The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-12
THE pEHITEATIARr.
Col. Frank Parker Correets Some
Misrepresentation.
The fnstItatIoH Really Managed
with Eeonpmy-Tbe Offensive
Partisan Removals..


WsELA WALfA, Dec. 9.-Tbe Posi-
aSrELLgGEzcEE correspondent called
1pon Col. r. J. Parker, president Of
She peaifentiary commission, and oh.
tained the following statement regard
Ing the alleged sppaFent increase 81
.sI239 80 for each q three prisoners,
stated by an Cyegoss1a correspondent,
from the maintenance fund. as against
the former administration Cob ~
ker said that the commissioners had
intended offering no explanation 20
any newspaper. az they are RESPONSE
bic to the governor and the legislature
only. and having conducted the affairs
of the penitentisry e0nscientfously and
under high-pressure economy, they
are not only NOT afraid but court the
most rigid investigation when the ieg-
isiature meets, perfectly satisfied that
their work will not only be commended
but highly endorsed bat be would
gladly give the PosT-ISTEKLIeESc Ef
what information he could.
at must be remembered that the
penitenfiary Is not an old Institution
and this present l. the only appropria-
ton that has been made since its re
mOval TO Walla WalIa. As natural
consequences when they took charge
they found everything In a very crude
condition. IL was like man remov-
ing into an empty house. Everything
apparently vas wanted. Even the farm
was rented out for the year and not
enough hay WAS raised 20 feed even
A 4. . ..rrr
found the deficiency appropriated by
zlre legislature Of SIS 400 20 was insult
ficient to the extent OF $3.50 ~, which
they had 10 pay out of their mainten-
anee fund The 5000 appropriated
for jute mandatory Il was deter
mined at the outset. after an inyestl-
CATION BY the president Of the board.
who made a Journey 10 California al
his OWE expense. 10 be useless and
would not be used As the prisoners
had 10 he employed the commission
sers invested 1920 in a brick-making
machine. and a. a result have made
go 90 brick and saved the territory
the expense Of purchasing all that
have been used IN the new cell wing
the guards and warden's quarters.
3he stable and granary. and have also
u
for the electric light and Steamboat
ing machinery. thereby saving the ter
~itory AZ least $1,000.
They have purchased at about one
dollar per thousand for hauling all
she clay needed for making these brick.
This with the cost of the cordwoOd for
burning i all the brick used has cost
she territory. They have connected
tan r.a~stfaygtfVrxr srFr.nytIg ts4sf, the
Dixie narrow gauge railway at the cost
only OF the ties and the ronyict labor
the railway company finding the rails
Many thousand brick OF a iirst-class
quality have been sold to the govern
Inent Tor use az Fort Walla Walla and
10 the citizens. and they have sold
brick 10 the amount Of 1858 ~, have
clay enough on hand To make half a
million brick early next spring and or
sders from other citizens 10 the amount
sof at least three millions more They
intend using the fund or deposit at the
First National Bank for increasing the
capacity OF the brick yard next year
and thereby giving employment TO all
of the conyicis instead Of about one
half rs in the past. In fact, said
Col Parker, I'VE intend 20 come up
smiling a year from now with from
$50 900 TO S25 600 over all expenses and
then they can kick us out OF Office as
soon as they wish, but we first intend
60 show the territory that with vigi-
lance and economy the penitentiary
can almost be made self-sustaining.
We hope by the FIRST OF the year to
have the steam heating and electric
light machinery in successful opera
ton and TO invite all the old and new
members of the legislature to come
and see for themselves "
Now, colonel, said your reporter,
how about discharging those two men
for offensive craftsmanship?
"Otfensivei Why, don't you and
every one else know that politics had
nothing 10 do with it2 They were
recommended by and always claimed
20 be Democrats. But the fact is we
had more guards than is now needed.
Building is about over, the brick ward
shut down for several weeks, there is
no more clay % be hauled, and there
was actually no further need of their
services. As the man Dryer Is the
one who has complained so loudly of
being discharged for his Republican
ism, | viii tell yon obout him. Sew
eral weeks before the election com
plant was made 10 the commissioners
of his disobedience of orders: that he
was lazy, would not stand guard with
out always having book or ncwspa-
per 10 read while on duty. The other
commissioners wanted To discharge
him then, but | objected, a. there was
50 much work going on, and concluded
TO stand him until we could dispense
entirely with his services Soon after.
IN rank disobedience TO the rules, he
engaged in scuffling with anoti er
guard, whose hand was injured Just
at this time he would have been dis
charged. but he injured his foot so
that for six long weeks he did nothing
but lie around. the other guards doing
his duty. and he all the time anuoving
them and creating disaflectiou; We
then discharged him, and that is all
there is OF H. Their places will not be
filled until work reCommences. Come
down with as some day and IN show
you all around, and YOU can then bet.
Ter judge of the vast amount OF work
we have done. We intend ANYHOW OF
making the building appropriation
cover the work, and that Is more than
has ever been done before"
RnFhRInrtx Iius.en,tx rgf.