The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-10


/ county OF Wayne l60 acres was purchased and
LAT acres in addition was conveyed donation
| TO the State In the county of Gass l60 acres
4 was purchased, and 122 acres of adjoining land
1 was conveyed to the State as donation
/ In conformity to fhe requirement of the act.
| the commissioners, after they had selected the
| sites for the several institutions, proceeded to
/ advertise promptly for bids for the construction
| of the buildings. For building the hospital near
| Evansville the lowest bid was $3.50 585. 20; for
| building the hospital near Richmond the lowest
/ bid 1929, 100. 90; for building the hospital
/ near LoganSport the lowest bid was 1862,
6D2 20. These bids were accepted. but not
/ until provision had been made for consid-
cradle reduction of expense 80 the State by
simplifying the style of architecture, and con-
| tracts were entered into accordingly. To recon
4 cile difference of views among the commission
| ers the cottage plan of buildings adopted at
| Richmond; system of detached buildings con-
| nected by covered corridors adopted for the
hospital near Logansport; and the congregate
| plan of building adopted for the hospital
/ near Evansville. The foundations of the several
| buildings have been completed A large amount
of materials has Also been collected and extern
/ sive preparations have been made for the prose
cution of the work on these buildings during the
| next season.
1 cannot too highly commend the interest
/ taken by the commissioners in ali that has been
| thus far done. But deem it proper to add that
4 the necessary cost Of constructing hospitals OF
| the capacity proposed proved to be so much
larger than the commissioners had anticipated.
| that for the purpose of diminishing the cost l
| personally advocated a very considerable
| decrease of capacity. 1t seemed to that
| if proper designs were adopted, the capacity
| of the hospitals might be increased as exigen-
| cies might hereafter require. In this opinion
| majority of the board did not agree with me,
| and the hospitals being constructed the
| larger scale at first proposed.
This communication would be too much pro-
longed by reference to further matters of inter
1 est connected with these asylams. |, therefore,
refer you to the very clear and intelligent report
| of the commissioners, which has been printed,
| and will be promptly placed before YOU
THE BLIND AND THE DEAF AND DUMB.
/ The reports of the directors and superintend-
ent respectively of the institutions for the blind
! and the deaf and dumb, viii be laid on your
1 tables, and will be found instructive. Provision
should be made for the INDECENT inmates of these
! schools during the vacation Of the schools, so
4 that the reproach may no longer continue or
/ their being often compelled to seek home in
| poor-houses to save them from suffering.
/ SOLDIERS HOME AND ASYLUM FOR FEEBLE MIND
/ ED CHILDREN
/ These two institutions, anonymously under
| one roof and the appropriations for which being
| made separately, render it nearly impracticable
/ to keep correctly the accounts, should engage
your anxious attention / recommend the ap-
1 pontment of committee, at an early period in
the session, to investigate their affairs and also
1 to report what additional legislation is necessary
/ to simplify and improve the management.
port of the trustees and superintendent which
/ commend to your consideration.
i THE STATE PRISONS.
1.-The average number of prisoners at the State
Prison North during the last fiscal year was SAT.
| AT the State Prison South the average number
was go. The receipts of the northern prison,
/ from the labor of prisoners, have exceeded by
| 81, POP. II the outlay for current expenses The
receipts from the labor of prisoners at the south
| ern prison have not equaled the outlay for these
4 a no in 4Io o:y,&c 0E
latter prison is ascribed to the inferior quality of
| the buildings used for manufacturing purposes,
/ the want of land for raising garden
| products. and other disadvantages which do not
| apply to the more favored northern prison. In
| the State Prison South the use of the lash for
] the correction of prisoners has ceased The en-
| lightened and humane sentiment which requires
that 1t shall cease In all our prisons should be
| expressed in laws commanding its discontinue
| ance
| The reports of both prisons urge that better
provision shall be made for insane convicts. A
suitable building should be erected at one Of the
| prisons at which all these should be collected,
and should receive the care and treatment re-
| qured by their condition. To remove insane
prisoners TO the present hospitals for the insane
| would be injudicious on two accounts-that the
friends of the reputable insane would not be
willing to send their insane kindred to an insti-
tuition used for tho confinement Of criminals
| and that proving prisoners to be insane in
order to remove them to places where the oppor-
soon grow into a business
| The report of the southern prison shows that
| 6l per cent OF the convlcts are thirty years of
| age and under, and that 10 per cent of the
| crimes OF violence for which prisoners are there
confined were committed by persons not past
the age of twenty-five. These grave facts should
stimulate to even greater and more constant en-
deavors the efforts of the humane to reclaim
| ing children and youth, and to invade, with all
| good influences the nurseries in which children
are brought up in vice.
THE PARDoN1NG POWER.
In the exercise of the pardoning power have
| taken great care to avoid turning loose upon
| society dangerous malefactors. l have en-
| deavored, also to abstain from such frequency
| in exercising the power would make the pun
| ishment OF crime appear to be uncertain. With
whatever care the power may be exercised, it is
almost certain to be used, IN many cases. with
an unjust though unntended, partiality. The
| executive can seldom be familiar with all the
| merits Of the case. He must rely, therefore
| upon appearances; and pardons are too apt in
| spite of all the vigilance that can be
| exercised, to be unconscious concessions
| to the energy which has secured influential
| names to petitions. rather than to the actual
merits of the applicant To introduce more
| just and impartial practice toward prisoners |
recommended to the Legislature, at its last
| session, the allowance of much larger credit
| for good conduct, upon the terms of sentences
| than had before been granted. The Legislature
adopted my recommendation and the good effect
| of this legislation upon the discipline of the
prisons has been so evident as to elicit from the
wardens expressions of great satisfaction. The
trustees of the northern prison say of this law,
that lit has proved to be valuable moral force
in the administration of the prison." and that
| 1.-THE good effects Of the law, through it's en-
couragepnent to good behaviour on the part of
the convicts, exceed the expectations of the
| most sanguine friends of the measure" The
warden of the southern prison recommends
| that the law shall be amended so as to allow
70 har cfNrad tn
| justice seems to have been done to him, and in
cases of extraordinary good behavior afterward.
| This recommendation is submitted to your care
| ful consideration.
CONVICT LABOR
| The tendency of the cheap price Of convict
| labor, employed in our two prisons, to dimn
ish, unjustly. the price of articles manufactured
| alike by free and convict labor has, naturally,