Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-04

| COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDED-TlIE Ca
| NAL COMPANY.
| All OF the annual reports OF the depart
mentS OF State government are now In, witt
the exception Of the First Auditors, Which
is unavoidable delayed for preparation o.
complicated tables. The Governor has beer
| kind enough TO permit these reports to bt
furnished the press without compelling
! them to wait until the assembling Of the
General Assembly, when the rush OF matter
prevents proper space being given them
| This arrangement and the courtesy OF Colo
mel J. b. Cary, president of the Board OF
Directors of The pcnitcntiary, enables us tc
present the following interesting nforma
| ton concerning the Virginia pcnitcntiary
VIRGINIA PENITENTIAEY, }
OFFICE OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 7
RICHMOND, Va, November II, 1877. }
TO His Ercctency Gocernor James H.
hcmpcr:
Sir.-I have the honor to forward here.
| with the annual reports Of the Superlntcn'
dent. the Surgeon. and the General Agent
OF the Pcnltcntiary, with accompanying
tables for the fiscal year ending september
80, 1877. | also forward 4 condensed state
mrnt COMPLIED bv order of the Board rs &
sort OF consolidated report, which is thought
to exhibit more clearly the actual cost OF
operating the institution.
Pcnitentiary accounts have been con
frsscdly Il difficult thing to understand,
owing perhaps to the fact that the receipts
rs well us the expenditures pass through
different channels. Some funds are re-
ceiycd by the superintendent and some by
the general agent, while some disburse.
ments are made by the latter officer, and
others are made directly from the State
Treasury. 1t is believed that if all the re.
ccipts and all the disbursements were made
10 pass through one channel much OF this
confusion would be removed, and the eN.
act condition OF the institution, financially,
be more readily understood.
1t will be evident to those least familiar
with
THE MYSTERIES OF BOOKKEEPING
that by charging the penitcntiary with
stock OF all kinds on hand at the beginning
OF the year and the different amounts re-
ccivcd from the Treasury and other sources
during the year, and crcditinS it with
amount OF assets at the end of the year, EN-
bracing other items due and accrued, the
difference would express the correct amount
OF profit or loss to the institution.
An examination OF the statement thus
prepared shows balance against the prison
OF s33,Sl2.S7, which the report OF the super
intcndCnt (madc according to the form Of
law) reduces to S11.320.07; while the ac-
count with the Treasury increases it to
;e52, 90S3S. These different amounts cam
not all express the proper cost OF maintain
inc the prison. Assuming, then, S33, Sf2.S7
as mean between the two extremes OF the
superintendent and the Treasury to be the
correct balance, it will appear that
THE EXPENSE
Of conducting the institution the past year
exceeded that OF the previous year (S2G,-
2G33 ~ by about $500. This excess, how
ever, is more than accounted for by two
facts: ~ That the receipts from contractors
lowing partly to special legislation) were
greatly diminished during the last year,
being only S12,312.76 as against S27,1ISS2
in 1S75-'G; and (2) that there has been an
increase Of more than one hundred Q13)
conyicts. which has involved an extra cost
OF S4,564gj in the item OF feeding alone.
Had the receipts from hires cqlalled those
OF the preceding year, and had there been
no increase OF prisoners, the balance against
the penitentiary would have been only
2l3.7l5.SG. or about one half OF what it was
in 1S75-'G-a result which speaks well for
the management OF the prison.
It will be observed from the surgeons
report that there has been Il very heavy i'll
crease in
THE MORTALITY
OF the pcnitcntiary. which is double what
it was in lS75-'76. The matter OF the over
crowded condition OF the institution, with
the anticipated increase Of mOrtaitv-the
result OF consumption and other kindred
discascS-all consequent thereon, has been
repeatedly dilatcd upon both BY the sur
gcon and the Board, and no language at my
command can reinforce the arguments that
have been made in previous reports. Now,
us the only partial remedy that perhaps re-
mains, the Board respectfully submits the
plan Of erecting additional temporary ac-
commodations outside the prison walls. 1t
is proposed that they be built OF wood. and
capable OF containing 400 or 500 convicts,
embracing the more intrm and those under
sentence for short terms, who could be
more safely guarded and controlled in
building OF this nature. Estimates have
been prepared, and, making due allowance
for unforeseen contingencies, it is believed
that sufficient prison capacity can be OBJ
tanned by this means at a cost not exceeding
$4,000, including the pay OF the extra
guards that will he required; and aDprO-
pirate legislation is earnestly asked for to
carry out this design.
Twelve months ago it WAS estimated that
THE NUMBER OF PRISONERS
could scarcely be less than 1850 on the 1st
of October, 1877. The actual number then
was 1872; and but for the fact that recent
discharges exceeded the admissions the
1,n,, f,1l1 tN 1o
estimate; and without some decided modi-.
tication in the criminal code, in less than
three years the number cannot be less than
/ 800. as previously estimated. II, then, thc
mortality is now increasing, with augment
ing numbers and necessarily diminished ac-
it cannot but be expected to
increase in accelerated ratio even from ord-
nary causes, while it would be frightful to
contemplate the mortality that would pro-
badly cnsue from the breaking out OF con-
tagiolls disease The demand for increased
room is therefore imperative, and can no
longer be safely di$regarled; for while the
number may occasionally be reduced by
hiring out the convicts. and perhaps to
some extent permanently by reformation
in criminal legislation, all can see that a
building originally designed for the accom-
of 400 OF 500 persons cannot with
safety or propricty be made to accommodate
double or treble the number.
THE BOARD HAS TO REPORT
that no sale of what is known rs the "spring-
lot" has been effected, for reasons hereto
fore assigned and which seem to be OF in
definite duration.
1t has also been unable to purchase
ground for convicts outside OF the
prison bounds, owing to the limitation
placed by the Legislature upon the price to
be paid for the land; and it is respectfully
that this restriction be re-
moved and the Board be left free to pur-
chase rs the interests OF the institution and
the necessity OF the case may demand.