The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-19
THE STATE pEsnrESTaARY,
ABSTRACTS OF THE ANNUAL REPORTS.
Condition and Prospects or the
Hnstitation.

The Board Of Directors Of the peniten-
tiary, George Birgamin. Esq, president,
have transmitted to the Governor their an
nual report for the fiscal year ending Sen.
tember 80, 1874:
| cat the commencement of the wear the
Board found very large stock of manufac.
lures on hand, particularly Of shoes, and at
once determined to prevent further accu.
mutation by restricting the purchase of ma
teriai, and q reduction OF the amount of
work done, until business should revive and
the stock in the hands of the agent Justify
an increase. This necessarily involved the
throwing out of employment of q number
OF hands engaged in the shoe and broom.
shops. In order to fiod employment for
them they were hired to contractors (nine in
| the broom.shop and sixteen in the shoe.
| shop) at an average Of fifty cents per day,
eqlal to an income of 1850 month, or Of
$4,000 per anDum. Even at the very low
| figures at which they were hired it was far
| better than to let them remain in idleness,
| and thus lose an amount almost equal to the
entire earnings OF larger number worked
| in the shops on State account.
con the 1lth Of July last the Board, in a
communication to the Governor, called at
tention to the management of the office of
general agent and storekeeper, and asked for
instructions from him in the case as provi
ded by law. In response to the comuDuni-
cation he directed an investigation into the
charges complained OF, which investigation
was made, and facts reported to him; since
which time there has been marked im-
provement in the management of the office,
and determination is now evinced By the
agent to remove all further grounds OF com.
plant.
The sales made by the agent during the
last sixty days give hope that we shall have
no further ACCUMULATION Of stock, to be
eventually sold ut a loss to the State"
The Board renew recommendation, made
by former boards, that some cnapge should
be made in the accommodations for the fe-
male copylctS.
suPERINT TENDENT's REPORT.
The Superintendent says in his report to
the Board The sales OF the general agent
exhibit very large falling off for this year
when compared with the last. The earnings
OF the convicts hired to contractors, amount.
ing to $42,97973, show gain over the
previous year Of 1888 03. The various
items of expense are generally less than the
previous year-the provision account show
ing diminution of $2,755.I.
"On September 80, 1873, there were in pri.
son 759; received from September 80, 1878,
to September 80, 1874, 2S5 total, 1,044
Pardoned, 13; died in prison, 10 died on
railroad and public works (colored mcn). 4 !;
died at Old Dominion Granite Compipy's
works (colored men),6; discharged, 1868 !;
escaped on railroad and public works, 40 !;
escaped from prison, 4-total, 243. Leaving
on hand, 1885,"
SURGEONS REPORT.
DR.. NJ. NJ. Walker, surgeon of the insttu-
ton, reports to the Boird:
sour mortuary report for the fiscal year
is much smaller than it has been for many
years. 1t is remarkable that from cousump,
ton, the great bane Of prlson-iie, we have
had but a single DEATH"
NEARLY one.haIfofthe inmates were under
treatment for the maiarial feYers at one time
and two hundred and sixty-three cases were
treated during the year."
"lt may be well to state that the monthly
reports from the Health Committee of our
Medical Society show maarial diseases to
have been unusually prevalent throughout
The city; and verbal reports | have heard
from different parts of the State are to the
same eUCCt.
eve have been entirely free from conta-
gious or infectious diseases, and with the
exception of the malaria' troubles already
mentioned the prison has tcen unusually
healthy"
REPORT OF THE GENERAL AGENT.
Major Joseph NJ. Stevens was general
agent from October 1st, 1873, to goth Of Jan.
uary, 1874. His sales during that part of the
fiscal year were S13,GGl.GI. On the 2oth OF
January Major w. M. Talaferro, the new
general agent, came into Office. From that
date to 30th Of September, 1874, his sales
were S43,952.94. Total sales for tiscll year,
S57,O14.5S. Major Tallaferro says in bis re-
port to the Board:
"In examining my sales hope you will
not lose sight of the great depression there
has been in business, owing to the money
panic. I feel confident that can make i far