Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1895-01-17

State institutions fund % ,24oI0
Reform school fund ............. Az ~
Grain inspection fund ........... 22.s42 II
The total amount of the funded and the
zunfunded debt of the state, less cash in the
sinking and redemption funds, was, on the
LIST day of August, 1894, the sum of 81, 892,-
1878. of which sum 100000 were Minne-
sofa revenue and building bonds, primarily
issued to cover a temporary overdraft upon
the general revenue fund. These bonds
draw per cent interest and may be re-
deemed at any time. In view of this fact,
and Of the large surplus In the general
revenue fund.- concur In the recommends
ton Of Treasurer Bobleter that legisla-
tive appropriation be made out of the gen
eral revenue fund, sufficient to pay these
bonds; and that the law providing for the
levy of redemption fund to liquidate
these bonds be repealed l also concur in
the recommendation of Treasurer B0bleter
that section 6, Of chapter Isl, of the Cen
eral Laws of 1891, providing for the annual
levy of forestry fund tax. be repealed
and that in lieu thereof a direct appro-
priation be made out Of the general revenue
fund sufficient to meet the requirements Of
the timber culture law.
In view Of the large surplus in the gen
eral revenue fund, 1t is evident that con-
siderable reduction In the levy of taxes
for general revenue purposes Is warranted
not exceed the sum of one and four-tenths
of mill on the dollar Of taxable property.
State Prison.
There are at the state prison cells and
ample room and accommodation for $50 con-
victs. On the 10th day of December, 1894,
there were SGT convicts in confinement, of
which SO were sent us by the United States
government, for which the state is paid at
the rate of 40 cents day for each man.
The time Of most Of these federal convicts
will expire within the next two years, and
if we deduct their number from the aggre-
gate it leaves only 454 chargeable to the
state, and with this number, there would be
126 vacant and available cells, which would
amply meet and cover the probable increase
in our prison population during the next
two, and perhaps three years.
At my suggestion, contained In special
message, the legislature of 1893 applied the
parole law, and the so-called reformatory
plan to the state prison. Two years of ex-
perience and observation have demon
strated the wisdom Of making this change
1t relieves the executive Of much impor-
tunity, it makes prison discipline less
harsh and rigorous, while fully as safe as
under the former system; if affords the con-
vict an opportunity to amel1orate his con-
by his own efforts and merits, thus placing
the man who is without friends upon a
footing of equality with those who are
better favored in this respect; and in addi-
ton to all this it seeks to provide him en-
ployment and to look after his welfare in
that most critical period of his life-the
time Immediately succeeding his discharge.
The manufacture of Irvine at the prison,
while it has entailed no direct loss, has in
directly been of great benefit to the agri-
cultural interests of the state. At the
time the enterprise was initiated, the price
of binding Irvine was high and had been
unreasonably enhanced by the manipula-
lions Of great Irvine or cordage trust
The prison Irvine has been of good
quality, has given satisfaction to the farm
ers, has been furnished to them at near
cost, and has been one Of the chief means
of reducing the price of Irvine 80 per cent
below the rate existing when our people
were at the mercy Of the great Irvine trust
At the time the machinery for our Irvine
plant was purchased, the state, owing to
the hostile action Of the trust, was unable
to procure other than soft fiber machinery,
which has limited us to the manufacture OF
hemp Irvine, and this, owing to the high
price of hemp as compared with MANILA
and sisal and to the fact that farmers
prefer, other conditions being equal, Irvine
made from the latter, has made it very
hard and difficult to compete with the hard
fiber Irvine. These facts, and the fact
that sisal and MANILA, are, owing to the
removal of the duty, becoming still cheaper
make it almost imperative for the state
in order to successfully continue with
the manufacture of twine, to procure as
soon as may be suitable hard fiber ma
chinery, in order that Irvine may be made
from these much cheaper and much more
desirable ibers. Such machinery, with
capacity of from 5000 to 10000 pounds per
day, can be obtained at price not ex-
ceeding $4,000. There is balance OF
$15,6S3.S2 remaining in the treasury I'M
expended of the amount appropriated for
the purchase of our present Irvine plant
I recommend that this balance, with an
addition of $4,000, be appropriated and set
apart for the purchase of suitable hard
fiber machinery for our Irvine plant. Under
existing law, only one-half of the prison
labor can be leased on contract and only
for term not exceeding two years. These
restrictions have proved very embarrass-
ing, especially now since the Minnesota
Thresher Company. which employed one
half Of the prison labor, has gone out of
business. The abandonment by the COM
pany of its manufacturing enterprise left
$50 idle convicts on our hands. After
much effort the managers have succeeded
in finding employment for about 200 in
the manufacture of boots and shoes, under
a two years contract at so cents per day
for each man. But this still leaves $50
convicts unprovided for In view of these
facts and conditions concur in the recon-
mendation Of the board of managers that
in respect to contract labor, the restriction
of numbers be entirely removed and that
the limitation OF time be extended to 10
years. It is almost impossible to secure
favorable contracts, or indeed any con-
tracts at all, for SO short term as two
years. And unless ample scope is given
the board to lease the prison labor, addi-
tional means and facilities, at considerable
cost, must be provided in order to furnish
employment for the convicts on state ac-
count.
For further information and for details,
I refer you to the valuable and interest
ing reports of the managers and Of the
warden. No prison is better managed nor
in better hands than ours, and the recon-
mendations of the board and the warden
are entitled to great weight and serious
consideration.
Hospitals for the Insane.
From the report of the board Of trus-
tees Of the hospitals for the insane 1t ap-
pears that there has been a considerable
increase in the number Of patients within
the last two years. On the 10th day of No
vember last there was total Of 2,607
patients. It is estimated that at the cur
rent rate of increase we shall have by the
end of September, 1896, about 5000 pa
IlSutS. AZ pleSSul Inc uOSplldlS at
Peter and Rochester are overcrowded.
section of the northeast wing of the hos
pital at Fergus Falls, now in process Of
construction, will be completed in Feb
ruary of this year, and this will afford
accommodations for $50 additional pa
tients. But more room will soon be
needed, and it is believed that the quickest
and most economical way to secure this
will be to proceed with the construction
of the administration building and the
northeast wing Of tie hospital at Fergus
Falls. which will. when completed, fur
nish room for 27O additional patients. It
is estimated that $1S5,OO0 will be needed to
complete this work. This Is a matter Of
serious import and one with which 1t will
not do to procrastinate.s3I accordingly in
woke for it your early and considerable at
tention. By the end of 1896. If the adj
qditional buildings. suggested at Fergus
Falls have been completed. we shall have
an average of about 1000 patients
Of ~