Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-01-22

days labor in the quarry and construction OF
new ~h:siidings, aEd q ,5ToA days ~ ~ahd.about
Gne prison. No eomplsta report has yet been
received frovt the directors, and this veSa-
tions delay renders it imposabla u SUM
Marie many facts which usighl prove inter
esting ana require comment IL seems that
the prisonsrc have performed 1874 days
labus IN the quarry aud in the construction
OF new buildings, and 5,5T0L days in
and about the prison ara unable 20 say
taking IL Tor Etanted that twas labor which
represents the earning capacity of the pris-
oners II under contract. there was a total Of
/ Z.949i2 days work represented. from which
an income may be estimated IL seems thai
the directors have been offered 4J cents per
day for the labor OF prisoners, and at this
rate the work performed during the past
year would amount to $5.S27.2 "a. am In
clined TO think the earnings OF the prisoners
In the a~uarrias would amount to consider
ably more than this, but the directors seem
to think tbat tins labor annot be proftably
continued.
The total appropriation by the last legisla-
ture for the Sioux Falls prison, excluding
buildings, repairs and improvements, was
for the year S77,625. The total amount
expended for maintenance, officers, ein
ployes, fuel, medicine. clothing, etc. was
prisoners for the tvs sears being 59ta, 1t
viii be- seer thatthe total cost per prisoner,
per year was SAT-. IS. and per srek 80 ~,
The cost Of keeping the. ns4sDrsfs at, the De-
troit house OF correction was SITS per year.
or 81. 40 per week, per man. The expense
OF transporting, however. was much greater,
averaging about $466 per man. while 10
the present prison 1t averages but SOL.
With a small numbe Of oonvicts, a peni-
Tertiary is an expensive Institution to main
tain, and though the time had come when
the territory demanded a place of her own
for the reception Of prisoners, this expense
H. considerably greater than when they wesr
sent TO a ~neighborinE state. The expeudi-
ture per eapitr will diminish, of course, as
the .nuytbcr increases, and IL does not APP
pear even now that the cost IN very
much greater than states East having
something like an equal number of convicts
Below give a comparison approximately
correct between our prison and the states
prison of Vermont, which last year had 100
prisoners in her penitentIary THE number
now at Sioux Falls
Total cost 81 SALARIES add labor ior two.
years IN Vermont prison .......a. tracts az
Total cost ~ Sioux Falls for two wears,
not including paw Of dtrertofs az war ! f. /,
Total cos, uf maintenance Of Vermont
prison, for two Years, not counting
buildings. repairs and improvements 1903 90
Total cost NJ Sioux Falls for t-so years,
not frciudins trel. clothing or lights. %, 400 90
Total e0st per week per inmate ........ -
AhtLAEN tRHt DtE lNiudbt n CtOdA 4 SLH.
as per directors statement .... 90
Cost per week per inmate In Vermont
for salaries and labor iD
Cost per week per inmate at Sioux Falls
for officers and guards. ... O6
Average number OF inmates TO each per-
son employed regularly in Vermont. ia
Average az Sioux Falls, s............ Ga
Average amount por year for four wears
paid Vermont Is income from prison. 10,0a5 "a
Estimated amount paid the territory by
prfson ~ sioux Falls s,,..t4...a,,.. B,s27 90
Net cost per week per inmate in Ver-
mont 1884. 81
Estimated coet per inmate per week fot
ensuing TWO years ct Sioux Falls :. as
These are but hasty figures and based on
ins1faicieut data, but IL is hoped that the
complete report of the directors Of the Sioux
Falls penltentiary will show a full statement
OF all expenditures In detail. in order that a
reliable comparison MAJ be made with what
il recognized as one OF the most economical
state institutions in she country. The esti-
ugta Of the directors of the Southern peni-
for the ensuing two years III In
Numbers $6S, 500. This Ia for the or
binary running expenses OF the prison, and
ia made on a basis of 1875 prisoners No
is made for the earnings of pris-
oners The estimate or the directors OF the
prison for the same purpose IL
500, 1852. This il based on an estimate Of
sixty prisoners IN eighteen employees for
years The directors Of the latter prison
also ask for an appropriation to make GER
tain Improvements amounting in all 20 S47,-
poo Some of these improvements, such as
a Workshop. heating and plumbing. tempo
rary yard wall, sewerage, etc, are necessary
TO the occupation of the prison Tn direct
ors also submit u full report of their expend-
itnres in constructing the prison, with such
recommendations and suggestions as they
have Thought necessary. The bnilding
seems TO be well adapted TO It's purpose, and
Is a fair beginning to what will ultimately
be made no doubt, when the wants Of the
territory require it, q structure Of harnio-
design and finish.
The prison at Sioux Falls is of nm imposing
esign and would DO regarded anywhere as
an admirable structure for the purpose. The
OF the United States wing and the
wardeh's residence adds mnch TO the appear
anee OF the structure. and makes II altogether
one OF the most complete p~enitentiary build
ings In the West The whole edisce Is capa=
Bile OF accommodating two hundred prison.
ers. but what disposal will be made of the
wing constructed for the general government
rs STILL uncertain. The directors have been
In correspondence with the attorney general
OF the United States, with a view to assuming
coatrol OF IL, agreeing In return 20 care for
ali United States prisoners free OF charge.
What will be done. or whether under the law
any contract of this character can be made,
ia a matter OF some doubt The whole prison
In capable of accommodating two hundred
- ottt "a ~ talA wv LOLANAbAAAA ~ lhN u
ritory, the accommodations thrs :1znsShed,
together with those afforded ",.LE the lis
marck prison. would, I'm M dxa.eut. b.
for the necessities T, the terrytory
without further enlargement .1etcre the Lext
meeting OF the Legislature, 1t Is important.
however, that this question be settled and q
careful estimate be made, in order that the
present Legislature may make such prepara-
az appear necessary. 10 Ii probable
That something definite will be known before
the adjournment, when action can be taken.
AsYLUMs
One building OF the North Dakota insane
asy lum provided for by the last legislature,
and located at jamestown, has been com
pleted, and the report of the trustees Is pre-
herewith This asylum, which Is de-
on the modern cottage plan, can OF
course be enlarged 10 any extent The res
building viii accommodate fifty patients
The increase in the number of the insane Is
very large; and, although accommodations
are already provided in the territory for $50
patients, | fear that additional provision
must be made TO meet the necessities OF the
next two years There ere already nifty pa
or more from North Dakota (the full
capacity OF the jamestown bnildingI in the
az Yankton. The trustees of the
Jamestown hospital ask for an appropria-
tion for a additional building, and submit an
III therefor They also ask for an APP
preparation OF sos. 800 for the maintenance
and Improvement of the present hospital for
the ensuing two years This amount can be
materially reduced in my judgment without
seriously impairing the efficiency of tho
The building which has been
erected is a plain but neat and substantial
and is well adapted, l believe, 70
its purpose. IL seems TO have been erected
also with fair regard TO economy, but
the land on which * tands has cost
a much larger sum han was anticipated
trustees make a full explanation OF the
in their report and the reasons which
them to select the present site A
very full and complete report is submitted
by the trustees of the Dakota hospital for
the insane at fankton containing tables of
interest The full capacity OF the
present building, including the wing which
been lately completed. is two hundred
IL appears that o patients from South Da-
kota alone were admitted 10 the asylum
within The past year, a gain of sixty eight
over the year previous At the same rate of
there will be POI patients in south
Dakota alone at the end of two years IL
the fifty patients belonging TO the north are
removed II will leave ninety-seyen at Yank-
ton, which will of course furnish
for a year yet From 0 hasty exam
nation however. it would appear neces-
sary, as have already stated. To
arrangements for enlarging both
by the close OF 1856. The trustees
OF the Ymkton asyluin esti,aate that SIS
600 will enable them 10 build the additional
wing contemplated. while $i5,000 viii be
required for furniture, IL an appropriation
for the building be made, 1 think the furnish
ing can await the action OF the subsequent
as IL would scarcely be necessary
70 have the wing ready for occupancy before
the end OF two years The full amount asked
~ - ~ 1890 -. 1911 ..t--A . VDM ~