The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-17
STATE REFORMATORY.
SENATOR BoREN MAKES VITAL
RECOMMENDATION
WouId Have the Inmates Divided
Into Three Cinsscs-Wnnts More
Farming land Purchased.

Austin. Texas. April l6.-senator Boren
of the visiting committee today made re-
port on the State reformatory, in regard
to which he makes some Recommendations.
that part of his report Is as follows:
There are thirty head OF mich cows, some
thoroughbreds, and the others graded le.
sevs all well fed and sheltered, and at this
time in excellent condition. The superln-
tendent states TO me that the average daily
product of milk therefrom was thirty gal
Ions. and from which a good supply OF but
ter daily was obtained and that the boys
in the reformatory were furnished with an
abundant supply OF each This the boys
denied to me in private conversation, stat
ing that they only got an occasional glass
OF milk. and that butter was only served
TO them two or three times a week, and
oil course, l Was powerless to obtain the
iaisltY or truth of the claim. can say
however that | looked over the table in
the dining room while the boys were at
supper and failed to discover either milk
or butter. Mich cows are cheap in Texas
ana milk and butter are healthy diet; there
fore. in my opinion, these boys should DO
gwen plenty of both. Indeed / was not at
all faYorably impressed with the fare fur
nlshed at supper aforementioned which
consisted of coarse corn bread. black, In
ierlor molasses and stewed bacon. and this.
the bows told me. was a fair average meal
and that they seldom had flour bread Of any
Kind. and that they had not enough even
OF the kind furnished OF course boys re-
strained of their liberty are prone to COM
plain. and doubtless exaggerated % some
extent but think it well enough for these
matters to be looked into more closely by
the State authorities and by all future
legislatures.
The two dormitores are wholly made
quate 10 properly care for the number of
bows now on hand. They are too much
crowded in their sleeping compartments to
admit of good sanitary conditions, and the
odor met with on entering said compart-
ments is strong reminder of cage &C.
cupied by wild animals notwithstanding
the SUPERINTENDENT told me that these rooms
were secured every morning These con-
dttions could. In my opinion. be much i'm
proved by more frequent use of soap and
water. together with a more frequent
change OF clothing and cleaner garments
for the inmates to sleep in. II is my cam
did opinion that too much economy is being
practiced In way of furnishing food, cloth
ing, bedding, sleeping rooms, bathing ia
cillties and literature 10 these boys.
was informed by the boys that several
fcrmatory curse and use very bad language,
and that they some times get logged I'M
by these gualds when the sup
is not present. This should
not be allowed ! so stated to CAPTAIN
Mcclure. and he told ne he was quite sure
the hovs rad told a falsehood and that
he never allowed any of them TO be whipped
unless he was present, and that he directed
the number Of blows and the manner of
giving them. 1t is my opinion, however,
that there is truth in what the boys said
as they certainly would not all have fled:
but l am convinced that Captain Mcclure
does not know Of these things The boys
all smoke in the highest terms Of CaTtain
MCGUIRE. the Superintendent, as a most
worthy and excellent gentleman, and said
that II he was always personally present
they would receive kind treatment. | am
confident that Captain MCGUIRE has done
he best he could under the circumstances
and with the appropriation heretofore made.
The State has not sufficient amount OF
farm lands at the reformatory to make It
self sustaining, or to keep the boys EN-
ployed, Indeed. there is less than three
acres to each boy. in cultivation They
could cultivate at least ten acres each, and
then have ample time for study Rotations
In school and rest. and it would pay the
State. in my judgment, to at once purchase
1000 acres of tillable land for cultivation.
ana lHe same amount Ol NOOutu iduu OU VI
which to procure wood for the institution.
and to be added to the farm after the
iimber has been cut off. BY increasing the
farm from 400 to 400 acres this Institution
could easily be made self sustaining.
| believe 1t the better policy to spend
more money in caring for and proper train
Ing OF the boys, than to let them become
hardened criminals in later life, requiring
heavy expense in the trial courts and in
additional penitentiaries and oth-
er places of confinement and punishment.
And as one very important means of en-
these boys to reform. ] would
respectfully suggest that they be divided
into three classes. That class one be com
posed OF those whose department at the
rx vibration of the first three months from
entry in rcformatory is perfect and that
some neat plain uniform be adopted for
his class but that no stripe be placed on
these suits. and that these boys be kept In
separate sleeping departments from the
second and third classes and that they be
given some better fair at meals and be
served at a separate table from classes two
and three
That class two be composed Of those boys
whose department at the expiration OF the
first three months Is not perfect hut who
have not more than ten dement's marked
against them. That some uniform be adopt
"a for this class.
inaN 'iass 'hiec w '"ihpuseu Vi the Doys
who have more than ten dement's marked
against them, That they have the figure
hIee stamped on their suits on the breast
and on the back of same.
That each working day that these boys
ire engaged In work he credited on per-
sonai account TO be kent by the bookkeeper
II the reformatory as reported to him by
the SUPERINTENDENT with each hoy as fol-
lows: To class one 10 cents per day. to
class two cents per day and to class three
cents per day. Said amounts to be paid
over to these boys at the time of their
discharge that they may be able TO main
tain themselves until they can obtain en-
nlovment.
That at the expiration of each thrac
months the suporintendent be required 20
examine me record OF conduct of each boy
and that those in class two who have a per-
feet record for the past three months he