The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-14
THE STATE PRISON
SELF-SUPPORT|NG
And Will no Longer be a Bur-
den on Taxpayers.
CONDITION MADE PLAIN
The Legislature of 1901 Will Have no
Penitentiary Problem.
STATEMENT BY. TRAVIS AND NEWLAND
They Have Borrowed no Money From tie Site
Treasury as Has Incorrectly Been Al
legged. How the Penitentiary Was
Wrecked by FusoniSts.

wrecked by fuSl0niSlS.
Yesterday Messrs. e. L. Travis and w.
c. Newland drew a warrant on the State
Treasurer under chapter $40 of the Laws
of 1899, for $35 600, the remainder of the
appropriation made by the last Legisla
ture for the support of the States Prison
for the year 1900 They had previously
drawn $4,000, the appropriation being
$4,000
The State Treasurer declined to pay
the warrant on the ground that there
was no money in the treasury. Refer
ing to this matter, the Press Visitor yes
terday afternoon said:
state Treasurer Worth in reply to a
reporters question stated this morning
that few months since the penitentiary
drew $4,000 from the treasury on the
appropriation of $4,000 provided by the
institution for this year, in case it should
be needed. Today the authorities asked
for the remaining $50, 600 and a warrant
was given them, but the money will not
be paid until it is in the treasury. the
State has not the funds on hand now to
pay the $4,000
Treasurer Worth says that the peni-
tertiary drew $55,40 from the State
treasury last year which the Legislature
provided for as a loan, but that none of
it has ever been paid back but instead
demand has been made for the full $780,
600 appropriated for this year"
Last night a reporter Of the News and
Observer asked Messrs. Travis and New
land whether it true that under
y their administration the penitentiary had
borrowed any money from the State
State Treasury. They said:
THE States Prison has not since we
were connected with it, borrowed money
from any one. The appropriation for
each of the years 1899 and 1900 was not
a loan but direct and absolute appro-
priation as will be seen by reference to
chapter go of the Laws Of 1899 The
purpose of the Legislature in making
those appropriations was to put the pris-
on in position to run on a cash basis
as near is practicable in an institution
of that character. At the end of the
year 1899, after paying all expenses, we
had enough money left to have more
than repaid the $4,000 appropriation
which we had used if the Legislature had
directed us to do So But if that had been
ordered would have had to run this
year on credit. By the use of that
money, however, we were enabled to run
the IHSIIIulIOu uullI NOW Without draw
ing upon the appropriation for this year,
except for $4,000 during August which
was used in the erection of an electric
plant. With the $35 900 for which we
made application today we would be en-
abled to run to the close of this year
wiASout spending any money derived from
this years crops so that at the end of the
year we would have no debts and have
produce on hand worth at least $3.50, 900.
This produce consists mainly of about l.
400 bales of cotton and cotton seed there
from, about 65, 900 bushels of peanuts, So
coo worth of beef cattle some corn in
addition to what will be needed for the
institution, and also a large quantity of
brick.
This showing will put the States prison
q year ahead instead of a year behind
as it has heretofore BEEN and enable
it to run in the future without any other
appropriations, and with proper manage
ment it should never cost the pay
ers another cent
"a great deal of the money expended
has been for permanent improvements
When we took charge the convicts were
without clothes, they were sleeping on
beds that were worn out dirty and full
of vermin-not fit for hogs the sanitary
condition and the plumbing of the Cen
trail Prison was so bad that it required
an expenditure of $500 to put it in clean
and healthy shape, there were no pro-
visions hand, the stock on the farms
was old, worn-out, rundown and al
most worthless, the buildings on the
farms were in dilapidated condition
farming implements were worn out and
broken and the whole institution in a
state OF wreck and decentralization. We
hax ;,1
stitution in every branch. We found them
paying out nearly $500 month for lights,
and we have installed an electric plart
one of the finest anywhere. that will fur
nish far better lights and sufficient pow
er to run all the machinery of the institu-
ton 1T much less than the lights alone
cost when supplied by an outside COM
pany. This plant cost about SIS, 900. The
sanitary condition has been so improved
that it Is now all that could be desired.
Convicts have been given abundant good
clothing and every one has been furnished
with new iron cot and new beds, we
have re-stocked the farms with new
teams at a cost of about $12 ,000 we have
purchased the shirt plant for 5000 which
is turning out an average of over 100 doZ-
en- shirts day, for which we get so cents
dozen against 20 cents paid the old man.
agement and have put everything in first
class condition.
I'm view of the improvements made and
the successful conduct of the operations
of the penitentiary, we are surprised that
any one should say that the penitentiary
is not self-supporting. The Legislature
for the first time will have no penitentiary
problem"
Wilmington is to make extensive i'm
provements in its opera house and city
hall