The Portland daily press., 1901-02-20
$4,000 DEFICIT.
The Situation at the
State Prison.
Business Has Been Done at a Loss
and Capital is Needed.
Committee Will Make a
Second Trip
And Try to Find q Way Out Of
the Institutions Difficulties.
saFEorAL TO THE PzEssl

Augusta. February 19.-The committee
on state prison proposes 20 pay second
visit TO the state prison at Thomaston.
This is an unusual proceeding on the
part OF a committee OF the legislature.
When the committee visited the prison
they found that there was q dsnoit OF
xg7, GOO, the result Of losing business and
the payment OF old debts. Two years ago
the legislature appropriated $4,000 for
the prison and that was just enough to
meet the loans made at banks In Thomas
ton and kookland. IL was urged two
years ago that the appropriation should
be larger but there was considerable stock
on hand In the workshops and so only
sl6, 900 WAS appropriated. As member
OF the commit tee explained the matter to
the PRESS correspondent, when Warden
smith took charge OF the prison, he
found little stock on hand and In order
to keep the shops running It was neces-
sary TO raise money. Thus the debt OF
Sl5 900 was incurred. This was wiped
out with the appropriation OF two years
ago, but the prison was again without
capital. Warden Smith with ths consent
of the prison inspectors and the commit
| tee of the Governors council has RAISED
the necessary funds on his personal notes,
but he has not been able to do business
to advantage becs use without canital he
could not take advantage OF the market
and secure discounts in the purchase oil
goods. More than that it is stated that
every short term man ID loss to the
stats. He cannot earn enough to pay his
| way. 1t is only on the services Of Few
life prisoners and long term oonviots that
the state makes profit. This Ia the
situation as learned by the committee
There is a debt OF 81, ,OgO; the institution
DOES not pay its way and it needs capital
to do business as well as money to meet
the inevitable deficit. The present inten-
tion Of the committee Is to visit the
prison ON Tuesday next and try to devise
some way to put It's business affairs upon
a sound basis
A LICENSE FOR LOG DRIVING.
The Grange committee on taxation pre-
pose to present TO the legislature bill
! placing an annual license fee OF ten cents
thousand feet for the privilege OF
driving logs in Maine waters. The COM
mittes has already caused the introduce
/ ton Of bill for the taxation Of wild
lands, but that bill. inasmuch as IL puts
the wild lands In class by themselves.
it is said may be found to be unconstitu-
! t,onal. 50 the COMMITTEES want the
license system to fall back upon. There
| Is q similar law In New Hampshire. In
Maine it is said that the licenses would
yield an annual income of $4,000. Tie
bill will be vigorously opposed. It IL
urged that it does not reach the villa
| land owners at all, but would result in
additional burdens upon the operators.
CAMDEN WILL BE HERE.
Tomorrow Is the date of the hearing
on the bill to permit the town Of Camden
to own It's water works, and 1t Is said to-
night that pretty nearly the whole town
is coming over to make their wishes
known. 1t was reported this evening
that the delegation would bs headed ny q
brass band and the fire companies would
come in uniform