The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-02-17

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Feb. oth, 1856. ]
Hon. SAM Powell, jackson, Miss
My DEAR SR-I have received your
letter oil the 4th inst. in which you ark, |
What has been the profit TO the State OF
Tennessee, per annum for the past ioui |
years, derived from the lease OF the Peni |
tentiary? Replying, ! take pleasure ~
giving you the information sought, which
is shown 10 the following statement:
Jan. !, 1882, to June /, 1888, Leased al
SO 800 year...................S $3.50 %
June ], 1888, 20 Jan !, 1884,
leased at rlO0 600 year. 58,533 IS
Jan !, 884, to Jan. J., 1856
leased at SOL 900 a year.. 2O2,O W
Total, four years.. $3.50, POS SO
The expense Of the State for
prison officials was.............S 70, $50 90
Showing net profit, four years,
to be ........ ......... .-So33 6fZ 50
Or an average, per annum, OILS o4,9lo %
The above represents the true profits
that should have been received from III,
lie sees, and which would have been So
received, but for an accident in the yea
1882. / allude 10 The FIRE in the main
Prison at Nashville, which-the building
not being Insured at that time-entailed al
expense Of some $78 900 for rebuilding anu
repairs, aud diminished the actual protts
from the Penit, ntiary, that amount. Th,
Psnitentiary lie now kept insured, and,
cons, queutly, such an accident in the
future would not result in ioss.
The present lease il for a term Of SIX
years, beginning January !, 1884, and al
$l0I 900 year, the only expenses OF IN,
State 10 be of Il against that sum being
the salaries Of officials employed aud paiu
by the State which salaries aggregated III
1891, and to March -, 1885, the sum OF
81 goo per annum, and since March ~
1880, 50, 100 per annum, and the expense
Of the Insurance. This slight increase OF
expenses - due to the Legislature increas-
ing the salaries OF some OF the Prison oh
cials, and the system OF insurance that
have adopted. IL will be seen from th,
above that our net annual income from III,
Pententiary for six years, from Jaunar,
f. 1881, 10 January ], 1890, will be $l0l 4,
600, Less the six thousand year for saa
ries of officials, and in, urInce.
Apropos to this, it may be interesting
to know that before our present lease sys
tenn went into effect, since The war, tn,
annual expense OF the p, uilentiary, paid GU
OF the Treasury OF ihe State by direct APP
preparation, was more than the presen
income from that source.
You will see that under the lease th'
officers Of the prison are appointed hy tn,
Governor, paid by the State, and response
bic directly TO the State, AMI have nothing
TO do with the lessses-e1cept the guard
who aie paid by the lersees, but appoint
ed by the Superintendent. The officers ar,
!, required, under oath and bond, To see lha
the prisoners are well fed, we'll clothed
have good beSding, &c, and are humanel,
treated, aud that good hospitals are KEEP
for them. Under these conditions, iii,
prisoners appear az healthy and conlenteC
as prisoners could well be expected to be
For the expression Of kindness in you
letter to me personally, thank you; an,
must add that l have a distinct recollection
of you in our Legislature of lS49-50, anC
there was no man in that body whom I re
member more favorably. | often heard q
you when in East Tennessee, and had learn
ed OF your removal, but did not know You
post office. / have been twice in iIawkin
county of late years. and met with mos
hearty reception, and increased the Demo
cratic vote there in both of my eanvasst-
Tor Governor. Will send you copies O
my messages, and will always be glad 4
hear from YOU.
Respectfully your friend,
VIM. B. BATE.