and marl pits, and in artesian wells; in projects for water supply, for drainage, for locating roads, railroads, and other internal improvements, and for drawing a clear distinction between our farm and forest lands.

It is gratifying to know that our work has been taken as a model by other States and by the United States Geological Survey. For the use of the surveys and records already made, both the United States Geological Survey and the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey are paying a part of the expense of the work.

STATE LIBRARY.

The report of the State Librarian shows that during the year there have been added to the library by purchase and donation 1,283 volumes, making the total number in the library at the end of the year 30,984. Additions have been made which give an increased capacity for the library of 7,960 volumes. The Librarian states that the annual appropriation of $1,500 is insufficient for the requirements of the library and recommends that it be increased to $2,500.

STATE PRISON.

The average number of convicts in the State Prison during the past year was 863, an increase over the previous year of forty-eight. The total expenses of the State Prison for all purposes during the year were $134,651.84, the earnings amounted to $57,541.85, making the cost of the State Prison $77,109.99. The increase in cost is due to two causes, one, the necessary loss of time in changing the system of labor from the old contract system to the "piece-price plan," and the other, the exceedingly low price paid upon the alleged Downs & Finch contract, in reference to shirts, to which I shall hereafter refer.

The wall around the State Prison, constructed under the act of April 18th, 1884, has been completed since my last annual message. It was constructed under the personal supervision of the Keeper of the State Prison, under the direction of the Supervisor and Inspectors, and reflects credit upon the prison authorities.

Under "An Act to provide additional shop room at the New Jersey State Prison," approved March 10th, 1885, (L. 1885, p. 67,) additional shop room has been provided. These shops have been built in the most substantial and complete manner, at the lowest possible cost, and reflect credit upon those under whose supervision and personal management they were erected. They enable the State to employ two hundred convicts that prior to their erection had no rooms in which to work.

CONVICT LABOR.

The act passed by the Legislature April 18th, 1884, (L. 1884, p. 230,) to provide for the employment of the inmates of any prison, penitentiary, jail or reformatory institution located within this State authorized the managers of such institutions to employ convict labor either under the "piece-price" plan or under the public account system. The managers of the State Prison adopted the "piece-price plan," which has gone into operation since the expiration of the contracts under the old system in June, 1885. This "piece-price" system, in the judgment of the Keeper of the State Prison, would be financially successful except for the reasons stated in his report. Under the act of April 18th, 1884, contracts have been made for the employment of the convicts on shoes, brushes, pantaloons, brush-block making and hosiery. In addition to these it is claimed that there is a further contract with the firm of Downs & Finch for the following purposes :

First. To manufacture and launder shirts.

Second. To manufacture and button-hole collars.
Third. To manufacture and button-hole cuffs.

This alleged contract is to last for the term of three years and eleven months. Down & Finch had a contract with the State Prison authorities under the old system, by which an average of ahout three hundred men were employed daily. They paid, under this contract, fifty cents a day for the labor of each convict. Under the alleged new contract it is contemplated that the amount of goods which the convicts will manufacture will employ about three hundred men daily, or about the same amount of labor in these industries as was employed last year. The prices, however, under the new contract, will not yield more than twenty-seven and a-half cents a day for each convict, and this notwithstanding the fact that, under the new system, the convicts are doing about twenty per cent. more work than they did under the old system. This will cause a loss to the State of twenty-two and a-half cents a day for each convict employed, or more than $20,000 per annum. If the State is obliged to furnish, under this alleged contract (which I do not admit), the labor of nearly three hundred men, at prices which will only yield about twenty-seven and a-half cents per day for each convict, I call attention to a clause in the contract which enables the State to give six months' notice in writing and pay four thousand dollars, and thus be relieved from the contract.

This alleged contract was not approved by the Governor or the Keeper of the State Prison. Under resolutions passed recently by the board of employment, new bids were called for and have heen received. A large and responsible firm offered prices which would yield over

fifty cents per day for the same work. Under this resolution Downs & Finch gave advanced prices, but not enough to yield much, if anything, over thirty cents per day for each convict, but Downs & Finch still claim to have a contract with the State.

The Legislature should deal with this question at once, and if it is ascertained that the State is bound by this alleged contract to furnish this labor at a loss of $20,000 per annum, then I recommend that action be taken to relieve the State immediately from this contract.

I am satisfied that the "piece-price plan" recommended by the friends of labor and adopted by the prison authorities, is the best solution of this labor problem yet presented, and that it cannot fail of success, under the management of those who desire that it shall succeed. Errors or mistakes may be made in introducing the system, but with experience there can be no real difficulty in making this system a financial success.

STATE HOUSE.

