Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-30
For TIC EH5u.r.-,
rrypRoFITABLE INSTITUTIONS.

For the Ensu.r.-.
uNpRoFITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
NO. II.
In rursu;np the subject of Penitentarie., il will be
yra,frmc tn the reader find that all are not ner,a
sary unavoidable. Much depends upon The peculiar
locality the capacity 10 procure the raw nattria'8 on
favorable terms, we'll IN to sell the manufactures
M re,nuneraling rnss and with iheee advantages 80
cure, il ia requisite that tbs operatives have "a
psciiy coupled with will, motive or necessity TO
advance the general lnrpos,G oil snch institution OF
it will be worry difficult 10 make any Ienienl"fy
profitable. Bat 10 The facts, IA we find them:
H. The Psnlteniary oil The United states' NJ
Warrington, has nsver been profitable NJ lDahu-
featuring establishment.
From the report for the year ending
June 30th, 1857, the general expenses
for support of prisoners clothing, fuel, ~. o
&c, DC, amounted to.......-.-.- $o,uo1 "
Salaries of officers and guarda, paid out - ~,
OF the United States Treasury. l3,3lo w
Tota, or synen,tures 1884 50
pro1nct nC labor w.s l,7l8 S0
Ds6cisncv sI7.s75 70
The number Of prisoners during the last year was
IS; Increase in the year three. Cost OF retions LOT
prisoners, S3,7J1 IS.
II. From the report of The Georgia Penitentiary,
for the year ending September 80, 1898 hpP11aass'
that the number of prisoners on mat aay vac i'>
and had increased in the year tortysiI.
n he expe nditure for tho year Including -
cash on hand. s2 1874 22l was.......-. SiO.242 Gu
Income from all sourcs.. lincluding
$llO3 81, Tor support OF United States nm
prisoners ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 4'zi< W
Ds6c;snov snpropria,ed by Stste..... 1913, 900 90
New and improved machinery has since been IN
troduced from which. no doubt, better results nave
been obtained.
49, The report Of the Arkansas Penitentisry to Oc.
tobe 1856 does not present the state OF the accounts
excerpt in regard to building work shop 80 long
by 40 wide at a of SlS 600. Ii is recommended
Ia IN. Legislature, TO increase the height Ut the walls
around the buiIdngs TO increase the number OF celia
and build Hospital. The prisoners In two years in.
ere ased treay,eren In prison at the time OF the re
port 90.
IL. In the Mississippi Penentiary, the spinning of
cotton is the principal business and is said to he pro
fi,abe. But the report, to 3Uth November 1885, IN
hand, does not give statement OIL pront ana lose
The prisoners had increased thirteen during the year.
and IS remained in confinement the day OF the re-
port. ,,.
Is. From the report OF the Texas penitenuary Tor
two wears ending september 80 1851 it is stated that
the expense OF each prisoner wa: VS. 81 per annu
The number increased trenty in two years, leaving
In prison 100. The Legislature had appropriated
s69,O4s 70, for improvements, machinery, &C. The
manufacture of cotton and wooden goods has been
commenced, and, far, has proved satisfactory, ana
it was believed would be profitable.
10. by the report Of the Tennessee Peni;enary for
two years. to the Goth of September 1851. 1t appears
that in this time the prisoners Increased torfy sT
and on tie day of the report numbered sSb
The amount expended in two years Including cash
on hand 81 627 jS) Sl3i,O59 90
Received from all sources tiucludng
cost for stone work on the Capitol of the -.
State s2l, o22 3D) $lli,05y 90
Appropriated by the State making up =,
The agent and xeeper has no "doubt that after the
work upon the State Capitol is finished the prison will
become source of cash revenue.
tnF fha
18Th December 1856 states that the prisoners had in
crea.ed thirty three in the year and numbered on The
last day 304.
ury but profit on Manufacturing account was stateu
TO have been made.
Is, The report of the Connecticut Pententiary for
III. wear ending March 3ls 1887 gives an increase OF
lepsn prisoners and the whole number AT The date of
the report at 1872 The receipts from all souroes lin.
