Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-22
THE BANNER AND THE PENITEN-
TIARY.
That .eNObIe and Sensible stand ;,


In the proceedings of the Mechanics and
Manufacturers Association, as published in
the Bonner of the 18th inst. we find the
following paragraph:
"Mr. T. III. Jones read an article from the
Banner on the subject of Convict Labor
and moved that the hearty thanks of this
Association he rendered TO that paper for
the noble and sensible stand it has taken in
behalf of the mechanics and manufacturers
of Nashville; carried unanimously
In appreciation of the very fiattering COM
pliment for the ''noble and sensible stand"
it has taken, just read what the Banner Of
yesterday hos to say in behalf of these me-
chanics and manufacturers who have been
struggling for the overthrow of an encroach-
ment upon their rights by this Penitentiary
monopoly. We make an extract from the
article as follows: 5000.
I'm the cabinet shop, there are fortv-one
hands. Of these, twelve are engaged in
making tubs by hand, turning out, on an
average, twenty-four tubs per day, worth
about $50 per dozen. Up to about two
months since there were twenty-five hands
employed in making tubs and buckets with
machinery, but that feature has been dis
continued. Twenty-Five are making
DtItdlSs DttStcduSs NdTuIDUfS. anu nItdk-
fast aud dining tables. They make about
twelve bedsteads per day, the finest of
which are worth 50, while those of which
the most are made average 50 piece. In
this same department elegant bureaus and
WarlrObes are made of different woods
indigenous to this section. The degree Of
perfection to which the workers in this de-
partment have been trained is great, and
L
price
Just think of it. The Bonner speaks of
the "degree Of perfection" TO which these
conviets have been trained, and says their
furniture commands the best market price,
when it is a well known fact that there is
no comparison between penitentiary made
furniture and the elegant and substantial
work turned out at our factories, and which
has given Nashville the reputation of being
one of the best furniture manufacturing
points in the land.
The penitentiary is also well advertised in
the following paragraph, particularly that
portion of which says that everything is
| 'sturned out with the most careful finish"
@The agricultural implement shop en-
braces the blacksmith shop, wbeelwright
| shop and general woodwork shop. In the
| blacksmith shop there are twenty-eight
/ hands, who do all the iron work for the
/ wagons, carts, etc, and repair all the tools
of the institution. There are twenty-eight
also in the wheelwright shop, and thirty in
the general wood department Here are
made road and farm wagons, express wag-
ons. spring wagons, wheelbarrows, shovel
| plOws, seed plows, cora shelters, harrows
/ and farm cultivators. They turn out SIX
| wagons complete every week, worth $50
/ apiece. on an average, the spring wagons
/ being worth $3.50; also one hundred and
l thirty plows per day, worth s. apiece; and
L twenty-five carts per week, worth $40. The
/ wbeelbarrows which are made only on or
| der. are worth g apiece, of which about
| twelve are made daily. Twelve cedar
l chests per week are made, averaging ST.
in value. Everything here is worked up
! from the rough material, and turned out
l with the most careful finish"
Our painters will be little astonished to
| learn from the following paragraph, which
| we extract from the Burners article, touch
| ing the excellence of the work of their
branch Of trade, which 'compare favorably
| with those manufactured elsewhere, both
| for service and neatness Of finish.n 1t says !:
| ssThe next department is the paint shop,
| where ten men are employed in painting
wagons, carts, plOws, chests, etc, and var
| nishing the furniture made in the mstltu-
| ton. When the various articles have re-
| ceiyed the last touch Of the painter, they
compare favOrably with those manufactured
| elsewhere, both for service and neatneSs OI
finish"
| We suggest that the Board Of Penitentia-
| nv INSPECTORS, az their next meeting, shall
u 81. Ilsfaaa. -sanN hos IA