The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-02-09
The Penitontiary

We are in receipt Of an interesting
pamphlet entitled, Statement Of Ham.
ilton, IIoskips & Co., Lessccs Of the Mis-.
sssippi State Penitentiary by Jones S.
Hamilton" II which j, given in detail
the cost Of maintaining the Penitepliary
since it was established in 1886 10 the
present time, aud the percentage Of es.
oapes aud deaths since 1869 10 the pres
ent time; also valuable statistics from
the reports Of other Pcniientaries, col.
lecled for the sake Of comparison
We have not time to make more than
hurried reference to the points which
Col, hamilton makes ia favor Of the
lcssees who have had charge Of the con
Victe ia Mississippi since 1876 but since
the subject Is one that has been exten.
iy,ly discussed aud il Of great public
interest, we feel that the OF justice
will be advance by giving publicity 10
some Of the facts which he has collect
cd.
From 1886 to 1876, period Of forty
year,, during two years Of which period
the rHitcntary WAS not in operation, die
excess Of disbursements over receipts
was over $4,000 Thecxact portion Of
this sum spent in construction aud for
machinery is net stated The act to cs
tabIish the penitentary, approved Feb
Tuary %, 1896, Appropriated $40, 600 and
for several years thereafter the appro
priations were largely in excess Of the
Leodso Of the institution. In lSlO the pen
iteuliary was opened, aud twenty eight
Couyicls are reported for that year. while
SSS 800 were expended. In 1871 $52-
400 81 were appropriated and spent, in
addition to Sl5,29l7l paid for salarie.
aud master workmcn This, it would
seem, was largely for buildings and ma
chjnery, In iSl3, with siXty-seven con
victs the expense to the State was over
$4,000 or about $4,000 to each convict
InlSl5 there were 81 couyicts and net
profit of $4,000. In 1916, there were
sgcuuyictt.and loss of IS. SSl %. In 1913
Gov. Brown SAYS in his message; "Thc
success Of the Penitcntiary for the last
two years has not cqualed the general eX
pcclation. In 1916 the balance sheet ex-
hihit,d a loss of SS,SSl53. This year
the gain is shown by the same exhibit
70 be u gain of $50 10. In justice, it
must be admitted that the losses have
been greater than the reports indicate.
Nv investigation of tho account of 1916,
II will be seen that 6.339iS has been
drawn from the treasury in that year,
and in this year, 1917, S6,33giS has
been drawn for the use aud support Of
the institution, aud that tho income OF
1916 is credited by the stock, tools, etc,
on hand -Sl9,6i907; in 1917, by S2j,
6O3 63 Allthis material isvaluablc but it,
precise value cannot he estimated unless
converted into money In 1913 there
were ninety.seven couvicts and loss of
t93S266. A gain OF S3GSS23, and
eigttysi conyicts are reported in 1919
and with ABOUT the same number of con,
victs gains are reported as follows; 1852
$l.973 90. 1858, $40, sos 90; 1854, $5,ll9.
90, 1855, $i,6S3. From 1855 to 1861,
the expenditures largely exceeded the
income, except ia 1861, when there was
profit. The penitentiary was destroy.
ed in 1868. In 1865 it WAS re establish.
ed, since which time the expenses have
been appalling, except when the penilen.
tiary was in the hauds Of lessees
From 1866 to the middleo of May, 1876,
say ten years and half, the cost
amounted to S4Ol 55SS6. At this time
Col, Hamilton and his associates took
charge of the penitentiary, the averag
number OF convicts being $50, aud he
makes the following showing of hi,
transactions with the State for the nine
years and half following; that is to
say. from the middle of 1876 to the last
of 1885:
Buildings and walls erected
aud machinery purchased
by Lessees, less amount
paid by State for ma.
cbinery .....................-$lS6,4 $50 81
Cash paid State by LeSsees
less amount paid bv State
for Superintendent salary 10000 90
Net gain...,...,,......."...$lS 6. 956 81
In no year since the war has the Pen
iteLtiary cost the State less than 1881,
which was the cost in 1872, till Col.
Hamilton became lessee.