Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-03-23

and oftentimes defscit is reported.
Those In charge OF this sum and It's
expenditure did actually save to the
State, by iudlclous management, the
sum OF e47, 1854. How easIly this
saving could have been covered up"
but II wasn't; second, the Legislature
gave the prison managers $3.50, 900 Of
the prison earnings to pay expenses.
They didn't use it oil. No, airs; they
saved to the State the sum Of s6e,-
665.46. Add up these two savings
and you have the sum OF e103,sl1.2o.
Incompetent and dishonest men never
do such things. When public officers
thus save money and curtail expenses
they deserve credit. When such
things occur under an administration
does 1t deserve the curses of the peo-
ple7 Let everyone answer on his hon.
or. Then, leaving out lot of figures,
1t may be said that during the past
two years, 1. O., 1878, the prison ex-
penses, all told, have aggregated
s5OI, ,64SsS. OF this last named sum
the following sums were used as fol-
lows:
To complete new cell bldg 2e,546.1s
To erect new shop bldg. 28,15e. so
To make needed repairs. 1856. As
Total for bldgs. and repairs.e 75,267.45
From total expense acc. -. 5O1, ,646. .SS
Deduct cost of new bldgs.
and repairs. rs.....,..... 75,267.45
Balance expense acc. ..,... s426, ,37s, ,8s
Now, from the last named sum de-
duct value on Jan 1, 1899, Of supplies
on hand in excess Of the value on hand
Jan. 1, 1897, in clothing, brick, shoes,
vegetables. &C., |. g., s12, 1886, and
also deduct the amount due the State
for keeping United States prisoners,
viz, s2,eOs. 40; total OF two amounts,
s16, ,036.31, and the figures will stand
thus:
From bal. ex. acct. after de-
ductlDg cost of bldgs. and
repairs. s.........,........ .s42o, ,3IS.SS
Deduct, as above stated. =. 15,036.s1
Balance left. ft.i.............s4 s4i1 ,342.67
Thus 10 arrived ct total cash expense
account of maintaining the peni-
tentiary for two years, 1878, s41l,-
s42.57, or s2O5, ,s7l 0s per year, or $17,-
1897 per calendar month.
These figures show that the finances
of the State prison have been reason
ably well managed. A large saving Of
money appropriated for the annual
benefit Of the State prison has been
made, indicating most careful and
judioious management.
]. d. Starke, warden of the peniten-
tiary and active manager of every
thing appertaining to and connected
with il, certainly deserves the greatest
share Of the credit, while the inspect
ors Of the penitentiary, Messrs. Pitts,
Treasurer; Seibert, Auditor, and
Grow, Attorney General, IN a general
way, visited the penitentiary from
time to time, as required by law, aud
carefully inquired into all matters
connected with It, and well deserve
credit for the faithful discharge Of
duties; yet, II cannot be denied that
to that honest, capable and pains-
taking public officer, Warden Starke,
the administration and the people Of
the State are indebted for the present
excellent condition OF the peniten-
tiary. In all his work Warden Starke
has been ably and cheerfully supported
by Deputies Bradbury and Tolin.
As an interesting item the following
extract is given verbatim from War
den Starke's report:
"The cost per capita OF maintaining
my convicts for the years 1875, in
cluding all expenses, except new
buildings and repairs, we find to be
2b % cents per day as follows:
Net cost food per day each. .O6. 1sc
Net cost fuel per day each -. .OS. $50
Net cost clothing per day each. .02. l2c
Net cost salaries officers per day
eacns ns......s.......... 10 23c
Net cost hospital, water, Ice, SC .O2. Ole
Total per day each. h........... .25. 2oc
The daily average number OF con-
victs during past two years has been
222s.o
The warden shows that during the
past two years the total earnings Of
the penitentiAry amount to s4si, ,5so. 90.