Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-08-22
Prison Labor.
(Public L.edger.l

Carroll d. Wright. commissioner in
of labor, has issued an interesting re
port on the subject of the kind and
amount of work performed in the penal
institutions of the various states and
territories for the year 1885 A similar
inquiry was made for the fiscal year
ending in 1856. The present report
gives a comparison of results during
1885 and 1925. the second inquiry com
pretending. however. only penal insti-
tutions of the grade Of state peniten-
tiaries or prisons. In 1855, In Delaware.
Idaho Montana, Utah and Wyoming
there were no conNicts employed in
productive labor. and these states
have not been included in the present
inquiry.
The value of goods produced or work
done by conVicts in 1885 and 1895 is
thus summarized. the amount for the
former year being given first Public
account system, ST. .Sg2 Is and $4,SSS
$685.; contract system. ST. Oh 265. 50 and
IS, 1870. 1910 piece-price system, $1,4S4,
2SG.52 and s.. 795, 1924; lease system. 49, =
65l $50 and s., 167 626.03; totals, $24271.
01S 80 and $40, 472.33 1t will be no
ticed that the contract system has
lost popularity. inasmuch as the values
produced under it have fallen off one
half in ten years. Speaking of the gen
era! decline in business, Commissioners
Wright says, referring to Pennsylvania,
that losses at the Eastern penitentiary
are accounted for by the discontinue
ance of the hosiery industry because
of Inventions outside. and a smaller
number of convicts employed, while at
the Western penitentiary the decrease
was owing to a change of system from
contract to public account. the CON
victs not being steadily employed. The
other prisons of state grade which show
a loss are those for the counties of
Berks. Chester. Delaware, Northum-
berland. Philadelphia and Schuylkill.
In these. says Mr. Wright. smaller pro-
duction and decline in the selling val
ue of goods account for the decrease in
the value of products. although in
Philadelphia county. in addition TO
these reasons, there has been a change
in the quality of goods made, and on
account of dullness of trade the con
victs have frequently been idle. Al
though the value of output in the coun-
try with the exception Of the five
small states noted already during 1895
was nearly 100000, 000. the value of the
labor itself. in the commissioners es-
innate did not exceed 81. 800 900.
Combining ourattention to Pennsylya-
Mas Institutions. as of more particu-
lar interest We find that the report
includes statistics from the Eastern
penitentiary. Philadelphia; Western
penitentiary. Allegheny city; Philadel
phia House of Correction: Berks county
prison, Reading; Chester county pris-
prison, Media: Lancaster county prison,
Lancaster; L.ehigh county prison, Allen
town; Montgomery county prison,
NorristONn; Northampton county pris-
on, Easton; Northumberland county
prison. Sunbury: Philadelphia county
prison, and Schuylkil county prison.
Pottsville. AT all of these the work is
done on public account, except at the
Western penitentiary where it is on
public account and piece price. and the
montgomery county prison. where it is
on piece price. The piece-price system
is simply modification of the contract
system. The convicts employed in
these thirteen institutions aggregated
20G5 including go engaged in prison
duties.
The value of the work performed in
these Pennsylvania institutions
amounted in 1895 to S445, 7i0. 20. items
being as follows: