The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-31
THE NEEDS OF THE STATE PRISON.
What the Visiting Committee Re-
commend In Their Report.
They Want the Law Regarding Prison
Industries Repealed,
And an Uniform System of Reward
for Good Behavior Adopted.
Especial to the Press.l

AUGUSTA, Dec. 29-W. ii. Hunt, Eben G.
Rand and Seth M. Carter, visiting committee
oftthe Executive Council to the State prison,
make their annual report to the Governor
and Council
In opening they compliment Warden Bean
upon his good management for the past eight
years. They are of the opinion that the time
is not far distant when the State will have to
decide whether it will appropriate large sums
of money upon the present establishment or
find more eligible location and erect new
prison. The reasons for change are numer-
GUS and weighty.
They regard the system of heating the
prison by stoves as imperfect, expensive and
dangerous" In some Of the shops the men
suffer with cold feet; some of the cells are
too warm, while others at times are cold and
damp. The adoption of system of steam
heating is advised.
1t is the opinion of the committee that the
evil connected with the quarry in the prison
yard should be corrected at once. A system
OF sewerage to drain it would cost about
$4,000, and the State would obtain about two
acres OF land suitable for building purposes.
The following interesting statement is
made concerning the introduction of new in
dustries into the workshops: I'm accordance
with the public laws of 1887, ch; 149.
two additional industries were intro
duced into the prison-the manufacture
of brooms and furniture, particularly
office furniture. A contract for the sale of
brooms was made for the year ending late in
July next. No contract for the furniture
has been made, and sales only for about 700
dozen. The number of hands on brooms is
from 20 to %; ON furniture about 10. The
new Industries are probably as suitable as
any offered. Still we are of the opinion that
the introduction of those industries and the
consequent reduction of the number of hands
employed in the various industries connected
with carriages and harness work, will not
tend to the Improvement of the financial
condition Of the institution. The substan-
tial and well equipped blacksmith shop, the
paint shop and the framing shop have
desolate appearance. The change is loss
to the prison and State and no perceptiye
gain to the business outside. We con-
clude the statute. forbidding
unwise, and if long pursued will result in
heavy loss to the State. Su h restrictions
would sooner or later bankrupt any private
establishment and large accumulations of
panufactured goods could only be avoided
ticle of brooms if allowed to accumulate
would be liable to great damage from damp
ness as well as by rats and mice. We do not
care to discuss the convict labor question at
this time. but do believe the restrictions
and hindrances imposed upon 1t to be unnec-
essary for the reason that convict labor is at
disadvantage on most all points and can
not compete with free labor. The average
convict is only equal to about one-fourth of
skilled workman and if the industries are
too numerous In prison, the cost of officials
is about equal to the net earnings of the con-
victs, which for the past year are found
to be $7,1S9.2S, averaging 26 cents per
day for each man working in the four de-
partments. The cost for officials in these de-
partments was not far from $4,000. The
the law and give to the warden power to
manage the labor of the convicts as shall
seem best to him, he always giving heed to
the suggestions of the inspectors and the
Governor and Council"
Inc committee also recommend the repeal
OF the law, which directs that criminals con-
victed of murder in the first degree shall
not be associated with other convicrs. The
law is imDracticable they say. They recon-
mend change of the rules and regulations
so that the rate OF reduction in the terms of
service on account of good conduct shall be
uniform, and that seven days per month shall
be the rate of reduction.
Other Reports.
AUGUSTA, Dec. 30.-rne agent ut-tho
Penobscot Tribe of Indians. John II. Stowe
fled his annual report with the Governor
and Council. yesterday. The total receipts
including money received from the State
amounted to $5,59O.3O; expenditures, So
522.63. The tribe numbers 1856 souls. There
have been twelve deaths during the past
eight months. The schools and farming
operations have prospered. Three hundred
dollars additional appropriation is recon-
mended by the agent.
ii. G. Munson, agent of the Passamaquod-
dy Indians, reports that the appropriation
for this tribe which was $3.50 has been en-
tirely expended. The crops raised amounted
to 2230 bushels.
The population of the tribe is 525, the
deaths having been 20 for the year. Three
very old people died aged respectively 107.
105 and 103 years.
Additional appropriations to build lock-
up and purchase basket stuff are wanted.