336 



GEORGIA. 



school-fund of the State had been diverted to 

 other purposes. As a consequence, there were 

 no schools supported in 1872, but in 1873 the 

 new system was put into operation. The 

 following statistics of attendance show the ad- 

 vancement made since 1871 : 



800 able-bodied convicts to be employed in 

 the coal-mines of Dade County, and a perma- 

 nent prison has been established there for 

 their accommodation. Each of the other com- 

 panies agrees to take one-half of the remaining 

 convicts, and a prison for No. 2 lias been es- 



Schooi attendance in 1871, whites 42,914 tablished about five miles west of the city of 



colored 6 > 664 Albany, and one for No. 3 near Skull Shoals in 



Total 49,578 Greene County. Each company gives a bond, 



Attendance in 1873, whites 6-3,922 with sureties, for the control and safe-keeping 



0010116(1 li>;755 of the convicts, and guarantees humane treat- 

 Total 88,67T inent. 



Attendance in 1874, whites 93,167 The earnings of the Macon & Brunswick 



" " colored 42,374 -r, ., , ,. 8 , , , ,. , . 



Kailroad, which belongs to the otate, were, 



Total 186,541 for the year ending November 30th, $31 7,829.- 



Attendance in 1875, whites 10o,<JDO , fi ..},:]., *u ft -rr>onanu WAI-A Q.W7 n^U V 



.. i. colored 50359 ' nii6 me expenses vvcic $oui,Ut)'. <o. 



There was also due, from connecting roads, 



Total.. ....... 156,849 $47,701.32. The State Board of Directors 



Attendance in 1876, whites , 121,418 ' ,' ,,.,,, ,. 



" colored 67,987 had advertised at the close of the year for 



sealed proposals for the purchase or lease of 



IncrJatoraUendancVoVerihaiof i875::::: l Jtfu * he *. Q forth & South Railroad was 



in the hands of a receiver, and operated on 



The following statement shows the amount behalf of the g tate- The expenses exceeded 



of money raised for the support of schools: the earn i ngg by a f ew hundred dollars. The 



Amount raised under act of 1872 for pay- Memphis Branch Railroad was seized on be- 



ment of school-debts of 1871 $174,000 ,, ,, . 



Amount apportioned for support of schools half ot the btate in May, on account ot its 



in 1878 250,000 failure to pay interest on bonds indorsed by 



Aa toSff^^.^^^?.^?. 265,ooo the State. It was placed in the hands of Rob- 

 Amount apportioned and paid for support ert T. Fouche\ as agent of the State, 

 of schools in 1875. . ........ - 291,319 The work of making a geological survey of 



Amount apportioned and paid for support ,, . . fe ^ , T , . J 



of schools in 1876 " ... 291,319 the State is progressing favorably. It is re- 

 ported as one of its results that foreign capital 



ltal *i,27i,638 hag been attracte( j to the g tate ant j employed 



Besides this, there is evidence of increasing to advantage in the abandoned mines of the 

 zeal in the local authorities for the support of " gold-region." Immense beds of marl and 

 popular education. The State University, at valuable deposits of fertilizers have been dis- 

 Atlanta, and the North Georgia Agricultural covered. A geological map is in preparation, 

 College, at Dahlonega, are in a flourishing con- showing the various formations, and the dis- 

 dition. There is an Academy for the Blind at tribution of minerals and soils. It is believed 

 Macon, which had 57 pupils during the year, that the information furnished by the survey 

 The Lunatic Asylum, at Milledgeville, con- will have an important effect in attracting 

 tained 605 patients at the close of the year, capital and settlers to the State, 

 and the cost of maintenance for the year was The regular annual session of the Legislature 

 $88,816.65. Appliances for furnishing the in- began on the 12th of January, and came to a 

 stitution with pure water have been put in, at close on the 24th of February. There was 

 an expense of $20,000. A fire in the asylum, very little legislation of importance. The sub- 

 on the 15th of December, destroyed the work- ject which occupied by far the largest share 

 shops, and caused a loss of $9,000. Additional of attention was that of holding a -convention 

 buildings, equal to the accommodation of 125 to revise and amend the constitution of the 

 patients, are in contemplation. State. Several bills were introduced and re- 



The number of convicts in the penitentiary ferred to a special committee, and an act was 

 at Milledgeville, at the close of the year, was reported and discussed providing for an elec- 

 1,108, of whom 114 were white and 994 col- tion in April, at which the people should vote 

 ored. The convicts were distributed among at once on the question of having a conven- 

 seven lessees, and were kept employed in min- tion, and for the delegates. By amendment, 

 ing and agriculture and on public works. Under the time was postponed to 1877, and, finally, 

 the provisions of the act of February 25th, a the measure was defeated altogether. During" 

 contract has been entered into with three com- the debate on the question of having a con- 

 panies, designated as Penitentiary Companies vention, some remarks were made which called 

 No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, to take effect on the forth sharp criticisms in the North. In re- 

 expiration of existing leases. These contracts sponse to these, the following resolutions werq 

 are for twenty years from April 1, 1879, and adopted : 



the three companies agree to take all the State ,. , 



prmvinta rlnrino- Hmtnftriftd mid nnv to thp Whereas, It has been charged, on the floor of tho 



i - P 7 11 United States Senate > and b y a Potion of the public 



State $500,000 in twenty annual installments press of the Northern States, that it is the design of 



of $25,000. Company No. 1 contracts to take the Legislature of Georgia to abrogate or abridge 



