New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-28
THE NEW CONVICT LABOR la W
SPECULATION AS TO WHAT THE EFFECT
OF IT'S ENFORCEMENT WILL 81"
AFTER TIE PRESENT CONTRACTS EXPIRE TiiN
ONLY WORK THAT MAY EE DONE WILL BE
,.,t,,r o.. Supplies FOR INSTITUTIONS.

AFTER THE PRESENT CONTRACTS EXPIRE THE
ONLY WORK THAT MAY EE DONE Will. BE
THAT oX SUPPLIES FOR INSTITUTIONS
There is some speculation to what result the
enforcement Of the new Convict Labor law which
WAS PASSED hy the Legislature last WINTER anu
which goes into effect on January !. 1891. VIII have
uuon the receipts of the Kings county Pententary.
The law forbids contracting out convict LABOR
and the making of goods for sale IN peh'l "H.'
tution. with the fiscal year ending Jul! 81 ,ne
total expenditures OF the pentrntiary were ava
OK, u and the amount earned by contracting o"'
labor. boarding federal prisoners. etc. si'-'-
$40 80 The profits were XsSl ~. These were ieSs
than the year before. because of the strnfency III
the money market the profits In s'' being N'-'''' o"
This same report showed that The daily average
of prisoners was l.0J6 the number OF prisoners !"
the penifen;iary on July 81 being $50 TINS iai'hs
off at the time due TO the fact that the Ia"
reouires Judges i'm convcting prisoners 10 nave the
ends Of their terms fall as mnch as possip'e !"
mild weather 80 that the prisoner VIII not SUM-
on leaving the penitentiary. Under the ne" ia"'
which forblds the penal institutions OF the STATE 10
board United States prisoners. the nuinper VI prs
oncrs at the penitcniiary, of course, VIII ia OH
largely.
Fortunately the effect of this new law VIII not
be- felt sharply on January !. when it becomes
operative. Express provision Is made IN 'he Id"
that contracts made 10 run later IMAM '""u"'s !
shdI their course. ana lilft nv" ''"''"
prisoners now Al the penitcnIiary shaI hhsh '"e''
terms.
The contracts fCl the work Of the cohVlc'S are
now hold by four firms =. II. McNuty Co, Inc
company being former Fire chief Thomas +. New
the has the contract for manufacturing mailbags
This contract expires March ;. 1891 The Imperial
Manufacturing Company. I'm which {. w schhchte''
Mayor Wurster's partner. Is the most prominent
member has the contract for making women
v,ists BOYS trousers and grade OF cheap trou-
sers for export The contract expires with this
vcar The williams Martin chair Company has A
confract which likewise expires with TINS year,
and th, contract of the United states CURED nan
ana Wood Fibre Manufacturing Company does no.
exD re until November ]. lN"
Gf the earnings Of the peniteniary last year,
about $4,000 came from these contracts $500
from the sale OF broken stone for macada mizing
and the remainder came from the board OF tnltcu
States and State prisoners. No more lnltcu states
,rsoners will he taken after October J. so the large
Profits from boarding this class OF prisoners WI"
drop off gradually from that date 49,, 49,, .,,
what, the provision OF ill' Ia" 'i',,'
the state shat have oil supplies for the state ms
ifIions mace 10y tie inmates o. the iisttuilons WI
otTsc he large loss OF revenue from boafuiie III
onars and letting out convict labor remains 10 pe
seen II is believed that each INSTITUTION VIII nav
nnn class of work to do. the making OF shocS
M tinware or of clothing. This will he done through
contract between the state ana inc ms utiUl
and if v,as the nope Of the Trainer OF the law that
tnis r,royision would not only neip 10 make me III
tifuions of the State to certain extent sell-sup
ronyicts and the inmates of state institutions Al
ready under the now law, hfty or SlNty ,conVlclS
AFRO empoved in doing necessary WORK OF improve
mont about the hospital and almshouse