718 



WISCONSIN. 



These figures represent only the direct taxes 

 levied upon property. The total taxes paid by 

 the people, directly and indirectly, into the 

 State Treasury, were, for the last fiscal year, 

 nearly $600,000 in excess of the amount here 

 stated. Nothing like this proportion obtains 

 in county, town, and other taxes, but the sums 

 collected by way of licenses and fees are by no 

 means inconsiderable. 



The State tax levied in 1880 amounts to 

 $662,058.63, a large increase over the tax of 

 the preceding year, rendered necessary by ex- 

 traordinary appropriations. The estimated ex- 

 penditures for the calendar year 1882 are given 

 as $988,008, and the estimated receipts under 

 existing laws as $704,758. 



The amount expended for the support of 

 common schools during the fiscal year was 

 $2,166,368.43, an increase of nearly $14,000 

 over the preceding year. Of this sum $1,567,- 

 870.32 were paid for teachers' wages. The 

 whole number of children within the State of 

 school age was reported at 483,198, a slight 

 decrease. The attendance at school increased 

 nearly 6,000, and was reported at 299,258. 

 The number of teachers employed was 10,110. 

 By the terms of the compulsory education law, 

 which went into effect September 1, 1879, all 

 children between the ages of seven and fifteen 

 years not excused for good reason are required 

 to attend a public or private school at least 

 twelve weeks in each year. The number of 

 children between these ages was found to be 

 229,076; and 170,402, or nearly three fourths 

 of them, attended the public schools during 

 the year. The whole number of pupils in at- 

 tendance at the four normal schools was 1,880, 

 at an expense averaging $40. 81 per pupil. The 

 number attending Teachers' Institutes was 

 4,965, a gain of 542 over the attendance for the 

 previous year ; and the expense of conducting 

 the institutes averaged less than $1.50 for each 

 person instructed. The number of students 

 enrolled at the State University in the differ- 

 ent departments, October 1, 1880, was 436. 

 The total expenses for fiscal year were $97,- 

 060.04, of which sum $49,502.40 were paid to 

 instructors, and $13,192.46 for completion of 

 Assembly Hall. The number of children re- 

 ceived in the Industrial School for Girls at 

 Milwaukee during the year was 59 ; the num- 

 ber attending at the close of the year 109, of 

 whom 23 were infant boys. The current ex- 

 penses for the year were $8,300. Since the 

 opening of the institution in 1875, 241 children 

 have been received, and 125 have been re- 

 turned and are doing well. The number of 

 boys in attendance at the Industrial School at 



Waukesha averaged 427 for the year. The 

 whole number received since the establish- 

 ment of the school in 1860 has been 1,801. 

 The ordinary expenses for the year were $48,- 

 310. A large proportion of the boys sent to 

 this reformatory are not criminals, and for 

 such the Governor recommends that a sepa- 

 rate institution be founded. 



There were 309 convicts in the Penitentiary 

 on October 1, 1879, and 277 on the same date 

 in 1880, 121 having been received, and 153 re- 

 leased or lost by death during the year. Of 

 those confined durig the year, 11 were on the 

 second conviction and one on the third ; 32 

 were strictly temperate, 55 intemperate, and 

 34 occasional drinkers; 5 were on life sen- 

 tences, 15 for five years, 25 for two years, and 



33 for one year. The receipts of the prison 

 during the year, including $11,090 balance, 

 were $49,688 ; the expenditures, $44,082. The 

 prison, though smaller than those of other 

 States of equal population, is not half full. 

 The earnings of the convicts were $27,873. 



In the Northern Hospital for the Insane 719 

 patients were treated during the year, the 

 daily average being 529 ; and in the State 

 Hospital an average of 550, and 753 altogether. 

 The current expenses of the former AY ere 

 $129,056 ; of the latter, $124,816, and $48,963 

 on account of previous liabilities. The com- 

 mittee appointed to investigate the affairs of 

 the latter institution found much to censure 

 in the methods of conducting the business af- 

 fairs of the hospital, owing in a large measure, 

 they thought, to the system provided by law 

 for the government of State charitable institu- 

 tions. They recommend that a General Board 

 of Control should be created for the govern- 

 ment of all of them instead of several local 

 boards as at present. The Commission of In- 

 quiry found much to commend in the care and 

 treatment of the patients, and only extrava- 

 gance, not corruption, in the financial manage- 

 ment. The Milwaukee County Insane Asylum, 

 just completed, is one of the best-appointed 

 asylums in the country. It has received, since 

 its opening in March, 245 patients, the daily 

 average having been 185. The average cost 

 per capita was $2.90 per week, a lower rate 

 than, it is thought, can be maintained. There 

 is accommodation for 300 inmates. In the 

 Deaf and Dumb Institution there were 156 

 pupils at the end of the year. The buildings, 

 which were destroyed by fire in 1879, have 

 been reerected. In the Institution for the 

 Education of the Blind there were 77 pupils 

 at the end of the year. 



The effect of the inspection of illuminating 

 oils has been that the number of accidents has 

 greatly decreased. Of the oil inspected nine 

 per cent, was found below the standard. The 

 Commissioner of Insurance reports $150,731,- 



034 fire risks written during the year, $1,589,- 

 472 paid in premiums, and $1,087,193 losses 

 paid. The mileage of the railroads in the State 

 at the close of the calendar year aggregated 



