By unanimous consent, The Speaker announced the following MESSAGES FROM THE SENATE. 2.} SENATE CHAMBER, To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: SIR-I am instructed to return to the House the following concurrent resolution: Resolved (the Senate concurring), That the two Houses meet in joint convention this 23d day of February, at 3 o'clock, P. M., to receive the message of His Excellency, Governor David H. Jerome; In the passage of which the Senate has concurred. Very respectfully, EDWIN S. HOSKINS, Secretary of the Senate. The message was laid on the table. To the Speaker of the House of Representatives: SIR, I am instructed by the Senate to transmit the following concurrent resolution: Resolved (the House concurring), That Allen Shattuck be and is hereby appointed Assistant Postmaster of the Legislature; Which has passed the Senate, and in which the concurrence of the House is respectfully asked. Very respectfully, Secretary of the Senate. The question being on concurring in the adoption of the resolution, By unanimous consent, the Speaker also announced the following: Mrs. Josephine Robinson, Legislative P. M.: JESSE H. LOOMIS. Hon. Seth C. Moffat, Speaker House of Representatives: To fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Jesse Loomis, I have this day appointed George C. Robinson as Post Office Messenger. JOSEPHINE ROBINSON. Mr. Parsons moved that a committee of three be appointed to wait upon the Senate and inform that body that the House was ready to meet them in joint convention; Which motion prevailed. The Speaker appointed as such committee Messrs. Parsons, Ewers, and Carmer. After a short absence the committee returned and reported that they had performed the duty assigned them. Report accepted and committee discharged. The Sergeant-at-Arms announced the honorable Senators, who were conducted to seats. PROCEEDINGS IN JOINT CONVENTION. The joint convention was called to order by Hon. Moreau S. Crosby, Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate. The roll of the Senate was called by the Secretary thereof, and a quorum of the Senators was present. The roll of the House was called by the clerk thereof, and a quorum of the Representatives was present. The President of the Senate announced that the two houses had met in joint convention to receive any communication that the Governor might be pleased to make. Mr. Seymour moved that a committee of two from the Senate and three from the House, be appointed to wait upon the Governor and inform him that the two houses were met in joint convention, and were ready to receive whatever communication he might be pleased to make; and also, to wait upon the State officers and the members of the Tax Commission, and invite them to occupy seats on the floor of the House during the joint convention; Which motion prevailed. The President appointed as such committee, Messrs. Seymour, Ball and King, and Senators Lovell and Gibson. After a short absence the committee returned and reported that they had performed the duty assigned them, and that the Honorable State Officers and members of the Tax Commission were in attendance. Report accepted and committee discharged. The State officers and members of the Tax Commission were then conducted to seats. His Excellency, Governor David H. Jerome, then read to the joint convention his message, which was as follows: SENATORS AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: The constitution of the State provides that "the Governor may convene the legislature on extraordinary occasions." Such an occasion has been reached. An emergency of pressing character has caused me to exercise the power at an earlier day than would otherwise have been necessary. A district covering portions of Huron, Sanilac, Tuscola, St. Clair, and Lapeer counties was widely devastated in September last by forest fires, the property of 3,231 families destroyed, and 14,438 persons made dependent upon public aid. In this calamity 1,521 dwellings were consumed, together with 1,480 barns, hundreds of miles of fences, domestic animals in great numbers, and vast quantities of household furniture, clothing, and agricultural implements, with accumulated stores of food. The losses of those who have asked and received aid, as shown by sworn appraisals, amounted to $2,346,943, or an average of over $726 for each family. To add to the terrible aspects of these dreadful misfortunes, nearly 300 human beings perished in consequence by suffocation and by burning. No reference is made in this estimate to the losses of those who have neither asked nor required assistance, which is known to have been of great magnitude; nor to those of a public nature, among which were 51 school-houses and a large number of churches and highway bridges. The destruction thus wrought left men, women and children destitute of either clothing, food, or shelter-all that was combustible had been swept away. It covered a territory of over eighteen hundred square miles, and in the progress of its ravages swept the entire district within from two to four hours after it began. No time was given to save even household treasures. With a furious wind came smoke and intense darkness, followed quickly by a fervent heat that nothing could withstand. The wonder is not that so many perished, but that so many escaped. The urgent necessities created by this calamity demanded instant relief. Before the fires were exhausted food and clothing were being administered from neighboring communities. The people of this State and of other States responded to appeals to their humanity with a broad and kindly generosity that can never be forgotten. Seldom within the memory of this generation has the kinship of mankind been demonstrated by more marked and tangible manifestations. The thanks of the State are due to every individual who came to the help of our suffering fellow-citizens at this trying juncture, and they especially belong to the men and women of our sister commonwealths and the neighboring British provinces. In addition to large amounts contributed for this relief by churches, societies, and individuals directly to the sufferers, of which there is no attainable record, but which is known to aggregate many thousands of dollars, there has been received by the State Fire Relief Commission, the Detroit and Port Huron Committees, and committees of other localities, as reported to me, the sum of $623,436.89 in cash, together with donations in kind which when added to the cash contribution would equal the sum of one million dollars. The country where the fires raged is purely agricultural, without other local industries to furnish employment, consequently after the first distresses were relieved, the unfortunate people whose wants we are now considering, being left with nothing but bare land, were compelled to elect between seeking new homes elsewhere or to depend upon being sustained by other than their own resources until they could reach self-support from the product of their own farms. They chose the latter course, with the most encouraging results thus far, and have devoted their energies and labor to rebuilding houses and fences and to sowing fall grain, the returns from which can only be realized at the coming harvest. In order to succeed in the course adopted and to continue in the occupancy of their lands as homes, these people must be sustained until their crops