Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-03-06
Average


The Chester county jail at West Chester,
Pa, is the lowest in price of the cost of
feeding its inmates OF any Of the 10 quoted.
The work is done there by the county OIL
cials, through contracts for provisions and
supplies and the figures represent the exact
cost OF paying for the food actually con-
sumed, cost OF cooking, &c. Prisoners in
this institution are obliged to work and the
jail Is self supporting II Indeed It does not
yield some little revenue.
Delaware county jail at Media, Pa, has
SO prisoners aud the warden IL under con-
tract TO feed each prisoner for 30 cents per
day. This he does aud has stated that he
makes II cents per day upon every inmate.
Warden Baker stated recently that he
would ask no better lib than to take charge
OF the New Castle jail and Its lao prisoners
and feed them at 81 cents each per day The
provision he offers the criminals Is good
and wholesome and amply abundant.
The Schuylkill county jail at Pottsyille,
Pa, is run at u cost OF IA cents per day
each for the beard of $50 prisoners, and the
feeding is done upon allowances by the
county. or the county pays Warden Toole
ii cents per day for each prisoner. Out of
thia allowance he feeds his charges and
makes a profit. -
Lancaster, Pa, jail may also be fairly
compared with the prison Of this county,
except that 1t is not quite 80 populous. Its
1 lGo pFlSNIeIS tstb leu Ut u cObL VI IL GsIllS
! per day by the warden, who Is employed by
the county commissioners.
Il costs tie stare OF Virginia 25 cents Der
| pay for he board of each of her 150 PRISON.
ers confined In the Iilchmcnd jail includ-
ing every expense made In their behalf.
The Joliet Penitenttary and rienton State
| Prison, both large institutions. are con-
Quoted cheaply and the price quoted repre-
SENS the total cost OF Gazing Tor the in
/ mates.
4 OF the 10 jails included in the table there
\ are only nine paying as much or more than
I is given up by the Taxpayers OF Naw
Castle county for the care of its criminals.
1t will ba noted THAT all OF these htgh-prlced
| jails have comparatively small number OF
I inmates, the greatest being 80.
| Il Is clearly shown and proven that New
Castle county pays more for the board Of
| her prisoners, In proportion to number,
I than any other community IN this section
Of the country and this explains why the
sherlff's Office Is such an exceedingly
| lucrative one.
There are on an average (sccordlng to the
statement of an ex jail COMMISSIONER over
1i1 prisoners confined ia New Castle. This
rumber varies, but as an average 1t Ia not
excessive. For the board of these people
at the present rate, 80 cents per day, the
tax payers hand sheriff Allen Sl5,3}0 per
year. Estimating that 1t actually costs him
personally ~ cNuiS PSF ullY 10 lG9u ln6 pflS-
oners, his profits are slO,2l0 per year on
the single item Of boarding the ccunty's
criminals.
At 20 cents per day for each prisoner the
county would pay the sheriff sl0229 which
world give the sheriff n net income of
So, ITO per year from this feature OF his
Gutea, and the taxpayers would save over
5000. With this reduction the sheriff Office
would still be tho best paving position In
this county. Added 10 the 5000 profit In
feeding prisoners are the legitimate duties
OF the office Ia the county court house,
A which Will yield $4,000 per annum clear
money, and there ure other iuc!dentals
whic add another $1,000 to this amount,
making 4 total revenue of nearly $4,000
per year falling into the sherlff'J hands.
A tho levy court is to fix the pay for
board these figures are presented for its
Information as we'll as foe the benefit OF the
Taxpayers. 1t will be conceded by every
lntt-minded person that 20 cents par day
wall amply racompenao the sheriff for feed
ing the prisoners Of the county aud TO sup
ply their wants well and full.
Tgx.payars who believe In a reduction Of
the countys expenses, should petition their
resp orive members insisting upon corr
recrl9n of this wasteful extravagance.
VIVA, they do must BIO attended too with
promptnefs. -