The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-06-08
INSPECTOR STATE PENrrENrIARy.
HuRTsVlIl.E. TExAs MAY 40 1874

Oc ISau lOI tue Information auu COnSiuera-
ton OF the House. COLEMAN, Chairman.
OFFICE or
INSPECTOR STATE PENIrENrIARY,
HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS, MAY 30. 1915. !
Gorern0F Richard Coke. Austin, TeraS.
DEAR SIR-I herewith send YOU list of
all the machinery in the penitentiAry,
which was put in by the lessees, with the
maximum price allowed for new machinery,
aud an illustrated catalogue irnm the two
largest establishments OF the kind in this
country, from which you will see The prices
are not estimated but actual. The ma
chimes are numbered, and on the catalogue
have put Y mark, SO you will have no
trouble in finding the price TIE party
who got up this Information for me Is
verH, fine engineer aud msehinsL and is
thoroughly acquainted with all the ma
chinery in the prison, and he is we'll salts
lied he can put in new machinery from
either establishment in the place OF the
lessees' old for $4,000 A good dealof the
machinery in the chair shop was made in
the prison, principally out of State mate
rial; hence large deduction would have
to be made from the price here allowed.
The material made use of, belonging tn the
State, by the lessees, willilargely exceed the
cost of their machinery. l am told that
them myself, that cost the State not less
than $4,000, have been disposed of. One
of them ] know to be in thu sugar house
of Ward, Dewey & Co., at Lake Jackson.
They have taken down sixty-tive looms in
the f4ctory that cost the State $75 each,
and will never be of any use to the State
| or any one else. This, You see, amounts to
$4S75, and these articles, to say nothing
of large quantity of shafting, etc, used
up by the lessees, exceeds the cost of all
| their machinery, which they claim cost
| $75, 600. On q fair and just settlement to-
dav they aid be due the State largely on
machinery. That which belongs to the
State has been very badly abused, and is
not now worth much more than half what
it was when they assumed control of the
prison in 1871. 1t will be seen that do
not deal in estimates but actual figures
which you will tiLd in the catalogues. "
This gentleman has been making calcula-
tons of the value of the walls built by the
lessees, aud he knows what the lessees are
| due the State, and he is firmly of the opin'
ion that the State, on a Just settlement,
would not be due them cent 1t takes q
very large pile or quantity of brick to reach
the cost of $500, 900 (and this is in exces;
of the cost of the walls), but take this as d
basis of calculation, deduct from thu,
what they are due the State, sixty ode
thousand dollars, and what they will bt
due on machinery, loss of material belonging
TO the State, wear and tear of machinery o
! the State, and 500, 600 brick at So per thou
sand, and you will see that the Statewili b.
due them very little, If anything.
The balance sheet, which the Galveston
Ne.os says Col. Ward submitted to the com
mit,ee, showing the State to be due then
$3.50. 600, meets with great ridicale her
among the thinking men, and much aston
ishment is expressed that the COMMITTEES
does not seek information. upon not onl
t this subject, but also the manner it wa
conducted by the State. Gen. Besser, VIII
was connected with this prison for twent
years as financial agent, ETC., has in hi
t possession all the data, and you would b
astonlshed, after hearing Col. Ward tai
S about how badly the State managed he
G prison, and then see Gen. Besser's dats
The actual figures and the amount of none
f paid in the State Treasury, especially III
{, der Col. Caruthers's enthusiastically
t did not start out to sly anything upon tn
: subject. The balance sheet of the lessee
e as presented by Col. Ward, is simply
S '.galne of brag," and it does seem to N
4 that the committee would act wisely II the
s. would get facts, which can be done wit
II very little cost to the Safe. joint Cor
d mittve of five from both houses could CON
$ here, and bring good mason and carpe
:, go 18Th them who r-nli, an forty oigi
" hours, tell what tho improvements II
worth. The machlnest who has SO kind
e furnished ME the data l send you Cen
Z had at anytime. This is not only my Opt
he ion, but Others.
The lessees know that l have look
1T well to these matters aud that | do not i
tend to let them defraud the State Is Il
CT main reason Of their bitter feeling towal
e. me. They are very anxious to keep Il
ne prison on any terms, but it is said they u
now debating terms, etc. to the State.
at have to request your ExcellencJ to han
in the catalogues, this letter and the lists
IN the prices of machinery to the chairmen
ed the committees in the Senate and Hou
re for their information.
)n '''-- 'li'N3 Very respectfully,
I'D gong j. K p CANPBELL, Inspector.
70 LIST OF MACHINES IN CHAIR SHOP, tTATE PENiT