Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-10-13

would necessarily entail increased expense to the
state 1t Is for you to consider whether the addi-
tonal expense will be more than overbalanced
by the greater advantages Of annual sessions.
Were the question OF expense out of the way
should not hesitate TO recommend a return TO an
nual sessions of the legislature. should do this
the more readily for the reason that feel conf
dent that our legislatures express and carry out
the will of the people in the result of their de-
alterations
The retiring message of Governor Proctor has
called attention TO some important suggestions in
relation to amendments that | need not further
discuss.
MILITIA.
The small militia force OF the state Is in very
efficient condition, and at extremely slight public
expense Its admirable condition is not due to
its having been fostered by the state, but to the
natural military spirit of our people, and to the
fact that some Of the officers and soldiers who
served during the rebellion have taken deep
interest in the single regiment and portion Of
battery which represent our entire military force
It is to be hoped that we may never again know
the suffering that results from war but prudent
government will not allow itself to be unprepared
for possible emergency nor allow the military
spirit Of its people to entirely die out
MILITARY HISTORIAN.
At its last session the two houses adopted a
joint resolution providing for a state military
historian, and the governor appointed Hon. G. G.
Benedict to that position, and he at once COM
menced his labors by collecting materials for the
history. But the work of preparation was stopped
by decision of the state auditor that the resoll-
tion having failed to receive the governors sig
nature, did not constitute such an Act of Legis-
laton" as would warrant payments from the
treasury for the necessary expenses, The collec-
ton of the materials for the history has neverhe
less gone on, and the completion of the work
awaits the action OF the legislature.
| have no doubt you will adopt the necessary
| legislation to complete this work, which evidently
| both houses and the governor concurred In at the
/ last session. and which has only bpau dplaypd by
the method of legislation. 1t would be bad faith
on the part Of the state not to complete the con-
tract inaugurated by my predecessor. Had the
| Joint resolution received the signature of the gov
ernor, undoubtedly the auditor would have al
lowed the necessary bills of expense But ap-
preparations ought not to be attempted by joint
resolution.
THE STATE PRISON.
The directors of the state prison, in accordance
| with section of an act of the legislature passed
at the last session, have erected new building
| for workshop, chapel, and other purposes. 1t is
! entirely of brick, is ninety-five feet long and
thirty-two feet in width, and two stories in
! height above the basement The roof is Of slate,
with tin CUTTERS and tire-proof cornice. The
sum appropriated for the purpose was three
thousand dollars BY availing themselves of
some convict labor the directors have been able
| to complete very satisfactory building and
keep within the appropriation. They have also
built double gate, which was required for
safety, and this has been done within the appro-
priation for that purpose.
A good system of ventilation has been intro
duced into the new prison, and it is to be extended
| to the old one. Some other Improvements are
suggested in the report of the directors which are
much needed, and for which appropriation should
| be made.
In examining the accounts of the late superin-
tendent errors were discovered by Mr. Rice the
present superintendent, amounting to 81 ,50S 05,
and he was directed to collect the same, which he
! has done and returned 1t to the state treasury.
The act Of LEGISLATURE last rpfarrpd In algO mr.
vides for the erection of new prison building to
accommodate those prisoners who were unpro-
vided with cells. At the time OF the visit of the
| legislative committee October IS, 1878 there
were confined in the state prison one hundred
and eighty-six convicts and there were but one
hundred and fifty-six cells for their accomnoda-
ton. There seemed then to be an immediate ne
cessity for an increase of cell room; hence, the
adoption of Section l of the act referred to.
But since the house of correction has been opened
for convcts, there has been decided falling off
in the number sent to the state prison, so that on
the 3lst day of July, 1880, there were but one
hundred and forty-two convicts at Windsor, and
the number is not likely to be large enough to fill
all the cells for some time; consequently the di-
rectors have not built the additional prison build
ing provided for by the act of 1873. This falling
off in the number of convicts in the state prison
is partly due to the fact that the house Of cor
rection now takes some of the same class of Grim
inals that were formerly sent to the state prison,
but it is principally due TO a great decrease In
! high crimes In the state.
HOUSE OF CORRECTION.
When the legislature was last in session, the
house OF correction was unfinished, and not ready
to receive prisoners. Ithas since been completed,
and at the time of the report of the directors
| (who are the same as those of the state PRISON.,
July 81, 1880, it had been in use twenty months.
| The whole number of prisoners during that time
was three hundred and sixty-five. The number
confined at the time Of the report cannot state,
| but believe IL about the institll-
ton can accommodate. The same building is
also used for the purposes of the Rutland county
Jail. At the date of the report, there were four
Rutland county prisoners.
The directors have let the convicts labor for the
finishing of marble during the term of five years
from September l, 1879, at twenty-five cents per
day for each convict up to August l, 1880, and
thirty cents thereafter. 1t was with difficulty
that any contract at all could be made partly on
account of the short terms many of the prisoners.
Before the contract was made, the convicts were
worked on the grounds, grading, building wall etc.
The directors, in their report say that For
the year ending August L. 1880, the current ex-
penses of the entire institution, including Rut-
land county Jail, were 50, 235 90. II the prisoners
had been employed under the contract during the
entire year, and upon the same pay as since
August l. 1880, their earnings would have
amounted to 50, $780, leaving balance against
the state for the current expenses Of year
OF only S3,36l 49, The cost to the state of
Rutland county jail previous to the establish
sum,--the average expense being $500 year,
and more than that amount since 1870
The auditors report, to which have already
referred shows that the expenses of all the jals
in the state for the year ending August l, 1880,
are nearly $1,000 less than for the year ending
August 1, 1878. The directors in their report
| claim that this is mainly attributable to the es-
Enlistment Of the house Of correction This is
true to some extent. But further examination
OF the auditors account shows that the Jail ex-
penses diminished from July 81, 1877, tn the same
day in 1875 S2,95S.72, and this was before the
house of correction was established From the
last date to the corresponding day In 1879 the
penses of iais fell off S35lSSi. The house of
correction was opened to receive prisoners De-
cember, 1873, So it may be supposed to have had
some influence during the last year named but
we must believe that the same influences were at
i In. uul LII.