Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-14
MAY COST TOO MUCH.
Board Of Control Finds Irvine BUSH
ness Requires Big Investment.
THE FlFIY-FlRST'S MASTERING OUT.
ItMay Take Place on the Briny Deep
Something Abont tho state Fair
II Is Thought Association
Has Made $4,000.

Des MONIES, Sept. 13.-It is trifle
doubtful if the state board of control
will recommend to the legislature the
establishment Of a binding Irvine fac
tory at Anamosa penitentiaray. The
members of the board returned Friday
night from visit of two days at Still
water penitentiary in Minnesota, fol-
lowing their visit at the convention of
charities and correction of the state at
Duluth. Governor Larrabee stopped
at Claremont over Sunday, and Mr..
Cownie and Judge Kline came to Des
Moines.
1--WE have given the matter no con-
sideration as far as relates to Iowa."
said Judge Kline yesterday. But the
facts as found by the board and related
by the members respecting the indus
try in Saltwater indicate that the
board will hesitate before making a
1 favorable recommendation to the leg
islature.
Minnesota has about 100000 in
vested in the business" said member
of the board to reporter for the Reg
lister who had asked about the sitpa-
/ ton at Saltwater prison. sWe discov-
cred that not only does it require an
4 enormous amount of money to run the
business, but the industry does not
employ as many men as it was though
employ as many men as it was
thought. The money, we found, is
i'tied up in the material necessary for
! the manufacture, it being impossible,
by the Minnesota system at least, to
4 turn the investment more quickly
4 than within one year. The number OF
men is limited by the number of ma
chimes, it requiring but one man to a
single machine. In the Saltwater
plant, where the capacity is 100000
pounds a day, only eighty men are
employed. The product last year was
about 100000 pounds.
4 II estimate that it would cost this
state about $250.0OO to install plant
and prepare to do the business for a
year. OF, course, we might alter the
plan OF Minnesota regarding selling.
1t sells car lots on time, taking farm
ers' notes. Less than car lots are sold
ffor cash. The plan of selling every
thing for cash might be adopted, thus
turning the money more quickly. The
plant itself is not costly. To make the
hard fibre Irvine we could install a
fplant of 10000 pounds capacity day
i for about $25,000, so far as the machin-
cry is concerned. A building would
have to be built, of course, for the fac
tory. We would want to make the
hard fibre. Minnesota first installed q
plant for making soft fibre Irvine, but
lost money, finally changing. Last
year il was fortunate enough to dis
pose of the old machinery.
There are several grades of the
Irvine the prison made selling in Min
nesota last year for from to 8 cents.
{. There was net profit in the year of
100000. This is below the market
price, the industry having been estab-
lished for the benefit of the farmers,
Exclusively. The prison has no difficult
4 ty in disposing of the product, as it is
a small per cent of the total used"
"The Fifty-frst Iowa will probably
be mustered out on the briny Deep
said Adiutant General Byers yesterday
to a reporter for the Register. II be-
lieye it is the intention of the govern
ment to embark a mastering officer
with the regiment at Manila, and he
will put in the time the transport is
on the water in mastering out the sol
diers. The work ordinarily takes
about month, and the troops will be
on the Pacific about four, weeks, few
days less if they did not stop at Homo
lul. 1t will give the officer just about
time to do the work. This will save
time at San Francisco. AS soon as the
boys arrive there they will be foot
loose and can start for their Iowa
homes instantly, not having~the CALLING
eXperience of spending month in
camp waiting for mastering out. BE
SIDES" added the adjutant general,
"they will be home In time to vote, by
doing that; otherwise it is doubtful
Adjntant General Byers, it has been
definitely decided, will go to San Fran
cisco to welcome the Fifty-frst Iowa
boys home.
I'VE had fine convention" said Au-
ditor Merriam yesterday, referring to
the convention of insurance commits
sioners just closed at Detroit, and the
business sessions of which he attend
ed. 1--WE had very profitable meet
ing. We attended strictly to business
the first days we We're there, and
came away for the purpose of attend.
ing the Merrill funeral just as the So
cial part of the gathering was coming
on the tapis.
4 President Hartman, of the state fair
says that he will not be candidate
again for reelection as president or as
director of the fair society. He has
been connected with the fair manage.
ment for several years, and under his
leadership the society scored the big.
gest success of recent years. The fai,
Just ended netted surplus between
$4,000 and $4,000. For this result Mr.
Hartman is greatly responsible, al
though Secretary Van Houten, Vice
President Rob johnson and Assistant
Secretary Simpson were more or less
responsible for the result. Among
the directors, W. W. Morrow,
of the Eighth district, was espec.
tally active and scored new honor
when he was caned by his assistant gate
men after his first years direction oil
that department.
/ lTNhnro' ie 1itf1n 49,