MISSISSIPPI. 



MISSOURI. 



545 



The entire cost of the present establishment, 

 including the $15,000 originally appropriated 

 and expended in 1880-'81, is $46,119.80. 



The building was completed in September, 

 1882, and possession taken in October follow- 

 ing. Since that date everything has been work- 

 ing to the satisfaction of the Trustees. 



Under the management of Mr. J. R. Dobyns, 

 who continues in charge, the Institution for the 

 Deaf and Dumb has attained unusual and ex- 

 traordinary success. The pupils have made 

 rapid advances, and can communicate their 

 thoughts with readiness and facility by signs 

 and in writing. Articulation instruction has 

 been introduced within the last two years 

 with gratifying success. There were in at- 

 tendance, in 1882, 57 whites and 15 colored ; 

 in 1883, 66 whites and 15 colored. The last 

 Legislature appropriated $3,000 for the erection 

 of buildings on the lands adjacent to the city 

 of Jackson, in the possession of the Board of 

 Trustees, suitable for the accommodation, care, 

 and instruction of the colored deaf-mutes. A 

 site was secured and necessary buildings erect- 

 ed, within the appropriation, for that purpose. 



On the first day of January, 1884, there 

 were in charge of the lessees of the Peniten- 

 tiary 771 convicts, of whom 696 are colored, 

 74 are white, and 1 Indian. During the last 

 two years, beginning Jan. 1, 1882, and end- 

 ing Dec. 1, 1833, 218 have died, 118 have 

 escaped, and 25 have been recaptured. Dur- 

 ing the two years preceding those last named, 

 out of a total of 876 convicts, 122 died, 136 

 escaped, and 25 were recaptured. The num- 

 ber received in 1882 was 408 ; in 1883, 293. 

 The number of convicts by crimes against per- 

 son is 548 ; against property, 223. The num- 

 ber discharged in 1882 was 219; in 1883, 144. 



Progress of the State. In regard to the recent 

 progress of the State, the Governor reports : 



In the last two years alone 461,783 acres have been 

 purchased througn the Auditor's office from the State. 

 There is a growing confidence in the future, as shown 

 by the purchase ot these lands and of 435,110 acres of 

 lands held by the Federal Government in the last two 

 years, together with the unprecedented homestead en- 

 tries, amounting to 286,283 acres. The reduction in 

 the debt and. the rate of taxation and yearly expendi- 

 tures has been accomplished without detriment to the 

 public service or neglect of the different charitable and 

 educational institutions. All these have been liberally 

 sustained and new ones established. During the past 

 two years some 450 miles of railroad have been built 

 in IVtississippi. Large sums have been invested in 

 cotton- factories, oil-mills, cotton-compresses, etc., and 

 I am pleased to say that the investment has been profit- 

 able in every instance. The capacity of some mills has 

 been doubled within the last two years, and they are 

 still unable to supply the demand for their fabrics. 



Manufactures. To encourage the establish- 

 ment of factories in this State, the Legisla- 

 ture of 1882 passed an act exempting from 

 taxation, for ten years, the machinery used for 

 the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods, 

 yarns or other fabrics, composed of these or 

 other materials, or for the making of all kinds 

 of machinery or implements of husbandry, or 

 all other articles not prohibited by law. 

 VOL. xxin. 35 A 



There are fourteen cotton and woolen facto- 

 ries: The Wesson mills, at Wesson; Natchez 

 cotton-mills, at Natchez; Rosalie cotton-yarn 

 mills, at Natchez ; Stonewall cotton and wool- 

 en mills, near Enterprise, Clark co. ; Juanita 

 cotton and woolen mills, near Enterprise; 

 Ullman woolen-mills, at Bay St. Louis; Yo- 

 cona cotton -yarn mills, at Water Valley; 

 Stansbury cotton-mills, at Carrollton ; cotton- 

 mill at Canton, and two cotton- mills at Cor- 

 inth ; Bay Springs cotton-factory, Tishomingo 

 co., and another at Port Gibson. 



There is a cotton-seed oil mill at Natchez, 

 two at Vicksburg, one at Port Gibson, one at 

 Jackson, one at Yazoo City, one at Grenada, 

 one at Columbus, one at Meridian, one at 

 Aberdeen, one at Lexington, one at Refuge 

 Landing, one at Greenville, and a number of 

 others in process of construction. A great 

 many saw-mills are going up throughout the 

 long-leaf pine region, a good many built by 

 Northern capital. Besides these, there are a 

 great many in operation already. 



Timber. There are 20,000,000 or more acres 

 of timber-lands, which consist of pine, red- 

 gum, oak of many varieties, cypress, magnolia, 

 willow, cottonwood, beech, locust, and elm. 

 Of long-leaf pine, in the region of Pearl river, 

 contiguous to the Illinois Central Railroad, 

 there is perhaps 6,000,000,000 feet (board- 

 measure) now ; east of Pearl river there is 

 perhaps the same quantity. There is perhaps 

 of the short-leaf pine standing, 7,000,000,000 

 feet. The red-gum, to which the people here- 

 tofore attached but little value, is now taking 

 its place to some extent.' 



Health. About 784 cases of small-pox have 

 been reported as occurring in the State in 1882 

 and 1883. Where an extensive outbreak of 

 the disease has occurred, it has been the rule 

 to place an inspector in charge, and to employ 

 guards, both on foot and mounted, when neces- 

 sary to secure the isolation of cases. 



Concealed Weapons. On this subject the Gov- 

 ernor says : 



A fruitful source of crime is the too prevalent habit 

 of carrying concealed weapons. Impulses are often 

 born of opportunities, and it frequently happens that 

 the possession of a pistol presents strong temptation 

 to its unlawful use. In my opinion the most efficient 

 remedy for the evil of carrying concealed weapons is 

 to make their use to kill, or attempt to kill, a crime 

 not admitting of defense, so that, if killing or attempt- 

 ing to kill is by means of a weapon drawn from con- 

 cealment on the person, there shall be no excuse or 

 justification. If one could not, under any circum- 

 stances, lawfully use a deadly weapon, carried in 

 concealment on the person, he would cease to carry it. 



Miscellaneons. On the 17th of January a con- 

 vention of citizens interested in the culture of 

 jute was held in Jackson, and on the 1st of. 

 October an Interstate Levee Convention assem- 

 bled in Vicksburg. In April a cyclone swept 

 over a portion of the State, being especially 

 destructive in the towns of Wesson and Beau- 

 regard, where many lives were lost. 



MISSOURI. State Government. The State offi- 

 cers during the year were the following : Gov- 



