The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-29
OUR STATE PRISONS.
euecess OF the New Labor System-An Ercept
300 Couvicts Employed.

300 COuVicts Employed.
Albany, Jan. 2s.-Gen. Austin Lathrop, the
Superintendent of State Prisons, In his annual
report submitted to the legislature. says that
the new prison labor system, which was put in
operation a year ago. is a marked success. Of
tho 1920 oonvicts in the State prisons all but
800 are employed. and in the latter number is
included those in the hospitals. On Oct. /. 1896.
under tho old system. 1,779 convicts in the
State prisons were employed in active. we'll
established and thoroughly equipped industries.
These men were trained in their work and had
acquired skill, and were manufacturing prod
ucts for the market. either on the piece-price
system or on the State account.
On Oct. !, 1897, under tho new LABOR system
OF manufacturing articles for use in public and
State institutions of the State and the various
ployed on productive industries. as follows:
Sing Sing Prison -Ciothing. gao; shoe. 80; brush
and mattress, 90; printing and stationery. 10; cabi-
Auburn Prison-Brass and iron bedsteads. 90; cloth,
Clinton Prlson-shirts, So; hosiery and underwear.
%; tinwsre; SO; laundry. o. woodenware and bas'
The aggregate production of these industries
Y p~roxinately $4,000, per week. This. how
ever, cannot be reGNrGed as n maximum. 1t Is
hay be expected when the prisoners who are
now employed have acquired the skill and tho
larger practice. A special effort hns been made
by I'll. Superintendent to prosecute those indus.
tries, the produc!sof which are required in large
Quantities, and those which AFFORD The gretcst
amount OF labor for SMALLEST expenditure for
materials. No manufactures materials are pur.
example,, the yarn and warp for the manufac.
ture OF cloth anu underwear lhoth cotton and
Woollen) are made in the prisons; and in the
making of a suit OF clothes only tho raw wool
and cotton OF which the cloth and Innings are
made. The buttons. thread. and buckles are prr-
chased, Except the small outlay for these
items. the entire value OF The garments when
ready to ship represents the labor of the
prisoners.
There was no very great increase in insanity
transfers of men from tho State prisons to the
State Hospital were but three more than in the
previous year. II cannot be said that any in
crease or insanity resulted from idlcness. for
that was not permitted, except for a very short
period. and To a limited extent.
The superintendent again recommends the
. erection OF q special prison for the detention and
execution OF condemned men.
WhiIc .here was II very small increase in the
number OF prisoners at tho close OF the year,
thero was a material decrease in tho daily aver
age of population. which was 1913 less in 1897
thu In 1896, and 502 less than the average in
The financial results OF the transactions OF tho
State prisons In tho last two years, prior To 1897,
wero not satisfactory. Those of the last year
are even more una yorsblc, the deficiency IN tho
three prisons being 1851, 37B. Most OF the de.
dcit, the superintendent says, Is the dir. Ct re-
suit of the change in the system OF tho indus
trial employment OF tho %conyicts ordered by the
fine new system" says the superintendent
has been IN use but a few months. 1t has not
yet passed beyond the experimental stage;
some conclusions. however, can he deemed well
settled. The requisitions OF The State and It's
political divisions, which are regulated by Law.
for all tho available convicts in the prisons; pro.
vided the new laws shall not modify the com
merce between the prisons and the State insti-
prOducts."