The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-12-27
NORTH DAKOTA PENITENTIARY.

The legislature Of 1882 authorized
the construction Of the North Dakota
penitentiary at Bismarck, and appro-
pr1ated $4,000 In bonds for the Dur.
pose OF construction. Mai. A. w. Ed
wards OF Fargo; Col. @. A. Lounsber.
ry. John j. Dunn, John A. Mclean
and Alexander Mckenzie, Bismarck.
and Judson Lomoure, Pembina. Were
appointed rs the first board of direct
ore. They secured forty acres of land.
q donation from the cit yof Bismarck.
and proceeded to the construction Of
the building. It was built by con-
tractor Meigen of Fargo and was built
wholly within the appropriation. The
prisoners were used to make further
improvements, and with very slight
additional appropriations 1t became
one OF the model institutions of the
state, not only as to the prison itself.
but In oil of its surroundings, includ.
Ing barn, stables, pig pens, stalls for
COWS root cellar garden and farm.
They rent 800 acres adjoining the
prison forty. They raise all Of the
vegetables required for the prison, fur.
ntsh feed for all of the prison stock
and to fatten hogs for the pork re-
quired for prison use. They make q
portion of the butter required. and
have all of the milk required.
All OF the work is done by the pris-
oners. and in addition they have
worked on the roads between the pris-
on and town, and between the capitol
and the city. They have planted and
care for large number of trees on the
prison grounds and about the capitol.
and last year built the addition to the
capitol.
At this writing the number of in.
mates is 1O2, with dozen more quite
certain to be added. before the fan
terms Of court close. Fully 80 per
cent of the prisoners are transients.
VINO come to the state in connection
with the harvest. There has been a
increase of % per cent since the last
harvest commenced. Twenty are en-
ployed IN the harness shop under con-
tract. The average number working
On the farm and garden during the
past summer has been thirty. Ten
nave been employed about the capitol.
ten IN the care of horses and other
stock. There ere others employed in
the prison, making shoes and clothing
for the prisoners. and as carpenters.
engineers. lauldry1nen cooks, etc.
There are no idle men and only twen-
ty employed in competition with free
labor. They had this year 175 acres Of
corn. and furnished one firm 1000
bushels of seed corn for next year, at
80 cents bushel. They had so acres
of potatoes 60 in oats and the balance
In roots and garden. They had 5000
bushels of corn, 5000 bushels of pota.
toes. 2.2OO bushels of oats and a pro-
portionate amount Of onions and othen
roots and vegetables. There are 10
hogs 20 head of cattle and 10 horses
on the farm. Thirteen guards care for
the prisoners. ard these, with the
warden and deputy. complete the pay
roll of the institution, which is now
run at an average expense of less than
$1,000 per month. During the first six
months Of the present year the ex-
pense was $1,000 less than the wear
before. but is increased now by in.
creased numbers. The present board
Of directors is Roderick johnson.
chairman; Col. O. A. Lounsberry Of
Fargo, r. III. Register and w. II.
Rratton, Burleigh county and Ole O.
Wing of Mclean county. e. III. VIII
son is warden and Murdoch Mckenzie
deputy warden. The clothing is made
in the prison Of North Dakota-grown
wool. manufactured into cloth In
North Dakota. &C. A. Lounsberry.