The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-13

The report Of the inspectors shows the
following items:
For maintenance s76g7s 90
For repairs. ....... 62so n
Making a total Of. ........ sss,s7 g
Salaries Of keeper. supervisor and
board OF inspectors---.--..... a.oo 90
Other salaries. 1884 30
Money paid to discharged convicts -. 1.0s 90
Total .............. slOosIs 3
Amount Of cash received for labor Of
prisoners 49,. ................. sseas IS
Deficit in exeess Of receipts. .sIOi. of2 s.
The difference between the mount
earned by the prisoners, as reported by the
supervisor, and the amount as reported by
the inspectors is E,4l0.2S, which the super
visor reports Is q balance owing by one OF
the contractors. The state claims this
amount, but the contractor has not yet
paid IL, and denies his liability therefor.
Tn amounts admitted by the contractors
to be due have been regularly paid, but
this balance In dispute has not yet been
There is also a difference in the mainfe-
nance accoun The supervisor makes 1t
S54, 721.ss. The inspectors report it TO be
s76.276.46, or a difference of s 1,554.5s.
There is also a difference in the account
The supervisor makes the amount. ......e6,1n Il
The inspectors make IL. .-..-.."..-..-.- $3.50 81
This Is a difference Of. ................ 500 IS
The supervisor reports that these differ
ences arise from the bills Of two fiscal
years overlapping each other; that the in
spectors' account show the money act-
ually received and disbursed within the
fiscal year, while his account shows what
is properly c~hargeable to the fiscal year;
II Is certain, however, that the state has
not yet received the S2,410.2 Is which he in
cludes In the amount he reports as earned
by the prisoners.
The comptroller does not agree with
either the supervisor or the Inspectors.
His figures, where be differs, are as fol-
lows:
haintenance..........-.. -..".--s.o.ol0 -
Salaries. f9,lOo 70
6r5l0 ~
Discharged eonvicts. f,l6s %
y
It appears from the above that the actual
deficit for the past fiscal year was over
sle9,000. In view of this large sum which
the state must raise for prison account. |
suggest that the legislature inquire wheth-
er the earnings cannot be increased and
the salary account decreased, so as to re-
duce this heavy burden upon the treasury.
The cost for maintenance Is an item
which must depend upon careful manage
ment by the prison authorities and upon
the number Of convicts.
The responsibility for the management
of the state prison is divided between the
keeper, the supervisor and the inspectors
In my Judgment a better result would be
obtained by having one head 1.-THE keeper OF
the prison. with absolute power, who would
be responsible for the general results in all
the departments.
The income of the prison might be in
creased by requiring the different counties
to pay a weekly sum for the maintenance
of each of the prisoners sent therefrom.
This 10 Aopa in Some 0f tho states of thu
Union. The state receives S1.75 per week
for each United States prisoner. If the
counties were required to pay at this rate
for each of their convicts sent to the prison
the expense of the institution would fall
most heavily upon the counties that send
the largest number of prisoners, and the
state would have an additional income for
prison purposes, and there would be prac-
tieally no deficiency on this account.
The daily average number OF prisoners
confined in the prison during the last fiscal
year was 9T3, of whom $40 were male and
SO females. This is an increase over the
previous year Of a daily average OF eight
conyicts.
There are accommodations for only 7O6
prisoners, and the provisions of the law re
curing separate confinement for each
criminal are necessarily violated.
The legislature uaws of 1890, p. 245) APP
propriated 100000 for an additional wing
TO the prison and hospital, and also laws
1871, ID. lODJ rJU " Puitl4dcC a AAbAHA1-
There was also appropriated in the act ap-
proved April Z, 1885 flaws 1855, p. 4l0), for
drainage and water supply OF the state
prison $4,000, making a total Of sl30,50
appropriated for the state prison, but not
vet expended. The condition OF the state
treasury has not permitted the expendl-
lures authorized by these acts.
The evils arising from the overcrowdlng
of the state prison are so grave and serious
thai 1 recommend to the courts, as far as
possible, to send prisoners to the county
{ tails and p~enitentiarles. also
tie passage of an act similar TO that ap-
proved May IL, 1889 laws 1859, p. ADJ,
/; for the parole or conditional release OF
prisoners confined in the New Jersey state
prison, so modified as TO avoid the consti-
tutional objections suggested by the attor-
ney general
The general management of the state
prison has Esen excellent and has received
the commentator of those able tC give an
Intelligent zpinion on this subject. : :
THE governor speaks at some length
here of the pilot commissioners report and
of the state geological survey
Worlds Columbian Exposition.
Under the provisions of an act Of con-
gress passed April %, 1890, the city OF Chi
a was selected as the site for the Worlds
Columbian exposition, and under the proc
lamation of the president of the United
States, dated Dec. "A, 1890, it Is now
definitely fixed that the fair will be opened
in Chicago, May /, 1893. In accordance
with the act of congress n a commu-
~nication from the state department OF
the United States / nominated TO the
president. On behalf of the state of New
Jersey. Gen. William j. Sewen and Hon.
Thomas Smith, as com mlssloners, and Col
Edwin A. Stevens and Col. Frederick ).
Fish, as alternates.
These names were accepted by the presi-
dent of the United States. lam in receipt
of a communication from the commission
ers urging upon me the wisdom of speedy
action by the legislature, 50 as to have New
Jersey fully represented in the coming ex-
position. They suggest the issuing of a
proclamation by the governor calling at
tention to the exposition, the passage OF an
act by the legislature creating a commits
sion to look after the manufacturing. min
ing, agricultural, horticultural, education
al and other interests Of the state, and max
ing an appropriation for that purpose; the
erection at the exposition grounds at Chi
cage of a state building, to be used main
ly as a headquarters for the state COM
missioners, and To be a place for the
gathering of visitors 10 the exposition
from our state, where information can be
obtained and attention given to our citi-
zens which could not be obtained else
where. They also recommend that indiY1d-
uals be urged TO send exhibits representing
ourdiverSifed manufacturing and agricul-
tural interests. aud that there be a collect
i've state exhibit showing our manufactur-
ing nroducfz minerals. cereals and other