Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-07-27
NOTES FROM The CAPITAL
Des Moines. .Julv 81. 1908

Dcs Moines, July 81, 1905
There are now 7,764 inmates in
the state institutions. This is a con-
siderable increase we June 1904, Of
200. There now are three institu-
lions in which there are more than
1000 inmates. These are: Glen
wood, 1,001; Independence, 1,049;
Mount Pleasant, 1850. During the
year the population of the prisons
has increased 62 to 947; the popula-
ton of the insane hospitals to 1861,
or an rel 10.
The capitol Improvement commits
sion has entered into a contract with
Kenyon Cox to paint the eight lun-
cites above the rotunda in the dome
of the state house. This contract
was entered into tentatively in New
York and after returning to their
homes, Mr.. Funk, under authority of
the board wrote to Mr.. Cox closing
the contract. The commission was
in New York two weeks ago with
Mr.. Blashfeld, Mr.. Diehlman, and Mr..
Garnsey and thoroughly c~anvassed
the situation as to their employment
of an artist to paint the lunettes, the
only remaining art work at the dis
posal of the board. The commission
acter unanimously in the selection of
Mr.. Cox and anticipates an extremely
effective piece of work. The contract
provides that the work shall be COM
pleted by July 1, 1906. Kenyon Cox
was born in Ohio in 1856. He stud
led in Cincinnati and Philadelphia in
this country, and then in Paris under
Carolus Duran and Gerome for five
years following 1877. He has been
a member of the Society of American
Artists and the National Institute of
Arts and Letters for many years. He
painted two decorations in the libra
ny of congress, one in the Walker art
gallery at Bowdoin college, and paint
ed a frieze in the appellate court
room of New York. He has contri-
buted extensively to the magazines on
art matters, Inc was part author Of
Modern French Masters" edited by
J.. C.. Van Dyke. He is a resident of
New York. The lunettes which Mr..
Cox will decorate will cost the state
$4,000. There are eight of them.
Secretary John Simpson of the
state fair has received three letters
from horsemen who are in Paris, re-
lative to their entries for the fair
the last week in August. A few
days ago he received a letter from
n of the importers saying hat he
wished to enter for premiums about
August 20, when the animals that
he expects to import will have land.
ed in this country. Secretary Simp-
son notified him that the entries
closed August /, and would have to
be made before that date. Later the
importer replied, consenting to make
the entries and informing Secretary
Simpson that he would cable the
names, pedigree and other informa-
ton for the entries to be made on or
before August /. This is taken as
an indication of the great interest
which is being manifested in the
state fair this year. But the fact
that the importers are getting busy
is not an indication that there will
be no place for the Iowa horsemen
who have bred their own fine stock.
For the fair managers have provided
classes for them which will enable
them to compete not alone with Iowa
bred animals, but give them a chance
also to go against the importers
stock.
The statistics compiled under the
new vital statistics law show that dur
ing the eight months ending with
February there were 1910 more births
than deaths. There were 1885
deaths and 1915 births, the latter ex-
ceeding the former by 7S per cent.
The figures are going to be used by
the authorities as reliable and anthem
tic. In some quarters there are scr
ious doubts about them.
The report also will show that pneu-
monia and not the white plague is
the most deadly disease which affiicts
Iowa folk. During the eight monrAs
referred to there were LOGS deaths
from pneumonia and about 700 from
consumption and Tuberculosis COM
bined. Physicians are uncertain, if
these figures may be. relied on, wheth-
er the first place should be perman-
emily r~elinquished to pneumonia when
it so long has been occupied by the
white plague, for the prevalence of
the former was almost epidemic last
year.
Following are the number of deaths
due to the most interesting causes
during the eight months, according
to the first report of the vital Stats
tics of the state.