Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-06
rrr rEHIrFHTrARY.
1ntersstiug Meeting, Yesterday, OF, th'
Roard Of DiractofH

interesting Meeting, Yesterday, OF, tie
Board OF Directors
The regular meeting OF the Board OF
Directors of the Penitentiary was held,
Yesterday, at the Office OF the institution,
at Moundsville. A full Board was pres
ent, as follows: J. w. Gallaher, Mar
shall, President; J. X. Smith, Marion,
Treasurer; Ed. Sehen, Mason; Thomas
G. Smith, Wood, and ]. G. Alderson'
Ohio. q,
The frat half OF the day was occupied
in routine business, such as auditing
bills and matters OF like nature. Ine
remainder of the .ime Was occupied In
discussing several contracts now IN
force and in examining, especially, the
contract with the Webster Wagon CON,
pauy. TIE Board then adjourned un'li
this morning.
At its last meeting, the Board had ad-
vertised Tor bids for the convict laoor'
and five OF six proposals have been re-
ceiyed. The balance will be III by TO-
day, and will then be opened.
The broom contract OF Messrs. Nfa-
yer & Bardell expires OIL May 10. IL
works about thirty conyic,s. The whip
contract, by the same firm, which EN-
ploys fifty men will expire on August
| 18th. :.
August Pollacks cigar contract, IN
which thirty five are employed, VIII ex-
pire on June 18th.
In conversation with one OF the direc-
tors, last night, he stated that the LABOR
of the Penitentiary would bring double
the amount this year that it did last The
| bids will run from 40 to Sd cents per
day per man. He further said that as
far as lay in their power the directors
would so employ the labor as to com
pete as little as possible with The WORK
ingmen OF the State. :,
The law requires that no contract shsll
be made for period longer than che
year unless at rate, which, II obtained
| for every convict employed, would MAKE
the institution self-sustaining. a
calculation has been hSue
by which it appears that
42I cents per day must be the average
obtained and consequently, il any con-
tract is made for term longer than one
wear, the price must not be less than
42b cents per day per man. IL viii be
seen that all OF the bids made are above
this figure There will be discussion,
TODAY, over the ACCESSIBILITY and pro-
priety of getting the United States to
iurnish uOre prisoners 10 the peniten-
tiary. 1t is claimed that money can be
made for the State, by so doing. There
are now 22l convicts and 800 or
100 more can be kept without
extra cost in the way OF officers and
guards. The only extra will be the pro-
visions and Quarteriug and the estimate
has been made that 100 men in addition
could be kept at a cost OF q cents per
dav per man. II their labor is let at 90
cents per day, there will be q profit OF
% cents, per man, or SOB for the hun
dred, or about $1,000 per year. This
matter was mentioned by the director
and the reporter asked:
won't that raise cry among the
workingmen?"
"Oh no, not necessarily. Ii We get
them they will be employed at the
manufacture OF something that has no
market here, so that their labor will rot
be brought into competition with out
side work."
The Board had an informal meeting,
last night, at the Office OF Major Alder
son, at which nothing OF general inter
est was done.
Superintendent West has assumed
control OF the institution and has re-
quested Major Bridges to remain with
him for q time, until he iamiliarlzes
himself with the duties OF the position.