Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1903-01-08
THE STATE PEN|IENT|ARY,
IT DOES NOT OWE A CENT
TO ANY MAN.
The Present Administration Has
Earned, Over and Above All
Expenses, $40. 288. IA
Splendid Record.
Raleigh News and Observer.

Iuo OGdUO prison uOoS nOC w
a dollar. To-day we paid off every
cent of indebtedness, so that no man
living holds a claim against it.
"The net earnings of the peniten-
tiary for the past two years is S4O,-
288. a."
That is what Mr.. Nathan OtBerry,
of Wayne, a director II the State
penitentiary, said to me yesterday
afternoon, as he was leaving l.lieigh
for his home, in GoIdsboro.
YES" he added, "the earnings
ofthe States prison since the new
hoard Of directors took charge, over
and above the expenses, is $40, 283. A,
and we have paid every cent the
penitentiary owes"
How has it been done? By the
best business management and the
closest economy in everything con-
nected with its affairs.
During the previous administra-
ton the expenses of the States prison
aggregated $3.50, 900. During the
present administration the expenses
have aggregated $3.50, 900. In other
words, the expenses under the Day
administration were something like
800, 900 more than under the Aycock
administration.
These simple figures tell a whole
volume.
The new board, appointed by
Governor Aycock, found when they
entered upon their duties that the
penitentiary was indebted to nearly
everybody. During their term they
have paid every claim against the
prison, some OF them having stood
as long as three years. To-day the
slate is clean.
Isn't that a good New Years pres
ent to the taxpayers of North Caro-
lima who have been burdened with
taxation and bond issues to meet
the constantly recurring deficit of
the penitentiary?
AS a matter of fact the net earn
ings Of tlo penitentiary are $40, 900,
compared with former administra-
tons, for two items Of expers. aave
been paid that nave not heretore
been included in the expenses Of the
penitentiary-one 1850 paid to the
owners of the Arson farms to re-
lease the State from its obligation to
purchase them, and $3.50 paid fer
recapturing escaped convicts. Here
tofOre that expense has been charged
up against the State Treasury and
has not been paid blythe penitentiary
as one OF It's proper expenses. Of
course it is a proper charge against
the penltentiary.
During the past year the peniten-
tiary has built n Of the finest gins
in the State. All together it has ex-
pended upwards of S., 1000 in perma-
nent improvements, but in the state
ment which will be sent to the Gov
ernor, no item is put down as 'Eper-
manent improvements" It is all
charged up to general expense"
In summing up the assets, no ac-
count is taken CT chips and what-
stones or Of anything except what
a be sold for CASH within TIE naxt
few Hl0Af2.. nc ~lcao o ioEage or
turnips figure IN that statement,
though tie ~panitentiary has forage
enough for two years and several
hundred bushels of wheat on hand.
The directors and officers of the
State prison have done their work
we'll. 1t will be a matter for State
wide regret that Mr.. Nathan O'Ber-
ry, of Wayne, n of the board of di-
rectors, has rendered his resignation,
which took effect yesterday. Mr..
rO'Berry is easily one of the first bus
mess men in the State. He has large
business interests which demand all
his time and he feels forced to retire
as a director of the penitentiary. Mr..
C'Berry accepted the dictatorship
when Governor Aycock came into
Office only at the earnest solicitation
of the Governor, his warm personal
friend. Mr.. O'Berry is the type of
man needed in the dictatorship of
public institutions. He has been
worth many dollars to the State as a
di, ector of the penitentiary.