The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-01-03

MiooOuRl, THURSDAY, D.
| STATE PENITENTIARY.
warden j. L. Pace, of the Missouri
penitentlary, will In few days
submit his biennial report to the
state board of prison inspectors, who
VIII transmit it to the general assem-
bly, The report is the first that Col
Pace has made, and it is full of inter
esting matter concerning the states
great penal institution, which is now
one of the largest in the world. He
makes many suggestions a. -
improvements needed at the institu'
tion. Among other things h,
says:
During the last year and q half 81
M ssss. ~ house, with ION
Tvsss pr~zss ,.ss
operation. This plant furnishes the
necessary steam power for all the
factSries and state buildings con-
neced with the prison. 1t has been
built with a small cost, and by a
switch from the main line of the
Missouri Pacific railway the prison is
enabled to unload coal at its doors
without extra handling.
There were in the penitentiary on
December 81, 1892, 1,644 males and
45 females; December 81, 1894, o.
129 males and so females, an increase
of % per cent in two years. In
view of the crowded condition of
the prison, on account of lack of cell
roor1s it is deemed advisable for the
legislature to make an appropriation
for the erection of at least one COM
modulus cell building. There are
only ,030 of the convicts contracted
for, leaving several hundred idle
after full allowance for prison
help.
The warden asserts that he believes
the contract system the best and
only one to save the tax payers a
heavy expense, and therefore more
shop room should be provided. In
order to do this he recommends that
an additional story be built upon
each of the factory buildings, and
does not think the actual cash outlay
would exceed s25, 900, while at the
same time working room would be
made for at least $50 men.
The warden states that during his
term many improvements have
been made to the hospital building
for the comfort of tho sick, and the
sewerage system has been enlarged, :,
but in order to amply purify the pen
itsn.iary condition of the prison
mere sewerage will have 10 be cor :
structed.
In June, 1893, contract was
made with the jefferson Shoe COM
pany for the female convict labor at
40 cents a day, which was at the
time thought venturesome expert
ment, but the record shows that
since that date the company has
worked on an average of thirty four
of the females a day.
One sixth of the prisoners now in
the prison were under 20 years of
age when committed; one third
between 90 and 25 years, making one
half of the convicts under rs years of
age.
The warden then adds: Believing
that many of these boys and girls,
especially under the age Of 20 years,
were not hardened in crime at the
of their sentence, and that coming
into contact with older and hardened
criminals has tendency to corrupt
rather than reform, think that a
liberal statue should be enacted
allowing the trial judge discretion as
to whether young criminals should be
sent here or to the reform schools of
the state. believe that the result
would be the saving of a majority of
them, besides being of incalculable
benefit to the state and country.
The financial report shows that the
earnings of the prison for 1893 and
1894 are $4,000 less than for the
years 1891 and 1892. Yet, with an
average of 200 more convicts than
in the proceeding two years, the
cost to the state for maintenance
has been only about $26, 900.