Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-27
PRISON PAYS WELL.
LAST YEAR THE BEST IN THE PENI-
TENTIARY's HISTORY.
NEARLY ALL Thu CONYICTS EMPLOYED
over ZOO i'm the Prison and hut Few
are IdIe-The Conditional Pardon
Law Needs Amendment - Profits
from the Farm.

The annual report OF the Board OF Direc-
tors Of the penitentiary. with the report
Of the Superintendent and accompanying
documents for the fiscal year ending Sep
tAmber Goth, have been printed in a neat
pamphlet.
The past year is shown TO have been
the most prosperous in the history OF the
institution. One gratifying feature is
that the state Farm. established only a
few years ago. yielded profit OF s2,o5527
The report of the Board Of Directors is
as follows:
Commonwealth Of Virginia,
Office Board Of Directors. Va. Penit'y,.
Richmond. Va, November 80, 1888
To His Exccllency. j. Hoge Tyler, Gov
ernor OF Virginia:
Sir.-We have the honor TO transmit
herewith the annual reports OF the SUI
perntendcnt ard the Surgeon Of the Viz
ginia Penitontiary, with the accompanying
tables, for the fiscal year ending septem-
Der 20, 1888.
The profit realized at the penitentiary
Is Sj.074Ol, adding the profit at the farm,
s2.053.27 makes n net balance OF proht Tor
the year OF $J712i2S, which Is the largest
profit ever yielded by this institution
The contract with Larus q Brother ITO
J bacco company for 30 men expired on
| october 20 1891 this fiscal year.. In view
! OF the expiration of this contract, IL
! seemed advisable for the preceding board
! to contract with the Davis Boot and Shoe
! Company 20 take 100 additional men, ana
! for the State 20 fit up the tObaccO-factOry
| for the use Of the Davis Boot ana Snoe
Company. and to erect connection Duliu-
| ing between the tobacco and ShOc-lac-
| tories AT a cost Of $31f992; included IN
| this amount Ss65.U was Tor automauc
| sprinklers. this being one-half entire cost
| OF sprinklers the Davis Boot and Shoe
| Company paid the other half. This sys-
| tenn of sprinklers is in each of our facto-
/ ries. and Is recognized as greatly reducing
| the fire hazard. The State carries no IN
| surance on the factories or pentehlltiy
| proper. We were necessarily deprived oi
some revenue for the months or NoVem-
| her December. and January, during the
| erection and fitting up of the tobacco-iac-
| tory for the occupancy Of the Davis Boot
| and Shoe Company, who moved in the
| last of January, and gradually increased
| the number Of men on contract work, and
| now have over 1899 at work.
| THE HOSPITAL ENLARGED.
We found the wards of the hospital over
! crowded with sick, while many GONZALES
cents were occupying cells Whlch MtIt
! badly needed by other prisoners H. mere
! fore seemed 70 US 10 be wise TO enlarge
| the hospital building. which we have done
| doubling its former capacity; the addltlof
| has bath-tibs and hot water, which the
| old one lacked The entire building and
| equipment cost S45S.6l.
At the farm two wards were added &c
/ the hospital-one for white and one FOL
! colored COMMUNICATIVE relieving th'
/ crowded condition of the other wards, ahI
| separating the white and colOred prla0n
! ers: bath-tubs also placed in these. rms
| addition cost @J5.S6. The Kltcheh "d'
remOdeled at cost OF Sil5.
J \ room has been remodelled ana addet
TO the kitchen at the penitentiary, Whici
was q needed Improvement
| Under the law passed at the IaslFseSsiUl
! of the General Assembly. allowing cOndl
| tional pardons, the board has acted upoi
/ 60 applications. rejecting ana approving
| 81. Up TO the present tme - nav 40
! ceived conditional pardons. IL IS an III
! centive 10 good behavior in the prison
! and we think il a wise law. IN our 1udB
ment il needs amendments. III seems u
| us that the exclusion OF cOhVlcJS WIZ
| have violated the rules OF the prlsoi
| works q great hardship In some cases
| we think that the severity or the law
| might well be miugated i'm some cases
! and before the Legislature meets agar
/ We hope TO be able TO present Dill Whlci
! will cure the defects we speak Oh
| we renew the recommended tons mao
! nv me former boards of this institution
i'm favor Of increasing the cel-rooh y
the penitentisry. The cells for men ar
crowded beyond the bounds or decency
| and II cannot be expected that Worl
of reformation will be advanced so lonl
rs men are thrown into such close con cor,
TACT as they are at this prison. We thinl
il unnecessary to go into further detall
at this time. but wish to put upon Iecoi
very emphatically that the state owes
10 herself and 10 these prisoners to max
provisions at the earliest possible momeil
for relieving the congested condition o
the cells ....t.o,,
The general management az tne penn
endorse the work of the superintendent
who has carried out faithfully the instruc
tions and suggestions given him by N
Board of Directors, and we commend va
assistant superintendent, manager OF IN
farm. surgeons, matrOn, officers an
guards. for efficient and faithful dischaTS
of their duties. Respectfully submitted
A. G. HARTMAN,
W u ESTFRMAN,