The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1904-01-09


and / female we're returned during
the year.
The general health Of the patients
has been good and they have had no
contagious diseases.
The total cost Of maintaining the
institution for the IL months was
$50, 229. 70, including Transports
tioD and improvements. The cost
per day per patient was 80 cents.
The Improvements consisted Of en-
larging the irrigation canal, IeyeIiDg
the farm grounds and enlarging the
orchard.
The products Of the farm and
orchard were materially increased
and the general condition Of the
institution vastly IMPROVED.
STATE PRISON.
The report Of Warden G. s. Perrin
of the state penitentiary for the IL
months ending November 80, 1903,
makes very interesting reading and
contains much information OF great
value, beside historical data and
valuable statistics.
Warden Perrin prefaces his report
with brief history Of the peniten
tiary. At the time Of the organiza-
tion Of the territory of Idaho in 1863
the territorial penitentiary was
established at Idaho City. 1t was q
crude affair, built Of logs, with iron
bars across the windows. A lumber
stockade 100 by 40 feet surrounded
the building. This prison was
abandoned in 1868 when the govern
ment constructed q substantial brown
stone cell houes about two and a half
miles from Boise. Two years later
this cell house was surrounded By q
lumber stocksde u feet in height
and enclosing two acres. Some years
later q small farm house was built
outside the stockade for the use of the
warden. Within the stockade new
cell house was constructed in 1889.
containing AZ gingle iron cells and
I two double cells. These buildings.
with a few board shanties, were
turned over 70 the state in 1890.
At the present time there are %
buildings on the prison grounds.
valued at s24T. 22s.eo.
A total OF s37 acres of land is
enclosed by substantial wire fence
and about 20 acres lies outside the
fence. Thirty acres is in orchard,
81 in alfalfa and three in garden.
These tracts were very much run
down when Warden Perrin assumed
charge of the institution but have
since been fertilized and improved.
Thirty five acres more are subject 10
reclamation, making 80 acres con
servatively appraised at sl0O per
acre. In addition TO this there are
40 acres Of rock quarry, worth $50
an acre and 337 acres of rolling hills
valued at sl0 an acre. The total
, value Of all lands is estimated at
sl3, 370.
There is tradition that in 1856
Hon. E. Curtis, secretary Of the
, territory Of Idaho, donated so
volumes to the penitentiary as a
nucleus for a library. Since that
, time other contributions have been
, made aud under the present system Of
charging visitors 25 cents for Admis.
sion ii has been possible to greatly
improve the library. During the
; past year the library has been CLASH
2 fled and catalogued. There are lToo
volumes all told, valued at $4,000.
The estimated value of furniturs
and apparatus, heating and lighting
: systems and supplies ON hand is
3 sl6, $50. 90.
The smallest number of prisoner:
, during the year was lel on Angus
e al-22, aud the largest number ~
: on November 1880. The dali.
Q average was ia
!. Ii requires $50 tons Of coal 10 hea
X the prison buildings every year sne
I the cost is S10l2. 90.
The electric light plant cost $3.50
/ year 10 maintain.
The present water supply is IN
le sufficient and steps have been take
e to improve it, The supply has bee
t. doubled under Warden Perrin
Al management by the development of
Q spring.
The sewerage system is also
need of betterment.
4. The products of the prison orchsr
a. and garden yielded total value I
A. sl1,4 ASA. 30 during the past seasol
Al Estimating the peaches at 8 cents
10 pound they realized $4,000, viii
$4,000 worth of pork was raised.
II 1t cost s2.50 day to run Il
"a warden's house but this amount woul
have been considerably reduced ha
10 IL not been necessary to purcha
he considerable furniture.
M The guards mess averaged So cen
an per day for each guard. Il cost
cents per day for each prisoner
A.. tAt.l ...,st - ,,.of