The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-11
MONEY MISSpENT.
How S6,61o was Wasted ut Ihe Penitentiary
By "Gross Mismanugement OF
One OF the Bonrd.-

yesteTuay anu OTutTeu 10 De printed anu
referred to the special Joint committee ap-
pointed to examine into affairs at the peni-
Tertiary:
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA,
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT
OF THE PENITENTIARY,
RICHMOND, Va. January 8, 1884.
Hon. John l.. Hurt, President pro tenn. of
the Senate:
Sir,-In compliance with q resolution
OF the Senate, agreed to January 5. 1884.
requesting me to furnish a statement Of
the entire cost OF the new female ward OF
the Virginia penltentiary, erected during
my administration, l have the honor TO
herein report:
The Legislature. In q special act ap-
proved April IA, 1882, appropriated the
sum Of $4,000 for the purpose OF erect
ing new female prison at the Virginia
peniteptiary, the allowance to be subject
to my control, with the approval OF the
Board Of Directors.
Prior to my taking any action towards
the building the Board Of Directors had
commenced the work under their own
supervision, and all expenses occurring
was paid out OF the general fund OF the
penitentiary; the Board in this transaction
commenced, and to a certain extent prose-
cuted, the building operations without
any notification to or consultation with
me, and bills OF expenses were audited and
paid without my approval as the Superin-
tendent.
During this period the work OF construc-
ton was under the superintendency OF one
of the members Of the Board OF Directors,
aud was continued until complete compli-
cations and general mismanagement COM
pelled the Board to suspend operations and
request me to take charge OF and complete
the work. /, with the approval OF the
Board Immediately procured the services
of competent engineer and architect,
General r. Lindsay Walker, and appointed
| him as superintendent OF construction.
After carefnl inspection OF the work
already done the entire building was con.
demned. The foundation was discovered
| TO be unsafe and unfit for such building,
and the masonry OF such worthless construc'
ton as to render incapable OF supporting q
wall OF the height proposed. To sustain
and Justify our actions in condemning this
building we received the professional opln'
ions OF Major +. 7. ID. Myers and Colonel
| Wilfred Il. Cutshaw, who are both eminent
engineers; but for further and stronger
evidence OF the Justice OF our course por'
ton of the condemned masonry Is still
standing. and subject to your personal IN
spection.
| The Superintendent OF construction anc
myself, after selecting a new site upon
which could be gotten solid foundation
again commenced operations, and In dtlt
| q tb., hrrillinn pnmnlptp6
and now can be presented rs the mode
prison OF the South and 4 credit to The
State.
| The total cost OF the building was as fol
| lows-yiZ.:
Amount expended by the Board of
| Directors prior 10 my superbtend- on. =,
| cncy of the works. Sl2,s94 "a
| Amount expended as per appropria- M ooo n,
tiOn................. SO'oOO w
Amount expended In completing the
Unard Of ctors........... 22,439 5!
Total. S55,334 8
The above amount was the actual ant
entire cost OF the building; this, though
is far from being the necessary cXpendl
ture. In the above amount OF Sl2,SJI. q
there is represented n net loss TO the stat
OF S6,G19. 92, caused by the gross mlsman
agement of one Of the Board while actin:
as superintendent OF construction. By th
economical management OF General wal
ker and myself the remaining amount o
this sl2,s9i.7S-equalling s6.274SG-w
were able to utilize. The above figure
represent the net cost as $40, ,li.4j, plu
the gross cost. -
In compliance with the latter clause o
the aboye-namcd resolution i have tn
honor TO report upon the receipts and dis
bursements of cash rs follows:
1882. Dr..
.Tan'y lst. To balance cash on hand. s-3 .
Dec. 3lst. To cash receipts from AL oooo 4,
sources ........'' '''' 'o''Jr =
To interests on deposit-.. ~ =
Z.