456 



MARYLAND. 



to aid in the construction of the Baltimore and 

 Ohio Railroad, and of the Chesapeake and Ohio 

 Canal. The interest that the State holds in 

 these enterprises represents this debt and fur- 

 nishes ample security to the creditors, without 

 imposing any tax to provide u sinking fund for 

 its ultimate payment. 



The sinking fund at the end of the fiscal year 

 amounted to $2,144,215. During the year there 

 was received from investments made on account 

 of the various sinking funds the sum of $95,- 

 298, and there was transferred from the treas- 

 ury proper for the purchase of stock on account 

 of the sinking fund for the redemption of the 

 treasury relief loan the sum of $25,200. and for 

 the redemption of the defense redemption loan 

 the sum of $276,626, 



The assessed value of property iu the State 

 on September 30 was $485,839,772, an increase 

 of $9.010,161 over 1886. But the assessment 

 in Baltimore city is now over $2,000,000 leas 

 than in 1877, and the assessment in the whole 

 State shows only an increase in the past ten 

 years of a fraction over $7.000,000. The 

 amount of tax levied for State purposes for the 

 year was $910,949.50, the rate being 18| cents 

 on each $100, Of this rate 10 cents is levied 

 for public-school purposes, producing a revenue 

 of $485,839. 



The aggregate assessment of the banks and 

 other corporations upon their shares of stock 

 and assets amounted to $72,706,788. This 

 shows an increase over the corresponding as- 

 sessments in 1885 of $7,678,786. The amount 

 of assessment of the real property of these cor- 

 porations for the year was $24,348,255. The 

 total tax assessed upon all corporations was 

 $123,244. 



The receipts trom the warehouses for tobacco 

 inspection amounted to $84,186, and the dis- 

 bursements to $76,134, leaving as the net earn- 

 ings for the year $8,051. The salaries of the 

 inspectors are paid out of the State treasury, 

 and amount to $9,000, Receipts from licenses 

 to trade in 1887 were $122,881, against $127,- 

 9U5 in 1885. 



Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. The claim of the 

 State against this canal, on Sept. 30, 1887, 

 amounted to $25,574,713. Of this sum $7,- 

 000,000 is principal, and the balance, $18,574,- 

 713, is for interest. Of the general status of the 

 canal the Governor says in his message : 

 " Though intended to connect with the Ohio 

 river, it was never extended beyond Cumber- 

 land, and will most probably always remain 

 an unfinished work. It has, however, been, 

 and is now, a most useful water-way for coal 

 seeking shipment from Cumberland, and for 

 the products of the industry of the people of 

 the State living near or along its route. It 

 would seem to be wise to maintain it as a 

 water-way. The canal has had many diffi- 

 culties to contend with. The repairs, made 

 necessary by repeated freshets, have more than 

 once required expenditures greater than its 

 means or credit could supply." The report 



of the operations of the canal for the year 

 shows that it has been unable to meet its regu- 

 lar running expenses, exclusive of interest on 

 bonds or stock. The gross receipts were 

 $129,206, of which all but $13,485 was derived 

 trom the transportation of coal ; the expendi- 

 tures for the same time were $137,007. 



The State also owns mortgage bonds of the 

 Susquehanna and Tidewater canals, to the 

 amount of $1,000,000, which have been over- 

 due since January, 1884, and on which interest 

 has been in arrears since July, 1879. 



Oysters. The receipts on account of the fund 

 devoted to the enforcement of the oyster laws 

 of 1886 amounted to $54,961 during the year, 

 while the disbursements for the same period 

 were $67,221. This is $6,067 less than the 

 expenses of 1 886. Three steamers and eleven 

 vessels, with 101 men. were engaged in the en- 

 forcement of the law during the year. The 

 State force has been resisted and tired upon, 

 and once or twice driven away. 



Penitentiary. The number of convicts in the 

 State Penitentiary at the close of the year \\ as 

 592, of whom 200 were white men and 359 col- 

 ored, and 3 were white women and 30 colored. 

 At the close of 1886 the number was 546. The 

 expenses during the year were $67,343, the 

 receipts, $68,004. A small building of twelve 

 rooms for the treatment of insane convicts has 

 been completed. The State is in need of an 

 entirely new structure for its prisoners, or a 

 complete renovation of the old one, which is 

 small, badly ventilated, and ill-suited to mod- 

 ern requirements. Those convicts who are 

 able to work are employed under contract 

 with private individuals, 438 being so engaged 

 at the close of the year. 



At the State House of Correction 620 prison- 

 ers were received during the year, the daily 

 average being 190. The last Legislature in- 

 creased the appropriations for this institution 

 from $25,000 to $30,000. Old debts having 

 been paid, good management demonstrates 

 that this institution can be maintained with an 

 appropriation of $25,000, and such profits as 

 are derived from the State farm. 



Militia. Since the act of 1886, making larger 

 appropriations for the support of the militia, 

 providing for biennial encampments, and re- 

 quiring an enlistment of the men for three 

 years, a marked change in the appearance, 

 bearing, and discipline of the force has fol- 

 lowed. There are now in the service 147 com- 

 missioned officers and 1,913 enlisted men. 



Elections. On this subject the Governor says 

 in his message : " Our election laws are made 

 up of statutes passed at different periods since 

 1804. In that long interval of time the popu- 

 lation of the State has greatly increased. The 

 simple rules that formerly sufficed for the con- 

 duct of elections are now insufficient. Our 

 election laws ought to be completely revised 

 and made adequate in every particular to every 

 requirement of good government. I suggest 

 that sufficient and even liberal compensation 



