The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-01-09
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/ mates unQer tne constant ana immediate care
of the officers in charge of family, and dis
| tributes them in such manner as to enable
these overseers to become personally interested
in each member, and to adopt means of reform
adapted to the peculiar needs and requirements
| of every individual. 1t is the only system by
| which boys can be brought directly to the good
| and kindly influences incident to Christian
parental home. 1t is important that this sub
| jeet should be wisely considered and acted
| upon.
| The water supply of the institution is in
sufficient and that from some sources is i'm
| pure, and in case of fire the quantity would
be sadly inadequate. The sources for obtain
| ing sufficiency of pure water on the premises
are seemingly wanting. To supply this i'm
| portant need the most feasible and economical
method is the introduction of the Sebago water.
Ventilation, additional facilities for steam heat
ing, repair of buildings and farm improve
ments are also much needed.
| Various subjects relating to the school are
carefully considered in the reports of the trus-
| tees, visiting committee and superintendent for
| the past two years. to which the careful con-
| sideration of the Legislature is respectfully
| invited.
The purposes for which special appropria-
tions are needed, in the order of their impor-
tance, and the estimated cost Of each, are here
with submitted:
Ssssss Ssn9I yater and piping Of building, 500
| Two family houses, furnished complete, 10000
| Steam heating facilities, 1900
/ General repairs of buildings and farm
improvements, $500
s2s,s
| The regular annual appropriations Of
$4,000 for two years Qss5-6) includ.
ing 1000 for each year for Mechani-
cal department, $4,000
/
Total, s5s,3OO
INSANE HOSPITAL.
This institution has always commanded the
| generous support of the State. 1t presents
| to-day a substantial and imposing structure Of
| granite and brick, which is complete with all
| the modern improvements which science and
experience have devised, for the cure, or
amelioration, of the condition of the insane.
1t is a proud monument of the humane benev-
olence of great State, and is the aggregation
of the public contributions of forty-four
years. We now have provided all that seems
necessary for the wants of the insane of the
| State for many years to come. The trustees
| have built during the past two years two new
| pavihons, capable of accommodating about
| one hundred patients, and giving an oppor-
| tunity for better classification. The neces-
sity for full completion of the buildings re-
| quired an expenditure Of $l3,44S.44 in
excess of the appropriation of $4,000
| The detailed accounts show the expen-
ditures have been carefully and economically
/ made, and the present financial condition of
the institution is an improvement over that of
| 1888. The receipts of the hospital for the
| past year have been 100000, and the dis
| bursements $97. 900. The present resources
| are $5l, ,291 .S4 and the liabilities $30,513.5S,
| leaving the net resources $20,77S.26, as against
| $l6, 1868 in 1888. The number of patients
| December l, 1884, was 46O, the same number
| as in 1888, but the whole number under treat
| ment during the year was 667, Of which num-
| ber 207 have been discharged. The several
reports of the officers show that the condition
| and discipline of the institution are of high
order and that the superintendent has faith
| fully discharged his onerous and responsible
duties. The hospital is considered to be one
| of the best in the country. The several care
| fully written reports of its officers will give
the members of the Legislature full and accu-
rate information, which should guide you in
your action.
HOME FOR SOLDIERS ORPHANS.
| The appropriation for the Bath Military and
| Naval Orphan Asylum for the past two years,
| amounting to $4,000, has been fully expend-
| ed for the orphan children of the soldiers and
| sailors of the State. There are % children
under its care, and as the number of orphans
| coming under the provisions and require
/ ments of the present law as competent for ad-
mission is constantly diminishing it becomes
| apparent that broader jurisdiction as basis
for membership is necessary in order to fill the
institution up to proper and economic
| standard.
The school has been well managed and is
| deserving of the continued assistance of the
| State.
| STATE PRISON
| The State prison at Thomaston appears to
| be in better condition, so far as cost to the
| State is concerned, than for many years. 1t
| is not expected that it will soon become a self
| supporting institution but considerable pro-
| gress has been made in that direction since the
present warden has been in charge. From 1858
| TO 1880 the average annual cost of the prison
| to the State was upwards of $4,000. In
1880 it was $24,551; in 1881, $16,754; in
| 1922, $14,742; in 1888, $lO,5l0; in 1884,
| $4,000. The earnings of the eonvicts in 1884
would pay the salaries, payroll and all the
incidental expenses of the prison amounting to
| $l7,95O, leaving balance of only $4,000 for
the State to pay, which is decrease Of $l5,35l
as compared with 1880.
| During these years of financial improvement
the health and general condition of the prison
ers have been steadily maintained, so that in
case of sickness among them is exceptional.
| The total loss by sickness among them is ex-
| ceptional. The total loss by sickness in the
| hospital during the entire year has not taken
from the aggregate Of labor the service of one
| convict for three hundred days.
| At the present time there are but two de-
| partments of work carried on within the walls
| of the prison, and those are harness and car
| riage making. The work done by the convicts
/ in both of these departments is of excellent
| quality, and finds a ready sale, and the warden
manages to sell much of it outside the State.
| The amount of work done by the prisoners is
| not so great as would be done by the same
| number of free men, but suitable manufacture
| ing serves the double purpose of keeping the
men employed and of reducing the expense of
the institution to the State. I'm 1888, the profit
| upon the harness department was $l,702.7l,
and in 1884, $500. During the same years
| the profits of the carriage department were
| $13,O03.57 and $l3,SO0, making total profit
| of both departments in 1888 of Sl4,70628,
and in 1884 of $l7, 100. From these figures it
| appears that the convicts earned in 1883 an
average of $9S.70 each, and in 1884 an aver
| age of $lll.68, while the expense of subsist-
| ence of each convict was $44.24 in 1888, and
1 $43 80 in 1884. The average amount earned
| by the prisoners actually employed in these
| two departments was considerably above the
| figures | have mentioned, the general average
| suffering great reduction because of the large
number of men who are capable of earning
comparatively little. The total net assets Of
the prison at the close of 1888 were $91, 35.35,
and at the close of 1884, $l02,
| During the past two years the Governor and
| Council have made several visits to the prison
and personally examined its condition, and
listened to whatever complaints the prisoners
have desired to make. The discipline of the
| prison has been found excellent. During the
present year it will be necessary to provide for
| the erection of one or two new buildings for
shop purposes, as those now occupied are
rapidly becoming untenable and annually re-
quire repairs which, no matter how thoroughly
they may be made, are of but temporary ben
eft, on account of the condition of the rest Of
the buildings. A statement of the PRISONS
needs in this direction will be found in the
annual report of its officers which will be laid
before you.
The number of new eonvicts received at the
prison in 1888 was 20; number discharged,
44 making the total number in the prison at
the end Of the year, l60. The number re-
ceived in 1884 was 90; number discharged,
49 making the total number in the prison at
&1,,