Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-03-27

WEST LHENrER, Pa, March 2O.-Hne
inspectors OF tho Chester county prison
have just COMPLETED ready for pubiica-
tion their annual financial statement for
1859, showing the receipts, expenses and
cost of maintaining persons in that insti-
tution. The document is one poisesslnR
mueh vital interest to the taxpayers OF
Nav Castle county, bringing into sticking
relief as it does, the reckless ex expenditures
made by our taxpayers for tha n1ainten-
ance OF paUpers and criminals in New
Castle isil. Warden Wells of the jul.
saere submitted the manuscfipt of tho re-
port to your correspondents inipection
today, and with him visited the jail and
made detailed explanation & 10 how
that institution is managed. Bot in the
jail and Its management it is totally ur-
like the New Castle prison. The average
number Of prisoners here last ysAr Was
44. 9nd the aggregate cost OF thsit sub4iI-
tence was 81, ,402 35 or S3i 81 per snnum
each or 7-i0 csnts PSF diEm
These fgurea ars certified too by
the jad commissioners and audi
tots aui ara therefore undoubtedly
correct. They represent Tho totsi sggg9-
gate cutiay for food furnished the pr;g-
oners during tine year, and are based
upon the Warden Volts voacher5 in the
saape of rsceipted bills for prison sup.
ptieJ. The prisoners in fms county jail
here are fed by the county officials, rha
warden serving az executive and financial
officer, making all the purchases aud
paying all biils upon thaie approval by
the jail inapeotorH. These figures must
not be taken Gs any Indication that the
nj N III an1 a. ,Nno
is the fact. Three neals per day are
served them, and The food shown by
Warden Wells to your correspondent was
plain and wholesome, az good and pnlat-
able as many laboripg men in tho county
are able to provide for their families.
For breakfast, nt 8 o. m, she prisoners
arc served pound OF bread IND tin cup
full Of good colf.e--tha latter made from
good merchantabie ccffee begrieg. Dinner
at poon brings the man g half pound OF
meet exclusive Of bone) qu rt of soup
made Of getsbles-potat1es, beans, peas,
turnips, barley, and in season corn,
tomatoes, 40. This is frequently varied
with an allowance Of cnbbaga, or b6iied
potatoes, and on Sundays augmented
with boiled rice. For supper, o. 8 o'clock,
each prisoner is Bsrged with 4 of pound
of bgsad and pint cup OF good &C 80.
THIS bill is frequently varied to change
tbs diet of the eouvicts, but it cau bs
cited as fair sample of the average bill
of fair. Should any OF the prisoners ask
for more than is served rs his allowance
it is always given Kim. as il ia the inten-
tion OF the warden to give every one "a
much ns he will egt. The first day of
every month each prisoree III dealt a
qaast csn filed with good molssses to
us5 as, and when he may desire. No body
OF soldiers in barracks look better led or
well kept than do these prisoners for
whose subsistence the county paid 7-10
per diem each last yaar.
The Chester county prison is in o
broader Hense q reformatory, and be2ets
habits OF industry. For 10 hours every
day the inmates work hard and con-
tentedly, and the CLICK OF the dozbn car
pet looms in the csllE to-day gave the
place the air of some big industry, the
operators working happily aud without
speaking, for solitude and silence are en-
forced upon every ono who wears the
aarb of a convict in the big stone pile.
Their industry is astonishing and the
amount OF work they turn out surpris-
ing. The Bsles OF the carpets, ioRns,
b.ooms, 60, woven in the jail last year
amounted to SO, 165.75, without account
ing the goods made up for the use of the
convicts. The raw materials used in the
manufacture of these goods cost 3d.
0G6 o3, leaving clear prc fl Of SO, ,098 81
This earning not only pays for the food
furnished the prisoners, but covers every
item Of expense connected with tho Jail,
pGRaV.t Shn 'npiEu af tln
AssistRn.B. Among these items of ex.
penae is one of Sl,O7I.s6 for light
and fuel, for the jail is illuminated with
eleeric lamps; besides those in the oorfi-
Gors there is one In every cell. After
work ie over the men are given until 8
o'clock to themselves. Their cells are
lighted up brightly and they can either
work overtime, read or pass the TINS as
they desire. After performing cartsin
tssk-whicn is q very full one--the
prisoners are paid n small sum for their
oyerTork, the total expenditure for this
item last year being S224 10. After
completing their terms of imprisonment
each convict layg aside his SUIT of prison
made blue jeans for the clothes he wore
into the institution and III the event of
the latter being ragged a new suit of
comfortable clothes is provided for him.
He is given a sun of money enough to
take him to his home on the cars and
support him O day or two until he can
get something to do. This item added
$l66 45 to the total expense last year.
An inspection Of tho jail to-day dis
closed that the admirable management
shown in the financial direction of the
institution extended throughout the
premises. Everything is Hcrupulously
clean and fresh, and the air is pure and
free from any nausesting oiors. Each
man is confined i'll cell TO himself, and
beside bis cot and pn!iet of straw, is mis-
implement of work. loom, or so,ne-
thing of the sort. The products OF the
prisoners last year was 17,677l rards OF
rag cftpat, 378 yards OF chock, 1874 yards
nj drilling, Al yards OF ticking, $50
brooms, the recaning Of 1I5 chairs, b.
side the msnufac uYe OF every article Of
appsrel worn by the oopsiets, and the
bedding ussd in the jail. The prisoners
| physically unable to stand tne inoro
iatiSuing work, like waaving carpet, are
given lighter occupation, probably at
sewing carpet Ia2s, 10 pclaas per week
being the task got for this branch Of
work, and small allowance for over
work. Ont Of the overwork fund the
men arc allowed to have tobacco, books,
or something OF tie sort, and are eacCus-