The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-04
EAT THE NEW
W0RKEHOUSE.

New Castle county has the dis
tinction OF having two criminal In
stitutions running at the same time.
In addition TO the New Castle coun-
|ty Jail, the new workhouse is now
open. Superintendent Meserve hac
the guards for breakfast to-day aud
the men look we'll in their blue
suits, and the silver buttons tear
the coat OF arms Of the State.
There are no prisoners in the
workhouse and Sheriff Mcdaniel
vii refuse the demand OF the trus-
tees Of the workhouse, which will
be made during the coming week
for the delivery of the prisoners IN
his charge. The matter will then
come up before the court and no
matter what way the opinion goes,
an appeal will be taken and the
case will go before the State Su-
preme Court.
Sheriff McDanicl's $ claim is that
the taking away Of the prisoners Is
Ia violation of the State eonstItu-
tion, which prohibits the taking
aWav OF the emoiuments OF his
office, il being held that the care
and feeding OF prisoners is an
emolument.
The Legislature at its session
last spring fixed the salary OF the
sheriff at IS, 900 and an additional
$4,000 for deputies. a peculiar
point in the proceedings.whlch VIII
come before the court is that Chief
Justice Lore, will, in all probabil.
ity, he asked 10 retire from the
bench during the trial OF the case
Chief Justice Lore has been an ar
dent supporter of the workhouse
idea and, it is claimed, has made
remarks concerning the transferring
Of the prisoners.
Taxpayers do net look on the new
workhouse as a very favorable reform
er or a reducer Of The county tax rate
When the stCne pile was Instituted
it was thought that it would be the
means OF de tcrring the tramps but
on the contrary it has been an in.
ducement to them to violate the law
for the sake of being convicted to
New Castle Jail. A couple of wears
ago it was computed That ny the
time load Of stone would get on
one Of the Appointments hundred
roads 1t would cost the taxpayers or
New Castle county the maj portion
of $40. Daring the past year the
stones broken in the lali yard nave
been placed on the road between New
Castle and Wilmington. The average
cost of placing a load Of stones was
over So or about half dollar for one
hundred pounds. After the stones
reached the wharf at New Castle,
say eight, and the stone Pile boss,
would work a little over six hours IN
unloading. The prisoners loaded the
carts when they hauled the broken
stone away and the carts earned -, 10
q day for hauling two loads OF Oroken
stone distance Of three miles.
When the quarry at Grcenbank IS
operated the case will be stiII worse.
The prisoners are not Quairymen
They are unskillcd in that line Of Ia,
!bor and consequently 1t is believed
that the result Of .heIr work VIII be
small and that by the time the Orok-
en- stone gets to one Of the dow'
country roads the stones vii! be a deal
commodity. ,
The guards at the workhousc w'iI
be armed. In the StOckade the
prisoners will be as safe as inside o
the worlihous6 for 1t IS surruunded
with a double barbed wire fence ter
feet high and the strands are only
Blk inches apart.
Superintendent Meservc has ADOPT
cd comprehensive plan for govern
inp the institution. When prison.
er is admitted he will be obliged to
take q bath before donning the prlsoI
garb: description Of each lnmat
recorded, and guard cannot take
prisoner to any part OF the lu9tlt0
tion without L written order.
The post and pilloly are in smaI
enclosure near the stUchadc and TIL
prisoners when in the pillory wi!
have their faces towards the wall
DR.. Polk p. Stubs, the workhous
phvsician, will visit the institution
weekly.