Smyrna times., 1877-02-14
For the SmmNd Time
A Work Housa.

To the Editor Of Smyrna Times VERY
much has been said and written since
our Legislature has been in session on
the subject of establishing Work House
in our State, in which all the convicted
criminals of our State shall be confined
and required to work at some employment
for their maintenance. Very few persons,
if any, who have been approached on the
subject, have manifested any opposition to
such an Institution. If you should ask
persons, Unfortunately, if they do not
think that the inmates of our iails, con.
vlcted OF crime, ought not to be required to
pork, and 'earn their bread by the sweat of
their brow" as honest men have to do ont.
side OF prison, the uniform answer would be.
yes, yet the counties of our State are sun.
porting, from year to year, from ll5 to l5O
able bodied men and women in our iails. in
MlenesS. 1t does seem to me that such y
system o: prison management is placing
premium on crime, and a discount on
honesty and virtue, and encouraging men
to lives OF ldleness. Our present county
Ialls are lily adapted for the purpose of
Work Houses, and would it not be better
to establish State Work House. which
could be fitted up for the purpose, in which
all our convicted criminals could be con.
fined, and then be required to maintain
Themselves Gy their labor. Work Houses are
IN successful operation in other States
where the cOnvicts maintain themselves. and
yield handsome rerenuc to the county or
State besides, and l am sure, with proner
management, the same result can be at
tanned III our State. While nearly everv
one consents TO the wisdom of such an ar
rangement as a Work House for criminals
few take enough personal interest in the
matter make
the object. What is ''every ones business
IS no ones business'-IIence no one makes
any efficient movement in the matter.
Sufhclent interest, however, has been
taken at this session of the Legislature to
present bill for this purpose, by a mem
Der of the House from New Castle CO.. Mr.
Bird, but he seems feebly supported by the
taxpayers throughout the State. Jy Dct;t;onc
1oy'ag tic passage Of tic bill, and nv object
In writing this communication is, if nossihla
to waken up the taxpayers, to send in their
petitions to the Legislature, asking that
the measure shall become law. Let me
state few facts and figures for their con.
sideratlon, that they may see how much
they pay annually for boarding the crimi.
nails OF the State, which money, it seems to
me, the taxpayers might just as we'll keen
IN their pockets, or pay for their o,cn board.
at CaPe May, saratoga or some other water
ing place, if they choose to take trim.
There are, on an average. abont ToO
prisoners in the iails of our State. which
cost the counties of the State, for their Bo1rI
the sum of 81 800 annually. or nearly 60 or |
10 cts. per day for each one Now if all this |
number OF prisoners are collected in one
building, and the food consumed is MIR.
chased from first hands, and dealt out svs.
tematically, the cost of boarding them can |
be reduced to $500 annually, or I21 cts !
per day for each one. This NAV seem |
low rate, but | have knowledge of n Work |
House where the cost of feeding the con.
vlcts is fraction less per head than the |
sum have named, and in locality where |
iood IS no less expensive than in our State |
Now let US compare the cost under our
present system with that of the Work
House on aggregate plan, and what do we
ma the difference to be? The difference
IN favor OF the Work House is the sum of
SI2'OOO which is the amount Saycd by the
system we advocate.
!, NOW to this we may add the profits Of
the laGor OF the convicts when they are put
10 work. and Tor this, we may reasonably
estimate 500 per year for each one. which
VII aggregate the sum of $4,000; which.
added to the $4,000 saved. will make tbn
sum OF $4,000, as the gain, annuoIb, occru.
ing to the State, from the establishment of
Work House. 1t would be proner how.
ever, to deduct from this the Interest on
the cost OF building, say $4,000 (estimatine
tie oulldlngs to cost $l00,00O) which would
sui! leave balance of $4,000 of qain.
:, ms net balance of $4,000 is the amount
tne taxpayers are paying annually, for the
PrGI'llego OF maintaining our present system
OF prison management. Ought not these
lacts and figures to awaken an Interest
among an the people, in this matter, who paw
Some may think and doubtless otbors
VIII say, that the writer is drawing unon
ms imagination for his facts and figures.
put your correspondent has personal
Ah0I"Iedge OF just such results having been
Itaiized elsewhere, and he can see no reason
Thy the same may not be accomplished in
D1la"are. ~, Pecuniary reasons are not the
only ones TO be urged for change in the
a. management OF our prisons, but there are
strong moral reasons.
Iaintalnlng our prisoners in Mcness has
deeply injurious moral effect IF tbeY
are morally deprared when committed ~
prison. they will become more and more 60
! II !, oraln and hands are allowed to remain
.Ile' ~ An idle brain is the devils work.
81 mop Put them to work and continue +,
them "a at 1t regularly and constantly. and ,
tney VIII cultivate habits of industry and
i[e'uInlng self respect and sense of man.
nood VIII be encouraged. and their term Of
iln Il ilnPrlsonment will not expire without find. ,
ing them better men than when tbov
entered the prison walls, and on their
gong into society again they will be more
Hkely to become honest and industrions
men, and society will be safe from further
expectations from their.hands. Every con.
sderation then calls upon us to unite in !
eTIndeavoring to secure for our State Work
house and trust that the people will send ;
into the Legislature petitions numerouslv
signed, asking for this needed reform. !
We estnnrn 4 n l..-.4 .:.1