Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-10

heaps OF fertlllzer IN the
newly-plowed fields Of the countryl How 1t
did nv heart good to see them vorkl But
their bloated faces, their bleared eyes, their
wicked scowls, their depraved visages, their
sullen mien--bahl The freshly upturned
earth, the green grass. the odorous blossoms,
the pastoral surroundings, the delicious air
itself, all are too pure for such contaminat-
ing men to labor amid.
"Does farming pay?" These prisoners Of
the Allegheny County Workhouss will
have some practical ideas along that line
when they 60 back to town, and it might
not be bad scheme to let q reporter meet
them at the West Penn Railroad depot and
''interview" them. In the meantime, I
will let readers decide for themselves
whether the experiment of buying q big
farm and operating it with convict labor has
been a profitable investment.
What the Land Is Worth
The Workhouse Farm was only pur-
chased three years ago. Prior to that time
the entire property owned by the prison con-
sisted OF 80 acres living between the river
and the top of the hill back of the railroad
at Claremont, and that is chiefly occupied
house 200 persons. Those so acres were
bought p years ago for $500 per acre. The
property now consists of 204 acres. Il ex-
tends one mile back from the summit Of the
hill, and this beautiful piece of tableland,
when purchased three years ago, cost $225
per acre.
Now it is worth infinitely more for one
very peculiar reason. That is that through
the cheapness of convict labor it has been
fertilized up to q higher degree than any
individual farmer, or farming corporation
either, could afford to do. 1t has become
the finest garden, perhaps. in Western
Pennsylvania. When bought it was only
in average condition. One of the large fat
boats owned by the workhouse is frequently
foated down the river to Herr's Island.
There it lies while Superintendent Emil
Winters, of the live stock yards there, has
all
The Refuse OF His Cattle Pens
dumped aboard. Then the boat is towed
back TO Ciaremont and the refuse taken by
wagons, driven by prisoners, back over the
hill to the farm. There the convict farmers
scatter il over the fields. Stable fertilizer
is a valuable and scarce article in the coun-
try, and farmers usually can't get enough
for z small farm. But thousands aud
thousands of tons of the best article have
thus been distributed over the workhouse
soil each season. The result is splendid
fertility.
These pseudo grangers from the barrooms
Of the city accomplish what scarcely any in
dividual farmer in Pennsylvania would
dare undertake, viz: to raise 5000 bushels
of potatoes at one crop. There is money in
potatoes, at least this spring, but the amount
of labor involved in planting, nurturing
and harvesting 5000 bushels is so tremen-
dous that it would scare any thrifty farmer
out of the idea of such an experiment. 1t
requires 30 and 90 men at the workhouse to
90 the seeding alone, and when the potatoes
ripeu they must be taken out of the ground
8; once or freeze. Where is the farmer who |
could employ the small army of employees |
needed 10 gather in the crop?
Crop of Navy Beans.
Another thing that the specimens from |
the city slums propose to do this spring is
10 plant for 500 bushels of navy beans-some-
thing which no farmer in Allegheny or |
Westmoreland counties dare undertake. To |
buy these beans in the open market you |