that on a number of occasions, when the physician has prescribed a bath for a sick child, it could not be given; and that last winter, she undressed a boy, with the expectation of bathing him, and could not get water enough to wash his feet.

Blind Asylum.-The impression has generally prevailed, that the Institution for the Education of the Blind has never experienced any scarcity of water. But one of the young ladies of the family informed the secretary of this board, that two inches of water in the bottom of a tub is all that is allowed, for bathing purposes; so great is the economy practiced. Sixty barrels a week, in a tank in the attic, is the allowance for personal use, in washing. There are seven cisterns, with a capacity of six or seven thousand. barrels, and five wells. It is thought that Davenport & Strawn's coal mine, the flow of water in which is at present fifty gallons a minute, would furnish a sufficient supply for this institution; but of course, there can be no guaranty of its permanence. The sinking of another shaft might drain the mine dry. It is also thought, that connexion might be made with the reservoir of the hospital for the insane.

School for Idiots.-The number of inmates of the Experimental School for Idiots, etc., is so small, that the institution has never suffered for want of water, though economy has been necessary, and at one time a supply was obtained, by hauling, for about three weeks. At present, one basin of water has to suffice, in the morning, for half a dozen pupils. The children are washed with a sponge, in order to prevent extravagance in its use.

Opinion of the State Geologist.-In reply to a communica tion from the secretary of the board of public charities, Dr. Worthen, the state geologist, has kindly furnished the subjoined opinion:

REV. FRED. H. WINES :

GEOLOGICAL ROOMS,
SPRINGFIELD, ILL., December 8, 1870.

Dear Sir—Your note, containing certain queries in regard to the water supply in this state, has been received, and in reply I submit the following facts and suggestions.

The sources from which our water supplies are mainly obtained, are three-fold-first, from our rivers, and the smaller streams that serve to drain the surface of the superfluous moisture that accumulates from the annual rainfall; second, the underground accumulations found in the sands and gravel beds of the superficial deposits, or the source from which ordinary wells are supplied; and third, accumulations at greater depth, occurring in the porous beds of the underlying rock strata, that are only available where the necessary conditions for artesian wells obtain. These conditions are, simply the occurrence of a porous water-bearing formation, which is usually sandstone, enclosed

between impervious beds, which confine the water until the overlying beds are pierced by the drill, when the water rises to the same level as the outcrop of the porous strata, and if that is higher than the surface where the boring is made, the water flows out, and we have an artesian well.

The first resource mentioned, viz: our rivers and smaller streams, may be made available for the supply of our inland towns and cities, where they carry a sufficient volume of water, and are permanent running streams. Unfortunately, but few of them are of this character, while by far the greater portion are mere surface drains, which, although they carry a large amount of water at certain seasons, are nearly or entirely dry at others, and therefore cannot be relied on for a constant supply. This is the general character of most of the creeks in the central portion of the state, and although a limited supply of water may be obtained from them in favorable locations, by the construction of dams, and a reservoir, into which the water could be pumped, and retained as a resource when the stream ceased to flow; yet it might be seriously questioned, whether the water, under such circumstances, would not become stagnant, and consequently unfit for use, except for mechanical purposes.

The second resource for water mentioned above, is the underground accumulations, from which ordinary wells and springs are supplied. This water is held in, or perco lates through, the sand and gravel beds belonging to what is termed the drift formation, which overlies the bed rock, in nearly every portion of the state, with a variable thickness of from fifty to two hundred and fifty feet. The supply from this source is limited, and very few localities afford an amount beyond the requirements of an ordinary-sized family, from a single well. There is, however, one portion of the state, hereafter to be mentioned under the head of artesian waters, where an unfailing supply may be derived from wells sunk in these superficial deposits.

The third, and most reliable resource for a water supply, where the necessary conditions obtain, is the deep underground accumulations, held in the porous rock strata, and obtainable only by artesian wells. Over a part of Iroquois and Champaign counties, artesian wells are obtained in the superficial deposits, by sinking or boring to a depth of only from thirty to sixty feet, when a constant flow of water is obtained. This is a very unusual occurrence, and entirely unknown in most portions of the state.

The great artesian water deposit of this state is the Potsdam sandstone—a soft, porous rock, varying from three hundred to four hundred feet or more in thickness -which reaches the surface at only a few points within the limits of the state, but at every point, so far as we are aware-except at Chatsworth-where this rock has been penetrated with the drill, a constant flow of water has been obtained. At Chicago, Joliet, Morris, and Ottawa, it has been found at depths varying from five to eight hundred feet, and constant flowing wells have been obtained at these points. In the central portions of the state this sandstone lies deep beneath the surface, and a boring would probably have to be carried down from fifteen hundred to two thousand feet to reach it, and as no wells have yet been sunk to this depth, it is impossible to say, whether the water would flow to the surface here, if the rock were penetrated; though the probabilities are that It would. The attempt made in this city, some years since, to find artesian water, was frustrated by breaking the drill at the depth of about eleven hundred and seventy-five feet, and the work was subsequently abandoned. It is probable that three hundred feet more would have penetrated the sandstone and settled this important question.

