Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-17
PRNITENTIARY POINES
ANIMAL Report Of the superintendent
or ne InstitutiOn-Some. Statistics in
Resard to the State Prison.

We present herewith the report OF Hon.
Thomas ]. West, Superintendent of the
West Virginia state Prison. at Mounds
vile. The document is short and to the
Point and covers all the grouRdl The fol-
owing is the report:
To the Gorerpof:
SIR-In complence with the law OF the
State, have the honor to transmit here
with a semi-annual report of nay transac-
tons at this institution for the six months
ending November 80, 1881, embracing sum-
mary and detailed statements of all receipts
and disbursements by the Superintendent
for the period named.
The tables herewith show that on the lst
day of June, 1881, there was in the. hands
Of the Superintendent
Balance l2li %
Receipts during six i3,79s 50
Total during the six raonths.......... .sl5Ol8 q
Disbursed during the same time. L. Igj 81
balance remaining iD the hands OF
the superintendent December LIST,
l1li ID
The statistical tables appended show a
decrease in the prison population, during
the six months:
Number Of convLctS in the prison June
Ter received during the SiI n;%%ii
NuI6er died, disCnurgru uru puruorr-e'''" 20
Remaining in the prison Dec. J. lSSi'''''t''
OF those received, thirty-three were conl'
mitted under recent sentences Oh 'he
courts. .,rn the
o,,thTr;ties here in October, 1850, ana was
cantured and returned opriSon III octopei :
1ssi to serve out an uneNpired term Vi
three and one-fourth years. ,,oo3 q
One William Clifton, was pronounceu q
,unat;c and committed to the insane
hi hsri,,,, NJ Weston. before the term ot his
sentence expired mere. u;,,5 co,.orod
hv This r.port occurred in the months Oh
lime and July, and none since that l'nte.
Soon after my arrival at this place, III
NAV last, thorough renoyatliS
and cleaning OF all apartmssuas ps y,
wos commenced and sedulously followed UP
until more healthy conditions were pro-
duced :, .,,o cooL.
inc utensils for the kitchen ana III the
tobIe ware for the dining hall. An increase
In the quantity and an improvement III the
quality of the provisions purchased was eP
The most marked changes have beer
secured in the cells and sleeping arrange
mentS.
The Board of Directors has cheerfully en-
dorsed and cordially aided in all these I'm
provements.
The officers and guards deserve mention
for important services cheerfully RENDERED
and hard duties faithfully performed.
The prisoners, as a general rnle, are nov
healthy. and show their appreciation OF th'
| treatment adopted by obedience 70 th'
| rules and by cheerfulness and diligence a
their labor. and it is believed that tn
health and good discipline OF the prisoi
| will compare favorably with like lnstitu
| tions throughout the country.
I beg leave to call your attention 10 som
anomalies in the law governing TINS ihst'
| tuition. 90 ,.L
charge of its internal police and manage
ment. 10 provide for feeding, clothing an'
taking care of the conyicts, yet the force D
| which alone he maintains discipline Is al
nointed and removed at the discretion Q
! fbp board of directors, and the purchase
are all required to be made by person at
| pointed by the board. / am clearly OF III
oninion that the provisions should be- pur
| chased by the superintendent ana issue
Asa General rule, the chief OF depar'
| ment selects the force employed therein
| IL the clerical force employed N the once
of the auditor, treasurer secretary OF stat.
etc, were to be appointed by board OF on
GERS residing in different sections OF IN
| State, / doubt whether the efficiency ina
now exists in those offices, could then
maintained. ,
Isa difficult line of Improvement TO
made The engineer in charge selects u
men who with him are to marx It's wa
across the rivers, mountains and gorges
he passed. And find difficulties here tn
can only he successfully met by that unit
in ACTION attained through individual
sponsibility to single chief.
Superintendent.