Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-23

assistants. For this valuable suggestion
your committee are indebted To the late
chairman Of the WOrk-houSe Committee,
Mr.. Harry ID. Martin, who prepared Dill
TO that effect, which passed both Boards
during the last municipal year, but failed
te become A law, in consequence OF the
veto of the (then) Mayor.
The second feature is that Of contracting
with an officer to be elected rs the present
keeper is-a Steward-who shall furnish
all necessary fuel, and feed the prisoners
for a stipulated sum per day for each one.
This bill, if it becomes the law, will save
the city in salaries alone the sum Of $1,000
per annum.
Your committee find, from reliable
sources of information, that the provisions
purchased for the wOrk-hOuse during the
past wear, il equally distributed among the
prisoners, would amount TO 43 cents per
day for every prisoner, or $l58.22 per an
mum. This is for purchase of food alone,
and takes no account Of cost OF cooking
and serving; add to this sum the wages oil
cook, cost Of fuel and other expenses Incl
dent 10 its preparation, and some Idea can
be formed Of the saving to the city by the
passage Of the proposed bill in this item,
certainly not less than 5000 10 $l,JO.
BY reference 10 the Recorders books We
find the cost of the wOrk-hOuse, exclusive
of repairs, forage and all other items not per-
tanning to the safe keeping and mainten-
aIfee of the prisoners, to have been tor the
past twelve months SS,OOS.32, while
the average number Of prisoners per day IN
the work-hOuse during the same period
was fifteen (l5), so that the annual cost OF
each prisoner for the past year was Sl;53:o'i,
about the amount charged for tirst-elass
board at the Maxwell House.
These facts are worthy your thoughtful
consideration, and seem TO your committee
to demand a change in the present system.
As to whether the system has been badly
administered or we'll administered, We do
not feel called upon to decide; but your
committee are clearly and unanimous OF
the opinion that the root of the trouble lies
/ in the system itself. Your committee are
equally satisfied that the proposed bill will
| effectually put stop to the present costly
| outlay, and more efiectually accomplish the
| ends for which the work-house was ere
ated. The entire saving TO the treasury by
this bill will be not less than six thousand
dollars.
Your committee are credibly infurmed that
broken stone can be bought for less than II
costs to break it at the work-hOuse, and
hence the prisoners can be worked more
proftably on the streets, taking the place o
hands, for whom full wages are now PAID
and it is believed by your committee ina
the labor thus performed by the prisoner
will, even at the value placed on 1t by th'
law, fully equal the cost Of their main
tenance under the provisions Of the pro
posed bill, and the wOrk-hOuse will there0,
become self-sustaining, instead OF eonstl
tuting, as it now does, heavy drain upol
the city treasury.
All of which is respectfully submitted
WM. HENRY SMITH, Chairman.
The bill introduced by the cOmmitte
passed first reading, and a motion va
made to suspend the rules, in order to pu
it on its second reading, but failed.
THE NEW FIRE EXTINGUIsHER.
A communication was received from L
F. d. Fitch, inviting the Council to atten
the testing of the Great American En-
Extinguisher, on the corner Of Broad an
Summer streets, at O'Clock this evening
The invitation was accepted, and n
Board adjourned uLtil the next regul'
I meeting.