The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-11
THE STATE PRISON.


A Taxpayer Advances Reasons why 1t
should Not Ie Moved.
To The Independent:
While listening yesterday to the discus
sion In the house. which had been brought
about by the penitentiary bill. which 10.
Gates that institution at Billings. l became
interested TO the extent that after the sd-
journmsnt / endeavorsd TO add suoh infor-
nation az could be sasily obsainsd from
reliable sources to what little l already pos
sesged, and soon lecame convinced that tins
proposed change from Deer Lodge would
not only DO II very grave mistake - Tar q.
locality IL concerned, bus also In a financial
sense.
Lot M look at some Of the facts and
Judge tbs refrom what would he best fof tbs
state. The report Of tho board Of stats
prison coma issioners (page 49, shows that
there we're on Dec. l W3 conviots In the
penitentiaty nj Deer Lodge. The same re-
port (paRe 53) shows that the total expense
to the state for ksspinR them for the year
" ": ss $s5' q .os ,. Thu; ~ w0u a. d, be ,r an average g.
l am informed. includes medication,
Gash and clothing furnished to
that 10 lequirsd Except liberty TO mako
p%riaons.s comfortable. This led M to in
$500 V"Ns W"S DVsn& ~ " ACcpAAk OouN
victs In other states. More information
than l expected was afforded me BY 'efsrr-
ing to the reports OF the prison officials
elsewhere. and 1 WAS much su rprissd to
learn that in other commonwealth where
the state. through it's Irison commissioners,
troll and manage everything connected with
the prison. the cost was at Toast rs per cent
moe than We are paying.
From this l would conclude that the lou
tract system was 1T least the cheapest way
to take care OF convicts. Tbs next most
important thing that presented itself was
the argument advanced by some Of the
members that 1t would cost a. much in the
way Of buildings and imp ovemsnts to
keep the prisoners were they are a. il
would to build a new psnitsntiary and
transport the prisoners to the same.
interviewing some of the prison officials.
now in Helena, ! learned that no difficulty
had BEEN experienced during the past
two ysnrs. Ia safely keeping ths prisoners
provements We Q needed for the next two
yssrs. the cost of such improve
ments being estimated at not more
than $1,000. Desiring TO- get at
learned from q gentleman who has had
much experience In fu nishinR material and
fitting mp the interior Of jails throughout
the United States during the past fifteen
years, that the cell work alone for the &C.
commedation Of $50 p%risone's would cost
$4,000 The cost. / am told, OF srsesinQ
the building and placing q stone wall
around the same would be about $65.VOO.
From the few facts that / have been able
to gather, and knowing something about
the financial condition Of our new state, l
Am convinced that sectional interests only,
and not the good OF the state, can induce
members Of the legislature to vote for the
nr0uneA6 chenua. aoOa authOpiiv mn
prisons and their management argue that il
il not public policy to kssp at any one roint
more than 600 conviets, and the time will
shortly come when that number will be
reached and an additional prison will be
one of the nsosssitiss. Then Montana will
have become better able TO sxpsnd the
amount required for another penitsntiary,
and soms point in the state suitable ns re-.
CARDS transportation and cost of Supplies
will Le selected as a site for the further &C.
commodation Of criminals.
TAXPAYER.