It will only be a short time before Wyoming will require a reform or industrial home for its juvenile delinquents. At the present time there is no place provided for such children in the State and it frequently happens that their only refuge is in the county jails. They are thus thrown in contact with the lowest elements of society, and it is the duty of the State to see that they are protected from these degrading associations. This suggestion is made in order to bring the matter to your attention and as a possible means of affording a solution to this problem.

INSANE.

The State Hospital for the Insane at Evanston, according to the report of the Superintendent for the year ending September 30th, 1894, had an average attendance of fortyfive patients. The whole number under treatment was sixtyone, forty-seven men and fourteen women. Over sixty per cent are regarded as incurable. The number of recoveries reported during the past two years are twelve, and deaths, thirteen. There were remaining at the close of the fiscal year forty-five patients. The reports of the cost of maintaining the hospital furnishes sufficient data to indicate that it has been economically managed as compared with hospitals in other States, when it is taken into consideration that the hospital is comparatively new. The total expenditures for the hospital for the year ending September 30th, 1894, was $10.812.06. The daily per captia cost of maintaining the patients was 66.28 cents, or $242 annually for each patient. This is twenty per cent less than in 1892, when the per capita cost was 84.76 cents per diem. The hospital has accommodations for one hundred patients and as the average number increases there ought to be a material reduction in the per capita cost. Many of the expenses such as salaries, fuel and other items will require only to be slightly advanced by an increase of inmates. It would greatly facilitate the work of the Legislative Assembly if the State Board of Charities would present detailed estimates for appropriations; similar to those prepared by the Illinois State Board of Charities, giving separately the amounts required for salaries, wages, food, clothing, fuel and other items. This would afford the data for making careful comparison with other institutions, and bringing obout a uniform system of accounts which is very desirable in the conduct of all the public institutions of the State. There has been received for the care of private patients $548.25; but the law makes no provision for the use of this fund. The Board recommend that an act be passed transferring all such receipts to what is known as the "fund for the insane." A similar recommendation is made as to the fund derived for the care of United

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States convicts. The attention of your honorable body is called to the urgent need of more comprehensive legislation on. the general subject of providing for the insane. Our laws on this subject are very meagre, both as to the manner of commitment and the proper rules for the administration of the hospital. The law should define more clearly the duties of the Superintendent and his assistants, besides fixing the salaries of the more important officers of the hospital.

THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING.

The Capitol Commission composed of the Engineer, Treasurer and Auditor of the State have made a report for the two years ending September 30th, 1894. During that time they have expended in maintaining the builiding, in the construction of sidewalks and other permanent improvements about the Capitol $12,665.35. There remains in the Capitol building fund an unappropriated balance of $4,721.07. This balance, according to the Treasurer's report, represents an excess of the amount authorized by law for the completion of the Capitol building levied under special tax and collected in 1888 and 1889. The Treasurer recommends that this fund together with any further amount which may be collected of said tax, should be appropriated to the use of the Capitol Commission for the improvements of the Capitoi. The Commissioners suggest that this amount with the usual levy made for maintaining the Capitol will be ample to complete the sidewalks around the Copitol square and make some interior improvements in the way of chandeliers for lighting the Legislative halls and other portions of the building. The necessity is referred to of biulding a suitable iron fence or stone coping around the grounds of the Capitol, to replace the unsightly barbed wire fence that is in use at the present time. The present system of heating the building is regarded as unsatisfactory, besides being very expensive, and it is recommended that a more economical method of heating be adopted. With these improvements the Capitol would be practically finished.

FISH HATCHERY.

The appropriation of $7,400 made by the last Legisla tive Assembly has enabled the Fish Commissioner during the past two years to succeessfully conduct the operations of the hatchery besides enlarging the buildings and doubling its capacity for usefulness. Over one million fish have been distributed during this period throughout the streams and lakes of this State, and taking into consideration what has been done in previous years, the result has been most gratifying. Many of the depleted or barren streams are now full of fish, which greatly adds to the attractions of Wyoming as a resort for tourists besides contributing largely to the pleasure and

profit of our own people. The railroad companies appre ciate these advantages and are doing much to advertise Wyoming as a great resort for fishing and hunting. From an economic standpoint the maintenance of the State Fish Hatchery needs no argument. If, as an eminent authority has said, "one acre of water properly stocked with fish will supply as much food as 160 acres of land," then there is every reason why this industry should receive liberal encouragement. The Commissioner recommends that our fish and game laws should be made to conform with those of adjoining States, as by this means the detection and prosecution of all violations of law would be materially aided. It is also recommended that a branch hatchery be established at or near Sheridan, furnishing to Northern Wyoming the same advantages that are now given to the Southern por tion of the State.

THE POOR FARM.

Fremont

The maintenance of the State Poor Farm in county has been found impracticable. There is no permanent class of paupers in Wyoming, and it has been more economical for the counties to afford temporary relief by returning them to their friends in other States, or to relieve their immediate necessities by contributions rather than establish poor houses for their permanent maintenance. At present the County Hospital at Cheyenne and several other private hospitals are the only places where the poor are cared for at the expense of the counties.

