The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-25
IT Is WELL CONDUCTED
The Pan at Deer Lodge as Seen by The
Investigating Committee.
THE REPORT TELLS 1T ALL
The Contractors. Messrs Conley &
McTague, Highly commended
for Their Excellent Manage
ment of the Prison.
special Dlsna.ch to the STANDARD.


special Dispatch to the standard.
HELENA, Feb. 24.-The report of the
committee which was sent by the legisla-
ture to investigate the condition of the
penitcntiary at Deer Lodge has been pre-
sented. 1t gives a complete history of the
institution and n concise statement of
affairs as the committee found them.
The report is as follows:
ITS HISTORY.
The state pententlary at Deer Lodge was
built by the United States government In 1871,
It then consisting OF that one stone building
with capacity, in two tier OF cells, for but 20
prisoners. In 1886 to this building was added
middle building and a south wing. The south
wing contains AZ cells, with capacity of 81 pris-
oners. The cells in both wings are now ar
ranged in three tiers and are built of brick. Two
guards are stationed in each wing in position
allowing view of each prisoner under their
supervision. The middle building is used as
| guards rooms, kitchen and dining room. offices,
reception rooms, etc. Each wing is 6sNl0 feet,
| three stories high. In $50 the federal govern
| ment also erected brick building lsX24 feet TO
| be used as female quarters, and has capacity
for eight.
These buildings situated on a tract Of land 20
acres in size were transferred to the state of
Montana upon its admission As necessity has
arisen additional buildings have been erected
| such IS physicians office and medical room in
| $780, new dining room in 1891, milk house, root
house. store house, etc. The increased number
| OF prisoners sent to the pententiary has neees-
Stated the construction of large additional
| cell house with accommodations for lGI pris-
| oners. The house is constructed OF logs and is
used almost exclusively for the short termed
| cOnvicts.
| STONE WALL.
| In july 1893 n stone wall 40 feet long, $50
fhfa1 Inn a NO
| tentlary was begun, and will bo completed
| within the coming month. The wall contains
69G6 perch of stone, is 1919 feet above ground on
a foundation of six feet below the surface. At the
bottom { is four feet wide, taperlng 10 81 inches
at top of ground and "A inches at top Of wall, and
| is covered with a coping or walkway OF stone
nine inches thick and IS inches wide. The total
cost OF wall to date is S29.j93.2S, which includes
| some slight repairs upon buildings, the eN-
| penses OF superint0ndence, expenses of visiting
| board. necessary extra rationS for conyicts en-
| ployed on the work, extra allowance to con-
tractors for clothing and other necessities fur
| nshed men, The wall is of very handsome ma
| terial and has all the appearances OF being in
| every respect substantial and well built. Based
| on calculation made by Michael Corbett, who
| being practical stone mason was one OF the
most useful OF the committee. Il Is estimated
that the wall would have cost about Si0.JOO had
convict labor not been employed. About Sll 900
| have therefore been saved to the state by using
the prisoners, and the benefit TO the convicts
themselves must be taken into consideration. as
| Super .ntendent McCalman has stated shat every
man employed on the wall will go forth either a
| practical stone mason or competent rock man.
| The guard houses which are situated on the
four corners of the wall are comfortable, rOomy
and in such position as to afford uninterrupted
view OF the wall and yard In the vicinity Of the
tower. Before the building of this wall the
prison was surrounded by board fence of but
i slight stability, 1t having been blown down sew
eral times. The entire building OF the wall has
been under the supervision of James McCalman,
an experienced and expert stone mason. An aver
age of 1Ol convlcts have been employed on the
work and as a compensation for such employ
ment an allowance, or good time, is granted,
| which is deducted from the length OF the term
OF Imprisonment. IL was observed that a bet
ter appearing and healthier class of men we're
those at work, that these men were glad to be
employed and in no event had they any com.
plaint to utter. The land has been carefully
graded both inside and outside the walls. many
| car loads OF stone and earth having been hauled
for this purpose.
| CONTRACT WITH CoNLEY & M'TAGUE.
Ey the terms of their contract Messrs. Con
| Icy & McTague are given entire control Of the
| penitentary. subject TO certain rules fOrmu
lated by the board OF prison commissioners and
| which are made "A part OF the contract. They
are allowed 20 cents per diem per man from tn,
time Of his confinement to discharge. Th'
| specifications or the contract call Tor regula
bill Of fare each d ~ OF the week; require that
the contractors furnish necessary clothing an
bedding, medical attendance, and in case o
DEATH burial. BY an order Of the board o
, | prison commissioners an additional allowance
was granted contractors Of s cents Ter day pc
man for additional clothes an meat furnished
men who work on the wall. lt was found 10 bt
impossible for men to perform heavy manua
labor on the food furnished, and this adIitOna
allowance gave each prisoner employed on the
/ outside one pOund of meat more and Other
necessities. Upon entry of the penitentiary
prisoners clothes and yauables are taker
away from him. properly labeled, Kept In a Tc
ceptacie and cared for. In ease OF short
termed prisoner. wearing good clothes upOl
entry the same are returned To him upon hi
discharge: otherwise the state furnishes ever
discharged convict with a suit Of clothes, ncy
and OF the value OF Slj. In 1894 there was pai,
, 20 the contractors AS.Gi1, which includes al eN
pense OF maintenance Of prisoners; IN 1893 ther
was allowed S67.i79, saving 10 the state IN lsJ
, of SIS 537, with an aY rage Of the same numba
! confined For the past two years the commit
mants and discharges from the penitentiarl
, have been about even and the number OF con
yicts IN the state at present does not appear [
be increasing.
The following statement drawl from the re
ports OF the various state penitent trles or IN
| United states shows tine relative cost of prison
l ers In the state OF Montana, a compared Wit
other state penitentlarles: