The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-21
8 in all penal INSTITUTIONS:

The 1886 employed in mechanical indus,
tries In all the state prisons Of the United
which gives sI.624.5i5.20 as their gross earn.
tngs for the whole year. A. ~ per duy-ihs
,Se sssg mem Pr WOULD 2T d SP9r Of o
ducts OF the mechanical industries Of the
United States amount to over $1,000. 100000
annually. while the total product OF the state
prisons cannot be over s2OOOO.OOO. or per
cent. OF the whole taxing labor at 81 per day.
But the fact is that the product is only
$9.747090 or less than one-nfth If per cent.
OF the products OF the United states.
third Of the value OF the product outside the
prison is the cost Of the labor. Inside the
prison the labor costs 81 = per. cent Of the
shoes in Concord produce t22s,575 worth Of
goods annually The .. .9m eco number Of men
The following recommendations are made
l. That the Legislature memoralize Congress to take
action looking TO the thorough classification ct all fact.
institution with view 70 rlsens before the country
preclude full aud satisfactory State Investigation and
ii That legislation be instituted looking to the proiuc.
ton in the prisons Of the s,ae Of all good, required by
iii Thai he ercates diyersity Of empoymcnt. con.
si,sns WIN ne capacity OF NE prisons lie Insisted upon
by The prison administration Tor te supply OF the ns
" That law be passed providing that no contract
thal be entered into Tor the ue m such labor hy the day
different parts OF ne state for pr"p-al' pubh auon Of
further hai no eonraci shah be ,Sec1icd exeept upon
The approval OF the 6uNtrnur aud cornell AMI that the
81 insutuiing the public account system when The
may be proposed BY any prison administration on may
Of the State.
A large space is devoted to the consideration
OF wages and prices. returns from 60 81 ) en-
ployees having been obtained, covering almost
every conceivable industry Of importance. and
by averages drawn from the tables of wages 10y
towns ana industries, II Is found that the r0-
turns for Gj,5l5 employees. in the occupations
considered, in the cities AMI towns visited
show that average weekly wages IN Il gold
basis. wereel Ito per cent. higher in 1878 than
they We're in 1860
In averaging aud consolidating returns from
various localities and upon numerous COM
moditics 1t is found that
Groceries have adN aucci iu price ...... nor cent
PROVISIONS have advanced I've prce........ 2.
Dry goods have ialcu n lr.ce.... ...... pcr cent
Boots nave adNane'd ih u per cent
Rents have ndN Anccd ia price .......... ler cent
Board has advanced 10 price - per cent
On all these items Of expense entering into
the cost OF living the average price was fourteen
and half per cent. higher IN 1878 than it was
In 1860.
From an investigation embracing the bust
ness experience OF 3ij dealers doing retail
trade in ten cities auu towns which contain "A
population OF about 100000. IL seems lair and
Just 10 draw the following conclusions: That
the working men Of Massachusetts in the
majority OF cases. have good food. though
not in so great quantity and variety as in pre-
Vlous yours that they ara practising u rigid
economy in purchases OF clothing. dry goods
boots and shoes, house furnishing goods. and
iucl and that the majority continue 10 pay their
bills promptly.
Chapter OF the report is devoted 10 testimony
OF MbOrlng men upon Errut variety OF Ques-
lions and chapter 10 statistics OF drunken
mess and liquor selling. The facts collected
under the last named heading are consolidated
IN tue following table.