724 



WISCONSIN. 



these, the Legislature has been urged to provide 

 for the erection, at an early day, of another 

 hospital. Great benefits have resulted to the 

 State from the present institution ; since it was 

 opened July 14, 1860, 1,155 patients have been 

 admitted and cared for, of whom 482 were 

 born in the United States ; 575 were of foreign 

 birth, and the nationality of the remainder is 

 unknown. The assigned causes of the insanity 

 of those treated during this period are shown 

 in the following table : 



The report on the condition of the State 

 Prison, atWaupun, represents the "most perfect 

 system and order existing in every department" 

 of that institution. The current expenses of 

 the prison for the past year were $43,722.68. 

 Deducting from this amount the earnings of 

 the 190 convicts, the total expense of the insti- 

 tution to the State was $22,093.64. 



Owing to the great diversity of the manage- 

 ment of the different State institutions, it has 

 been recommended that some system be adopted 

 which shall place all of therm under the man- 

 agement of one board, consisting of five per- 

 sons, assisted by a local board for each institu- 

 tion, .to consist of three persons resident in 

 its vicinity. The State charities are now sub- 

 ject to the management of 42 persons, besides 

 the superintendents of the different institutions. 



The following comparative statement will 

 show the annual current expenses and cost of 



subsistence, fuel, and lights, per inmate, in the 

 several benevolent and penal establishments of 

 the State : 



STATE PRISON. 



Current expense, per inmate $229 32 



Subsistence, " 65 52 



Fuel and lights, " 21 00 



REFORM SCHOOL. 



Current expense, per inmate. $149 76 



Subsistence, " 48 76 



Fuel and lights, " 6 07 



BLIND INSTITUTE. 



Current expense, per inmate $343 72 



Subsistence, * 84 86 



Fuel and lights, " . 2662 



DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTE. 



Current expense, per inmate $356 20 



Subsistence, " 68 64 



Fuel and lights, " 33 83 



ORPHANS' HOME. 



Current expense, per inmate $158 16 



Subsistence, " 4688 



Fuel and lights, " 1859 



HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE. 



Current expense, per inmate $230 06 



Subsistence, " 6830 



Fuel and lights, " 35 09 



The National Military Asylum, for disabled 

 volunteer soldiers, was formally dedicated in 

 the early part of October, 1869, and is now 

 in successful operation. This is one of three 

 national institutions intended as a home for 

 soldiers disabled in the late war. The other 

 two are situated, one at Augusta, Maine, and 

 the other at Dayton, in the State of Ohio. 

 The site of the present institution was selected 

 near Milwaukee, and comprises 425 acres. 

 Temporary buildings were provided in the year 

 1864, and in the spring of 1868 the erection of 

 a commodious permanent edifice, with con- 

 venient accommodations for 500 persons, was 

 begun, which, with the exception of the wings, 

 is now completed. The whole amount ex- 

 pended on the asylum to September 1, 1869, 

 including the cost of the land, was $291,881.97, 

 a portion of which was contributed by citizens 

 of Wisconsin, and the balance appropriated by 

 Congress. 



The finances of the State are represented to 

 be in a sound condition. The receipts of the 

 General Fund for the fiscal year ending Sep- 

 tember 30, 1869, were $874,995.70, which, with 

 the balance of $44,946.38 in the Treasury at 

 the beginning of the year, amounted to $919;- 

 942.08. The amount of the disbursements for 

 the same period was $919,372.33; leaving a 

 balance of $569.75 in the General Fund Sep- 

 tember 30, 1869. Of the above disbursements, 

 $314,405.86 were for the ordinary current ex- * 

 penditures of the State. 



The State debt is considered small, being 

 about $200^7* capita for each inhabitant of the 

 State ; and, excepting a small proportion, is in 

 the form of certificates of indebtedness to the 

 Trust Fund of the State. During the past 

 year there was no decrease in this debt, but 

 merely a change in the form of investment, 

 which is now classified as follows : 