Guiding visitors fees 1913 IS and for support OF Uni.
ted States prisoners 1852 81 amounted TO s0 396 10
EInenditures for the year $l7.667 IS
prof, s272s 81
49, The Kentucky Penitenary, from the report for
nine months ending December ], 1888, appears to
have made profit on Manufacturing OF 10. lo3 vi.
The principal business is the manufacture OF COTTON
bapgne. The prisoners had Increased IN nine months,
, TO g. Jour- ana Oh tue l'' 's''S y ~
90. The Louaiaua Penitentiary on the lst Jsuary,
1853 contained 1877 prisoners. Among these were 30
6nement-many for life The sentences OF the pr.
snners confined we're as follows, to vii; go
For less than two years, %
For two, and less than three years, 40
For three aud up 10 twenty, ISa
For life, l~o
337
The number In twelve months had diminished nine
tscai The only instance in twenty PeratentlarieH
where the prisoners not increasing.
The principal business OF this instltuti,n Is, Inc
manufacture Of coarse cotton goods n large amount
of new machinery and new buildings had been put
ND within the year 1885, and the report upco the ina.
nufacuring operation lie very faterng 10 the suo'
cess of the establishment. The balance IN favor OF
the nsilution the whole operaiiou,la reported nj
243 Col 90. THIS outstanding debt due tie institu'
tiou however s 800 25, and any loss in coi!ec
ton will diminish ths profit reported. This
prison has for eight ten years been conducted rs
regular and we'll arranged cotton factory. Tho long
sentences otthe great macs OF cunvicls enable the
managers TO train them to operate cotton machinery
TO profit And may it not fairly be nf-rrrd thar the
horrors Of PeHtentiary service certainly tr long
time, or for ones natural life, when Seen as IN
mirror, would be likely TO soften the heart, or stay
the wicked hand of many murderer, roobar, burg
ler or pick. pocket, when contemplating the nfracon
of the laws OF God and man ! Is it not m"re than
probable that the workings Of the laws and their exc
cu0n In Louisiana, 10 doing great moral good Tor
the people of that State IL not that State teaching
lessons Of wisdom TO the others worthy OF
To wha, other cause can the diminuton of crime be
attributed
In all the other States, except Ohio IS per cent. OF
the convics are confined for twelve 10 egh eenonths
only, and are consequently useless In manufacturing
But they eff-cualy degraded, and generally con-
firmed in crime-poor foundation upon which TO
build the hope Of reformation.
BY the last reports received from the .rsnty Penl-
tentiaries named il appears that the aggregate NUN
Der of prisoners confined, $685. aud that in the
preceding twelve months, in nineteen of said Panten'
tiaries they had increased All In that of Louisiana
alone they had diminished ~. Eighteen nf these
prisons report l46 deaths, 1853 pardons, 1875 dis
charges, and 10 escapes. Thus, OF pardons, die.
charges and escapes, not lsss than 739 have gone
out in yesr to mix in the community. Two
make no report on the subect. In thirteen OF sald
institutions, The aggregate deficiency OF prison labor
to support the establishments was $e0634l 81 In
four the reports not distinct on the subject ana
in three the aggregate profit was so2 19o 4S' from
which il will be- that P-ntentiary IL not neces
sariIy an Improbable institution. by Wlss laws
and prudent management, with favorable Location
for the purchase of raw materials and sale OF manu-
farturep, auch institutions may be made to pay .Ipen'
pes At least. CITIZEN
CALIFORNIA FOR LECOMPTON.
The Legislature Of California, by a decided vote,
has requested the delegates and instructed the Sena'
TORE ia Congress, from that State to vote tor the I'M
mediate admission of Kansas under the Lecompton
Constitution, as recommended by the President IN
his special message The news will be gratifying to
The friends of the Administration throughout the Al
lan,io States; and will. trust secure the passage oil
the Senate bill In the House, beyond peradveDture,
by uniting the vote Of the California delegation in
favor of the bill. The effect of the Presidents spe
cia message in California is said to have been crush
ing to ths opposition movement within the Demo
oratic