St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-06
SALTWATER NEWS.
A Delegation From Illinois In
speCt the Binding Irvine Plant.

Warden Allen, of the Joliet. ILL.,,
prison. accompanied by B. X Durfee,
secretary of the board of prison man
ayers, and d. Heenan. of Streator, ILL.,,
visited the prison in this city yesterday
for the purpose of looking over the
binding Irvine plant. They arrived at
the prison at 10 o'clock, and were shown
through the institution by Warden
Wolfer. Warden Allen stated to a
GLOBE correspondent that the prison
managers of Illinois are looking for
some system for the employment Of
their convicts other than the contract
system, which is being abolished as rap
idly as possible, and desire to take up
something that will Interfere as little
as possible with free labor. The
farmers of Illinois are anxious that a
binding Irvine factory be started, and in
order to see how this industry operated
in Minnesota this committee was ap-
pointed. If the legislature can be in
duced to appropriate sufficient money,
long line factory will be started with
capacity for the employment of at
least $50 men. They think that the
fiber, such as sisal and manillas, which
is used exclusively on long line machin-
cry. can be had cheaper than the hemp
fiber, and will answer the purpose as
well. Messrs. Durfee and Heenan con-
sidered the binding Irvine plant very
good thing for the farmers. but did not
like the simple fact that it took so large
capital 10 operate it. They estimate
that factory as large as the one which
they will put in, if they put in any, will
cost not less than 100000, that is in
Guiding the money which it Will be nee
IN hnfnra ony-fhi,,r ho
realized from the product. They will
at the next meeting of the board. The
committee also paid particular attention
TO the grade system and its workings,
and were so we'll pleased with it that
they may advocate its adoption in Hi
nois, where they now have 1899 con-
victs. Warden Allen said that he had
visited prisons in the East and South,
but had never seen prison that would
equal the Minnesota prison.
A special meeting of the board of
county commissioners was held yester-
day for the purpose of considering the
petition of A. P. Noyes and thirty-e;ght
other residents of Forest Lake, who
asked the commissioners to designate
day when vote could be taken to de-
eide whether or not Forest Lake shall
he incorporated as village. The
petition was granted, and town meet
ing will be held some time in July, when
vote will be taken. There are 1856
voters iii the district, and large ma
jority of them are in favor of incorpor-
ating village. The board also consid-
cred large number of applications for
the abatement of penalties and taxes.
some OF them being allowed and others
rejected.
Warden Wolfer leaves tomorrow
night for Chicago to attend the prison
congress. He will probably be absent
until the first part of next week.
In the probate court yesterday final
decree was made in the estate of Mag
nus Johnson, deceased, assigning the
property to the heirs.
Col. Clarke Chambers. of Owatonna.
was at the prison yesterday, interview
ing prisoners whose terms OF imprison-
ment soon expire.
The city council meets this evening.
when the contract for the city printing
and publishing will be awarded.
The board of prison managers meets
today. There is talk OF holding the
July meeting III Duluth.