Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-10-15
Would Reduce Board of Agriculture to
One Man-Have State Auditor
Devote All His Time to Office and
Attend to of Court of Claims
All Liquor License Fees Should Go
to State and State Commission
Should Issue Licenses.

Montpelier oct. S.--uovcrnor Proc
tor in his farewell message to the
Legislature to-day said:
Gentlemen of the Senate and House
of Representatives:
l avail myself of this opportunity
to render to you an account Of the
conduct of the executive departments
of the State government during the
last two years and to submit some
recommendations which my official
connection with them suggests.
FINANCES
The finances of the State are in a
satisfactory condition. For the bien-
nial term ending June 30. 1908 the
total receipts for general purpose
were S2.2O7.S56.99 and the total OK
pense S2.o94,22S37. leaving Il surplus
for the two years of sl13,12S62
All bills are closely paid and there
IS in the treasury available for gen
eral purposes the sum of s1S3.75S.i9.
The state has no debt except the ag-
ricultural olloge fund registered loan
of 1910, amounting to s135.5oO, and
tho Huntington fund, s211,13l.i6,
which was made a ledger liability by
Act No. "a of the laws of 1906.
STATE HOSPITAL. FOR THE INSANE
An appropriation of $4,000 by the
Legislature of 1906 las been used In
making several minor changes and
improvements in connection with the
buildings, machinery and equipment
OF this institution. For the details
of this expenditure your attention is
called TO the reports OF the superin-
tendent and Of the board of trustees
These improvements will be helpful
In economy of administration and do
much towards the comfort and well
fare of the inmates OF the hospital
The entire plant is in excellent condi-
tion and the expenses Of the institu-
tion have been kept we'll within its
appropriation.
Special effort has been made by the
supervisors Of the insane to proven,
the care Of insane persons not prop
erly state charges being imposed up
on the state. on June 80, 1906, the
number of patients being cared for at
the expense of the State at the State
hospital and the Brattleboro retreat
was 742. On June 80, 1908. II was 12S.
During the same period the number
OF private patients being cared for at
those two institutions increased from
ia to 211.
There has been during the past few
years an increase In the number of
so-callcd insane criminals and GRIM
inally insane. Some are acquitted of
crime on the ground of insanity and
sent 10 the state Hospital FOR the In
zane, and some become insane after
they are committed to our penal in
situations and are transferred there.
There are now moro than 30 of this
class at Waterbury and tho number
II steadily increasing. Very few re-
cover sufficiently 10 he returned with
safety to the penal institutions or to
be discharged. Many Of them are a
sourco of danger to each other ana
30 those having them IN charge and
In case of escape. especially danger
Gus to the public. Thu State Hospitai
At Waterbury was not built or equip
ped 70 safely care for this class o,
dangerous insane. In order that they
can be properly and safely cared for
and the danger of escape climina ted.
II is necessary that provision shoulc
be made for making one OF more Of the
present wards more secure or for the
construction Of a new ward.
PENAL INSTITUTIONS.
The sum Of $4,000 was appropriate
ed by the last Legislature To enable
the board Of penal Institutions. with
the approval OF the Governor to make
necessary changes and repairs at the
state prison at Windsor This amount
has been expended and all necessary
improvements made. All the build
ings and equipment at this institu-
tion are now in excellent condition
and no further appropriations for
changes and improvements are likely
10 be required for many years
The sum OF $4,000 was likewis,
appropriate for the purpose OF re.
pairing and improving the buildings
Of tho Industrial school at Nersennes
One Of the first difficulties that con
frontcd the board I'm connection WIZ
this institution was the want of suit
AbIo water for domestic purposes
The water provided by the city o
Nergcnnes has been condemned by th'
State board of health as UNIT for use
ana the Industrial school has no suit
able water supply of its own. 1t wa
decided therefore, not to make an,
extensive repairs or changes until ,
suitable and sufficient water suppl,
was procured. few minor changes
were made in the buildings, such al
providing necessary school rooms, re
pairing roofs and ceilings, and equip
ping the buildings with fire escapes
and an effort was made to procure
water supply for the institution by
the means of artesian wells. There
IL every indication that sufficien