New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-07
AFFAIRS AT ALBANY.
STATE PRISON MANAGEMENT.


BASIS or TIE GOVERNORS OBJECTIONS TO SUPER
r;TENDENT PIIsBURY-THg PRICE OF CONVICT
LABCR-EX- X-CoNTRoLLER OLCCTTs CLAIMS TO
CREDIT
tFRoM THE nEGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE THiBuSE.I
ALBANY, March 6.-In considering the nomination
of a successor for Mr.. Pilsbury Superintendent
of Prisons the Senators now asking themselves
two questions: Should Mr.. Pilsbury be supersededf
Would his proposed successor make a better Super
ntendentl Little attention has been paid thus FAR
by the outside public to the first question. II Is
One however. that the Senators are now frequently
asking themselves while considering the nomina-
tion Ii is pain that Governor Cornell is Of tho
decided opinion that Mr. Pilsbury has hot sufficient
business ability to manage the prisons. In a con-
versatIon with a TRIBUNE correspondent about Mr
Pilsbury which printed in I III TRIBUNE or
March . be said "Mr Pisbnry has shown that
he has not the capacity to manage the prisons on
business principles IL view Of the fine financial
showing that the prisons making most persors
probably read this criticism OF the Governors with
astouishment. Still the Governor has had excellent
opportunities to judge sof gNlr. Pilsbnrys financial
management of the prisons. and he is not man
who would pronounce such a severe opinion with
out good grounds for it.
He certainly prevented Mr.. Pilsbury from making
serious blunder in renewing the contracts for tho
labor OF the conycts Mr.. Pilsbury, in apparent
forgetfuness of the fact that the price of labor had
advanced since the contracts were made insisted
that the old rate of 90 cents day for the labor Of
each convict should be again the rate. The Gov
eInor al the time M Pilsbury made this proposal,
was i'll in New. York. Ill he was, however, he
demonstrated earnestly with Mr.. Pilsbury for pro-
posing such a rate. Mr.. Pilsbury had apparently
Ieen frightened by some threat of the contractors
to decline the labor of the conyicts if the rate
tIa "a nft ha
old rate Returning to Albany the Governor found
himself reinforced in his view of the rate by Con-
troler Wadswor.h. Still for a time Mr.. Pilsbury
insisted upon the adoption of the old rate. Tho
Governor and the Controller withheld their con-
sent. They knew that the contracts had year yet
to rum and they believed that even if the old con-
tractors withdrew within the year other c0ntrac-
tors could be obtained who would pay the higher
rates There another object than merely
profit to the State in forcing up tue rate. IL had
been the complaint of the labOrng classes Tor sew
eral years that the cOnvicts worked at 40 low rate
that they could not compete with them. By tore"
ing up the rate this competition with labor outside
the prison walls obviously would be leSsened. Inc
Governor and the Controller prevailed over Mr.
Psbury. They forced the contractors to renew the
contract at a higher rate: 90 cents day for Tue
labor of each convict. Furthermore the rate OF 30
cents a day to he paid for the labor OF the con-
victs during the ten remaining months the Old con-
tract had 10 run. The bargain made an advantage
for the State in that contract alone OF $4,000.
Smaller contracts have since been advanced from
the rate OF 30 cents to the rate or Oo cents uay
These changes make a difference III the earnings of
the prisons of at least $4,000 yearly IN favor OF tho
State every dollar of which would have been lost
if Mr.. Pllsbury had been permitted TO control tho
matter as he desired.
In view of the fact that the prisons have reached
a self-sUppOrtng basis while Mr.. Pils6uryhas been
SUPERINTENDENT such a bunder rs the one described
above is perpleXng. 1t recalls to mlnd the runors
of five years ago, that Controller OlcOtt was organ
zing the system of convict labor in the prisons and
when he should got the machine in running order he
would hand It over to Pisbury. Mr. OlcOtt was an
exceptionally able man in financial matters, and he
exercised close supervision over the prisons hYe
years ago. taking especial care to secure men or
talent who would buy the supplies for the prisons.
The making of contracts for the labor of the con-
victs he took under his special He could
easily do this, as Perry n Co., who secured The
main contracts. employing 900 men, had their
chief Office IN Albany. MT. OlcOtt seemingly went
ont of his way as Controller thus 10 take the main
part in pr son management. Bat he was one OF the
their plan to make fine financial record for
the Administration OF Governor Robinson, with q
view OF Ieclectng him Governor in 1879. Mr..
OlcOtt'S care over the prisons was constant. l5
extended to the pettiest details. lie once related
with great gec to friend his success in finding
participating machine for the prisons that would
save the labor of several cOnvicts and also pare tho
potatoes more economically. Under such careful
and able management the prisons swiftly became
self supporting.
It would seem from this retrospect that Mr..
Olcott was the man who put together the machine
which ground ont so much glory for Mr.. PIlsbury-
and that the laters financial bunders are his own.
1t Is beautiful machine; it almost runs itself,
clearly, for Mr. Pilsbury has found II necessary 10
make only twenty short visits to Sing Sing Prison
during the past two years.