Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-26
THE STATE PRISON.
Report of Joint COmEnitiee OF Senate
and House.

and House.
Mr.. Speaker: The committee on the
Penitentiary beg leave to submit the follow
ing statement of facts in relation to the
management ard operations of the State
Prison:
Owing to the remote localities at which q
considerable portion of the convict la9or is
being employed, it has been impossible for
your committee to visit all of them without
endangering the progress of business in the
Legislature, which hiss prevented as thor
Ough investigation as was desired; yet, your
committee have been satisfied of the cor
recGness of the reports submitted by the
Superintendent and Other officers of the in
situations at an early day of the session.
Upon a thorough examination of the
management and operations of the principal
prison at this point, your committee have
been thoroughly satisfied of the Vigilancs
of the Superintendent in looking after the
interests of the State, and at the same tune
protecting the interest of the couvicls; and
your committee were gratified to find the
prisoners unanimous in their commenda-
lions of Mr.. Brown, the Warden, for his
very kind and humane treatment; and your
committee were impressed with the fact
that prisoners, however depraved and de-
graded, are still capable Of approaching
kindness, and under his management per-
form their labor more cheerfully, and with
infinitely better results to the lessees, than
was realized under more severe rule.
The labor inside the prison walls is being
go employed as to conflict as little as posi-
Bile with outside labor; the character of
labor employed and materials used in the
manufactured articles turned out of this IN
stitution are such as to make them compare
fsvorably with articles manufactured else
where, thereby creating demand for these
articles not heretofore experienced in the
management Of this institution. The la
Dor employed outside the prison walls is I'M
skilled, and such as cannot be probably
employed within the prison, and visit,
by a portion of your committee, to
the Sewanee coal mines, where about
$50 of these are employed, satisfied
US that the employment of this
character of labor in the development of
the mineral resources of the State is the
best to which it can be applied, thereby re-
moving it as far as possible from COMPETE
ton with honest labor, and st the same
time developing such resources of the
State, must very soon result in the induce
men. Of foreign capital to seek permanent
and profitable inves' ment In this State.
The prisoners ct this mine are under the
charge Of Maj. Henry, who is shown to be
an experienced diciplinariaD, who fse6s
well, clothes well and understands the i'm
portance of his position.
When the lease under which the institu-
ton is now being managed was entered in
to and ratified by the Legislature, succeed
ing as it did a former lease which had re
suited In heavy financial loss to the State,
much doubt was manifested, as to the cor
RICHNESS of this policy, and the results to
be attained; but careful Investigation of
its operations to this time has failed TO show
q single instance worthy of mention IN :
which the stipulatioDs of the lease have not
been faithfully compiled with. And the
lessees having promptly met all their obi
cations 10 the State, under this instrument
for the first year of its existence and at the
same time realized a profit TO themselves,
the conclusion that under the
direction Of such able financial and admit
ability, as now governs the insti-
tutlOn, convict labor can De 30 EMPLOYED as
to secure the State against loss, and az the
same time renumerate the employees; and
your committee have seen no reason 10
apprehend danger or recommend change.
Your committee were impressed with the
necessity OF increasing the hospital facili-
ties OF the institution and an extension of
chapel arrangements, but in view of the
fact that the treasury has already been
largely drawn upon to sustain and extend
she charitable institutions of the State they
IN 10 A.
this time. Much credit is due DR.. G. p.
Henry, prison physician, for bis care and at
tention to the sick; and also to the chap
lain for bis efforts to improve the moral
condition Of the prisoners. Respectfully
submitted, s. L. WARREN,
Chairman Senate Committee.
JOHN BLEvINs,
Chairman House Committee.