The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-21
STATE CAPITOL.
STATE CAPITOL.
IWINE PLANT GROWS
Governor Gives Out Some Interest
ing Figures About Prison
Industry.
Machinery Will Be Added and Ca
pacity Added to Meet the
Demands.

Governor Van SAINT visited the state
prison yesterday with the members Of the
state board Of control, and made some
inquiry into the record made by the bind
ing Irvine plant in the fiscal year just
closed. He said this morning:
while at the prison I learned some
facts that will be interesting to the tax
payers Of the state, and especially to the
farmers who use binding Irvine. This
season there were manufactured 100000
pounds and every pound has been sold
direct to the farmers; not pound to the
dealers. The Irvine is Of the very best
quality and no complaints are made. The
prices are two cents lower than the low
est price made by other manufacturers,
and If you consider the profits or dealer
and jobber this Is an actual saving OF
four cents pound, or S2sO,O00 to the
farmers who bought the twine. No doubt
there has also been a large saving to
those farmers who are not able to secure
prison Irvine, because Of the competition.
''This is not all. Not only have the
farmers been so benefited, but state
ment from the books will show that there
has been profit to the state Of S51, 959.l7,
and this, too, after an allowance MADE OF
$25,246.85 for the labor of the convlcts,
the amount allowed for this labor being
the same as paid by the contractors for
prison labor on the sshoe plant. Besides
there is charged off annually for wear
and tear to machinery about 6 per cent
of its original cost, so that now the plant,
which cost $500, 900, Is valued at $44,9ll.O9.
At this rate that amount will soon dlsap-
pear wholly. The profit on the plant to
date makes the remarkable showing OF
s419,3S482 Soon the twine plant alone,
after giving farmers as good Irvine as
can be found In the market, at saving
of hundreds Of thousands of dollars year.
will accumulate a fund sufficient to bulld
an entire new prison.
For this splendid showing great credit
is due to the wise management of the
board of control, and especially to the
efficient and businesslike methods Of
Warden Wolfer. The board and the
warden have worked in harmony and for
the best interests of the state. Now the
| sisal is bought in ~Yucatan and shipped
direct to Saltwater, and arrangements
| have been made to import manila directly
| from the Philippines and thus save the
| commission usually given to the brokers
| at eastern seaports. By this change the
direct handling of the import by way of
| the Pacific coast, the state will have an
additional advantage in the saving of
one months time
"Consider for a moment the growth of
this industry, from a product worth $3.50,
900 the first year, to 100000 for the sea-
son just closed. This will soon be in
creased to $1,000, 900. Next year it is pro-
posed to manufacture 100000 pounds,
and eventually, if demands warrant It,
to increase to 12,O00,O00. This can be
done and all machinery purchased without
any appropriation from the legislature
The additional work thus provided in the
prison will lessen the number OF con-
victs in competition with free labor.
II will take this occasion also to state
that IN my Judgment the entire prison is
effectively managed, and the discipline Is
exceeded by no institution in the United
States" r-s: %"<ls