriation to
meet its reasonable requirements
MAINE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR
GIRLS.
There are one hundred and forty eight
girls under the care of the Maine Industrial
School for Girls. or these siNty-nine are
at the school. and the remainder have been
placed in homes in different parts of the
state During the past year twenty-ont
Z girls have bgpn admitted. Hffpeu have rnmC