Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-08-13
Dated Austin, August II, A. D. 1884.
CORRECTIONS AND CHARITIES.

Secretary Hart of the State Board of
Corrections and Charities, has recently
presented a valuable report at citing
of the Board in st. Paul
The report opens with the statement
that the service as secretary for the first
year is completed, in which 1888 visits of
inspection to public institutions, fifty
two of which were in the outside states
of Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio,
Michigan, New York, Dakota and Mon
tana, In Minnesota he has visited
eighty seven institutions, and forty~ninc
additional visits to the same, making 1856
visits in the state. Besides these he has
visited the offices of the board of chart
ties in Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, to
post himself, and several counties of the
state to examine into the condition of
children sent into the state as immi-
grants. He then goes on to note his
study and examination into the history
and statistics of the institutions of Min
nesota, which he thinks will crop out in
more desirable results than some more
conspicuous lines of work.
The secretary concludes with the as
scrtion that the board has found work
which it is hoped will prove valuable to
the state. That he has given large
amount Of time to making the objects
of the board known and that the last
quarter he has spoken at Minneapolis,
Winona, Mortified, Owatonna, Anoka,
GAINESVILLE, Sleepy Eye, Worthing.on,
and Glyndon in this state, and at Miles
City and Helena, Montana, having in
vitations to speak on the subject in St.
Paul, Faribault, Austin, Elk River and
Detroit.
The secretary made sixtyfour visits of
inspection during the last quarter,in which
he visited the city and village lockups
in st. Paul, Winona, Mortified, Faribault,
Wascca, GAINESVILLE, Ortonville, Browns
Valley, Owatonna, Redwood Falls,
Sleepy Eye, Mankato, Glyndon, Detroit
and Austin. Of these he states only five
are suitable places to lock up prisoner
over night, viz: Winona, Mortified, Red
wood Falls, N[ankato and Detroit, and
of these only Mankato, Mortified and
Redwood Falls have satisfactory struc-
lures.
The secretary refers as follows to the
Mower county jail
Is u ruinous cracked brick building
which is in imminent danger Of tumbling
geons not fit for the occupancy. of hui
manity. There is nothing good to be
said of the institution except the pris
oners are well fed. The construction
makes it unsafe for the iailer to enter it
for fear of violence, and he pours in
water for the thirsty prisoners by tin
spout leading from the outside. It is
rllmOred that the county commissioners
intend putting cells into the basement of
their beautiful court house, which would
be a great blunder.
Of our County Poor Farm, the follow.
ing report is made:
Mower county has farm of $50 acres
four miles from Austin. 1t has a farm
house upon it which is not adapted tC
keeping paupers. There are but few in
mates, the Overscer has fair pay, the house
is clean and the Ovcrseer's family have
comfortable separate apartments. The
Door rate is lower than that of Fillmore
or Houston, but the poor house is ru1
on a more liberal plan, being better fur
nlshed and better supplied with convent
enceS.