The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-04
THERE THE BLAME WAS.
lying to Hold Helena Liable Tor
Failure to Start Billings
Peni!entiary.
be Entire Matter Was Left to
the state Prison Commits
sioners.
r Reasons which They Considered sur
lcient the Eastern state Prison Hal
not Been Degnn.
impression has boon sought to DO ore

An impression has boon sought to DO ore
ID in the eastern part Of the
ito that soma resident OF Hclena
d In some why been Responsible
! the fact that work OIL the
stern state prison At Billings has not been
gun, as was contemplated BY tho law OF
3 last legislature. The Anaconda Stand
d, whose proprietor's interests oil lie In
. direction Of fostering such NJ ilca. in
issue OF yesterday referred to Billings ~
town where a large amount OF wo X on
stnte institution would be we'll advanced
day but for interference from the city Of
elena.'' A little further on In the same
ticle occurs the sentence: Billings poo
. are used to that sort Of trentment NJ the
lnds oil selfish men and conoeited news
pers in the temporary capital"
The basolessness OF such a charge may
silly be seen from q pstusal Of the act cree
inp the eastern state prison, and a knowl-
20 of all the circumstances which led up
tho abandonment of work on the peni-
ntiary at Billings. The act provides that
6 eastern state prison shall be located at
within three miles of Billings. and that
Q penitentiary now at Dser Lodge shall
known ns the weate n state prison. The
Patd Of state prison commissioner oon1
biting Of Gov. Richards, Attorney Gsne'al
askell and Secretary of state Rotwitt.
ere required, within sixty days aztec the
ssnco of the act, to select a site OF not
ore than forty acres within three miles
Billings, including a stone qua ~ OF five
bres. The third section Of thc act pro-
des that ''The board of state prison COM
i~ssioners are herewith authorized md en-
bwered, and il shall be their duty. to cause
be ooh1menced on or before tho a st
onday in July, 1893. the building of the
kstern state prison on the land and at the
te selected; also to the con-
ruct,ou of an exterior wall enclosing not
IS thnn eight nor moro than twelve acres
land around the sumo
Provision is made further on TINT on or
bfore the first Monday OF April. 1893.
otice to receive plans and speclhoations
br the eastern state prison are to be pub
shed in Helena and Butte; that on or be.
bre the second Monday of Mas pans and
he ciioations nre to be adopted and bids
>r the buildings and wallis invited; and
hat on or befn, Q the first Monday OF June
10 cont act is to be .et to tho lowest re-
,onsible bidder; ali of which duties are
nposed by tn law on "the board OF state
rison commissioners The low. in the
PItJ HtEGlOH, hpp'SL' suSCc Vso,NoO s"S
ear 1893 out of any moneys in the state
Feasury not otllri wise appropriated. TO-
10 purnose Of carrying ont the provisions
this act; three-tifths (S42. 0O0) to be used
br the erection of the eastern stnto prison
uildincs and two-tiftis ($S23. O0O) for i'm
rovements and repairs to tie weston state
rison buildings; and S30.OOO for the year
s04 10 hereby appropriated for the compile
on OF tho eastern stnte p ison buildings"
he state I, easu err ia directed to SGT aside
10 sums named for the purposes specified.
When the time came for the board OF
late prison COM issioners to carry out the
rovisions of the law, thu members found
hat tho state would not hhve the funds to
kpend on the eastern stnte prison: so all
10 work that was done was to select the
te which tho euterpriaing citizens Of Bill
ngs gene ously gave free Of cost for the
ur, ose; and to build u stone Wal n ound
le p%enitontiarv Mt Door Lodge. The entire
natter of receiving and adopting plans and
beciications, and Of receiving proposals
nd awarding the contract, was delegated
Y the legislature to tho hoard OF atnte
rison commissioner, consisting Of Gov.
| e. Richards Of Butte, Alto ney General
!. j. Haskell OF Glendive. and Soc etary
( State Louis Rotwitt of AcHuher county
here was not a citizen OF Helena on the
onrd, further than tho location OF the
bat of government hero comuels Theses gen.
emen to maintain n residence ut the cap
BAL.
Incidentally it may be mentioned TINT
ne bill creating tho caste Il stata prison
as drawn by Attorney General uaske.l
nd was approved and introduced by Rep
esentativu Babcock. II Yellowstone
ounty.