Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-02-03
FAVOR A PLANT.
Legislative Committee Returns From
Its Trip Of Investigation to the
Saltwater Pen.
Will Recommend the Institution of a
Binding Irvine Plant at the N.
D. Institution.
Committee Impressed With the Wis
dom and Economy of a Plant
as Proposed.
The Binding Irvine Plant.

The Binding Irvine Plant.
The joint committee that was appoint
ed to investigate and report upon the
binding Irvine plant at the Saltwater,
Mimi. penitentiary, with a view to the
establishment of a similar institution at
the North Dakota pcnitcntiary returned
from their trip yesterday morning. All
of the members of the committee, Scna-
tors Twichell and Mansfield and Repre-
sentatives Sargent, Hare and Bacon,
were pleased with the trip and impressed
with the excellence and economy of the
plant at the penitentiary. The commit
tee was treated with uniform courtesy
and consideration by the officials of the
Saltwater institution and the members
of the board Of trustees shown all the
workings Of the plant, given figures and
details of the cost of the institution and
the other facts that were desired by the
committee upon which to base a report,
and the report of the committee which
will be presented to the Legislative as
scmbly in a day or SO will be favorable
to the establishment of a similar plant
at the Bismarck penitentiary.
The Minnesota institution EMPLOYS 14O
men, and the members of the commit
tee state that the work is hcalthful, little
sickness occurring among the prisoners
employed there, and there is an air of
cheerfulness among the men conducive
to good work and wealth. The output
OF the plant is about FIVE million pounds
a year and preparations are now being
made to increase the capacity of the
plant to nine million pounds Il year, or
about half the total amount of Irvine
that is used in the state.
The members of the committee, from
the facts and figures secured by them,
state that Il binding Irvine plant
could be established at the p~cnitentiary
at Bismarck at Il total cost of about
$4,000 for the required machinery, en-
gincs and boilers. This estimated cost
is exclusive of the buildings required.
but it is figured that the building could
be erected at the institution here by the
convicts from brick made at the %institu-
ton yards at a total cost of probably
$4,000. In addition to these expenses
there would be required Il working CAPT
tai of enough to increase the total
amount of funds necessary to equip the
institution and begin work to between
100000 and Sl25,0O0.
The plant contemplated by such an
expenditure would produce an annual
output Of between two and three million
pounds of Irvine or a daily output of 49,
OO pounds. 1t would give employment
to eighty men aside from two expert
cnced men who would have to be en-
ployed as foreman and assistant. The
building required would be three stories
in height, with a floor space of 75x1OO
feet and a storage room of 100 feet
square. The engine required would be
OF 200 horse power, but this would serve
also for a plant of twice the present
capacity if it were concluded to en-
large.
The total annual use of binding Irvine
in the state reaches about 100000
pounds so that it is estimated a plant of
the size proposed would supply about a
third of the requirements. 1t would re.
duce the price to the farmers and ere
long place the p%enitentiary on a paying
basis. The Saltwater institution pays
the cost of support of the establishment,
together with the shoe shop, but the
major portion of the profit comes from
the Irvine plant. There is no waste in
the production of the Irvine. The manu-
featured product weighs more than the
raw material, from the weight of the oil
absorbed in it's production.
The factory in Minnesota is operated
every day in the year with the exception
of Sundays and holidays. The manu-.
featured product costs about a half cent
a pound to make and the raw materia.
from AZ to 81 cent a pound. The raw
material comes from Mexico, Yucatar
and the Philippines, and is purchased O.
importers at Boston and New York.
In Minnesota a day is set for placing {
price on the annual output, usually il
May, and as q result of this, the entire
output is contracted for in advance. Thi!