Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-05-20
FOR A COUNTY WOREHOUSE.

To the Taxpayers of New Castle
County: The State. Workhouse bill, I
has been defeated in the House OF
Representatives OF this State. 4 ma
jority OF members voted against the |
measure. The members for Kent and |
Sussex county, with two exceptions, BY
their votes have refused to allow the |
State to adopt prison system, that |
has worked with great heneficence and |
success in nearly all our sister Staten. |
They say emphaticaly, that they do |
want it in Kent aud Sussex. We have |
no reason to believe that these gentle- |
men acted other than in pursuance OF |
their convictions or than az they were |
Instructed by their constituents; but
We most deeply regret that by such |
adverse action our State as State, is
prevented from taking her place among
her sister States on the plane OF an
humane penal policy.
AS 1t now stands, a State workbouse
IL out Of the question. We are there
fore driven to act for our county alone,
and to emancipate ourselves from a
system 200 years OLD, aud ons that is
moss grown and politically carbuncled.
The evils and wastefulness of the
present penal system ara so great, that
we should establish county work.
house at once, and wait no longer for
the cooperation of the other two coun-
ties. Economy, humanity, even reason
able decency, imperatiyely demand
such a course. And now 10 the time.
by 80 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 its credit TO a New Castle
county workhouse loan of $500. 600.
The money can be borrowed at less
than four per cent Materials are
cheap and labor abundant. With this
money the land can be bought, the
workhouse be built and put in
operation at great saving on the fol.
lowing basis.
IL the workhouse should be built on
the plan Of the Eastern Peniteutiary at
Philadelphia. which is conceded to be
one of the very best under the test of
experienced; we have plans, speciti
cations and estimates Of men ready
and willing to do the work. With that
amount, we can enclose an area eco
feet square fequal to about four of our
large city squaresl with a wall "a feet
high, 5 feet thick at the base tapering
off to 21e feet at the top. Within this
enclosure we can erect rotunda and
radiating wards OF cells for $50
prisoners. These cells may be added
to as needed from time to time, at little
cost. Complete electric light. and
steam heating apparatus, aud a
thorough sanitary drainage system put
in operation and also houses built for
the superintendent and other officers
1t will also furnish the tools and appli.
ances to be used by the prisoners in
their work.
The workhouse will be SO constructed
that the men shall be separated from
the women; offenders of tender years
or new in crime from those who are
old and hardened and the ordinary
decencies of life maintained and en-
forced by proper classification.
When in operation, each prisoner
will be compelled to work every day.
He will have to support himself instead
OF being dead weight and tax upor
the county as now.
II faithful in his work, and obeiient
to tine rules of the prison, he will bt
entitled to an abatement of his term o.
Imprisonment in strict accord with hi
good conduct.
For all over work he will get paid
and such earnings be may seud to Mi
family from time to time, il he havl
one; il not then it may be used for hi
own betterment; or 1t may accumulate
as fund TO be paid him on his dis
charge, with which to start in Inf
again. Thus by work and obedienc
TO rule in Jail, he will be better tittel
for active life, when he is once more
free man.
There will also be a ward for sue
persons as are accused and committe
waiting trial separate from the con
yicts. Sometimes innocent persons ar
committed awaiting trial. Under on
present system, they must be herde
with the most degraded within ou
idle jail pens.
The system thus outlined has bee
tested in our sister States and
accomplishing three grand purposes.
]. Every prisoner becomes a hrea
winner, instead of an idle drone an
inoipIent pauper.
2. BY habits OF work and obetliept
to law. each prisoner in the effort
shorten his term OF imprisoumen
eagerly learns industry and econom,
As rule he goes out better ma
than he came into prison.
3. Punishment is thus coupled wit
reformation A large percentage
convicts is restored to manhood ar
usefulness 10 society.
The attainment OF these ends, wou
be sufficient compensation for II
expenditure OF the entire 5000, QUO, er,
II it involved the entire lose of to
sum. But when we can save Ii
5000, 900, out of our present wastef
and pernicious system in less than
years, and at the end of that time ha
established an humane and efficient \
nal SYSTEM and from thsnceforth redu
the taxation for and cnst of our prisone
to less than one-half present rate;
is simply criminal negligence and W
full financial blindness to persist In o
present methods,
In 1886 the New Castle county il
cost New Castle county as follows:
Salaries Of Jail wardens. ..........S $3.50
Maintenance, (jail commissioner S.lGS
Board of prisoners. ............... 1861
Convict labor, (stone pile 2.7B
Water and light. .................. ,43j
We had in Jail an average of !
prisoners, 10 OF these under senten,
Not one Of these prisoners contribut
penny toward his own support. Evt
dollar Of the s26, S42 is, was assess
upon and paid by the taxpayers of Il
county.
Mr. Joseph James,, the super