The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-19
THE pENITENTIARY.
Meeting Of the tl1ir
About the Labor Contracts.

Meeting Of the Direct0rs-S0mething
About the Labor Contracts.
The regular monthly meeting of the Board
Of Directors OF the State Penitentiary was
held yesterday at the institution, with Mr..
Gallaher in the chair, and ali the members
present but Mr.. Smith, of Parkersburg, who
was detained at home by severe illness. The
other members are Major J. c. Anderson, Of
this city, Ed. Sehon, ESQ.,, OF Point Pleasant,
and ]. X. Smith, OF Grafton.
The monthly reports OFF the Superintendent
and clerk were received, considered and fled
Everything was found to be in first class con-
been good for the past month.
Some talk has been INDUCED in recently
regarding the letting OF some convicts to the
Webster Wagon Company, and some OF the
papers have limited that there was something
crooked In the transaction. Day before yes
teEday resolution was introduced in the
House Of Delegates by Mr.. Sheppard, to the
effect that the Committee on Penitentiary in
quire by what authority the Directors Of the
Penitentiary hired the labor OF number Of
convicts to the Webster Wagon Company,
after the law OF 1881 went into effect, at the
old contract price Of 80 cents per day. The
law Of 1881 referred to is to the effect that no
convicts labor shall be sold at less rate than
so cents per day.
Several members OF the House OF DELEGATES
were at the Penitentiary yesterday, and to
them the matter was explained by the Direc.
tors A better understanding Of the matter
will be gained II the whole history OF the
contract system, since its introduction at
Moundsville, is given. The system has only
been in vogue some three or four wears
When It was introduced the directors found
difficulty in disposing Of the hands in the
prison, and esteemed themselves fortunate
when they secured contractors to hire most
OF them ut twenty-five cents per day each.
Subsequently the Webster Wagon Company
bid thirty cents for one hundred con-
EictS. There were not nearly so many in
the prison not employed, but the Di.
rectors hired to the company fifty hands
at thirty cents per day each, and contracted
to furnish fifty additional laborers at the
same price when they had them to let. They
never did have till since the last session Of
the Legislature, and OF course had to live up
to the contract made before the law OF 1881
was paSsed, even II 1t did conflict with the pro
visions OF that law. This Is all there II In
the matter that has been so much Commented
upon, and the contract on file at Mounds.
vile substantiates the explanation made by
the directors. It was suggested by director
that II the Legislature wanted to properly
understand the matter they request that a
copy OF the contract be furnished them.
There are now in the prison 2O5 men, more
or less. OF these the Webster Wagon Com.
pany employs some ninety odd, at thirty
cents per day each. Their contract runs for
five years, and will expire in June, 1888.
Weaver, Bardell Il Company have between
eighty and ninety convicts employed in their
whip and broom factories, for which they
pay fitty-two cents each. The wagon compa.
ny has not all the hands It can employ or
needs, and would be willing to pay consid.
erably larger sum than that stipulated in the
Acts OF 1881, for additional workmen, One
OF the directors told an INrELr1oeScrR re-
porter last evening that with $50 conyictS 10
let out the Penitentiary would now be self.
sustaining. An increased number OF prise.
ners would not necessitate an increase Of
guards or other employees, and would increase
the income largely. With the number Of
conyicts that can be Accommodated The prison
would not only be self.sustaining, but actu.
ally "a source otrevenue to the State,