Mesa free press., 1897-10-08
'. D. MORTON. A.P.sHEwNAN.
MORTON & SIIEWMAN
Publishers.
Advertising rates mace Know on ap-
plication.
THAT PRISON CONTRACT.

-
Phoenix Republican says:
When GDver McCord came into
office he found a contract for I"asing
the prison labor that had Leen made
by his predecessor and approved by
the supreme court of the serrito.y.
By the light Of nearly two y ars' time
that had elapsed between the signing
of the contract and his induction into
Office. he discovered that the Interests
Of the territory would be- sp''sr. we'd by
securing some amendn-, is to the
81 .s.ntract. Thrs.. a,ne~dments he ask
I'd for and they we,e mainly assented
o +y the company. He asked for
ig!t diff; III things. seven OF which
were granted us follows:
/. That the company should hay
upon the ground and ready for work
b for, any Labor was furnished. hrs'
as machinery of he latest improved
o ,tt-rns, to cost not less. than $2O.O 900
2. That the company shall give to
he territory suitable bond that it
would complete the canal.
3. That the company should re-
move earth each working day tha'
would cost double the amount OF the
value of the prison labor furnished ny
the territory to the company.
4. That the compa' y at their own
expense erect ard have. in readiness
for use suitable barracks to accommo-
date all the prisoners that should be
worked at the head of the canal
5. That no prisoner should be sen
to work upon the canal whose escape
IN the opinion Of the superintendent
would be- probable.
6. That the territory should not
be compelled TO purchase amy water
that ic did not desire to use and what
it did purchase should be at price
n, gr-a'.r than is paid by other rat
rnns of tho canal.
7. That the territory instead Of tn"
company SHOULD keep the time OF the
prisoners.
: That no prisoners should b.
worked at any other place or at any
her work except upon the canal.
Every one ef thes. prop 'sitions ex
apt the second, the company acceded
to. The governor waived that for tn
reason that in his opinion the accept
ance by the company of the first ano
bird requests was a suM .'en' ga iran
tee of good faith on the part of tl'
company, is not only fair to The terri
tory, but the general nol'cv of work
ing the prisoners has his hearty CON
urrence.
The appeal c..e to the q 'ite | S5at"s
supreme court will, therefore. be dis
J missed. 1t will he dismissed TO
several reasons First, because tn
governor does not think the policy Q
obstruction pursued by the last ad
ministratlon-after the highest cour
of the territory has approve the con
tracts either right or for the lies
interests of the territory. If it wa
not d smissed on motion Of che terri
tory 1t wolld bs on motion of th'
company, f'r the reas,n that the ap
peliant, Hon. NJ. ). Nugen+, refuse
to sign tho appeal bond; and second
because it is believed to be- hest fo
he territory th.r the c>ntract shoult
he executed in good faith The ex
sense to the territory in carrying ou
he contract will be- normal. Their
will he no extr. guards employed; n
'ols furnished by the territory, AM
i,e clothing and food for the prison
.rS while at wGrk will cost little
,ly more than n.w IF the canal i
biilt 1t will bring un ler guilty. alton
lag, .molnt of the I'm st citrus frui
Ian | in America, th.t to-day is v he
3. It will ad two or three Million
| I,llars to the tx ,hle veal IN nf tn
"a .ritory, several tho san iah ah,tant
,nd make southwestern Arizona on
of the richest parts of the territory