The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-10

Emitted in the regulation 81 convict lapoF
but how will the interests Of the State
be most promoted?
The Penltentiary ia State institution
built and kept up by taxes assessed upon
all the citizens; and taxation for this pur
pose will never cease until the institution
Is made seltsustAlning. Justice to all, alike
with public interests, demand that sys'
tenn to prevail in satisfying the labor OIL
conVicts that will yield the greatest amount
OF revenue to the State. Our Penitentia'
~ in common with others has tried and
tested the system proposed by the bill, and
by facts and figures can show its entire
failure. In instituting q comparison be-
tween the savings to the State under the
present system OF contracting the labor,
and that Of doing 1t on public account"
1t will be seen that under the "public
account system from December l, 1874,
to December l, 1876, when part Of the
prison labor was contracted, and from
which the institution received It's largest
revenue, the expenses exceeded the in
come $23, 500 go per annum with an aver
age OF 1879 prisoners. See PenitentiAry re.
port Of 1875, page 81 Under the "con'
tract system" from June l to December J.,
1873, the expenses exceeded the earnings
S., 2S7 AZ, or at the rate Of $lO,574 81 per
annum, with an average OF 253 prisoners,
showing an annual saving TO the State I'M
der the contract system OF Sl9,s94 45 with
nearlydouble thenumber oIIprisonere, Sse
Penitentiary report oil 1879, pages 42and
43 This also embraced q large revenue
from the manufacture OF brick, the clay
forwhiCh has been exhausted, and the man.
ufacture cannot be carried on in the future.
The Penitentiary report Of 1881 en-
braces only the tables for the six months
ending December l, 1850 iWhen the entire
available labor OF the prison was under
contract; and shows the exact deficiency
under that system, with the labor con.
tTaCted at the present rates. This
report shows the expenses to have
been q, 709 %, or at the rate Of 50, 400 40
per annum In excess OF the earnings, with
an average Of 200 prisoners, See report
OF 1881; pages 81 and %
In the report Of 1875, page 0, 1t will be
seen that the appropriation asked for to
cover the ordinary expenses was $50. 500
per anuum. This was under the public
account system.
In the report Of 1873, page IS, 1t will be
seen that when part OF tho labor was under
contract, the amount asked Tor to cover
the deficiency was $4,000 per Rnnum,
while the report OF 1881 shows balance
OF 81. 500 oil the above amount unexpended
and remaining in the Treasury. See re.
port Of 1881, page "a From the same re.
port, page 3, 1t will be found than an ap.
preparation Of 81 900 is asked Tor to cover
The deficiency Tor the first year, and 50 900
for the second year, anticipating an In.
creased revenue from the labor OF con.
yiCts under contracts that expire during
the year 1881.
These appropriations are based on the
supposition that the contract system will
be continued [see page y. But II abol.
ished an additional appropriation OF not
less than $4,000 per annum will ba nee
essary to meet the expenses.
By way OF Condensing, II will be seen
that under the "publiC account" system
the expenses exceeded the income $685..
500 90 per annum, with 1870 prisoners.
Under the Contract system, with the
labor principally contracted, the expenses
exceeded the income Sl0.574 81 per an
mum, with 1853 prisoners.
Under the contract system, with all the
labor contracted, the expenses exceeded
the income 50, 400 40 per annum, with the
labor contracted at an average oil about 30
cents per man per day.
Had the Penitentiary realized 49 cents |
per day for this labor, the institution |
would have been selt.austaining. See re.
port Of 1881, page 24
The foregoing facts and figures show |
oonCluslvely that tho contract system will |
yield q greater revenue 10 the State than |
any that has heretofore been tried, In.
Guiding that proposed by the bill. This
being The case why should the present
system now be abandoned, especially al o |
time when the ChanCesare favorable for OBJ.
tanning a much greater price for the con.
yiCt labor than heretofore.
The price can only be Increased 10 |
proper standard by eliciting and securing
IN the bids Nov anything |
that can be done by the Legislature by |
way OF amendment TO the present law or
that would tend to stimulate OF
promote competition would he right and
proper. After the present term Of service
expires the labor Of the ponYipts In the
various departments In which they are
now engsged will be more valuable, and
the present contractors will BIO no doubt
willing 10 pay more. However, the bid.
ding for the labor should be kept open To
all and no restriction imposed as TO what
should be manufactured.
PRo RoNo PpBLECo.