The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1895-01-12

worked by the contractors fe!l off from
aOa To- sSs during the fall of 1898. which
vas 81 men less than the minimum
covered by the contracts. Ii often
during August and sub
,eauent months in 1898, and the
earlier months of 1891. that scores
Of men being paid for by the contract
ors were lying idle in their cells. When
the men employed in excess of the con-
tracts were laid OFF, the loss fell upon
the institutions; when men contracted
for were left in their cells. the loss fell
upon the contractors. The direct and
palpable effect of the panic on the penn
tentiary was to decrease the receipts
from s75 to 500 per day. In addition
to that. as if that were not enough, the
inmates of the prison increased win
rapiditv. This increasing
number of admissions became notice
able during the fall months of 1898. and
has continued almost without inter
mission ever since. The number of con-
victs at the penitentiary on January l,
1898, was 1,6sJ. 1t had grown to 1,s6'
on January l, 1894, and to :,l1s on de-
cember 81 of that year. In these two
years the number of convicts has in
creased 90 per cent"
But in spite of decrease in revenues
on the one hand and increase in re-
spOnsibilities on the other-both of
which untoward contingencies were
wholly beyond the control of the
warden-he has managed the institu-
tion with such remarkably good judg-
ment and skill as to make it almost
self-sustaining. During the last two
years the penitentiary has cost the tax
payers S,5, ,7O9.29 for maintenance, ex-
elusive of construction and repairs.
But the warden reports he now has on
hand supplies which cost si,Gi6.6l that
were paid for ont of this sum SO eN-
pended for maintenance. Subtract the
cost of these supplies from the s.a,
100. 20 drawn from the treasury for
maintenance, and the actual expense
to the taxpayers for this purpose dur
ing the last two years will be So .09..G Gs
During the two previous years. 159l-92
even under the extremely economical
management of Warden Morrison, the
sum of Sl5,SlO, also exclusive of re
pairs, etc, was drawn from the treas
ury for like support. although the
prison then contained nearly 500 fewer
convicts than now; while for the frs
two years of Mr.. Morrison's admins
tration, IsS9-9O, the sum of $70.3.', ex
elusive of repairs, was drawn frou
the treasury for the support o
the prison: that is, the ex
penses incurred for clothing
food, salaries. ETC.. exceeded tn
earnings by that amount. And thes
most gratifying results have been nc
complished without any diminution o
the sufficiency or quality of the foo
and clothing furnished the convict'
and Azzzhout any detriment to tn
sanitary conditions of the prison: but
on the contrary. the high standard q
the institution in these particulars Ina
not only been upheld, but advanced
"As the business depression incider
to the panic disappears, the industris
prosecuted at the prison revive.
steady improvement is pcreeptible, an
the future holds out the prospect OF
constantly growing prosperity. Wit
the increase in business comes an II
creasing demand on the part of col
tractors for additional men. The nun
ber of men contracted for and eI
ployed on December, 81, 1894, was l, ,03
The institution is now confronts
by two things, which occasion serio
embarrassments, namely: The lack
, cell-room for couvicts, and the lack
, sufficient shop-room for the use of co
| A .,f ,lo OF
'.First.-The present cell-buildin
were constructed with capacity
accommodating I.604 prisoners. A Ia
, ger number cannot be admitted to 4
/, cells without overcrowding All q
, cells are now filed beyond their norm
. capacity. At present there are &c
:, men crowded into them. This is
source of great discomfort to the pr
!. oners, and also greatly endangers tn
health. But that is not all. "
|, withstanding the fact that over Z
. more men have been put into the &C
than they were constructed to
ceive, there are still nearly 200 me-
), for w HON no cells are provided. ABB
half of the chapel has been convert
into a dormitory, where these prison
are confined at night under gua
!, The necessity for new cell building
~ " imperative. Its construction cam
longer be delayed. Plans for n
- building have been prepared by n
=. familiar with prison architecture. u
il is estimated that the construction
40 building with modern applian'
~ ample for even immediate demau
!, will require cash expenditure of alb
n 100000.
.. "Second-All the shops provided
,e contractors are now occupied. Il
"a cannot comfortably accommodate
r. larger number Of workmen than
he now employed therein. few IN
te have been employed in these shops,
To the inconvenience and unwist
al of overcrowding is too manifest for
ne cussion. II it is desirable to ext
he the contract system, then opportul
he must be afforded for utilizing the n
OO New shops must be built. There
tv three or four buildings now used
NO contractors, to each of which a I'll
or story might be added. That woult
ba doubt answer the needs of the inst
IN. ton in this behalf for the present
re for the Immediate future. If these
he ditions are made, it is estimated
ed they will require a cash outla,
mo- about Sa5, 200. l believe the most
m. ible thing that could now be {
of would be to make these improveme
mo- But whether this should be dom
,er an entirely new building erected,
M question submit for your detern
of tion.
he 'Of almost equal Importance is
ty. necessity for a laundry, storehou>e
D30 hospital. 1t is thought that n
ad building can be devised in whic
At these can be combined. To const
I'M building of this description
vas necessitate further expenditure {
the least ss5, 600.
after consultation with the wal
ere and inspectors, feel obliged to re-
'ay mend the appropriation of at
it s.Oo, 900, To be used in the construc
cir of new buildings, the support of
his institution, and in making ortil
lily repairs IL Sl50,O01 should he actu
Knights OF the Maeeabees.
up The State Commander writes us
igh Lincoln, Neb., as follows: CATER Il
ned other medicines for what seemed to
> N Oh, /;