mature. They must have food until harvest, and food for their animals until the grass grows. They also require seed for their spring crops. The contributed funds will soon be spent and the harvest is months in the future. The exigencies of the case demand action, and to afford relief is no longer a question of policy,-it is an imperative duty. The State cannot permit its people to want for food. In 1859, under similar circumstances to a limited extent, citizens were aided from the treasury of the State, and the act was in harmony with the judgment and sentiment of the people. For more specific information you are respectfully referred to the report of the State Fire Relief Commission, which covers the transactions of committees at Detroit, East Saginaw, Bay City, and Flint, and to the statement of the Port Huron committee, both of which are hereto appended. I commend the wants of these unfortunate citizens to your generous consideration. The tax rolls for the townships of Forester and Evergreen, in the county of Sanilac, were destroyed in the general conflagration, and legislation is now asked to legalize the action of their authorities in making subsequent provision for the collection of the taxes in those townships. I recommend that the necessary action be taken. TAX COMMISSION. During the last sessson you made provision for the appointment of a commission to prepare a bill for the assessment, levy, and collection of taxes. The commission appointed has performed its work with much labor and intelligence. The bills so prepared are herewith submitted for your consideration. I have confidence that upon examination the work of the commission will commend itself in its comprehensiveness as a great improvement over the present system, and will receive at your hands such careful consideration as the importance of the subject demands. CONGRESSIONAL APPORTIONMENT. A bill for the reapportionment of the popular representation in Congress, on the basis of the tenth census, only awaits the signature of the President to become a law, and it will devolve upon you to adjust the congressional districts of the State in accordance therewith. Two members have been added to the representation of Michigan, and the relative progress which this fact exhibits will be a subject of general congratulation among our citizens. THE STATE HOUSE OF CORRECTION AND REFORMATORY AT IONIA. The number of inmates in this institution, on the first of the present month, had increased to six hundred. The contracts for their labor cover but onehalf this number, or three hundred, leaving three hundred unemployed, save those necessary to do the domestic work of the prison. For the latter purpose sixty are sufficient. What can be done to employ the two hundred and forty idle prisoners? One hundred of them are now constantly locked in their cells, and the remainder kept at unremunerative and substantially unnecessary work. Thus it is evident that the number of prisoners has increased out of proportion to the preparation for their proper employment. This is not for lack of opportunities to contract for their labor. The managers report applications for labor, at fair prices, for manufacturing purposes, to be carried on within the prison walls. The shops now constructed are occupied by the present contractors, and employment cannot be increased until more room is provided. The managers have submitted plans for additional shops to cost some ten thousand dollars for material, the prisoners to do the labor of construction. They also estimate that the prison receipts can thereby be increased from 30 to 40 dollars per day without additional current expense, and the men relieved at the same time from constant confinement. I think the needed appropriation should be made to carry out the plan of the managers. I desire to call your attention to another embarrassment in the management of this prison. The law now permits courts to sentence females to this institution while there are no provisions for their care or employment. The latter should be provided or the former prohibited. I recommend the adoption of the latter course and suggest that Section 12, Act No. 110, Laws of 1879, and Section 3, Act No. 159, Laws of 1881, relative to disorderly persons, be so amended as to take from the courts the power to send females to this prison. STATE REFORM SCHOOL. The number of inmates in this institution has increased steadily until enlarged accommodations are a necessity. A portion of one of the old central buildings is in a dangerous condition. The material was poor and the construction very defective. An inspection lately made by competent builders at my request satisfies me that attention should be given the matter at once. The members of the Board of Control having charge of this school have heretofore been paid for their services out of special appropriations. This has been suspended by the modification of the law during the last session. I recommend that consideration be given to these subjects and such action be taken as the exigencies require. MICHIGAN SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND. The location of this institution at Lansing was only settled by the legislature in the last hours of its regular session. The delay in selecting a permanent site had prevented the management from adopting a definite plan on which to base an intelligent request for an appropriation. No appropriation has been made for permanent improvements since the original act establishing the school. The funds heretofore provided have been exhausted and improvements are needed to accommodate the increased demand for admission. Your attention is respectfully called to the subject. EASTERN MICHIGAN ASYLUM. The completion of the additional wings to the asylum at Pontiac will render its capacity equal to the asylum at Kalamazoo, and will necessitate a corresponding increase in the medical staff. The present appropriation is insufficient for this purpose, and an additional sum is a necessity to duly equip the asylum. I recommend an appropriation for salaries for officers for this asylum equal to that made for Kalamazoo. MICHIGAN REFORM SCHOOL FOR GIRLS. The Board of Control of the Reform School for Girls calls my attention to the want of facilities for surgical treatment of its inmates, and respectfully ask that Section 1 of Act 138, Session Laws of 1881, be so amended as to include this school. I commend the request to your consideration. CONTINGENT DAMAGES TO STATE INSTITUTIONS BY FIRE. At present there is no insurance against losses by fires occurring in any of the State institutions, nor is there any provision therefor. The embarrassments growing out of the destruction of similar property in other States during the past year cause a natural feeling of insecurity here, especially among the managers of our asylums. At a recent meeting of the joint boards of the asylums, the following action was taken: Resolved, That the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Michigan Asylum, and of the Michigan Asylum for the Insane, now in joint session, respectfully renew their request to the Governor of the State, to recommend to the legislature at its approaching extra session, that a sum of not less than one hundred thousand dollars be provisionally appropriated to commence the immediate rebuilding of the asylums for the insane in the event of their injury or destruction by fire. |