WISCONSIN. 



863 



of the State, which is in certificates to the trust 

 funds of the educational interests, amounts to 

 $2,251,000. 



Education. The school population in 1898 

 was 708,535; the enrollment in public schools, 

 430,827; of these, 306,000 were in schools under 

 county superintendents, which cost $3,171,000, and 

 were taught by 9,800 of the 13,465 public-school 

 teachefs in the State. There were 72 county 

 superintendents. The number of high schools has 

 increased to 220, and the Legislature increased 

 the appropriation for them from $50,000 to 

 $100,000. 



A committee appointed by the Teachers' Asso- 

 ciation to investigate and report on the advisa- 

 bility of shortening the time for the grade school 

 work now requiring eight years, reported against 

 any change in the length of the course, though 

 in favor of other changes more study of lan- 

 guage as one. The school fund distribution in 

 December was on a basis of $1.102 to each person 

 of school age. 



The enrollment at the university in 1898 was 

 1,767, the number of instructors 125. The re- 

 ceipts were $447,434.66; the expenses, $449,330.16. 

 A summer session of six weeks was decided upon 

 for the present year a new departure. The short 

 course in agriculture in winter was attended by 

 249 students. 



The enrollment in the 7 normal schools was 

 2,797, and the expenses for two years were $662,- 

 304.13. 



There are 16 day schools for the deaf, 4 in Mil- 

 waukee. The State aid is limited to $150 per 

 capita for nine months' instruction. A bill to 

 furnish them with a superintendent was defeated. 

 They have an enrollment of 160 pupils. The State 

 school is at Delavan, and has nearly 200 pupils 

 enrolled. The School for the Blind, at Janesville, 

 has more than 100 pupils, with an average of 83, 

 and costs about $36,000. 



State Institutions. The secretary of the 

 Board of Control gives a table showing the cost 

 for the year of subsistence at the State institu- 

 tions, excepting the Reformatory, reports for 

 which were not in. The average was $63.62 for 

 each of the 2,617 inmates; but as this includes 

 also the subsistence of the 597 officers and em- 

 ploj^ees of the same institutions, the actual aver- 

 age for the inmates themselves is a little more 

 than 20 per cent. less. The total amount is 

 $166,505.11. There are altogether 597 officers, 

 employees, and teachers in these institutions. 



The cost of care of the chronic insane in 

 county asylums for the year ending Sept. 30 was 

 $354,479.29. 



The new reformatory at Green Bay for first 

 offenders from sixteen to thirty had in February 

 30 inmates, with 25 more to be admitted. When 

 the buildings are complete there will be accommo- 

 dations for 600. The site comprises 200 acres 3 

 miles from the city. 



Railroads. There are 46 lines of road report- 

 ing to the commissioner, in 42 systems. The value 

 of railroad property is about $300,000,000. The 

 taxes paid this year amounted to about $100,000 

 more than in 1898. 



The Kickapoo Valley road was sold in October, 

 under a mortgage foreclosure, for $500,000. The 

 mortgage was for $600,000. The line was in opera- 

 tion from Wauzeka to La Farge, about 54 miles, 

 and is completed to Readstown, a total of 84 

 miles. 



Banks. The report of the condition of the 

 banks on Sept. 7 shows resources and liabilities of 

 $03.302,388.98. Compared with their condition 

 April 5, the changes are as follow: Increase in 



resources and liabilities, $2,773,634.78; increase in 

 loans and discounts, $2,401,182.32; increase in 

 bonds, stocks, and securities, $649,066.44; increase 

 in surplus and profits, $79,807.74; increase in de- 

 posits, $2,803,239.75; decrease in capital, $153- 

 430.80; decrease in available cash, $2<iH,2H(i.(i7. 



Insurance. The receipts of the insurance de- 

 partment for 1899 show an increase over the pre- 

 vious year of $149,673.76. The total receipts for 

 the past year were $388,448.19. These came from 

 the following sources: Taxes, $312,078.79; license 

 fees, $28,600; agents' certificates, $28,091; filing 

 annual statements, $8,140; interest, $9,713.40; 

 copies of statement, $933.05; filing charters, $700; 

 certificates and seals, $149.95; service of summons 

 $42. Of the $28,600 collected for license fees in 

 1899, $19,200 was for back taxes. There are now 

 325 licensed insurance companies doing business 

 in the State, an increase of 18 in the year. 



Political. At the election, April 4, two jus- 

 tices of the Supreme Court were chosen. John B, 

 Cassoday was elected for the full term, to succeed 

 himself, and Joshua Eric Dodge to fill the unex- 

 pired term which he was appointed to fill tempo- 

 rarily upon the resignation of Judge Pinney. 



New Richmond. This little city, in, St. Croix 

 County, in the extreme western part of the State, 

 was almost totally destroyed by a cyclone, June 

 12. The loss of life was very great; estimates 

 placed it at 150 to 200; and one fourth to one 

 half the population of about 2,000 were said to 

 be injured. Aid was sent from other parts of the 

 State and from neighboring States, notably from 

 Minnesota, and the rebuilding of the town was 

 begun within a week. The same storm caused 

 damage in Barren, Clear Lake, and other places. 



Legislative Session. The session of the Leg- 

 islature began Jan. 11 and ended May 4. L. W. 

 Thayer was President pro tempore of the Senate 

 and George H. Ray was Speaker of the House. 



The term of John L. Mitchell as United States- 

 Senator ended this year, and the Legislature bal- 

 loted several days for a successor, the Republican 

 candidates being Joseph V. Quarles, Joseph W. 

 Babcock, Isaac Stephenson, Samuel A. Cook, and 

 Charles M. Webb. T. E. Ryan was the candidate 

 of the Democratic members. On Jan. 30 Mr. 

 Quarles was nominated in the Republican caucus, 

 and he was elected in joint convention, Jan. 31, 

 by a vote of 110 to 18 for Mr. Ryan. 



"Many important measures became law. Among 

 them was the so-called antilobby bill, designed 

 to prevent secret lobby influence. It requires 

 agents of those interested in legislation to register 

 in dockets kept by the Secretary of State for that 

 purpose. They must enter opposite their names 

 the number and title of every measure concerning 

 which they are employed, also the name, occupa- 

 tion, and address of the employer; and they must 

 file written authority from him. Thirty days 

 after adjournment the employer must file a sworn 

 statement of all moneys expended. Severe pen- 

 alties are prescribed for a violation of any of these 

 provisions, and lobbyists may be shut out from 

 legislative privileges. Another measure, designed 

 to protect weak legislators and officials, was the 

 antipass bill. This forbids the giving or offering 

 of any free pass or frank, or any privilege with- 

 held from any person, for the traveling accommo- 

 dation or transportation of any person or prop- 

 erty, or the transmission of any message of com- 

 munication, to any " political committee, or any 

 member or employee thereof, to any candidate 

 for or incumbent of any office or position under 

 the Constitution or laws, or under any ordinance 

 of any town or municipality, of this State, or to 

 any person at the request or for the advantage of 



