The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-12-01

lIe. The prison officials Of our sister state /
" Louisiana have recently adopted sim
lar method OF caring for their consumptive {
conVlc,s, having been impellcd TO adopt
inns course by the splendid success attend /
lns tue plan OF separate maintenance for
S sucn prison inmates In Texas. The greatly /
iesSehed mortality among the penal popu |
laton, as disclosed by The records, spenks /
volumes ~ favor Of the efficiency OF this !
branch OF prison service. During the two
years Guiding October ri, 1900 there were
x zSs deaths from all causes, while for the
year and ten months closing August 81 [
lVo-' only l8i deaths occurred.
Matters OF Finance.
we regret to state that the present nnan.
cial condition Of the penltentiary system
Is not as satisfactory as We hoped To re-
port IT, However, as the existing state OF
aualrs Is the direct result OF severe ana
unprecedented providentia causes and
"lher serious misfortunes, which the most
prudent precautions could not have averted,
nor the most skillful fnancerlng have over.
come the prison management is In no
manner responsible for the same. The only
"Snder Is with such trying experiences
ana untoward Surroundings during the past
three years, that as fine a showing hus
oecn possible as Is herewith presented by
tAe financial agent. Calamity utter ralnm-
ny peieu tue system at THE very outset OF
th's administration, and before the ond of
your e&eelieney s hrst term as EoyeYuo. the
lOasva III TINS branch OF the State service
| MS SHOWN by the last bicnuia report of
/ superintendent j. 5. Rice, reached the va
ula'kNhle sum Of ,-j~ G.iJ.45 aud wprs
Thalscahie to the following causes. to-wit
Damage and loss by lire at Hunts
vile, February 49, 1890. ....... 10. 4C2 Ii
F! na at punovant farm, March
Floods month Of July. 1900. 800. 97,2a7 Is
rue at Fairris farm, December
storm September S. hoo, ana -'''o ~
crops lost by boil wceylls. .. $3.50 %
Total property loss .....,... $2as, 80 -
In addition to these heayy aud
very embarrassing losses, the un-
precedented early freeze OF 1901 IN
the cane belt OF the State destroyed on
Harlem and Dunovant farms fully $4,000
/ worth OF sugar cane belonging 20 che pcai-
Tertiary system, thereby Increasing the
+ total amount Of pccuniary losses from those
unexpected sources TO S2SS. go. -. The leg
islatlve appropriations available to the sys.
tenn during the past four years for meeting
deficiencies arising In It's management aud
Tor use IN the purchase Of lands equip
mentS. materials and supplies. amounted
10 $4,000 and yct, despite the severe
losses above recountcd only $4,000 II said
amount has been permanently drawn from
| the treasury. which was employed In the
| tabulated statement Of the actual cNpcudl-
| lures for permanent improvements. maChln-
| cry, land and live stock. throughout the
! system, from November l. 1893, to August
| 81. 1902. shows that the entire outlay was
! $87l277.6S which was distributed as fol
| lows:
/ luntSVule ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. SSl,0I3 ~
| knsk '..''..'..''- '...,....'.,. oahS9 ~
Clemens farm. land ........... 7728l 80
Clemens farm. improvements -. 106 236 SO
| Total Observation-Disclosures. .$37l .277 ca
! Deduct from this amount the $4,000 of
I the general appropriation expended In the
7 purchase of Clemens farm, and It Will be
/ seen that the penitentiary management. In
| addition TO providing from the resources
! OF the system the large amount required
I for its maintenance and current expenses
/ during the time under consideration, has
! met and overcome losses aggregatlng S2SS'
! $500, and expended S29l.27T.6S In better
( ments for Its institutions, the enlargement
OF its industries and important additions
10 its real estate and live stock posses
siOns. These two amounts make the sum
I OF S5T9, 81. There was received from
the previous administration. as is disclosed
! by the financial agents report S292, n1J. 12
! in available assets, which consisted or
cash cast Iron pipe, and unsold sugar, as
/ follows .
Cash on hand ....,..........., S16s,161 1e
! Pipe Mt Hnsk ,....,...,......' hp 40o w
Sugar at Harlem '...',..'..'' 54'5so 10
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. SEQ, 1855 ~
After allowing 1922 9S5,T2 as available
assets on hand at the beginning OF the
Ss no@a 3rom the abops
| stated as the sum total OF losses, and eX-
pendltures other than for mnintenance, ana
adding to the rcmninder-S2S6. So. 25--the
| present cash balance OF S5S42 49, Il will
be seen that the system hns sustained anu
overcome, during the time stated. eItraor,
binary losses aggregating s2ss255,2 ~ PAID
all expenses ~ maintenance, and has =
| surplus OF S419260 on hand, independent Of
the amount above credited TO the preceding
administration.
belonging 10 the penitentiary system NJ TINS
date is fixed by conservative apptaisc'
nent at $3.1s1,41o.54. On October y; lS,S
1t was reported to be S2,e8 l4S AZ ~
this amount 500 800 was In bills receivable
and open accounts long past due, whicf
we're subsequently charged to profit am
loss by order OF the board as entirely
Worthless, thereby reducing the actua
propertv values OK the system at that dnt'
10 S2, $50 s2s.4 40 This basis Of calculation
shows that during the period OF time nance
there has been an Increase In the available
assets and property values Of the system
Of $54S. $50 IL, which exceeds the amount
Of 1871 ,2T7.6s, expended for land, permss
nent improvements. equipments una Vet
terments, by Si7I3a.44.
When the great financial disasters here
toforc mentioned are considered ~ c9n
nection with the Increased cost Of main
, tanning the prison system. growing out O
The heavy advance In prices Tor nearly nv
provisions supplies and feed stuns, the ne
resnlts attained by those charged by Law
With conducting tine fiscal AFFAIRS ~ IN
same will challenge the hearty commenda
lion Of ali thoughtful and conservative husi
ness men throughout the State. A s!ngl
Instance will suffice TO show how seriousl!
! the Increased prices OF the necessaries o
. / fFe have affected tho finances OF the sy'
/ tom. During the incumbency Of the pres
{ ONT financial agent. who entered upon
discharge OF his official duties nearly lou
Years ago. he has been forced 10 e1pen
fcr bacon alone approximately SlSb'V'
. moro than either Of his predecessors PAL
= ~. Tor the same purpose during the sam
length Of time Certainly, but for IN
= snisndd business methods and first claH
Infringement that have prevailed In Y
asroI affaIrs. the penitentlary system 0
, rcxes would have required. dnring the pas
4 two years. substantial assistance from w
: oubiI, treasury Of the State 10 enable
? ~ he maintained nj thn' high standard q
: cyceliency and efficiency tnat IS demande
: liz public expectation Of It's executive OF
Acers
House Of Correction ana Refornstoo.
The Affairs Of the house OF correctio
\ and refcrmatory AT Gainesville are not en-
[ braeed in the foregoing comments upon III
Q he finances OF the system. for the reaso
: that the legislature makes IN detail all al
nronriations required for It's maintenance
= ana operatiou. The report N Assistan
y Eunrrinteudcnt l.. J, rapkersiey, WHICH