New-York tribune., 1896-11-16
PRISON LABOR PROBLEMS.
KINGS COUNTY CONvICTs MAY HAVE
BOWLING ALLEYS.
COMMISSIONER BURTIS TROUBLED OVER THE
ENFORCEMENT OF THE NEW LAw-PLANs
SUGGESTED FOR KEEPING THE

The Board Of Charities and Corrections Is sorey
puzzled to know wha; to do with the convcts In the
Kings County Pen!tentiary after January !. wheh
the new law goes into effect prohibiting prisoners
from engaging In the manufacture OF articles wnich
Will place them In competition with outside labor
dozen more schemes have been suggested iof
furnishing the men such work as the new law
will permit, but Of them would supply work
for more than a few weeks al time or would give
employment; quarter Of the men In the institution
Commissioner John II. Burtis says that tho Com
missioners are In quandary. and that 1t Is useless
to attempt TO conceal the fact. They are studying
the daily in hopes OF finding something for the
men TO do before the close of the year but are al
| most convinced that their efforts will be In vain
The Commissioners have contract. which Will
hold for al least three years. 10 supply certain
number of mabags for the Postofiice Department
This work will give steady employment TO not more
than 100 men. All other contracts expire on Janu-
| airy l. Mr. Burts says that If the Board OF Alder
men be influenced to take the proper action. a
| printing establishment will be opened within the
prison walls TO do portion Of the citys printing.
This enterprise. however. would not give employ
ment TO over twenty men. The Commissioners
now understand that city printing establishment
can be operated II the Aldermen give their consent.
Other prisoners will be kept at work for time
making tinWare. shoes, mats and other articles for
use in the pententiary. but this work, like the
printing. would require little labor and would soon
be completed
The Commissioners own large plot Of ground In
front of the penitentiary. and they intend In the
near future TO set a gang OF prisoners work upon
H. grading 1t and removing large quantity OF
rock. This will furnish employment for a number
OF men for a month or more The rtck taken from
ths ground Will be carried inside the penitentiary
walls, where another gang OF men will break 1t up
What can be done with the rock after IT is broken
drcide; the law cannot % prevent the men from
Sn he
been suggested that gangs of the prisoners might
has not met with favor among many persons who
would not relish the sight OF gangs OF convcts in
streets. Much money could be saved for the city il
an ARRANGEMENT could be made whereby the pris
are now paid by the Park and City Works depart
me1ts. but the Charities Commissioners fear that
II would not - easy 10 educate the public in that
way of thinking.
Commissioner Burtis said Yesterday when asked
what he intended TO do with the prisoners after the
E.w law goes into effect:
There are over 800 prisoners in the penitenary
and We are unable to think of any scheme that Will
snail probably be obliged 10 take them out in gangs
ana YORK them only Two or three hours day. or
init ,hat the problem Is troubling us considerably
There are several things which suppose We might
other articles entirely without the assistance OF
abor-saving machinery BY adopting this scheme
couple, OF weeks. This plan has been adopted in
many European prisons
or or less IS the use We VIII make OF me WORKSHOPS
We cannot, OF course. allow the men to work In them
and the only suggestion have been able TO make Is
that We turn them into bowling g-alleys am sure
that the men would be satisfied with this arrange
ment, and could least give them all the excr-
else they needed The machinery In the buildings
will be removed by the contractors"
Mr. Burs say that The pr;;on;frs i;, greaty M regre,
rule who overload OF work. they would
prefer anything to close confinement in their Nitlo
cells. Tncy Ike to get out into the yard and the
workshops. and dread 10 think that time may come
when they no longer nave this liberty They are
less anxious than the Commiss oner that some
means OF employment can be found for them.
The question OF finding work for the conv.cts Will
be considered at the coming meetings OF ;he Com
mss!oners The task before the Board seems 10 be
almost hopeless and will be doubly difficult II the
Aldermen are unwilling to allow the prisoners 10 90
whatever odd jobs the city may have for them.