610 



NORTH CAROLINA. 



ary 23, 1856, is 1,173, of whom 302 have been 

 discharged cured, 114 improved, 180 unim- 

 proved, and 313 have died. 



An act was also passed at the preceding ses- 

 sion " to provide another asylum for the insane 

 of North Carolina," its building to be located 

 within three miles of Morganton, and to be 

 called "Tlie Western Insane Asylum." The 

 act appointed five commissioners to purchase 

 in behalf of the State a suitable tract of land 

 for that purpose, and to superintend the erec- 

 tion of the building. To meet the necessary 

 expenses, the act appropriated the sum of 

 $50,000 for 1875, and of $25,000 for 1876, be- 

 sides empowering the commissioners to employ 

 in the construction of this asylum as many 

 convicts as the authorities of the State-prison 

 could furnish for it. The whole amount ap- 

 propriated has been drawn from the public 

 Treasury, and a number of convicts put at 

 work in the asylum building, which is now 

 in the course of erection. 



An act was also passed by the last General 

 Assembly "to provide for the colored insane 

 of North Carolina," appropriating the annual 

 sum of $10,000, to be paid to the directors of 

 the Marine Hospital at Wilmington, for the 

 support and treatment of the colored insane, 

 as a branch of that hospital. The provisions 

 of this act have remained without effect, as the 

 commission appointed to carry them out has 

 been unsuccessful in coming to an agreement 

 with the directors of the Marine Hospital, who 

 showed themselves unwilling to connect the 

 treatment of colored insane with the institution 

 under their charge. 



As the colored race constitutes a large pro- 

 portion of the population of North Carolina, 

 the establishment of an asylum for colored in- 

 sane under the same rules, regulations, and 

 treatment, as are used in the State for white 

 patients, is earnestly recommended by the Gov- 

 ernor. 



In the Institution for the Deaf and Dumb 

 and the Blind, the whole number of pupils en- 

 rolled within the last two years has been 221, 

 namely : deaf-mutes 128, of whom 63 were 

 males, and 65 females; blind 93 males 51, fe- 

 males 42. 



The inmates of this institution are well cared 

 for and most kindly treated. Its financial con- 

 dition seems to be very satisfactory. Its in- 

 come during the two years ending October 31, 

 1876, amounted to $101,355.41, made up by 

 $90,000 from the regular yearly appropriation 

 of $45,000 ; $3,000 special appropriation ; $80 

 interest ; $2,020.25 from the shoe-shop con- 

 nected with the institution; $718.15 from mis- 

 cellaneous sources ; and $5,997.01 surplus in 

 the treasurer's hands on November 1, 1874. 

 The whole expenditure for the said two years 

 was $89,931.41 ; leaving in the Treasury a bal- 

 ance, on November 1, 1876, of $15,361.41. 



The number of convicts in the State-prison 

 is quite large. They are usefully employed 

 within and without the inclosure, either on 



public works or farmed out to contractors, on 

 conditions generally advantageous to the State. 

 The directors have furnished certain numbers 

 of convicts to be kept out at work in different 

 places, as follows : 332 to the Western North 

 Carolina Railroad, where they have built three 

 sets of quarters, the probable value of the work 

 already done by them on it being estimated at 

 $100,000 ; 50 to the Insane Asylum at Raleigh, 

 where they have manufactured the bricks used 

 in the construction of the new kitchen and 

 store-room for that institution ; 50 to the new 

 Insane Asylum near Morganton, for making 

 bricks and grading the grounds; 30 to the 

 North Carolina & Georgia Railroad Com- 

 pany, which line will form a part of the west- 

 ern division of the Western North Carolina 

 Railroad leading from Asheville to Murphy in 

 Cherokee County, the residents of this county 

 having agreed to defray the expense of trans- 

 porting, feeding, clothing, and furnishing medi- 

 cal attendance to the convicts for their labor ; 

 30 to the lessees of the New Hanover Work- 

 house for the remainder of their term, upon 

 the same agreement as with the residents of 

 Cherokee County ; 200 to the Spartanburg 

 & Asheville Railroad Company for two years. 

 This company has agreed, besides clothing, 

 feeding, guarding, and furnishing the prisoners 

 with medical attendance, to pay into the treas- 

 ury of the prison a yearly sum of $31.20 

 for each prisoner. These conditions have been 

 punctually fulfilled by the company. 



A considerable number of convicts is kept 

 at work within the penitentiary inclosure, 

 there being connected with it a foundery and 

 machine-shop, a blacksmith-shop to manufact- 

 ure tools for quarrying stones and other pur- 

 poses, and a shoe-shop in which are made all 

 the shoes worn by the convicts retained within 

 the prison and those sent out of it to be kept 

 at work elsewhere in the State. The work in 

 these shops is performed by convicts, and, it is 

 stated, in a very satisfactory manner. 



During the last two years a strong cell-build- 

 ing, containing sixty -four cells, has been erected 

 within the penitentiary inclosure. and was 

 ready for use in November, 1876> The build- 

 ing is of brick, with iron doors and frames. 

 The making of the bricks and the cutting of 

 all the stone-work used in the structure have 

 been done by convicts. They have also made 

 the iron doors aud frames, at less than one-half 

 of the original contract price. 



The management of the State-prison for the 

 two years ending October 31, 1876, has been 

 most satisfactory on the part of its several of- 

 ficers, and the conduct of the convicts in re- 

 gard to discipline apparently commendable. 



Owing to the increase in the number of con- 

 victs, of their guards and overseers, there is 

 shown in the financial account of the prison a 

 deficiency of $21,678.97, to cover which and 

 supply the wants of the prison the directors 

 asked of the Legislature an immediate appro- 

 priation. 



