Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-06-23
THE OBJECT GAINED.
The Chamber Of Commerce COM
mittes Visits MOUn8sYilie,

MllL6o bISltS mUUHuS fuieS
And Succeeds in Securing Favorable
Action from the Board of
Directors Of the
Penitentiary.
The committee appointed on Monday
Last, by the Chamber of Commerce to wait
the Penitentiary Board, for the pur-
pose of presenting the Chambers protest
against the hiring Of convict labor to con-
ractors for the manufacture Of cigsrs,
have only to report the most gratifying re-
suit from their visit to Moundsville yester-
day. The committee consisted Of MesSrs.
J. s. Nsylor, C. Burdette Hart, Cnss. +.
Brandfsss, b. L. Loos, and j. B. fancy.
On the way they were joined by Messra.
4. Robertson, Of the Newsletter and VIM.
Meek, representing q similar committee
from the Trades Assembly OF the Ohio
Valley. Mr. Henry Saamou also
Joined the party. Upon their arrival at
the P~enitentiary, Col. Peck, the urbane
superintendent, took care ofthe octet until
NJ. Reilly, Esq one Of the members OF the
Board, (who had, by the way, like some OF
the visitirg gentlemen, missed the early
traip) and who accompanied the party
down had announced that there was a
formidable delegation OF Wheelngs cltl'
zens in the waiting room awaiting an
audience viii the Board. In due time an
attendant ushered the delegation to the
presence of the Board, where Mr.. Reilly
seyerslly introduced all hands. Sabse-
uuently the mission Of the vIsitors was an
nounced to that body, who were all present.
The following gentlemen represent 1t: ID,
r. Howard, OF Pr Pleasant, President, and
Messrs. NJ. Reilly, Wheeling, John W. Col
Inns. Kanawha, Jos. IL Msrcum, Wayne,
and J.. W. Gallaher, OF Marshall.
The purport Of the business having been
made known, eRd the resolutions Of the
Chamber of Commerce submitted, Pres''
dent Howard responded that he thought,
for the present ct least, all anxiety on
the subject might be suspended as q letter
had lust been received hom Mr.. Little,
the contractor, which stated that he had
withdrawn the proposition.
THE LETTER.
Below is the letter of Mr.. Little:
WELLsBURG, w. Va, June Il, 1886.
| Bosrd of Directors Cf MouAdsville Penn
Tertiary:
GENTLEMEN:-I do notthink | could get
a room that would suit for the mauufnc
ture of cigars in the prison, AID for the
present won!d withdraw my proposition.
Yours respectfully,
N. LITTLE.
This announcement disposed OF, and the
immediate object ofthe committees, buttht
Board manifested 90 great an interest il
the purpose Of the visit, that a general talA
ensued upon the injury that convict iabol
through the contract systen-had upon
the competing industries tf the State, GnC
Wheeling in particular.
President Howard, on behalf OF the
Board, spoke at length on the subject. he
expressed the Boards deep sympathy, moi
only for the cigar manufacturers aud their
employees, but for all other industries that
were affected by convict labor. He cited
the fact that ns provision had been made
BY law to keepthe PeniteGtiary in repair anc
provide means Of defrsying expenses; that
the conyicts were there and il would not dc
to keep them in idleness, that it was q
question for the Legislature and not fol-
the Board to decide; that the Board had
made unusual endenVors to hire the convict
labor to parties that would employ it in
industries which wo4ld uot compete with
those in the State, but without avail; thst
it was q very difficult thing to dispose Of
the labor; that there was O road Law on
The statute book which provided for the
counties ucipg tho prison labor and paying
for it, but no county awaited itself OF the
opportunity; thst it would be even more
unfair to force the conyicts into direct
competition with free unskilled labor than
with free skilled labor, because it would
produce even o greater hardship in that
case than with skilled labor, as the latter
was so much better able TO protect itself
than the unskilled labor. All this and
much more wss said, allowing what O
quamdary the Board wGs in to employ the
couvicls without treading on some ones
toes. After a further interchange OF views OF
the matter by both sides, the Board, at The
request Of Mr.. fancy, on behalf ct the
Ohamber OF Commerce, passed the follow,
ing RESOLUTION, to be handed TO that body ne
expressing their views and intentions here
after:
THE RESOLUTION.
Resolved, That it is the sense Of the
Board Of Directors of the West Virginia
Penitentiary that during the term Of office
ofthe present Board, contracts will not be
let on cigars or on other Industries compat,
ing directly with the labor Of our ]citi%ans,
so far IS it is possible for said Board to
control the same.
[Signed FRANK NJ. BROwH,
Clerk.
The delegation welcomed thu resolution
with pleasure, feeling that it was q tangible
tcEen OF the Boards warm feeling with the
ohjsci in hand and an RssaTSGce that the
interests Of the city aud State would be
protected from convict competition as far
as it was 10 the power Of the Board to do.
There being no further business mutual
oourtesiaG were extended and the visitors
we're turned over 10 Colonel Peck. who,
with his accustomed grace and kindness,
entertained The party ill train time by
showing Them the workings Of the model
pepi;entiary OF the couHtrY
AN EXPRESSION OF OPINIoN.
The members of the Trades Assembly
committee, Messrs. Meek aud Robertson.
express theiE great qualification st the
happy solution Of the question OF cigar
making in the prison, aud said that the
action OF the Board of Directors 10 an.
nouucirg their determination not to intro
duce into the prison any Industry that