Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-30
THE STATE PRISON,
REPORT or THE BOARD or DIRECT
oRS AND The SUPERINTENDENT.
A Splendid Financial ExhibIt-Pertinent
Recommendation some Inter
esting Statistics.

The annual report Of the Board Of Di-
rectors of the Virginia Penitentiary trans
hitting to the Governor the report OF the
Superintendent and other documents has
just been printed. Superintendent I.ynn's
report is comprehensivs. and from IL are
taken several items of interest Dir. Lynn
SAYS:
"Our receipts for the nscsl year from the hire
OF cUnvIcts have been more than sufficient 10
meet sll OF our expenses for the maintenance OF
conylcts, the erection of fourth story to the
penitentiary buildirG, including the hospital.
and the improvements to the Office building,
which cost s35,6S1.2t.
"0ur kotal expenses have been increased by
several ftems. The principal ones worthy Of
noIice are the large Increase In the numSer OF
cOnyicts received during the year, the Increase
OF our city water rent from $3.50 TO $1,000 per
snnum, an increase In the number OF guards
and the salary of the matron at tho female de-
partmeut.
:, The necessity for the last-named officer had
become apparent IN the opinion Of the public,
and the matter being urged 10y the ladies' os tho
Womaus Christian Temperance Union. the
Legislature passed An act authorizing the Gov
ernOr, upon the recon N endatiOn Of your honors-
bile body, 10 appoint a matron az salary Oh
$3.50 per nnnum; which has been DONE
The utility Of this officer, outside OF the
moral feature, which should not be disregarded,
is as ye. matter OF experiment
AFARN RECOMMENDED.
"The policy o, this institution ought TO be TO
employ the conyicts inside OF the walls, where
they can be personally superintended, instead
OF hiring them to contractors 20 DO WORKED on
railroads, where the mortality has Oeon fearful
~ large and the men broken down after Few
years Of such LABOR.
II desire 10 call the special attention OF your
honorable body 70 the necessity OF finding en-
ployment for the large and Increasing number
of conyicts who cannot be used by the contract
ors now engaged in industries inside OF our
walls. Many Of them are old men aud boys VINO
could be prOhtaby employed on farm, ana
would most earnestly suggest that your honor-
able body recommend that the next General
Assembly make an appropriation OF sum OF
money 20 purchase--Or lease, with An option OF
purchases large, unimproyed trat OF river
bottom land, susceptible OF Yauahie improve
ment in ditching and dyking, &c, as well ~ Tor
the purchase o. the necessary stock ana impte-
ments for working II, so that constant employ
ment might bs secured Tor our entire prison
population Buildings could Do erected Tor the
Accommodation OF the farm hands, thus re-
lieving the prison 20 that extent Of tts crowded
condition. | beeYe that thus would be good
sanitary measure and profitable 10 the state
PROVISION FOR THE YOUNG.
"You will observe that there are a large num-
ber of tho young who have found their way into
crimo and prison lie. We now have torty-six
IJ years old and under, and 1877 between the
ages of IS and 20. | beg leave TO urge that
sOms other method be adopted Tor dealing with
H. ese youthful offenders besides placing them IN
direct contact with the vicious and hardened
prisoners, whereby the youth IL made con-
tirmed criminal
ave have during tho year built tho much
needed additional cell-rOom, and have converted
the Old office and closets in the front building
into a handsome, spicious, and convenient oiiice
for tho Superintendent and Board OF Directors,
and another Tor the bOOk-keeper ana CLERK, con-
centrating the whole into adjoining otices, thus
giving greater facilities for business
ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION NEEDED.
Mr.. LYNN also says additional legislation
il needed to authorize and empower all
the Superintendents 20 collect all bills due
the institution for hires on railroads. DC.
In this view the board heartily concurs.
The expense of keeping l,252 prisoners
(that being the daily average) for twelve
months was 7S,s6545. Per capita pei
year, 1853 pr capita per day, SOL 2S-lOO
The number of convicts IN the Instltu
| tion the lst of October was
White men. ......... .....-........'''.'''xu
White women. .........-.-..'''...'.'''
ColOred women. n.......................... 20
II. .03;
On public works:
| Win Warm-Spnngs Valley railroad
men..................... .............s..-. .slOo
| With Roanoke and Southern railroad
l6I
| Total. .''''.-''''..'l,<V'
| Received during fiscal year:
| White meal. n..............-....s'' lVo
| COlOred men men..........-......,.....- ...'.oo1
| White women. .....'.........'..''''''' .
| Colored women. ..........'''''..''''.'''' oo
LII