The Fremont County record., 1883-03-10

tlctS oil the fenlLcntldTy u the ossAtc-
Be il enacted by the General Assembly Of the
State of Colorado:
Section /. That no labor shall be per-
formed by the convicts of the Colorado State
Penitentiary of the grounds belonging to
said penitentiary, except such as may be
incident to the business and management
of the penitentiary Prorided, That this
act shall not be construed to affect any ex-
isting contract ..4saa. gsssszz5s
In order tS c5fTcct . misapprchension in
regard to the objects and future workings
of the above bill, entertained by many in
the northern counties, we subjoin the de-
bate which occurred on its passage:
House Bill Nc g, by Mr.. Rockafellow-
To regulate the convict labor of the peni-
tentiary, was the first presented
Mr.. Rockafellow followed tho reading by
introducing n petition, urging the passage
OF the bill, signed by 304 representative
men of his county.
Mr.. Clark, of Arapshoe, who had taken
the chair thought the offering of the petit
tion WIS in bad taste.
Mr.. Rockaiellow said thespcaker had in
structed him 90 present the petition when
the bill came up for third reading.
"Well,s said Mr.. Clark, q The gentleman
from Fremont has an cight-foot petition I;
will il be received y
When the laughter had subsided the res
olution WAS accepted.
Mr. Roekniellow continued:
Il ask the indulgence of the house but
for few minutes. This petition WAS start
ed last fall and WAS placed in ray hands
before the bill under consideration was
drafted. l did not present it because j
thought it would not be necessary. After
our locality had made q present to the state
of y site whereon the prison labor has run
the material for erecting its half million
dollars worth OF walls and buildings, di-
rectly by down grade into place. at only a
cost to the state of the lumber, iron and
glass. A site where all of the labor not thus
engaged In erecting buildings can be proiita-
bly, employed on the grounds belonging to
the state grounds where the state prisoners
are now earning s., 200 a month IN the pro
duction Of lime alone, and should show
earnings in cut stone and brick to an
equal amount; where in the boot and
shoe factory more good solcs what kind OF
sole ? asked sfr. Clark, are made monthly
than in all the balance of the state; site
that IL is not possible 10 improve upon for
the health and advantageous employment
OF such labor. The gentlemen frun Arap-
ahoc may sarcastically remark, II Cafion
does not like the peniientiary We will build
one somewhere else. Well, my private
feeling towards il would be to dispose of it,
ns farmer docs big rock by digging a
deep hole aud letting 1t down out of sight
The cost of cNtra guards, rewards and pur-
suit Of prisoners l believe from this time
on win more than oyerhalnncc the slight
revenue that can be earned by scattering
the unfortunate wenrers of the striped
jackets about the streets, bitches and farms
in the vicinity OF the prison, and this rule
must apply wherever the eonvicts are com
fined, and atm told Il is the rule in states
having much larger penal institutions than
Colorado, though fear II the ratio oi m
crease oi the past two years continues, for
ty-two and half per cent, that We VIII
not be able to say this many years. But
do believe that under judicious manage
mcnt, with such an advantageous location,
the insiitution will become solf-sustaining
after the completion of all the buildings
necessary. hope that the people of Col
oratio, through their representatives, viii be
too noble and generous to turn loose their
conyicts into that section of the country,
dcmoraliziny and scattering honest free la
borcrs from our midst like a pestilencc.
:" would not say a word on this subject
did believe the present order of things
would materially add to the revenue of the
state. / trust, after careful consideration
of a nights rirtuous and peaceful rest, no
member will place himself on record against
this Just regulation
Mr. Clark thought this wns great hull
Taboo about labor. What disposition of Ia
Dor he had seen Mt the pcnitentiary was in
the personal interest of those connected
with the institution.
The bill was passed by vote Of - to g,
the negative voters being principally north
crn men.