The Iola register., 1901-12-13
WERE TR|CKtD LAST SEASON

Leavenworth, Kas. Dec. Warden
Jewett of the Kansas penitentiary
Warden Woolfer of the Minnesota
penitentiary, the warden of the South
Dakota penitentiary and Mr.. Elliot
president of the board of directors oi
the Kansas peniteutiary, left here sun.
day for Yucatan to buy sisal for the
three binding twine plants of the re-
spective institutions they represent.
The binding twine combine, or trust,
crowded the penitentiary twine plants
last year and the prison wardens have
found it necessary to form a sort OF a
secret organization to prevent the
twine combine from crushing them
out.
The officers of the Kansas peniten.
tiary had costly experience with the
twine combine last year, While j. b.
Tomlinson was warden he sent an of
iicer To the sisal district to purchase a
supply for the prison plant. State
ments telling Of the plans and announ-
ceing the departure of the purchasing
official we're given out. These were
noted by the twine combine officials
and they lost no time in cabling to
Iucatan and other ports OF the sisal
districts offers of two cents "a pound
advance on the price OF material.
The cablegrams stated that the price
of sisal had advanced in the United
states and contained offers to pur-
chase all that could be secured at the
new price.
The Kansas official was astounded
when he arrived in Yucatan to find
that sisal had taken sudden Jump of
two cents and could hardly be pur-
chased at any price. He contracted
for small amount and returned |
home. Not long after his return it |
leaked out that the trust combine Of
ticials had played a trick on him. 1t
is said that the officials OF the Mimi
esota penitentiary had an experience
somewhat similar to this.
The wardens of the penitentiaries
decided to take charge of the purchas-
ing OF sisal in person this year, and |
to keep everything connected with |
their plans as secret as possible.
The governors OF three states, along |
with the penitentiary directors, were
the only persons consulted. Cover
nor Stanley of Kansas came to Ian
sing and met the wardens for final
before their depart ure
week ago.
The wardens left here prepared to
buy sisal on an extensive scale. It is
said that they had over half a mill
ion dollars for this purpose The
warden OF the Minnesota penitentiary |
had the largest part of the sum, the
warden Of the Kansas penitentiary
second and the warden of the South |
Dakota penitentiary the smallest
If they find the price and |
favorable they will invest
all Of this money. They have been in
the sisal district for the last three
days, and it is expected that they have
about completed their purchases.
They are expected back early this
week. SO far as can be learned the
combine officials had no intimation of
their movements and were unable to
advance prices this time. When the
wardens left they had letters from the
Secretary of State, Mr.. Hay, to the
United States consuls in Yucatan and |
Mexico instruoting these officials to
aid the penitentiary officers
If Warden Jewett can buy big
supply of sisal the Kansas peniten
Liary twine will start next week and it
will run until July. Should the wheat
prospects in Kansas and Oklahoma
prove to be good in the spring months
a double shift of prisoners will be put
ON to provide IA supply of binding
Lwine.
Twine plants are now in operation
IN three penitentiaries, but the Kansas
plant can be operated at the least eX-
pense The cost of maintaining the
convict labor is about the same, but
The saving is in the furnishing of pow
4r. 1t requires great power to move
wine making machinery. At the
Kansas pinitentiary coal is mined by
and the steam power pro-
iuced at very little cost to the state.
TO Cure a COldIin one Day
nulya | yati,ra Ilu,.,..,