east of the city of Indianapolis. A building was begun on this site in 1849, and was completed in the fall of 1850, at a cost of $30,000. The school was transferred to the new building in October, 1850, where it is still flourishing, with enlarged buildings, and ample facilities for instruction in agriculture.

The blind were not provided for at this time; probably on account of the pressure of the wants of the insane, and the deaf and dumb, as also from the fact that their number had, at this time, not become very large. But the blind were not forgotten. The first effort, on their behalf, "was instigated and directed by James M. Ray, to whom the Indiana Institute for the Blind is more indebted than it is to any other man living." It was through his efforts that William H. Churchman was induced to come to Indianapolis from Kentucky, and give exhibitions, in Mr. Beecher's church, with blind pupils from his State. These entertainments were attended by members of the legislature, for whom they were especially intended; and the effect upon them was so good that before the adjournment of the session measures to establish a blind asylum were adopted. A commission was appointed to carry out the measure, consisting of James M. Ray, Geo. W. Mears and the Secretary, Treasurer and Auditor of the State. They engaged Mr. Churchman to make a lecturing tour through the State, and to collect statistics of the blind population.

The Institute for the Education of the Blind was founded by an act of the general assembly in 1847; and was first opened, says Mr. Halloway, in a rented building, on the first of October of that year. The permanent buildings were first opened and occupied in the month of February, 1853. The original cost of the buildings and ground was $110,000. A more full description will be found in the history of Marion County in this work.

Aside from the three institutions already mentioned, the State early provided handsomely other needed charities. Among these are the Indiana Female Prison and Reformatory, infirmaries, hospitals, homes for friendless womer, homes for orphans, asylums for friendless colored children, societies for the relief of the poor, and many other benevolent institutions

all of which are fully noticed in this volume, in the history of the county in which they are located.

Following are some statistics of the blind, deaf at.u dumb, nsane, and idiotic, in the State:

STATISTICS OF THE BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB, INSANE, AND IDIOTIC 1870.

As before mentioned, the Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb was founded by the State, in 1844. In 1860 it contained about one hundred and fifty pupils. During this year the sum of $15,000 was appropriated by the State to construct a complete steam heating apparatus in the Institution. During the year 1870 the attendance was nearly two hundred, and it has since been constantly increasing. The school is conducted in the best possible manner, while the industrial interests are growing yearly.

At the Insane Hospital, in 1860, there were about five hundred and twenty patients. The number of applications that year for admission, was two hundred and sixty, many being refused for want of room. In reference to this matter, the Superintendent of the hospital, in the same year, reported that there was not room enough in the institution to accommodate all who were pronounced unsafe in the community He added: "The constitution contemplates provision for every insane person in the State, and humanity demands that each one should have an equal right to the benefits of treatment."

It was not long until complete arrangements were made for the accommodation of all the insane within the State. As

soon as the War for the Union was ended, the north wing of the Insane Hospital was erected. This greatly improved the institution, giving the required room, improving the venti

lation, and bringing the hospital up to a standard equal to the demand upon it. During the year 1870 there were seven hundred and ninety-two patients treated in this institution,

with good results. Following are statistics of pauperism and crime. Full descriptions of the penal institutions will be given in the history of the counties in which they are located:

In collecting the statistical tables for this work, the compilers have consulted the census reports of 1850, 1860, and 1870, and also obtained much valuable information from travel through the State. The above table gives the statistics of the population, pauperism and crime in Indiana from 1850 to 1870. In another part of this work a sketch will be found giving the same information covering a period from 1870 to 1875.

In this short chapter mention has been made only of the most distinguished features of the charities of the State. The reader will find special mention of the several benevolent institutions in the histories of the counties according to their location.

CHAPTER XXXV.

IT

WEALTH AND PROGRESS.

T would be impossible to sum up, in a single chapter, or a single volume, all the wealth of Indiana; or to measure the progress of the great industries of the State. By studying the following table, and comparing these statistics with a similar showing of other States, the reader will be astonished to learn, perhaps for the first time, that Indiana is no longer a third rate State in the American Union; and had she sufficient territory within her limits, she would not long rank in the class of second rate States. Indeed it is only in point of territory that Indiana can be ranked a second rate State. In regard to population, wealth, progress, enterprise, commerce, manufactures, agriculture, intelligence, the State of Indiana, in comparison with other States, acre for acre, or square mile for square mile, is, in all senses, a FIRST RATE State. In many things she excells even the leading State of the Union.

POPULATION.

THE compilers of this work having visited all the cities, towns and villages in the State for the purpose of collecting the material for the county histories, were enabled to gather much valuable information concerning the probable number of inhabitants now living within the limits of the State. In 1850, the total population of Indiana was 988,416; in 1860 it was 1,350,428; in 1870, it was 1,680,637; and from a careful estimate, by townships, the compilers of this work have arrived at the conclusion that the population of this State, in 1875, will be OVER TWO MILLIONS. The following table, showing the population in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1875, of all the towns