Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-14

Ia this way provision was made for the pro
per care Of the insane until the lst Of Feb.

Or at lest n sbch s "a 81 loswa asdnsss III
the legtslaturs could comptsts them ih Fine
to Ieceivsrthe patienis. N do this. por.
tion Of the work must BE- dons be(ore cold
weather. This hss been done. TAe vork
90 far has been paid for, sfeoe6 = 4 nm
funds: It now remains for yea SS% - and
complete the work, Or reject Il, q, ri yOnr
wisdom, you may deem proper. had no
power 70 incur, q debt, or create any legal
obligation againit the territory: nor do /
2 wish to coerce you into the adoption OF any
particular plan. ls
But the honor Of Mis serritory-every con.
sldeIation Of patriotic du.y-svery lie that
binds the good man to his country-every
bond of social du,y--every- claim Of hn-
manity, demands that you make immediate
and suitable provision for the care Of this
most unfortunate class. When all these ut
ter their ella ms with united voice what il il
but the very voire of God? 2'A s.''
II is believed that by promptly compile.
ting the arrangemtnts. and securing an eff.
clent organization, and by an economical
management. the insane of the territory can
De we'll cared for and saving made in a
single year Of more than The entire cont Of
the building, and the necessary furniture
and fixtures. Even if this should prove an
S'sssA'essSS suS et0tlsLlC0 COlleCLeU from
the various asylums in the country, show
that Of all the peraons received and proper,v
treated during the first year, fifty per cent
are cured while of those received during
the second year, only ten per cent recover
These statistics show that prompt and prop.
er treatment Ia demanded on the score OF
economy no less than by the imperative
claims Of humanity.
A full statement Of the amount expended
therefor with carefully prepared estimates
OF the cost Of completing, furnishing and
managing, will be the subject Of another
communication to he submitted at an early
day. ,-.-',.l
PRISON.
One OF the most important subjects tha,
should, think, demand your early atten-
ton, is the mode and the expense Of keep
ing our convicts. 1t appears by the audit
ors report that the costof keeping our con-
victs for the two years ending the 3Oth of|
November, 1878, was $7,39l.67, while the
cost of their transportation for the same
time was s$l2;;863 IS. The number ia in.
creastng, and, with our. largely increased
population, it will continue TO increase
Unless some other arrangement can be adopt
ed the cost OF transportation alone will soon
reach ten Thousand dollars year. So long
a. no steps are taken towards providing a
prison OF our own this large expenditure
must prove an increasing burden upon the
tax payers and an entire loss for at the
last prison or prisons of some kind must
and will bs built. sss-.
The convicts are we'll cared for, and kept
at cheap rate at Detroi.. The prison il.
self is all that could be desired. but the cost
OF transportation ia burden too great to be
long endured. In view of the extent of our
territory and of the remo,eness of the differ. |
ent set lenfents from each other, and the diff |
flcultles and expense of inter.communica,
tion, it would he perhaps unwise TO locate
and build an expensive prison at the pres.
ent time, even if we had the means at our
command. For, locate it where we would.
heavy expense for transportation must
continue until increased immigration shall
blend our settlements, and increased rail. |
road and other facilities shall have cheap. |
ened the cost OF inter.communication
While am not prepared TO make, at this
time, any very definite or distinct recon-
mendatlons, venture 10 suggest that cheap
prisonso or work houses might he commenced. |
say one located in each judicial dis,ric,
where convicts sentenced to hard labor for
short terms, ray one or two years, might be |
confined and their labor utilized, with little.
1t any cost, for transportation.
The large amount thus saved and the val |
ue of the convict labor, with only trifling
would furnish means of contine-
ment az fast as required; while each would !
become the ucleus of tuch prison as would
ultimately be required in the Black Hills,
in northern Dakota and in southeastern Da.
kota. The question is wor by Of considera-
ton whether short sentences, endured near
the place OF the commission of the crime.
would not be more salutary than punish.
ment inflicted thousand miles away and
among entire strangers.
should any of these suggestions be deemed |
OF s,lthcient Importance to receive any action
within the next two years, some modifica-
tion Of the laws would be necessary at the
present session. N
Should congress divide our territory, these
prisons would be none the less useful and
necessary. But IN no event should any debt
be created without making provision for its
early liquidation. Halfa dozen cells and \
would be enough to begin upon in
each Of the judicial districts, constructed 80
they could be enlarged as required. Mean
whlie convicts for long per iods could be sent
as nov, where they are kept at cheap rates,
ana me comparative cost Of transportation
per year would be lessened in proportion to
the number Of years. At present the aver.
age cost OF transportation from the different
counties TO the territorial prison At Detroit
N equivalent to their keeping for three and
one. nall yeats. IL XIII s EIi}s
shoald the plan above suggested be deem.
ed questionable, and il should be III ,,,pht
oe..er 20 conhne our efforts to the consrc.
s.on OF one large Snd substantial prison in
some central locality. and with due regard
70 ", c',sspne.s Of material, even then prudence
wonid dictate that the work proceed ysrv
slowly, carefully avo 'difg the contraction 81
an. large debt. evenif We were Obliged to
build in small sections and no faster Than |
required for actual use. ''
Should We show disposition to begin, j.
- - po..ihlc congress might see the jus,ice and
me wisdom Of giving us ,ub.taniiiai aid in
Ine construction of such = priaon "A would
''e suitable for prisoners Of the United States