The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1900-01-04

extended
THE PENAL INSTITUTION.
Two years ago we were approaching period
when there was warrant for saying that the
pententary was about to become self
tanning This desirable condition was actually
realized for five months and IL would have
been main tained but for the advanced prices In
most food prodpcts, material for clothing and
other articles consumed In the institution. The
losses of the penitentary. based on compar-
ison OF the annual earnings with the yearly
current expenses, including the per diem OF
managers. and the salaries q the officers and and
were s57 $3.50 80: in 1897, s3i 75l sG in 1893. es-
$50 9S; while the loss for 1899 is only Sl9, 1890
This shows most clearly that we are slowly
Ohio will not be called upon TO contribute any
thing toward meeting the expenditures neces-
sarv in the management OF their penal insti-
tuition. unless there be changes authorized In
the Industrial employment OF the present
population, involving expensive experiments
that may be wanting in practical results and
bring no benefits either to the public or the
prisoner 4.
q financial way for the benefit Of the taxpaying
public. have all been obtained without ditnin-
ishing the supply OF wholesome food or sum-
cient clothing. The watchful care over the
general health OF the prisoner has not been
lessened and no prisoner is required to per
form daily task beyond his ability. The In
mates are receiving due and just consideration,
and the efforts heretofore made toward better
ing their conditions, are appreciated and ap-
proved by public sentiment and sympathy.
Al the ouild!ngs within the prison enclosure
ward. which lacks facilities for the proper care
OF the inmates The old coils in the blocks
erected when the prison was built do not per-
init such accom- modat ION as the best sanitary
demands seem to require, but whether It would
be prudent or economical 70 change these,
building Of o new penal institution within the
next decade, is to be determined. II Is GER
tain. however. that the penitentiary. as at
present constituted. cannot accommodate COM
fortably more than sOJJ prisoners .Ie space
at command will not permit OF q large increase
Of prison population over that number and
sanitary precautions woul seem to dictate
1000 prisoners the maximum The state
Sho lid. at some time in tn, near future. pro-
vide modern, adequate and p:op,r pr. son for
such females rs are now sentenced 10 the peni-
tentary. The present buildings for that de-
plrtmcnt are virtually di>grace the state.
A great change for the better in the physi al
condition OF all the penitentary buildings and
enclosures has come du ing the ad ninistra-
tion OF its present managers and warden In
1895 serious deterioration of the state property
at the penteutary was evident: the grounds
presented an unkcmpt appearance and the
streets and walks were In m ScraDle repair
All that has bcei remedicd aud it is now
doubtful whether there is cleaner prison in
the country.
The earnings " the penitentiary from all
sources for ley. were s3lo,Di2s3: for 1899 .30i,-
W.. 90; a total for the two years of .623 65.g2
This shows an increase in The eirning capacity
Of the Leniten,iary of sl2 '.l5J45, when COM
pared with the earnings OF s5O3, ~ during
the two preceding years. The gross expenses
for ls9s. including the per diem of managers.
and salaries of Off ers and guards: were sai7.-
4430l, and the like expenditures for 1889 were
sa!a. i.iLtS, total for the two years Of $780,
$50 ~. The total expenses durirg 1896 and 1897
for similar purposes were aoso iao32 This in
by tue growth in the prison population The
daily average population in 1875 was ei1i; In
1877 it WAS a2f4: in S0S, 2.i4 and in 1899
22s4 In other words there has been nn aver
age Of 100 more prisoners to feed, clothe and
guard each day during the last two years. The
daily per ens S Sos' 1%r tr or the
in 1876 to 80 sS in 1897 to as3 in 1898 and to 80
cents in 1899
THE OHIO STATE REFoRMAroRY.
The work Of construction at the state re-
formatory at Mansfield has proceeded under
various difficulties. but satisfactory out
come is to be expected in the near future The
amount expended for construction up to the
close OF the tiscahyear was Si 0S8 9S3 o. leaving
balance In the treasury to the credit of the
construction account OF S14,si5. Work is now
cell ana lateral wing The architects report
that the wall construction is progressing satis-
factorly. but that about ., ,00J will be required
TO complete it. The stone and brick work OF
the east cell and laieral wing has been.Sbm-
pleted ready for the roof but it Is probable that
the roof cannot be erected before the ensuing
spring. 1t Is proposed that there shall be some
changes in the heating and ventilaling ap-
paratus and in the cell block, and it is thought
that such contracts will nearly exceed the
balance of the construction fund. The archi-
tect's estimate of the cost of all the work to
be done on the institution indicates that the
total expenditure for the. reformatory COM
pleted will be near 81 800 0ol. At the present
prices of material. however. it is proba-
BILE that this estimate would be exceeded.
The design of the institution-that being q
place for the reformation OF first offense pris-
oners between the ages OF l6 and 3J-is appar-
entity succeeding; Mt all events. the officers Of
the institution are extremely hopeful In this
work. The average reformatory population
for the year was 3l5 and Of that number the
percentage OF obedience and good conduct un-
.1art hs.U maj lArpp Nha a,,ar Ia
system has been literally used l73 paroles
having been granted during 1899. The records
show that only IL per cent nSa %i The atSied
discharged Up to this time owing to the
slow building operations, the reformatory may
to indicate its ultimate success
INSTITUTION STATISTICS.
The whole number Of inmates maintained In
our IL state institutions for the year 1889 was
%, ,35s. o decrease from the preceding year Of 76
The aggregate daily average number of inmates
in 1899 was 1880. increase over 1898 Of ia.
penses. salaries Of officers and expenses Of
trustees for the repairs and improvements
and gross expenditures. was G.9lS loi.ba In
the sum OF s2 sos fsi.ys, . decrease from 1893 OF
S2b Oi9.60 The total net current expenses, in
Guiding salaries and expenses OF trustees and
crediting each institution with the amount OF
its earnings money received from the coun-
ties1for clothing furnished inmates. from the
sale OF products, ana other earn1ngS) were In
1898 sI Spy 0762i: in 1899, S2.OOl 2i0. o. an In
crease Of sl0s. .a4a rs. In 1898 the average pei
capita cost, based on the net current ex penses
WAS sisL5:; in isss the average was sIsd 70. On
increase Of t5a6
Al the close of the year 1898 there were H., 81.
inmates remaining in these institutions: at
& the close OF the year 1899, there were 10 ITO {
decrease Of Is The whole number Of persons
employed including ofncers and teachers, or
Novembefl6 1897, WAS SEQ; on the same date
In Is9B. the number had Increased to 2,12i; ir
xWas IAN N incPNRSA In a
over isS7, and an increase OF u in 1897 over
OHIO In THE WAN WITH SPAIN
THR VOLUNTEERS - The most importan,
duty devolvtng upon the executive branch OF
the state government curing the period COW
cred by this message arose through the war oi
the United States with Spain. Before pro-
eecding to give in somewhat particular detail
the services of the national guard and other
tion the character OF the organization Of the
national guard Of the state which obtained i'm
medistely prior TO the declaration of war The
consolidated report OF the strength of the
guard for the quarter ending March 81, 1898
was boi on1cers and 6.36i enlisted men thi,
number including all Of the eight regiments Of
infantry, one battalion Of infantry, eight bat
naval brigade. In April. 1908, it became ap-
parent that war would be declared with Spain
and accordingly orders we're issued requiring
all oPga anizations 70 be recruited to the maxi
mum allowed by state law, and also asking the
Immediate physical examination by medical
Of1cors OF all ofncers and men enlisted In the
guard and the discharge Of all men found
physically disqualified for military service
The result Of this precsution was that Wher
he AvG nal1 nf ha HAr