Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-07
ION institution labor
Judge Kinne and superintendent
Gsss Report Result Of Investi.
cation In the East.
What Other States Have Found
Profitable In Employment of
Their Wards.
Industries That Are Successful In
Penal and Charitable Institu-
tions-B Bashor's Boom.
pecial to rimes-Republican.


Special to Times-Republican,
Des Moines. Aug. 7.-Judge L. G..
Kline and Superintendent NJ +. Gass,
|of the Soldiers Orphans Home at
Davenport. have filed with the board Of
control the result of their investiga-
tions as to the employment of institu-
tion labor in state institutions through
out the east. Acting for the board these
two have visited the state institutions
in many other states and have con-
Quoted a careful Investigation of the in
tions with a view to adopting similar
methods of employment in the Iowa in
lstitutions
In all, forty-seven institutions We're
visited. In addition to this number ex-
haustive reports have been received
from $50 others located in all parts of
the United States. These deal not only
with the industries employed, but also
give full reports upon the methods of
doing business, the management, build
lings, accommodations and the support
|
of these reports have been filed with the
board. together with the recommends
tions and suggestions for the Iowa in
Istitutions.
1t is found by the committee that
nearly all state institutions have con-
Injected with them certain Industries.
Nearly all make and repair the cloth
ing worn by the inmates. Many make
boots and shoes, not only for home use.
but for sister institutions. The invests
cation shows that in the maintenance
Iof these industries the contract plan.
the piece price plan and the state ac-
count plan are followed. The commit
tee decides upon the excellence of each
in the order named above. 1t is sug-
|gested, however. that the state account
plan be inaugurated in the making Of
tsupplies for other institutions.
Judge Kline has prepared an ex-
lhaustive table which sets forth the fact
concerning the industries operated at
the different institutions. This includes
i f1gures on the number OF inmates at
leach institution. reports on Industries in
operation. the date of their establish
ment, power employed, cost of plant
cost of operating, number OF salaried
Iemployes. not inmates. and the average
IWageS paid number of hours work
1 Ieach day, amount and value of stock
/ now sales are made. whether there is
demand for the products and how the
Iproducts compare with similar work
i Ioutside, whether the inmates readily
llearn the work and whether they waste
much material, whether there is much
/ trouble on account OF the opposition of
labor unions because of competition
and points in favor of and against the
particular industry as set forth by the
Isuperintendents from their experience.
| In the report the following industries
lare suggested as adaptable to the Iowa
institutions
Basket Making-Can be carried on
profitably at insane hospitals; requires
little capital.
Bolt Works-Earns in Ohio peniten-
tiary 5S 3-1O cents per man; profitable
on contract or piece price plan.
Boot and Shoe Manufacturing-Can
not be recommended on account of ex-
lpensiveness of plant, iarge investment
in stock and small profits.
Box Making-Easily and inexpensive
4 ly installed, good as an industry on
state account in insane hospitals and
institutions for feeble minded
| Broom Making Adapted for the
blind; Knoxville could make brooms for
all other institutions: law should be
changed to permit direct sales to other
institutions at prices fixed by the
board of control.
| Brick Making-Prosecuted now at
Glenwood; should be installed at i'm
sane hospitals. penitentiaries and in
dustrial school at Eldora; million
brick can be made at each place annu-
lally: local use and arrangement would
dispose of the product at reasonable
profit; at the Craig epileptic colony.
New York. brick are made for $3.50 and
sold at $3.50.
Gaming Chairs-Good for vinton.
Glenwood and Eldora; great demand
for this class of labor: desirable indus
| try on piece price plan: requires prac-
tically no capital; good for insane hos
lpitals.
| Chair Making-Already at Fort Madi-
son on contract plan; proper only for
lpenitentiaries; would not recommend it
on state account.
Glove Making-Good industry on con-
tract plan for the weak and invalid
Granite Cutting. Lettering. Etc.-Ap-
propriate only for penitentiaries; only
good on piece price plan.
| Harness Making-Good for insane
hospitals; large capital not required.
Hollow Ware Manufacturing-Goo
for penitentiaries on contract or piece
price plan.
Printing and Binding-Best developed
at the state hospital at Utica, n. y;
wise to establish plants not to involve
more than $1,000 at Mount Pleasant,
Glenwood, Davenport and Marshall
town, but only one costly plant at one
lplace in the state, so equipped as to do
fine printing for the board of control
and state institutions.
Knitting Stockings-Good for Mitch
Ieilville and Eldora, even if only to sup
ply other institutions.
| Manufacture of Clothing-In the Mas
sachusetts prison all clothing for other
institutions is made. and at New York
prisons also: all clothing for the in
mates of Iowa institutions should be
made by institution labor; the boys in
Gdustrial schools and penitentiaries
should make all clothing for males at
all institutions except Davenport.
CONTINUED or Eighth Pase.)