374 



ILLINOIS. 



The following table exhibits the changes in the entirely from the railroads, which are assessed 



assessment returns for the different classes of $7,000,000 in excess of the equalization of 1879, 



property in the year : while other property bears an aggregate assess- 



- ment of $5,000,000 less than that of 1879. 



PROPERTY. 1879. 188O. The Governor, in his inaugural address, gave 

 Personal property $151,029,968 $165,091,710 the following gratifying account of the public- 

 Lands and lots. . . 569,775,376 57i,599,e96 school system of the State : 



Railroad property 8,337,507 2,769,503 rri , ,. , , , , . 



! ! ! !_ The progress which has been made in the develop- 



Total $744.742,546 $739,460,909 ment of our system of popular education in the past 



twenty years, has placed Illinois in the very front 



The aggregate value of each item as returned n H amon the S tat _ e f s of ^c Union in this regard 



Aiic nkgic fo atc a . it vies to-day with Massachusetts, Connecticut, and 



by the assessors m 1880, for the whole State, is other New E gland StateB? which ' were but rcc j, ntly 



shown by the following table : regarded as pioneers in the cause of popular education, 



PERSONAL PROPERTY. Assessed value. ln , th ? **$*$*? f . the . 6U PP rt ^ Ven . to the public 



u ..^foiinn- *949WQRd. schools and higher institutions of learning. A com- 



Catde of an agls!: '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. ' '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. '. iJaSJsJ garison of the cost of tuition per pupil in the various 



Mules and asses 8,461,169 (states, and of the aggregate sums expended for the 



Sheep 1,246,822 support of schools and the erection of schoolhouses, 



Hogs 4,800.864 shows that among the richer and more populous States 



Steam-engines 91,957 o f tne Union, Illinois surpasses the great States of 



SSJ'ES^M e ' V SKS Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, and is only sur- 



caS^vlgons:::::::::::: ;:::;::;:;;:: *$ p as * ed ty* York and Massachusetts whose pre - 



Watches and clocks 895^114 eminence in the excellence and efficiency oi their corn- 

 Sewing and knitting machines'.*.. 1,452'538 mon-school system have attracted the attention and 



Piano-fortes 1,317,206 elicited the admiration of the world. While the states- 



Melodepns and organs 667,835 men, political economists, and even the professional 



Franchises ??'?~i teachers of other lands, have been debating the ques- 



Anuuities aand royalties 42,100 tion whethcr the masses can be educated with safety 



KVuin'o-" V<J>in' 'ptV <m'43fi to society and the State, we have gone forward in the 



Merchandise g .T _.!^:::::: :::: ::::::: 25,848:828 practical solution of the problem unta it is no longer 



Materials and manufactures 2,708^149 an open question. 



Manufacturers' tools and machinery 1,790,835 _,, . . T ,. -p. ., , 



Agricultural tools and machinery 4,686,803 The report of the Joliet Penitentiary shows 



Plate and plated ware 100,056 an improved condition in the prison affairs in 



Sryfof ban^bloiersVetc::: r^::" uSJM tte ^t two years. The prison is almost self- 



Credit of banks, brokers, etc 1,414,971 Supporting, and would be SO if the COSt of Slip- 



^^aT^:~.::y."."'. "StSt f^g clothes and money to discharged con- 



Bonds and stocks 946,196 victs were not borne by the prison authorities. 



Shares of capital stock of companies not of this 2844n The contracts for the labor of the convicts 



Pawnbrokers' property. . . .... ............ \... 22J20 were m ost of them made during times of lower 



Property of corporations 542,834 prices than could be obtained now ; otherwise 



8^J!&t&::;:::::;:;::::;;: affiR * hi8 ^? f v 1(l t b . e d ^^ d . out f the 



Real-estate investments and improvements 327,024 income of the penitentiary. During the two 



Bankshares JH2&SS years ending September 30,1880,1,575 pris- 



^d^^^^:: 'MS oners were discharged. These were supplied 



Grain 5,454,839 \vith $23,298 in money, and clothing of the 



RAILROAD PROPERTY. value of $9,399, together $32,697. Of $50,000 



Class C. Personal property $749,045 appropriated by the last Legislature for the 



Class D.-Lands 776,609 ordinarv expenses of the prison, only $22,830 



Class D.-Lots 1,943,799 were used during the two years. The large 



LANDS. proportion of prisoners who are sentenced for 



*<>rt terms necessitates the conclusion oness 



favorable contracts than could be made if the 



TOWN AND CITY LOTS. men rema i n ed longer at the service of the con- 



tract ? rs - Du . rin ? the two yean 4sr of the 



convicts received were sentenced for terms of 

 The assessments of the different classes of one year or less, and 336 for from one to two 

 property, as equalized by the State Board, were years. The new prison at Chester is being 

 as follows: completed as fast as appropriations are avail- 

 Personal property $163.667,534 able. The location has proved a healthy one, 



' 18280S928 and is well adapted for the employment of the 



prison labor. Work has been commenced upon 



Total.... * 73 HIH!oA a hospital for insane convicts in connection 



ad property 2 ' 764 ' 030 with the Southern Prison, for which funds were 



Total $739.835,119 appropriated by the last General Assembly. 



An agency for looking after and assisting dis- 

 charged convicts is recommended by the Prison 



Grand total $786,616,394 Commissioners, who also advise the abolition of 



There is an increase of about $2,000,000 over life-sentences, 



the aggregate assessment of 1879. This comes The amount appropriated for running ex- 



