FLORIDA. 



333 



eastern coast, is prosecuting its work. The 

 entire force has been concentrated on the work 

 required to connect Matansas and Halifax riv- 

 ers. There has been constructed, of canal six 

 feet deep and thirty feet wide, and improve- 

 ments of rivers, lagoons, and creeks to the 

 same depth, about 40 miles, leaving still a gap 

 of 14 miles, including Smith's creek, the ridge 

 between Matansas and Halifax rivers, about 

 three quarters of a mile, and a small portion 

 of prairie. It is estimated that this work will 

 be completed by the autumn of 1885, and 

 steamers will then transport passengers and 

 freight to and from St. Augustine, and the 

 towns and settlements on Halifax and Hillsbor- 

 ough rivers. By spring or early summer, work 

 will begin on the " Haulover," thus connecting 

 Indian river, and insuring a transportation line 

 between St. Augustine and Lake Worth, or 

 Jupiter Inlet, 220 miles. 



Asylum for the Insane. During the past two 

 years large alterations and additions have been 

 made to some of the buildings of this institu- 

 tion. In January, 1881, there were 95 in- 

 mates; in January, 1883, 130; and at present 

 157. In addition, 50 are supported by the 

 State at their homes, making a total of 207. 



Convicts. With regard to these, the Govern- 

 or gives the following information : 



They have been well fed and cared for, and have 

 had proper medical attention and the services of a 

 chaplain. The Adjutant-General, under the direc- 

 tion of the Commissioners of State Institutions, ad- 

 vertised for bids for the hire of the convicts for the 

 next two years. No bids were received, and we were 

 threatened with having them to support and guard, in 

 addition to the expense of conveying those hereafter 

 convicted, from the county jails to some point where 

 we would be compelled to locate a camp. We have no 

 penitentiary, and would have had to go to the expense 

 of erecting suitable buildings, grounds, etc., for their 

 safety. The expense of buildings, their support and 

 guard, and transportation from the various county 

 jails, would have been an enormous expense. Under 

 these circumstances, it was deemed to the best inter- 

 est of the State to accept Mr. H. M. Wood's offer ot 

 taking said convicts now on hand, and all others to 

 be convicted, at the several jails, and allow him $8,- 

 500 for the year, he to bear all expenses. This con- 

 tract is for one year only, and gives time to the State 

 officials to ascertain what better disposition can be 

 made of them. 



Number of convicts Jan. 1, 1881 162 



Delivered to contractor during 1SS4 129 



Of this number there were in 1834 : 



Discharged 85 



Died 5 



Pardoned 3 



Escapes 5 



Number on hand Jan. 1, 1835 193 



Total 



291 



Lands. The following are the lands belong- 

 ing to the State, Jan. 1, 1885, approximately : 

 Swamp-lands, 5,367,206 acres; internal im- 

 provement lands, 167,330; school lands, 509,- 

 600; seminary lands, 32,140. Other lands are 

 due the State under the act of Sept. 28, 1850. 



Political. The Democratic State Convention 

 met in Pensacola on June 25, chose delegates 

 to the National Convention, and nominated 

 candidates for Governor, Lieutenant-Govern- 



or, and presidential electors. Among the reso- 

 lutions passed were the following: 



That we advocate a liberal policy on the part of the 

 General Government in the matter of public improve- 

 ments, and hold that the South has a right to demand 

 this until her water-ways and harbors are adjusted to 

 the needs of commerce to the same extent as other 

 sections of the country. 



That we favor the calling of a Constitutional Con- 

 vention for the reformation of our present Constitu- 

 tion. 



That it is the duty of the State to educate its chil- 

 dren, and that we favor a liberal provision for the 

 maintenance and development of our system of free 

 public schools. 



That the recent remarkable growth of our popula- 

 tion is one of the most noteworthy indications of the 

 prosperity of the State, and that we invite worthy and 

 industrious persons from all quarters to come and set- 

 tle among us, with the confident assurance of a friend- 

 ly welcome and an equal opportunity. 



For Governor, Edward A. Perry was nomi- 

 nated, and for Lieutenant-Governor, Milton H. 

 Mabry. The nominee for Governor is a native 

 of Massachusetts, who settled in Pensacola 

 when a young man, where he practiced law 

 before and after the war. During the war he 

 rose to the rank of brigadier-general in the 

 Confederate service. The Democratic candi- 

 dates for Congress were Robert H. M. David- 

 son in the first district, and Charles Dougherty 

 in the second. 



A Republican State Convention met in St. 

 Augustine on April 30, and chose delegates to 

 the National Convention. The following reso- 

 lution was among those adopted : 



That we heartily sympathize with all classes of citi- 

 zens in this State who are opposed to the present 

 Bourbon administration, and trust that by mutual co- 

 operation its speedy overthrow may be accomplished. 



Another Republican State Convention was 

 held in Tallahassee on July 24, which ratified 

 the nominations for State officers of the " In- 

 dependent " conference previously held at Live 

 Oak. The nominee for Governor was F. W. 

 Poke. The St. Augustine convention had been 

 preceded by an "Independent Republican" 

 conference at Gainesville. On Nov. 4, the Re- 

 publican candidates for presidential electors 

 received 28,031 votes; Democratic, 31,766; 

 scattering, 164. For Governor, the Demo- 

 cratic vote (Brevard and Dade counties want- 

 ing), was 31,830; Independent, 27,744. Two 

 Democratic Congressmen were chosen. The 

 Legislature, to meet in 1885, consists of 7 Re- 

 publicans, 17 Democrats, and 8 Independents 

 in the Senate, and 25 Republicans, 48 Demo- 

 crats, and 3 Independents in the House. A 

 majority of the voters pronounced in favor of 

 a constitutional convention, which will be pro- 

 vided for by the Legislature of 1885. 



Temperance. On the call of the Orange 

 County Local Option Alliance, a convention 

 of all interested in temperance reform and 

 maintaining the principle of the local-option 

 law was convened on July 4, in the Court- 

 House at Palatka. About fifty delegates were 

 present from the leading temperance organiza- 

 tions, representing nearly 1,000 members. The 