On the morning of March 21st, 1885, a fire occurred which destroyed that portion of the State House fronting on State street. The damage was so extensive that it was afterwards found necessary to take down the entire front building for safety. The Legislature passed two acts in reference to this matter, one an act to provide for the purchase of furniture and appliances in place of those destroyed by the fire, and to provide for the care of public documents and records, and to defray necessary incidental expenses (L. 1885, p. 176), and an act for the restoration of the State House (L. 1885, p. 229). Under the first act certain disbursements have been made, which will appear in the reports of the Comptroller and Treasurer. The Governor, Comptroller, Treasurer and Attorney-General, as directed by this act, consulted with the several State officers and heads of departments, and assigned to their use such rooms and offices and fire-proof vaults as they deemed necessary. Under the second act the Governor, Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer were constituted a commission, which commission, or a majority of them, were given full power and authority on behalf of the State to cause the burnt portion of the State House to be restored, with authority in their discretion to strengthen the foundations and walls, and rebuild such parts thereof as might be necessary, to make such arrangement of the interior as might be convenient, and to make such portions of the interior fire-proof as might be necessary for the safety of the records. By this act the appropriation is limited to the sum of fifty thousand dollars. After long and patient investigation by the Commission, aided by the plans and estimates of architects and builders, a majority determined that it was impossible to erect a fireproof structure, with sufficient accommodation for the State officers, for the sum appropriated. They consulted the Attorney-General as to

their power in the premises, and he advised them that they should determine upon the plans which would fully carry out the views of the Legislature and provide a fire-proof structure sufficiently large, and so constructed as to secure proper accommodations for the business of the State. He advised them further that they could proceed with the construction of such a building until the appropriation was expended, and then they must wait until a further sum had been appropriated for the work. A majority of the Commission, as authorized by the act, finally agreed upon plans under which the basement of the building has been constructed. It is now apparent that the rotunda in the rear of the new building is in such a condition that it is dangerous and liable to fall. It should be torn down and a new structure put in its place. An appropriation should also be made for the purchase of furniture for the new portion of the State House when completed. I am advised that for all these purposes and to complete the structure upon the plans adopted, an additional appropriation of $225,000 will be necessary. It will not be necessary to provide any extraordinary means for raising this money. If the Legislature passes an act making the appropriation, the Commission can immediately complete the building.

CHARITIES AND CORRECTION.

The report of the State Council of Charities and Correction gives the result of the first year's work under this department. The Council report that they find the present law inadequate to compel the officials of the various public institutions to keep and report to the Council the information as to the inmates directed by the act, and suggest various additions to the law, which they say experience proves to be necessary before the Council can fully carry out the intent of the Legislature. You are referred to their report for their recommendation on this subject.

PUBLICATION OF LAWS IN NEWSPAPERS.

The State paid for the publication of the laws during the fiscal year ending October 31st, 1883, $32,028.30. For the publication of the laws for the fiscal year ending October 31st, 1885, $73,851.35. This is an increase of over $44,000 for this purpose.

The designation of the newspapers is made by the Governor and the Comptroller, but many of the acts passed take away all discretion from them. The act that has caused the largest increase of expenditures is chapter 122 of the laws of 1884. (L. 1884, p. 182.) This act is mandatory, and directs that the laws "shall be published in at least one newspaper in every city, town and township in this State (outside of the county seat) having a population of five thousand inhabitants by the census of 1880, said newspaper to be additional to

the number now (April 15th, 1884,) authorized to publish the laws." The act also requires that in all legislative districts where one or more newspapers shall have been printed for at least two years, and in which no newspapers are now authorized to publish the laws, one such newspaper shall be designated by the Governor and Comptroller for that purpose.

In 1885 (L. 1885, p. 217), a law was passed which at the time was supposed only to affect one newspaper in the State, but in reality it affected several, and substantially increased these expenses. This act was also mandatory, requiring the Governor and Comptroller to publish the laws in the newspapers affected by that act.

I recommend to the Legislature that the sum to be expended for the publication of the laws in newspapers be fixed at a sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, and that the Governor and Comptroller fix the compensation for each newspaper, so as to keep the expenditure within this limit.

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS.

The report of the Chief of this bureau calls attention to the bureau of labor established under the act of Congress, approved June 27th, 1884, and its organization and work. His report also furnishes statistics showing the earnings of those engaged in labor, with many interesting particulars connected therewith. He reports that as a general rule there has been no marked change in the rate of wages, but there has been an improvement in the industrial situation during the past six months.

The report is accompanied by statements from individual workmen presenting their views upon important questions affecting their interests. The report also includes complete manufacturers' returns concerning our iron and steel industry, iron and zinc furnaces, foundries, machine shops and crucible works. He reports that the product of these industries has been at least forty per cent. less than the capacity of the works.

The report also shows that the sum of $10,228.98 was paid during the past year for the sorghum industry in the county of Cape May. The total amount expended for bounty to this industry by the State since the act went into operation in 1881 amounts to $43,723.22. There have been about 1,403,000 pounds of sugar made, and 29,695 tons of sorghum grown.

CHILD LABOR, FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS.

The report of the Inspector of Factories and Workshops will show the duties performed in connection with this department. The Inspector makes the following recommendations: