320 



GEORGIA. 



yellow pine ; and the West would be able to obtain 

 the best lumber in unlimited quantitie*, and at low 

 prices. 



6. It open* all the Southern States east of the Mis- 

 sissippi Kivcr. aa a market for it* grain, bacon. Lay, 

 and other products, the demand for which will con- 

 stantly increase. In this the West would be abso- 

 lutcly 'without a competitor. 



6. It will furnish cheap transportation for raw cot- 

 ton to the other sections, and lor the manufactured 

 article in return. Such advantage* would certain- 

 ly develop the manufacture of cotton to a vast 

 in the Western, Northwestern, and Eastern 

 States. 



In view of these considerations, we most respect- 

 fully and earnestly unto the Government of the 

 1 States to extend ouch aid to these works as 

 will insure their speedy construction 



A resolution was also passed requesting 

 Congress to have surveys made for a canal 

 from the mouth of South Chickamuuga (.'reck, 

 in the Tennessee River, to Kome, Gu., on the 

 Coosa River. 



The Atlanta & Richmond Air-Lino Rail- 

 road, from Atlanta, Ga., to Charlotte. N. ('., 

 was completed in ilay. The gross earnings 

 of the (Yntral Railroad and Hanking Com- 

 pany, with branches, wore $3,489,398.08; net 

 earning*, $777,296.48. The assets at the close 

 of the year amounted to $4,104,990.49; direct 

 liabilities, $8,686,600; liabilities as iud- 

 $1,492,500. The number of bales of cotton 

 carried in 1871-'72 was 392,804; in 1872-'73, 

 489,826. 



Two important decisions affecting Georgia 

 were rendered in the Supreme Court of the 

 United States during the year; one declaring 

 the retrospective features of the homestead 

 nd the other the relief or stay law, uncon- 

 stitutional. 



In the State courts, the most noteworthy 

 decision was rendered by Judge Head, of the, 

 Supreme Court, maintaining that the marriage 

 of slaves was valid at common law, and that 

 tin ir offspring must be regarded as legitimate, 

 uhcther bora in -lavi-ry <>r since emancipation. 



The finances of the State appear to be as- 

 suming a sounder status. The receipts into the 

 iry from all sources, for the year ending 

 Iieccmher 81, 1878, including the proceeds of 

 the sale of bonds, and the balance n band Jan- 

 uary 1, lK7:t, amounted to $3.1 ; dis- 

 bursements, including the amount for principal 

 and interest paid upon the public debt, $2,260,- 

 232.49. The amount of public debt, principal 

 and interest, paid, wns $1,:W. r >.7fi7.78. The 

 bunded debt out -t anding at the close of the 

 year aggregated $8,342.600, of which $-237,000 

 are payable in 1H74. The annual interest on 

 thi- debt is $586,480. The eight per cent. 

 bonds to the amount of $1.200,000, provided 

 by the act referred to above, were all p 

 at par at an expense of less than one per < 

 the greater portion being disposed of In the 

 x . 



The taxable property in 187.1 amounted to 

 $242.487,882 ; in 1874 it is estimated at $250,- 

 000,000. A tax of four and n half tenths of 

 one per cent., producing $1,125,000, it is be- 



lieved, will be sufficient, with the income from 

 other sources, to meet all just demands upon 

 the Treasury. Of the special tax of one-tenth 

 of one percent., levied under the act to pro- 

 vide for the payment of claims due to leaders 

 of 1871, there had been collected, prior to 1'e- 

 cember 1st, the sum of $176,287.01, of which 

 $174,000 were apportioned among the ditlen nt 

 counties; $250,000 were distributed to the 

 counties by the State for the current expenses 

 of schools during the year. At the close of 

 the year the State School Commissioner had 

 received reports of school operations in 113 

 counties, in most of which three months' 

 schools had been maintained. 



The State University is in a flourishing con- 

 dition. At the close of the session, on August 

 6th, thirty-three digreis were conferred ; the 

 number of students matriculated during the 

 year was 818, viz. : classical course, 63 ; scien- 

 tific course, 26; eclectic course, 19; Sopho- 

 more class, 51 ; law school, 16; State college, 

 158. Of the whole number, 219 belonged in 

 Georgia. The State College of Agriculture 

 and the Mechanic Arts has three departments 

 agriculture, engineering, and applied clu mis- 

 try. Toward the close of 1872 the North Geor- 

 gia Agricultural College, located at Dahlonega, 

 became a branch of the State College, and a 

 department of the university. It was formal- 

 ly opened in January, 1878, and during its first 

 session had 177 students. The income of the 

 university during the year was $84,798.92; 

 disbursements, $82,902.26. The expenditures 

 on account of the State College, not including 

 repairs, were $12,966.09. The number of pupils 

 admitted to the Dtaf and Dumb Asylum was 

 C7, and six completed their term of instruction 

 during the year. The ordinary expenses were 

 $18,500. The expenditures for the Acaduny 

 for the Blind were $14,200. The number of 

 i ts in the Lunatic Asylum was 676; con- 

 \iets in the penitentiary, 6C4, of whom P8 

 were white, and 571 colored; one white mid 

 19 colored were females. The buildings at 

 Millcdpeville have been unoccupied for several 

 years, the convicts being leased and employ id 

 on public works in various parts of the ! 

 This lense expires on April 1, 1874, and. if the 

 Legislature should decide not to renew it. the 

 buildings would have to be enlarged and re- 

 paired. 



The State indorsement was given to bonds 

 of the North A- South Georgia Kailroad Com- 

 pany to the amount of $24<MK't. being $12,000 

 per mile on twenty miles of completed road. 

 The Macon & Brunswick Rnilrond, having 

 failed to pay the interest on its bonds- indorsed 

 by the State, was in July, in pursuance of the 

 act authorizing the indorsement, by an Kxecu- 

 rder. turned over to n receiver, who has 

 since managed it in the interest of the State. 

 The Governor, in his annual message nt the 

 beginning of the new year, recommends the 

 establishment of n department of agriculture, 

 to have the supervision of the mineral inter- 



