The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-26
REMOVAL OF WORKHOUSE
1T Is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED BY
THE VISITING COMMITTEE.
Condition Of the Institution Found to
He Satisfactory I'm the Main-StOne-
Breaking a Loss.

The committee, composed of William r.
N. Sylvester. Lorenz Schmidt, Alice Run
nels. Emma Lee Elan. Ella Lathrop Gavin
and William A. Bell appointed by the
County Board of Charities and Correction
to inspect the Marion County Workhouse
filed the following report yesterday with
the Board of County Commissioners:
I'VE were at the workhouse on Nov u
and were shown through the premises by
Mr.. Shaw. the superintendent With the
exception of the guards room, we found
guards room does not present as tidy an
appearance as IL should. The carpet Is
badly worn and not as clean as ii should
be. We recommend that the carpet be dis
pensed with and rugs used instead. We
were very glad to see that Mr.. Shaw had
provided a padded cell by his own labor and
the assistance of some of the inmates. We
have repeatedly advised you of the great
need of padded cells for the workhouse
jail and police station, but this is the first
and only one which has been furnished.
They are certainly great necessity and
should be provided in every correctional
institution.
WORKHOUSE STATISTICS.
1.-The number of inmates was 154, as fol-
lows: One hundred and thirty-one men,
twenty-three women. There were ffty-one
colored men and fourteen colored women.
OF the men about 40 per cent were colored
and of the women about 60 per cent were
colored. OF the entire number about AZ
per cent. were colored. Considering the
difference in the population of the whites
and colored in the city and county, this
shows a very large percentage of colored
people In the institution. We have many
times called your attention to the fact that
this is a workhouse only in name, and
have suggested that employment other
than the stonepile should be furnished.
Since we have agitated the matter, the
manufacture of mops has been introduced
and has been a great success. The break
ing of stone is an actual loss pecuniarily
to the county and the only merit il has Is
the punishment of the inmates by per-
forming the labor. In our report to you of
visit to the poor farm we advised the
purchase of additional land and the placing
of the workhouse upon 1t. Our visit to
this institution conforms our opinion that
the time is not far distant when Ii must be
removed from its present location, and
that the advantages to be derived from a
larger tract of land at a greater distance
from the center of the city in a few years
could make the workhouse nearly, If not
quite self-sustaining.
while Ii must of necessity be some time
before the removal OF the workhouse can
be accomplished, we wish to call your at
tention, as we have many times before,
to the imperative need of an opening made
in the mems dollhouse to connect by a
passange way across TO the dining room
and we further recommend that a passage
way be constructed from the dining room
to the building containing the stone pile.
This will save long march from the cell
room, which must be made under the pres
ent conditions and will also prevent any
attempt at escape or an uprising which
might lead to bloodshed. This will cause
comparatively small expense when the
advantages are considered and we con-
fidently urge your prompt attention to ii
and its early completion"