Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-07-14
PRISON LABOR PROBLEM.
How New Jersey Has Undertaken to Solve
1.-THE Piece-Price Plan.

TRENTON, N. j., July l3.-Ihe piece
price plan at the State prison here will pro-
badly be in active operation in about a
month. The contracts under the old system
expired on the S0th Of June last, and it WAS
expected to begin operations uu-
der the new system much SOON
er than will be the case; but the
difficulties appeared to be so great that
more time was required. The bill provid
ing for the adoption of either the public
account" or the 'piece-price" plan was
passed by the Legislature Of 1884
but no appropriation was made for
carrying it into effect, and even the
act which also forbade the making OF more
contracts was secured only AT the expense Of
great labor and ceaseless vigilance by the
representatives of the workingmen charg I'd
with the duty. The bill was necessarily
defective, principally through the tinkering
OF Legislative wise-scres, and the prison
authorities we're al loss how to proceed
They had, it is true, opposed the change IN
the system, but they finally appreciated the
deep pubic teeling concerning the compel-
ton OF prisoners with honest labor, and
their report for 1881 showed that they were
prepared to act according to the demands o.
The people, as expressed by the Legislature
of the previous winter.
The Report on the New System.
The report alluded TO: There can be no
question on the imperative necessity Of The
adoption by the Legislature at the coming
session of some plan, and the act author
izing it should provide, as FAR as possible
for the detailed work; confer upon the
managiug authorities the specific authority
to carry il out and make the necessary pro.
visions for the payment of not only the
original outlay. bat also the necessary cur
rent expenses. 1t is the opinion OF this
Board that of he two plans authorized
by The act Of 1884, the peiccprice plan
can b. adopted with less original outlay
and can be adopted more proitably 10 the
State than the public account system, and
in the absence OF any further legislation,
this plan will in oil probability be adopted.
The Board of Inspectors, however, do not
recommend any plan or system, but simply
venture the suggestion that while the men
tai moral and physical condition of the con-
victs should he the first consideration there
should also be kept in view the desirability
OF adopting a system which will 50 utilize
their labor as to reduce the expense OF their
maintenance to the lowest figure which can
be reached, while carefully avoiding any
thing like competition with the labor OF hon
est and law-abiding citizens.
= Examining Into the System.
The Legislature, however, took no action
except to authorize the expenditure Of Slj-
600 for additional shop room. The State
Prison Inspectors then determined to pro-
ceed under the previous law, and agreed to
adopt the piceprice plan, under which the
State furnishes labor sufficient to produce a
certain amount of goods. The Board OF In
spectors appointed committee TO examine
into the system and report results; but they
found that the experience OF other insttu-
tions would be Of Little value to them, only
two or three having attempted it in any torn
and Il ese without the completeness VII ch
New Jerseys adoption of the plan contem
plated. The inspectors we're thus thrown
upon their own resources and they proceed
ed to gather such information as was OBJ
'sinabIe from M actuYe Thy were
che erfully given it oy many but Others re-
fused it. Enough was ascert4ined to give
the authorities a basis Of information, ano
they proceeded 20 advertise for bids. Al
though it WAS not necessary for them, under
a strict construction Of the law, to limit the
number of their employed in each in iustr,
10 100, as enacted in law concerning con
tract labor, it WAS determined to follow tn
spirit Of that enactment and make that limit.
Consequently the number employed will bt
80 limited.
Advantages of the System.
The advertisements for bids were readily
responded 10, and the inspectors were a5le
10 make careful selection OF The industries
10 be put in operation Meanwhile, the
work of building additional shops was be-
gun, the stone and cement being bought by
contract anu rue work being performed by
prisoners. Il is nearing completion, ana
competent judges say he work is Of the best
character New boilers and new engines
have also been purchased The nu nber
of men employed in each industry
will be limited TO 100, and it ha'
been very difficult to ascertain ust how
many goods single prisoner can make.
The advantage over The old contract system
is seen in the fact that hereafter the State
sill get the advantage of skill in prisoner,
Instead OF the contractor while the comps-
lit'on with the honest workiugmen will be
reduced 10 minimum. No provision has
been made for over. time work of the prison
ers. The number OF convicts now al the
prison is $50, but this is en- unusual num-
Der, and the average will probably not De
much above 500. OF these, $50 are usually
employed about the prison in work Of
various kinds for the institution, such
as running errands, baking, clean
ing, painting, csrfenteriug, e;c, while there
IT, often Is on the sick list The remain
der, NUMBERING about S2j, as estimate will
De employed in the shops, under the piece
price Plan, and it is estimated that they will
rsrn from forty TO fifty cents dsy,
which would amount to- say $4,000 @ year,
or IS much as the old contract system wi h
all is bad features, ever yielded It thus
appears that the agitation ofthe workmen OF
he STATE, led by Essex county, has no: only
resulted in relief from the worst features Of
labor prison competition but viii cause 10
3.cr.aGe in the rrv.nue of the State