Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-05-25
flRE AT Eft. MADISON.
The EIOspltnl..C hapel nnd HITCH
cn lisa the state Prison Dsstr oys

ed.
Mr.. r. VI. Harrison received yesterday A
dispatch from ". Msdison. stating that the
hospital. kitchen aud chapel in the PEN
tertiary, were destroyed by FIRE night be-
fore last. No statement of the amount of
ID loss, but it ia, OF course, is entire, as to
the buildings destroyed. for no insurance
can be effected on any kind Of Penitenliary
property. Here is lesson for the SOW
sreigns OF the State. And had the Legisla-
turs and the State authorities needed rep
reservations made BY every successive war
den in that institution in every successive
report, and often.urged by US, they would
have made appropriations for proper water
works in the prison. and this loss would
have been avoided. Il 10 avery stupid and
short-rightsd economy, that to save the
expense Of fixing DIGESTIVE doe Win let .
house burn down. IL has been VERY stu-
pid and short-sightsd economy on the part
Of the State 10 expose, constantly, Ill the
valuable property inside the walls Of the
prison, to . liability to be DESTROYED BY
fire Mt any time, rather than make the ap-
preparations necessary for water works.
Within these walls ere thousands Of dollars
worth Of property-highly combustible
property FOR the most part. And there are
nearly two hundred convicts there, the
greater part Of whom would bs glad to see
tho whole institution burn down, and to
contribute to il. destruction. No insur-
ancc can be made on anything there. And
very economical committees come down
from the Legislature at periodical times and
reported against any proper appropriation
and very economical Legislatures are 70 ..
srned by the very economical report Of tbs
very economical committee and won't make
any appropriations. Instead Of il, however
the Legislature. to prove how very sconom
ical il is, will vote much larger sum thar
has been asked for, or 10 needed, fer thu
permanent improvement and security Of the
State Prison, to send old papers to b.
loved constituency, that don't read then
nor want them.
II 10 probable that eli the buildings and
property Of the 3tats, save the bare wall
Of the prison, would have been destroyed
By this Gre, had il not been that the cen
tractors Of the prison labor, had at thsil
own expense, constructed cistsrns and f.
cilitiss Of sxtngnishng fire in their worl
shops. We learn that q free use Of TIL
means their private enterprise had provi
dsd, Was the emily thing that prevented I
general conHagration. Thee means, hsw
ever, are necessarily inadequate and con
fined TO the labor shops. The State shoult
take the matter in hands ct once, and max,
the Psnitsntiary proper secure from danger
of destruction by fire. The people dsmsns
economy, but not such economy - can onl]
involve loss. They demand less outlay il
| unnecessary directions but that the prOn
srty they now have shall be made secure
Let ~ have less Of magnificent projects 70
State Houses, Asylums. etc, involving hun
drsds Of thousands in money, while the au
thorities withhold the small sum nscsssar
! TO make secure piece Of property now OF
hand.-Gate CITY.