UNIVERSITY.

The University of Wyoming at Laramie, provides a lib. eral education free to the youth of both sexes. It has been in successful operation seven years. Besides receiving liberal appropriations from the State, its agricultural department has enjoyed the income donated by the general government to the agricultural college. This has aggregated $105,000 in six years. The amount expended from this fund has been $86,796.16, leaving a balance on hand November 1st, 1894 of $18,213.84. The total amount contributed by the State last year on a levy of one-eighth of a mill was only $3.797.08, showing reduction in one year of one thousand dollars owing to to the decrease in valuation of taxable property. The President of the University states that the amount is not sufficient to meet the bills which the state must pay in order to retain the federal appropriations; that it will require an income tax of one fourth of a mill to maintain the University on its present basis. Special attention is called to the expenditures of 1893, which amounted to $25,260.29. Of this amount $15,000 was expended in erecting and equipping with machinery the

building of mechanical arts. The statement is made that the amount expended during four years on the various experimental farms of the State has been $33,932.22, divided as follows: Laramie, $6,782.22; Lander, $7,050; Saratoga, $4,600; Sheridan, $7,000; Sundance, $6,650; and Wheatland, $6,850. In addition to this there was spent $25,561.45 for salaries of scientific workers, apparatus, printing materials, and various incidental expenses connected with equipment and station work authorized by the Hatch act of Congress, making the total expenditure for four years $64,493. The conclusion is drawn by the President "That the University has been quite liberal in the expenditure of the experiment station fund, and that the maintenance of the scientific workers of the station, as well as facilities for work, can be done more cheaply at the University than any other place in the State."

THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

At the general election held in November, 1892, Lander was selected as the place at or near which the State Agricultural College should be located. Before the sums granted for the support of such a college by the acts of congress can be made available it will be necessary for the State to provide suitable land and buildings. An appropriation for this purpose will doubtless be asked for. The inauguration of this educattional institution presents one of the most important questions that will come before the Legislature, and one which may be perplexing. In its consideration I trust that you will be guid. ed by a spirit of fairness and equity, giving due consideration to the best interests of the State.

MINERS' HOSPITAL.

The Second Legislative Assembly in January, 1891, passed an act providing for the establishment of a hospital for miners who shall become disabled or incapacitated to labor in the mines of the State. By a vote of the people this hospital was located at Rock Springs, and in 1893 the Legisla ture authorized a levy of $25,000 for the erection of a suitable building at that place. The hospital was formally opened Oct. 1st, 1894, and is now under the care of a resident medical superintendent and five assistants. The total amount expended for the hospital is reported by the Examiner as $24,267.58. It is estimated that it will require about $10,900 to complete the building and for two years' maintenance, $15,900, from which is to be deducted the estimate earnings of the hospital, $6,088.56, leaving the balance to be appropriated for maintenance $8,911.44. The hospital is now occupied to its utmost capacity, and the trustees urge that the wings and other portions of the building be completed at as early a day as practicable. A levy of one quarter of a mill, equivalent to $7,000 was

made and has been levied for the maintenance of the hospital for the year 1894. A donation of 30,000 acres of land has also been made to this institution. It is expected that the hospital when in full operation will be partly self-sustaining. A schedule has been prepared which provides that all coal miners shall pay 6.00 per week, and other persons $10.00 per week for their care and treatment, except in cases where the patient shall be adjudged a subject of charity.

THE DEAF, DUMB AND BLIND.

Many of the States do not maintain institutions for the education of the deaf, dumb and blind but find it more satisfactory to send these unfortunate children to some old established school where advantages are sure to be far superior to those of any new institution. The reason is obvious. It is very difficult to secure skilled teachers in these departments, and the equipments of such institutions are very expensive, embrac ing as they do many branches in the arts and trades. Wyoming maintains two pupils at the Colorado school for the deaf, dumb and blind at an annual expenes of $250 per capita for nine months' schooling, the annual charge being $300.

It is estimated that there are between twenty-five and thirty of these two classes in Wyoming who are entitled to the bounty of the State, but who are growing up in ignorance on account of the failure of parents or guardians to take advantage of the statutory provision for their maintenance and education. The census of 1890 reports in Wyoming the number of deaf and dumb as 16 and the number of blind as 7.

JUVENILE DELINQUENTS.

There are few children at the present time who are cared for by the State. In the case of juvenile delinquents they are sent to the State Industrial School at Golden, Colo., where they are maintained at a cost of $3.60 per week. This is an excellent institution and affords not only the opportunity for securing a practical education but inculcates habits of industry by manual training. At the present time Wyoming maintains five boys at this reform school. The Board of Charities recommend the continuance of the present arrangement. Two girls are under the care of the Good Shepherd Industrial School at Denver, Colo., at a per capita cost of $3.50 per week.

HOME FOR SOLDIERS.

The policy of the general government in establishing national homes for the honorably discharged Union soldiers, sailors and marines who served during the civil war, has, to a great extent, been abandoned, and many of the States have