The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-07-28
THE PENrrENrrARY.
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N#EE sah .rE
United States Marshal Botkin and Messrs.
A. j. Davidson and w. N. Baldwin were In
town since last issue. the principal business
being to arrange for an industrial enterprise
to be carried on within the penitentiary en-
closure, Messrs. Davidson and Baldwin hav-
Ing made contract with Governor Potts to
employ ten or more prisoners for a term Of
two years in manufacturing haraess and sad
dlery in the penitentiary with convict labor.
The construction Of shop within the enclo-
sure was contracted for, and 1t win be erect
ed ready for occupancy by October LIST, when
the contract Is to take effect. The rate TO be
paid for services Is fifty cents per day per
man. The contractors will have superin-
tendent who will presumably be sworn In as
a guard, and the shop will be again under the
surveillance Of the regular yard guard.
This is very good arrangement for the
Territory, antit might well be extended, II
found profitable, to give occupation to all
the prisoners not employed In cooking, po-
licing, ETC., about the premises. Some occu-
patton Is necessary as q sanitary measure,
and certain degree Of risk exists whenever
. prisoner IL worked, even under strict guard,
outside the walls. Onl, short-term men can
be employed thus, and their number Is lin
tied. Life and iong-term men are necessarily
kept close, and inaction Of mind and body Is
injurious In all respects. Some regular,
steady occupation would be beneficial, and
TO have this industries must be established
where there will be no opportunity and no
thought Of escape. 1t remains to be seen
whether this enterprise viii be sufficiently
remunerative to encourage other industries
to be attempted. The inadequacy of prison
room has led to great evii--the pardoning
Of many convicts who are not deserving OF
freedom, the continual intercession for con.
victs who have friends outside, and the con-
tinuous effort Of prisoners to secure such In
tercessicn. III 1t were known that conviction
and sentence to the penitentiary meant serv.
ing out that sentence at hard labor, without
hope of freedom until the crime committed
was expiated N decreed by the courts, we be-
lieve it would have o very salutary effect in
preventing felonies. 1t Is q fact beyond
question that very few men pardoned out
have been worthy the clemency shown them
II Is an absolute outrage that the United
States does not provide more prison room or
transfer the prison to the Territory, that II
may do SO. We notice an effort Is being
made to secure an appropriation for gov
eminent building for United States offices nj
the capital, and while that Is proper enough in
the abstract, we hold that the effort for that
should be secondary to the effort Of our Del.
egate and all others to secure an appropria'
ton for enlarging the penitentiary. And We
do not notice that any effort Whatever has
been made In that direction. a
The Independent states that the work done
by convicts only amounts to two per cent. Of
their cost Of keeping. That u SO small an
amount rs TO be scarcely worth taking any
risks for There Is on the penitentiary
grounds body Of earth said to be excellent
for making brick. Let the prison labor be
utilized In that industry and the brick BE-
used in constructing buildings or substan.
tial wall around the premises. The cost Of q
superintendent and Of fuel tor burning them
Is practically all there would be until the
brick would be ready for the walls. BY con
tinuous work the prison grounds would be II
time entirely and substantially enclose I
whereas nothing but board fence interviews
between the yard and the open. A limited
appropriation for this purpose could wisely
and should be speedily made. The made
quate room in the penitentiary has been ig
nored too long despite all appeals Of officers
grand juries, and legislative assemblies, ant
little earnestness should characterize eftor
to remedy the evil.
II