Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/582

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

460 UNITED STATES : — INDIANA

Charities.— All the public charities and many of those of a private nature are under the supervision of the Board of State Charities. This is an unsalaried, advisory body of six members, appointed by tlie Governor, who is its president. The State maintains four hospitals for the insane and is erecting a fifth. It has also State Homes for Soldiers and for Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans, scliools for the deaf, blind, and feelde-niinded respec- tively, and a Village for Epileptics. In every county there is an asylum for the poor. The superintendents are appointed by the boards of county commissioners, for two years, and are paid. In 76 of the counties there are boards of county charities, who inspect the public institutions and report to the County Commissioners, the circuit court, the local press, and the Board of State Charities. In the 1,016 townships the care of the poor not in institutions is in the hands of the township trustees, who are, ex-officio, overseers of the poor. These officials serve for a term of four years, and once a quarter must send a detailed report of their worlc to the County Commissioners and the Board of State Charities. They are expected to give only temporary aid, and are required by law to make a tliorough investigation before giving relief. Work for dependent, neglected, delinquent, or orphan children is under the supervision of the Board of State Charities. The Ecard employs six agents, who inspect oriihanages and place and visit children in family homes. No person or organisation can conduct an orphans' home, a maternity hospital, or a boarding house for infants, or place children in homes without a licence from the Board. Children can be supported at public expense only when made public wards by the juvenile court. The laws provide for a juvenile court and a board of children's guardians and a County Board of Charities and Correction in every county.

There ai'e in Indiana 15 State charitable, penal, and correctional institutions ; 40 orphanages receiving public wards and 16 receiving only private wards ; 23 homes for the aged; 47 general hospitals; 92 county poor a.sylums ; 91 county jails and a niiiuber of town lock-ups and city police stations.

Finance, Djefence.— I^i the year ending September 30, 1912, the net receipts and disbursements (exclusive of transfers, &c.) were as follows : —

Dollars

On hand, October 1, 1911 220,676

Receipts, 1911-12 8,334,863

Total Receipts 8,555,539

Disbursements, 1911-12 8,228,415

Balance Sept, 30, 1912 .... 327,124

On September 30, 1911, the debt of the State amounted to 1,260,163 dollars, of which 484,000 dollars was due to Purdue and Indiana Universities. The taxable property (real and personal) in 1910 was assessed at 1,891,602,077 dollars.

The State Militia, called the Indiana National Guard, with its head- quarters at Indianapolis, consists of infantry and artillery of a total strength of 198 officers and 2,293 men.

Production and Industry.— Iiidiana is largely agricultural, about 94 per cent, of its total area being in farms. In 1911 the farm-land had an area of 21,299,823 acres, of Avhich 16,931,252 was improved land. The chief crops are maize (155,100,385 bushels in 1911), wheat (34,596,320 bushels), oats, hay, and potatoes. The area under tobacco in 1911 was 13,876 acres, yielding 12,823,194 pounds. Large quantities of tomatoes are grown, besides other vegetables and fruits of all sorts. The stock in 1911 consisted of 716,997 horses, 445,015 milk cows, 698,532 sheep (apart from 560,512 sold during 1911), and 1,960,700 swine (apart from 2,714,715 sold during 1911). In 1911 the wool clip yielded 3,977,416 pounds of wool valued at 846,606 dollars.

The coal-fields of the State have an area of 6,500 square miles, where 18,380 miners are employed. In 1911 (9 months) the output of coal Avas 14,204,578 short tons. In 1911 the output of crude petroleum was 1,695,289 barrels,