Evening journal., 1890-02-07


Prisoners Meals.
The grand jury came into court at ~
o'clock this morning and having finished
their work for the year, presented their
report, which is as follows:
TO the Honorable, the Judges of the
Court Of General Sessions of the Peace
and Jail Delivery of the State OF Della
ware, in and for New Castle county.
The Grand Inquest begs leave 10 re-
port that during the past year lol IN
dictments have been presented TO IT, OF
which 1853 have been returned as true
bills and eight ignored. OF the true bills,
three were for capital ofenses and large
majority of the balance, as usual, for
minor offenses.
On the Goth ultimo we visited the
county Jail and found its condition much
improved over our last visit. but crowded
to nearly double its capacity; this over
crowded condition imperatively demands
relief in the near future.
The great financial depression now ex-
listing in our county should prevent
large expenditure of money for this pur-
pose at present.
The Jail usually contains about as many
Migrants, commonly called tramps," as
legitimate prisoners; without their
presence we think it would be ample for
the needs Of the county for years.
Since these tramps cause, and will con-
tinue to cause this condition, we think
the best solution at present practicable
would be the erection of building at
moderate expense adjacent to stone
quarry and near competing lines of rail
roads, where not only tramps, but
prisoners for short terms could be sent
and compelled to work 1t costs the
people of New Castle county. yearly,
more than 81 600 to feed the imprisoned
tramps
- A careful calculation was made by
former trustee of the poor to ascertain
the expense of maintaining the inmates
of the county almshouse and insane asy-
lum, il embraces much more than the
food furnished. as quotations from his
letter Of the 9TH instant in reply to our
inquiry viii show, he says:
"The cost Of food, medicine, ice, fuel
for cooking purposes, soaps, etc; for
washing aud cleansing, food for cattle
and horses, manures. repairs of carriages
and farm Implements and harness, adj
vertising and printing, wages of super
intendent. matron and of all other
employees excepting the visiting physician
and engineers for the nine m 3nths be-
ginning April 81, 1887, and ending Feb
ruary 25 1888 amounting to SIC, 200.
The number of meals furnished during
the same period was 267, 1928. making the
average cost Of each meal 81 cents, as
suming that all the above mentioned
items entered into the cost of meals.
Had the cost of medicines, the wages
Of employees. the maintenance of horses
and carriages not used for farm purposes
been left ont of the above statement, the
cost per meal would not have exceeded
Al cents
A calculation made by the secretary OIL
the same board, at our request, proved
the accuracy Of the above quoted letter
Some credit would have been given foi
the products of the farm, had not tn,
meals been charged with so many item:
1 not properly chargeable to that account
ana burdened them more heavily thar
the profits Of the farm would have re-
lieveo. An supplies were provided by
competing bidders and the county re-
ceived the benefit of that competition.
4 For many years the prisoners at New
Castle have been furnished board by con
tract with the sheriff, who now receives
& for each inmate 80 cents per day fol
board alone. We think if open competi
8 ton for feeding these prisoners were
adopted, the county would save one hall
of thea present expense. In Chester
county, Pa. its county commissioners
last report states the cost to be Ia
cents for each convicts board per day
We also visited the almshouse anc
found it in the best condition possible
"a thoroughly clean from cellar to garrett
and rejecting great credit on the man
agement throughout.
Among the permanent Improvement
there we noticed two roomy stairwavs
lately erected. as additional means O
escape in case of fire. We also visited III,
cells in the basement of the Court Hous,
III and found them in excellent condition
and provided with ample accommodations
The recent sad death Of one our mem
bers, Gardner l.. Jemison of New Castle
has deprived US of his counsel and the
benefit Of his experience; while the
Y county thas lost one of its honorable
citizens. whom 1t can III afford to lose.
We desire, in conclusion, to thank tn
4 court the attorney-general and hi
deputy for the uniform courtesy shown
us by them during the year.
Very respectfully submitted,
WILLIAM CooCH
Foreman.
Chief Justice Comegys said it was
valuable report, with numerous impor
tant recommendations He ordered i
spread on the records of the court and
copy sent to the Levy Court. Then h
thanked the jury for their work and dis
charged them from any further atten
dance.