school fund about $5,000: adding about $2,000 for wolf bounties, district canvasses, &c., which are nudited and allowed here, without special appropriations by the legislature, would give about $42,000 as the necessary expenses of the s ate government, exclusive of those for the annual sessions of the legislature, and not including the state prison and geological survey. The buildings at the state prison, it is supposed, are now in such a state of forwardness, that it will hereafter be unnecessary to employ so many convicts in extending them, and that, therefore the convicts may be employed in other work, which, if not made a source of inuch profit to the state, might at least prevent $12,000 to $15,000 being drawn annually from the state treasury, for the prison expenses, as has heretofore been the case.And whether the legislature will deem it expedient, since the unfortunate and melancholy death of the late State Geologist, to continue any further appropriations for the geological survey of the state, is for them alone to determine. Although I should feel but little confidence in the accuracy of any estimate of the probable receipts of next year, yet I have no doubt that they will exceed the necessary current expenses; the excess, whatever it may be, will furnish just so much means towards the extinguishment of existing state indebtedness; and with that in view, the annual expenses should always be kept as much as possible within the annual income. The disbursements from the contingent fund, during the past fiscal year, amounted to $730 04, the items of which are given in statement mirked (I). The receipts to the credit of the internal improvement fund, and the amount of warrants drawn on account of the several public works, as also the aggregate receipts and disbursements on the Central and and Southern Railroads, during the last fiscal year, and the balances in the hands of the acting commissioner and superintendent, are gi ven in the accompanying table marked (J). The receipts and disbursements, during the past year from the other funds, will be sufficiently understood by reference to the gener. al abstract marked (K) without any further statement in detail or explanation in regard to them. The table marked (L) gives the general ledger balances on the books of this office, the amount of outstanding warrants on the sever al funds, and the balance of cash in the hands of the state treasurer, at the close of the fiscal year ending Nov. 30th, 1845. All of which is respectfully submitted. JOHN J. ADAM, Auditor General. |