Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-01-15
sdaoatIon. whIoh S AerowIlh bod.


Ss5oW
~ sa,0Sl,52
lions from leases and sale notes for
land, II Is clear that the school tax can
be reduced to nine or ten cents.
PENHrENTIARIEs
The Eighteenth legislature at its
regular session abrogated the pro
vislonal leases OF the penitentiaries
made by the former board, and re-
quired the present board to assume
control.
a settlement was made with Cum
ningham d Ellis, and they were paid
S9444 IS, the sum which was due
them.
Under the authority given them, the
board purchased from Cunningham q
Ellis "A farm near Huntsville, with
stock, gin and clubhouse, for the sum
OF vi 900. This farm Is being success.
fully and probably operated ON the
penitentiary account.
On October 10 1855, the board effect
ed contract with Messrs Virgins &
simpson for shop room and seventy
i've hands, TO continue for period OF
ten years. These gentlemen are now
carrying on their foundry and machine
shops
On July 10, 1888, the board entered
into contract with Messrs. Conner a
Farris for the use Of the furnace and
one thousand hands at Rusk for the
period OF ten years. The furnace and
all necessary buildings were erected,
and the contractors commenced opera
ton, but from the stringency OF money
matters, the low price Of iron and
other causes not necessary TO mention
in this connection, they failed, aud
the board was compelled To take
charge OF the furnace and hands. A
settlement with Conner Il Farris was
made, the state taking materials
on hand In their shops at appraised
value to the amount due the state,
There Is no prospect of re. letting the
works, owing TO the scarcity of money
and tue low price Of iron.
r There are now 1852 prisoners in the
two penitentinries, and invite the at
tention of the legislature to the rapid
. increase of convicts. There can be no
doubt that reform in some shape Is
necessary. There are some oifeuses
for which lower grade OF punish
ment should be adopted. The wis
dom of allowing juries TO intlict
the penalty of confinement In the PEN
, ltuAlalJ lui me- luI uellutlhAe uluI-
der, Is not apparent. The man who
willfully takes life should no longer be
, permitted to annoy society or govern
' mout.
Looking TO the lesseniug of the
number of convlcts In the penitenti-
aries, ] again suggest the necessity for
n house OF correction, in which might
be confined boys and others, rendered
4 harmless by reason Of age or other
: conditions
rne penitentiaries can only house
: about sixteen hundred cnnvicts. while
? we have on hand 9G32 Very large ex.
i penditures will be required before all
q convljts can he placed inside the
= walls.
IL Is questionable whether the act OF
. the Eighteenth legislature prohibiting
the use Of convicts on public works
was either wise or constitutional.
!. There Is no sound reasoning in the
+ idea that convicts come in competition
/ with what is termed honest labor
! when worked out OF the walls. u Is
certain that they are engaged outside
/ OF the walls In labor that free men will
/ not do, and that when placed in the
I walls must be put at trades that will
force them into competition with tree
and honest labor Industries that are
not new, but those now in operation
. throughout the world. PerHons
, who peep through inclosures
, or windows or who use line
field glasses to shock them selves, may
! be shocked Mt the sight Of convlcts at
/ work, and yet 10 Is safe 10 say that
4 ninety-five per cent of those who 20
4 10 the vicinity OF the penitent iarlea or
4 convict camps visit them. However,
i when II can be done with due regard
/ 10 other interests, there IL no doubt
but that inside the walls Is the proper
- place for convicts.
, Article 49, section ~, Of the elnstltu-
: ton clearly cOntemplates that conylcts
I may be employed on public works,
! and the law above referred to Is OF
doubtful validity.
= The present board has managed to
make the penitentiaries self-sustain-
, ing, but 1t has been mainly through
I the wages derived from outside labor
and the strlctest economy. Great
I credit Is due 10 the officers OF the two
J penilentiaTies for the faithful manner
! In which those institutions have been
| managed
Although the present executive re-
/ quested the Eighteenth legislature TO
J designate the class OF labor for eonvlcts
4 to be employed in, 1t only placed
! one restriction on their employment,
+: Hence the force then employed on
! railways was allowed TO remain and
others nave been hired to the roads, on
farms, and 10 shop owners in the build
( ings, from time TO time, the state In
j all instances retaining entire control
Of the con viets.
+. CLAIMS AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOV.
ERHMENT.
/ The board constituted under the
law passed by the Eighteenth legisla-
' ture organized and appointed mum.
her OF clerks TO audit aud arrange the
! claims under the rules prescribed.
4 Prior TO the adjournment Of the last
congress the board dispatched Mai A.