Evening journal., 1897-05-15
A COUNTY WORKHOUSE.
Plans, Specifications and Esti-
mates of the Work.
EMANCIPATION FOR NEW CASTLE
AN ADDRESS ISSUED TO THE
TAXPAYERS BY THE SOCIETY
FOR PUBLIC GOOD STRONGLY
URGING A COUNTY BUILDING.

URGING A COUNTY BUILDING.
The following address has been Is
sued to the taxpayers Of New Castle
county by the Delaware Society for
Public Good
The State Work-house bill has been
defeated in the House OF Representa-
tives Of this state. A majority of mem
bers voted against the measure. The
members for Kent and Sussex county
with two exceptions. by then votes,
have refused to allow the state to adopt
prison system that has worked with
great benefcence and success in nearly
all our sister states. They say emphati-
cally that they do not want it in Kent
and Sussex. We have no reason to be.
lieve that these gentlemen acted other
than in pursuance OF their convictions
or than as they were instructed by
their constituents; but we most deeply
regret that by such adverse action our
state as a state, is prevented from TAX
ing her place among her sister states
on the plane of an humane pena pol
icy.
AS it now stands, a state work-house
is out Of the question. We are there
fore driven to act for our county alone,
and to emancipate ourselves from a
system two hundred years old, and one
that is moss grown and politically car
buncled.
The evils and wastefulness Of the
present penal system are so great that
we should establish a county work
house at once, and wait no longer for
the cooperation Of the other two coun-
ties. Economy, humanity, even rea-
sonable decency, imperatively demand
such a course. And now is the time
By so doing we can save money; save
our fair name; and more yet, save
some of the prisoners and restore them
to usefulness after their discharge.
The proposition now is, to have the
county loan it's credit to New Castle
county work-house loan of 100000.
The money can be borrowed at less
than four per cent. Materials ar,
cheap and labor abundant With this
money the land can be bought, th'
work-house built and put in operation
at great saving on the following
basis.
If the work-house should be built ol
: the plan of the Eastern Penitentiary
at Philadelphia, which is conceded L
be one of the very best under the tes
of experience; we have plans, specifi
cations and estimates of men read,
and willing to do the work. With tina
amount, we can enclose an area 81,
hundred feet square (equal to abou
. four Of our large city squares) with
wall twenty-four feet high, five fee
thick at the base, tapering off to tw
E and a half feet at the top. Within thi
enclosure we can erect a rOtunda an
/, radiating wards of cells for two hun
dred and fifty prisoners. These cell
may be added TO as needed from tim
= to time at little cost. Complete eleC
: trio light, and steam heating appa
$ ratus, and a thorough sanitary drain
i age, system put in operation aHd ais
houses built for the superintendent
and other officers. 1t will also furnis
the tools and appliances to be used b
/ the prisoners in their work.
The work house will be so construct
: ed that themen shall beseparated frol
the women; offenders of tender year
n or new in crime from those who al
= old and hardened and the ordinary d'
e cencies of life maintained and enforce
: by proper classification.
s When in operation, each prison'
y win be compelled to work every da,
'e He will have to support himself II
l. stead OF being a dead weight and ia
u upon the county as now.
.e III faithful in his work, and Obediel
J. to the rules of the prison, he will
ID entitled to an abatement of his term
,e Imprisonment in strict accord with h
e. good conduct.
he For all over work he Will get pal
to and such earnings he may send to h
k family from time to time if he HI
a. one: If not, then it may be used for h
10 betterment: or it may accumulate as
fund to be paid him on his discharg
with which to start in life again. Tn
nv work and obedience to rule in ia
he will be better fitted for active III
when he is once more a free man.
There will also be a ward for SUI
nersons as are accused and committ
waiting trial. separate from the co
= victs. Sometimes innocent persons a
committed awaiting trial. Under o
p present system, they must be nero
with the most degraded within o
idle Jail pens.
d Tbe system thus outlined has be
," tested in our sister states and Is
- complished three grand purposes.
er 1. Every prisoner becomes a pre-
90 winner instead of an idle drone a
70 incipient pauper. "a.
- 2. BY habits of work and oDedien
to law. each prisoner in the effort
te shorten his term of imprisonme
eagerly learns industry and econon
. AS a rule he goes out Detter III
than he came into prison.
: g. Punishment is thus coupled w
{: reformation. A large percentage
; convicts is restored to manhood
: usefulness to society.
: The attainment of these ends Wol
/; be a sufficient compensation Tor
F: expenditure OF the entire two hundl
: t'nlusand dollars, even If 1t inVolN
4: the entire loss of that sum. But WI
we can save the two hundred thousa
dollars out of our present waste
and nprniciOtte evetpm in less n