Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-02
OUR STATE PRISON.
Reports Of tho Affairs Of the Institution
Forwarded to The GoVoFnor.
VERY HANDSOME net EARNINGS.
Facts Concerning the Maintenance OF
Both the Penitentiary and tho Farm
Number Of Convicts-Other Details

The Board or DlrectoTS Va '"S bN''~"
tiary-Messrs. Frank Il. Glasgow. w. ~
Chesterman and w. s. Gunn-have SUBJ
,,i,ted TO the Governor their report and
those OF the superintendent and surgeon,
covering the operations Of the institution
for the fiscal year ending September Goth
last.
The report OF the board IL very snort,
and only serves to call attention 70 the
ACCOMPANYING documents. The financial
stringency from which the country has
suffered does not appear to have Affected
the prison, as 1t shows a net pronl Oh
$i,2s9.2S.
The superint endeDt recommends that
each county should employ Its short-term
conyicts upon the public roads, as TINS
youId aid in relieving the crowded con-
d,,,on of the prison, and would be just
distribution of the burden OF maintaining
the public highways.
The statement OF the surgeon, Or. Ben
tamin Harrison, shows gratifying con-
d,,,on Of the health Of the convicts during
the wear and fortunate escape from
dissases of a contagious or mallghaht
character.
SUPERINTENDENT LYNN'S REPORT.
superintendents b. w. Lynn's report Is
vo,uminous and exhaustive. After Gazing
attention To the various statistical ana
other tables. he says: ,oo
we wind up the year with l'oSo
prisoners a net gain OF l3s since, my iast
report, or an increase OF 10 per cent Oh
our prison population, which. you VIII
see from the following figures, comes
mainly from the colored race:
White. Color'd.
Population 1870 ............ HZ'os9 oi-'o o.
Number in penitentiary... I'D oAo
Population 1850 ............. sSJ'Sas o'i'olo
Number in penltentiary.... "a 10
Formulation 1920 ............1 0l5,13 tiok0I
Number in penitentiary 10 %"
proportion of convicts to number OF
inhabitants Of each race:
White. ColoFd.
ION TO 5000 G TO $3.50
1880 to 400 to 1900
1890 to $500 7hto5,C00
MAINTENANCE OF CONNECTS. .
Az will be seen, the total cost of MAN.
tenance Of the prison for the year has
been $18.5li, which includes not only food
and clothing, but every other expense
such as guarding and managing prison,
fuel medicines, etc. The cost per capita,
has been reduced to SO15 T2-1OO per diem, as
expended by the State, but you will see that
the additional sum OF s11.9is78 has been
expended through this office by the prison.
ers themselves, which was made by over
work. The cheapness OF provisions and
clothing bought from first hands, or at
lowest wholesale prices, paying the cash
at all times, with the large number con-
fined here, has enabled me 10 feed and
olothe them WELL giving them Except
Sunday, when they have two. three meals
each day of good quality and ample guam
tity at this low figure.
The net earnings OF the institution inside
the walls have been Notwithstanding the
dull times through which we have passed
during the fiscal YEAR, larger than ever
before from which a substantial balance
remains In our favor after paying for
the farm and permanent Improvements.
The buildings necessary to enlarge the
Industrial plant so as TO accommodate
the contractors have been finished. They
are very substantial and complete. and the
shoe-shops are probably the most extern
slve single plant In this country. The
total cost OF the new additions. including
and doors (Which render the buildings so
secure from FIRE that the shoe company
is enabled to get rate Of insurance one
fourth OF what II costs in Sing SING. Is
3s follows-viz.: Tobacco factory, 81. 16I .06;
shoe-ghop, se3, 1850; boiler-house, N1H.Sl,
including cost OF raising smoke-gtack; all
OF which have been paid for out of The net
earnings OF the institution.
THE PENITENTIARY FARM.
Superintendent Lynn reviews the cir
cumstances that led UP TO the purchase Of
the Anderson property in Goochland
county, and says:
The amount paid for the entire tract
was $4,000, which was paid in cash ont
of the net earnings this year. and which
Is regarded as very low. and was only OBJ
tainable because General AnGerson's heirs
were anxious to close up the affairs of
the estate and make a final distribution
Of the proceeds l was thus enabled TO
save a large part OF the $1,000 appro-
prated by the Legislature for that pur-
pose. The locality H. a healthy one; for
the past two years a gang of our con-
victS has been working on an adjoin-
ing farm, none having suffered from i'll
health.
l have now In course of construction
with convict labor. such buildings as will
be needed for the care of the conyicts that
are to be taken to the farm. which will
be inexpensive. yet ample to house 200
or more, and the necessary stockade will
be put up at once.
As a source Of revenue n convict farm
does not promise much, as the number of
guards necessary for working prisoners
in the open fields will eat up the greater
part of the profits. .
WORK ON COUNTY ROADS.
The Superintendent says that the dis