The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-01-10

picion. For this Justification, howev-
er, as well as for a more complete
examination than / have been able to
make personally, l would recommend
a searching investigation by q com
mittee fully authorised to send for
persons and papers.
As soon as the facts referred to
above were known, Mr.. George Bel
issss,s s~r- r-sa.i.-sas.,--~- -~--f'r~s.ss~<s--A--
chitect and Superintendent, in place
of Blackburn, removed, and has been
occupied in making careful measure
ments and estimates of the work
done as compared with contracts and
specifications. AS soon as this labor
is sufficiently advanced, his report
will be laid before you, showing the
precise condition of the work and of
the various accounts connected with
lit. Meanwhile it is extremely im-
portant to the interests Of the Insti-
tuition that the heating apparatus and
plumbing should be promptly finish
ed, and the little carpentering and
plastering still incomplete should
progress so far as not to delay the
re-opening of the school. For this
purpose an early partial appropvia-
ton is necessary, and, in my judg-
ment, may be made without risk, as
the withheld percentage on the con-
tracts will cover ali margins necessary
for the security of the State.
The change Of the plan of the en-
/ gine house, authorized by the last
Legislature, by which it was separat-
ed from the main building and placed
on the north side Of the alley in the
rear of the Institution, was the cause
of a considerable addition to the es-
timated expense of the structure, but
the great advantage ofroom, Of light
and air in the school building, and of
the health OF the whole establishment,
made that change a real economy
In digging for the foundation of this
part Of the building, quicksand and
springs greatly impeded the work
and increased its cost, but two strong
flowing wells were occurred which
promise to be permanent, and which
supply superabundance Of good
water for the use of the whole Insti-
tuition. These will be invaluable,
and much more than repay the extra
cost they have occasioned.
The Reform School continues its
valuable work, and is every year
more clearly seen to be working upon
the only true principle in the treat
ment of Juvenile offenders. Append
ed to the report Of the Commissioners
will be found the report Of commit
tee, appointed under authority of the
Assembly, to select piece of corn
land to add to the farm. The
committee have selected a farm in
the Hooking River bottoms, which,
in their judgment, meets the wants
of the School, and, when added to
the high, hilly and thin soiled tract
now occupied by the Institution, will
give the variety of employment and
OF produce which is greatly needed.
The fruit culture of the hills has been
profitable during the past year, as
the report shows; and the addition
of some corn and hay land will tend
still further to reduce the expense of
the School. When it is remembered
that the whole einyestment in this In.
stltution for land and buildings is not
over one eighth the cost of some of
the Asylums hsving no larger number
of inmates, there will be little hesita-
ton in appropiating the moderate
sum now needed.
The need of similar reformatory
for girls becomes more apparent ev-
cry year, and the propriety of estab-
fishing one is respectfully urged up
on your attention.
The administration of the Peniten.
tiary during the year shows an effi- |
cheney quite equal, il not superior,
to any that has been witnessed for
many years, and in one respect that
Of economy-the result is peculiar
ly gratifying one. The receipts forI
the labor of prisoners have exceeded
the expenses of the prison by the |
sum of thirteen thousand dollars
This result, the Directors report, is !
not produced by charging the State |
with labor performed for it, or by
charges or credits for which money
has not been paid or received; but it |
is balance of cash receipts over cash
It has been secured |
by strict attention to economy in |
all departments, and rigid saving
Of the waste which is apt to become |
large in so large an institution. This
fact is most significantly shown in
the average cost per convict for
food, bedding and hospital,
which amounts this year to tifty-one
dollars and thirty seven cents against
an average of eighty-seven dollars
for three years before. The Direc-
tors are further able to say that, "al-
though the expenses have been so
diminished, every depart
ment has been as well maintained as
in any former year. They veryI
properly give the chief credit for this
result to the Warden and his princi-
pal assistants, but it could, of course,
be brought about only by jealous
CO operation in the public service of
all concerned, from the Directors
downward.
Your candid consideration is in
vited to the reasons assigned by the
Directors why a minimum price for
convict labor should not be estab-
ished by law. The accounts of the
prison demonstrate that since the
of the existing statute on that
subject, there has been a clear loss to
'he State of two thousand dollars per
month by reason Of the non-employ
nent Of conyicts for whose labor re-
'ponsible bids had been made before
he law took effect. believe the Il
of the report on this sub. Il
ect to be sound, and recommend the /,
epeal of the statute referred to- II
Che true mode Of enhancing the price 7
# labor in the prison is to perfect i
he discipline and management of the 8
Institutions SO that the labor itselfIt
7ill be more valuable and reliable. h
nd leave it to the zeal OF honorable
nd competent pissstsys spa salosy. q