From these remarks it may be inferred, that the only reliable resources, which we have in this portion of the state for an adequate supply of water, are the constantly running streams that carry a sufficient amount of water to supply the demand at all times, and

artesian wells, that can only be obtained under favorable conditions, such as have only been demonstrated as existing, over a limited portion of the state. It is highly probable, however, that deeper borings, hereafter to be made, will greatly increase the present known area over which artesian wells may be obtained.

I have the honor to remain, very truly yours,

A. H. WORTHEN.

V.-NORMAL UNIVERSITY.

On the 18th of February, 1857, an act was approved for the maintenance and establishment of the Illinois Normal University. Fourteen gentlemen, named in the act, and the superintendent of public instruction, ex officio, were constituted "The Board of Education of the State of Illinois." The superintendent is made ex officio secretary of the board. The board is authorized to establish a normal university, the object of which is declared to be, "to qualify teachers for the common schools of this state." Each county within the state is entitled to gratuitous instruction for one pupil, and each representative district is entitled to gratuitous instruction for a number of pupils equal to the number of representatives in said district, who are to be chosen in a manner prescribed. The interest of the university and seminary fund, or such part thereof as may be found necessary, is appropriated for the maintenauce of the university, but its use in the purchase of sites or erection of buildings is strictly forbidden. The board is directed to appoint an agent, "who shall visit the cities, villages, and other places in the state, which may be deemed eligible for the purpose, to receive donations and proposals for the establishment and maintenance of the normal university." The board is authorized and required "to fix the permanent location of the said normal university at the place where the most favorable inducements are offered for that purpose." No appropriation for building was made.

The site selected for the institution by the board, was at Normal, near the city of Bloomington, in consideration of the follow

ing subscription :

McLean county, proceeds of swamp lands.

Lands and town lots.....

Trees and ornamental planting..

Individual subscriptions in cash....

Site (157 acres,)

$70,000

9,200

1,100

23,275

39,250

$141,825

The amount realized from this subscription was $91,465 in cash, and the site; a loss of $12,110-which was principally due to a financial disaster, which swept over the country, during the erection of the building.

Mr. Charles E. Hovey, a member of the board, was appointed, on the 23rd of June, 1857, principal of the university. Major's Hall, in Bloomington, was rented and fitted up for the temporary accommodation of the school, which opened on the first Monday in October.

The work of building was prosecuted with energy. The first graduating class, of ten, received their diplomas in the assembly room of the new edifice, in June, 1860; and by September of the same year, the school took up its permanent abode therein.

As the building had cost over $180,000, and the receipts from subscriptions were only $91,465, it became necessary for the state to liquidate the indebtedness hanging over the institution, in the shape of mechanics' liens, etc.; and by an act approved February 14th, 1861, the governor was authorized and required to issue inscribed state stock to the amount of $65,000, a part of the [accumulated] interest of the college and seminary fund, payable to the state board of education, for the use of the university. An act approved February 4th, 1865, made a further appropriation of $31,214 91, to complete the payment of all outstanding claims, on the building account, against the university.

The cost of the university grounds and buildings, therefore, was as follows:

To this, add special appropriations for boiler, ornamentation of site, fence, sidewalks, and water closets, amounting in all to $6000. The state has also appropriated for museum, apparatus and furniture, $5500.

The present valuation of the real and personal property is $312,000-a gain upon the original cost, of about $73,000.

Connected with the institution, since its organization, is a school, known as the Model School. Until June, 1868, the children of the school district received instruction here, for a stipulated sum. The connection between the district and model schools is now severed; and the number of its departments has been reduced from four to three. Notwithstanding the separation, the number of pupils, during the past year, has been one hundred and eightyfour. This school, instead of being an expense to the university, is a source of income, as the pupils pay for their tuition; while it affords to the students of the university opportunity for practice in teaching, under the eye of their instructors.

In every point of view, the normal university awakens pleasure in the mind of an intelligent, liberal observer-by the beauty of the grounds, the admirable appointments of the building, the perfection of the discipline, the thoroughness of the instruction given, the evident earnestness and diligence of the students, and the economy in its financial management. The patriotism of profes sors and students alike, during the late unhappy war, was noble. Some of the graduates occupy positions of high trust—one of them having been appointed principal of the Kansas State Normal School, at Emporia. One of its professors, by his explorations of the unknown regions of the interior, and his contributions to the stock of scientific knowledge, has excited the admiration of the entire country, and зhed lustre upon the state. The collection of specimens in natural history is the finest west of the Allegheny mountains. This university is second to none in the Union. It deserves and should receive public confidence, and the most liberal support.

In the normal department alone, instruction has been given to 2084 young persons, within the thirteen years of its existence. The present number is about three hundred, who fill the house to overflowing, so that even the halls are used as school rooms.

Dr. Richard Edwards is and has been, for the last ten years, its honored and successful principal.

By the eighteenth section of the fourteenth article of the new constitution, the permanent character of the appropriation from the college and seminary fund is destroyed.