St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-05
OF CONVlCTS
Results Of the Tour Of the Prison In
spectors.
CONTRACT SYSTEM FAVORED.
Warden Of the Penitentiary Should Be
Appointed by the Inspectors---An In
crease Of Membership Urged.

After considerable thought, and long
Journeys in search of information. the
members of the board of state prison in
spectors held meeting yesterday and
finally concluded, in their opinion, the
best mode of employing convicts at Still
water. MesSrs. A. K. Doe, E. Dunn and
j. F. Nerrish, the inspectors, in their re-
port to the legislature, cover the ground
from the time contract labor ceased to
exist, and says:
The State of Minnesota entered into a
contract with Seymour. Sabin d Co., of
Saltwater, March 8, 1881, for the en-
prison for term of nine years from
April 1, 1881. 1t was agreed in this con-
tract that either party might terminate
the contract not sooner than Sept. 1.
1888, provided notice was given by Sep
TENDER, 1887. The legislature of 1887
directed this board to give notice of the
desire of the state to terminate the con-
tract Sept. /. 1888. The Legislature, by
the same act, provided that mo more
contracts shall be awarded, but all con-
Wet labor shall be employed under the
direction of the chief officer having
CHARGE OF SUCH CONvICTs.
Under the operation of this law. the
existing contract terminated Sept. 1,
1888. The board of inspectors found
themselves with 40 convicts on their
hands for whom labor must be provided
upon the state account plan. The
amount appropriated for providing a
plant was not sufficient to organize any
comprehensive system of labor. We
deemed it wiseSt to leave the appropria-
ton untouched, for the reason that if
we organized branch of labor on a
small scale, it might embarrass the
legislature in dealing with the ques-
| ton. In view of the fact that the new
law required the employment of the
| cOnvictS on the state account plan, it
seemed wise to us to obtain clear and
definite information respecting the
workings of that system, and at the
same time to inform ourselves by per-
| sonal observations as to the workings
OF other systems of prison labor. We,
! therefore, decided to visit some of the
most important prisons of the United
States, especially those where the pub
! lie
ACCOUNT SYSTEM PREVAILS.
In visiting these prisons we made it
point to hold full and free conference
with the prison -wardens with reference
w tLlO loOOl quSoCiOiis 10y iii0 OSiOhO
them our present situation and asking
their advice under the circumstances.
We are convinced from our observation
that in the institutions where the con-
tract system is still retained, and has
not been disturbed by adverse and ul-
friendly legislation, the best results
have been attained. More cheerfulness
and better order prevailed, as we'll as
better results financially. Therefore,
we do not hesitate in recommending
that the legislature pass such laws as
will permit the re-instating of the con-
tract sys tenn, believing, as we do, this
to be the best system so far
- DEVISED OR PRACTICED
in;thiS country when surrounded by the
most careful and guarded conditions.
In view of the uncertainty of being
able to make satisfactory contract for
this labor, it will be necessary for the
legislature to place at the disposal of
the board of inspectors, an amount suf-
fcient to employ the prisoners on state
account, in case we should not be able
to make satisfactory contract. From
the best information that we have been
able to obtain, we are of the opinion
that it will be necessary Inappropriate
not less than S250,O00 as a fund for the