Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-02-27


For the settlement OF the old railroad bonds.
Col. Baxter submitted minority report.
Relating to the fees of registers of deeds.
Permitting the mortgaging of real estate of
minors.
Relating to the settlement of the old rail
road bonds.
Relating TO lowering OF Lake Washington,
in Sibley county. (Sent to the committee of
the whole.)
Authorizing the draining of Eagle Lake.
Relating to roads, cartways and bridges.
SECOND STATE PRISON.
Mr.. Hoyt, from the committee on locating q
second State prison, reported as follows:
To the honorable Senate and House of Rrepre
rentatives of the State of Minnesota
In conformity with resolution appointing
joint committee to investigate and report as
to the expediency and necessity of locating
second State prison, we as such committee re-
port as follows: We have visited the prison
at saltwater, and while we believe there is suf-
fcient room to afford accomm sdation in such
prison to all convicts for one or perhaps for
more years, we nevertheless fully endorse the
recommendation of the governor in his last
annual message as to the propriety of the
State adopting measures for the location of a
second State prison in a new locality. But in
our opinion it is not for the interest of the
State to further enlarge the prison at Saltwater
for the reasons, tmong others, stated by the
inspectors in their annual report of 1880, in
which they say: If the State chooses TO locate
it's institutions is such exposed positions as it's
State prison now is, surrounded on three sides
by tremendous hills with steep ravines inter
yening, which during heavy rains gather an
immense torrent of water that has to be con-
fined and controlled to prevent destruction to
the State property, the people must not COM
plain at the heavy expenditures to protect the
same. Located on level land all of this extra
expense would be avoided.
Your committee therefore recommend that
steps be taken by the legislature looking to-
ward selection of a site for such prison.
The report was accepted and placed on file.
Mr.. Collins offered a resolution authorizing
the committee to sit after the close of the ses-
sion and receive proposals from the several To-
calities for donations of land, etc to examine
the sites offered, and report to the governor.
After discussion the resolution was lost. Yeas
Sc; nays 4S.
THE STATE PRISON INVESTIGATION.
Mr.. Dunn, from the special committee on
the investigation of the State prison contract,
submitted the following report, which was
adopted and the committee discharged:
To the Senate and House of Representatives.
Your committee charged by the concurrent reso-
luton Of the Senate and House adopted February
and g. 1881, with the Investigation of the action of
the inspectors and warden Of the State prison in the
matter of the letting of the contract for the convict
labor to Messrs. Seymour, Sabin Co., and also to
INQUIRE as to whether the said contract for the
best interest Of the State, and also whether any
due or improper influences were brought to bear
upon the said warden and inspectors in letting said
contract and also to inquire and report as to the
action Of the committee on State prison Of the Sem
ate and House of Representatives in the same matter
would respectfully report:
That in the discharge of their duties they duly met
and organized by choosing Mr.. Dunn. Of the House
of Representatives, as chairman, and j. A. Arm
strong, of the House of Representatives as secre-
tary, and appointed 8. D. Hillman stenoerapher.
That they have from time to time proceeded in the
examination of witnesses produced and sworn before
them as to matter pertinent to such inquiry.
That from the evidence adduced before them
they find the following as conclusions Of fact:
First-That the charge that money was offered to
Messrs. Forepaugh & Tarbox in any sum whatever
as an inducement to withdraw their bid and stand
aside and refrain from competing for said convict
labor has no foundation in fact, that no money or
other consideration was ever offered to said Fore
paugh Tarbox by Seymour, Sabin 4 90, or any
other person, as All inducement to them to refrain
from competing for said labor:
Second-That in letting the contract for said
labor the warden and inspectors advertised duly for
proposals for said labor in seven Cd different States
of the Union that in response thereto they received
three (D bids as follows:
day per man for labor, and nothing for rent of
shops or machinery
Second From Forepaugh Ts1box, AN cents
FER dsy per man for labor and 800 90 year rent
for machinery.
Third-From Cyrus J Thompson, 47H cents per
day per man for labor, and $2,Ol0.O0 per year for
rental Of machinery.
That in considering said bids the bid of Cyras J.
Thompson, being the highest bid, was accepted by
the warden and inspectors, and he duly notified of
its acceptance and notified to appear at the office
of the attorney general the 26th day of January
1881, and enter into written contract for the due
performance of his bid.
That on the said day the said Thompson and war
den and inspectors met at the attorney generals Of
fee. at which meeting the said Thompson refused to
sign and enter into any such contract in the opn
ion OF the attorney general and said Prison board
was necessary for the safety Of the State and for its
interests.
That thereupon the said board Of inspectors duly
rejected all the bids that had been interposed, and
Seymour, sabin Go. proposed to continue in en-
poying said labor, and to pay for the same as cents
per day, and a rental Of $500 for machinery, and
with provso that the State should annually appro-
pirate 900 for new shops. That the board were
all in favor OF closing contract with said firm at
that price, but objected to the provision Of appro-
pration for shops on the ground that they were not
authorized to so provide. That while the same was
being considered Messrs. Forepaugh & Tarbox
made proposition to take said labor and pay there
for AN cea ts per day for labor and 5000 for
rental, that the two propositions we're then before
the board for action, that being in doubt to which
of the two propositions was in fact the best bid in all
respects for the Stae the said board request ed the
the advise of the committees on State prison from
the Senate and House Of Representatives. That &C
cOrdingly the said committees met the said board
at saltwater, and after full consideration Of the
matter, and being fully advised of all the facts con-
corning the actions of the board and of the bids re-
ceved and Of the actions of the bidders themselves,
by unanimous vote recommended the contra ct with
Seymour Sabin & Co., as the same has been made
and which is the same contract printed by vote of
the House.
Your committee further report that in their opin-
ion the action of the said inspectors and warden in
letting said contract to Seymour Sabin & Co. was,
and is justified and for the best interests of the State.
That although in the mere matters of present money
Forepaugh Tarbox may appear to be the most adj
vanageous, yet that branch of business proposed
to be carried on by the new firm, manufacture of
boots and shoes), was clearly shown to be business
which would provoke much hostility by others
gagged in that industry, and would tseiously compete
the to their great detriment while the bust
ness Of Seymour, Sabin & Co., (the manufacture of
threshing machines) is an industry which completes
with no like industry in the State to any material
in the prison, the property of the State, would be
Being Being ,eno1eds as it would be BY
changing the industry carried thereat, and that
in many other respects the proposition Of Seymour,
Ssbin & 90. s the best for the State, all things con-
sidered.
Your committee further report that there is no
ground for mpeaching the official integrity Of the
warden or inspectors Of the State prison by
tract and that to the action Of the State prison
committee Of the Senate and House Of Representa-
tves in the premises in advising the making Of said
contract, while we believe their action in the