Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-01-12


and the quarters Of the officers and
guards as we'll as the cells and corri-
dors have been placed in better con-
dition than ever before. There still
remains some work necessary to be
done for the prevention of filth dis.
eases, and this is in course at this time.
The plumbing is old and decayed, and
this is particularly true as regards the
south wing of the prison. Escaping
sewer gas constantly threatens the
health of the institution, and to guard
against it modern plumbing and veuti-
lation of the cells and corridors must
soon be installed.
The appropriation made for the pay
ment of the guards and employees at
the last session of the Legislature was
on the basis of a small increase in pay
per month for the wall guards, and
this was rendered absolutely necessary
by the higher cost of living and the
small pay received by them. Notwith-
standing this and large increase in
the number of prisoners over former
years. reference to the report of the
superintendent. which gives a detailed
statement of the expenditures for the
past two years, win show that the cost
of maintenance per capita of prison
population does not exceed that of for
mer years. The recommendation made
by me in my last message that a law
be passed requiring the execution
within the walls of prisoners con-
demned to death was adopted, and al
ready there has been one execution
there and others are soon to follow
This law will, l am sure, be most bene-
fetal in it's results.
Present Employment Of Convicts.
On the 1st day of February, 1899,
the then executive executed a contract
with Lowenberg & Going company, a
corporation, pursuant to can act pro-
viding for the employment of the con-
victs in the state penitentiary, ap-
proved February 23, 1895, whereby he
leased to said corporation the labor of
100 convicts from January l, 1899, to
July 30, 1905, for the sum of 30 cents
per day for each convict, and such fur
ther number at the same price per man
as said corporation might require, for
the manufacture within the prison
walls "of stoves, castings and such
other commodities of like nature as it
may deem expedient. "
The corporation pays 5000 per an
mum ms rental for the foundry plant,
and this lease expires at the same time
as the contract for the labor of the
prisoners.
'fhe report of the superintendent
shows in detail the earnings OF the
convicts under the contract of said cor
poration, and l respectfully refer the
legislature to that report for fuller in
formation. 1t will be noted that both
the contract for the labor of the pris
oGers and the lease of the foundry
plant expire July 20, 1905, and some
action should be taken by you in ref
erence to the matter. The state owns
the plant, with the possible exception
of some of the patterns, about which
there may be question, and at one
time unsuccessfully attempted to oper-
ate the foundry. If you should deter
mine that these contracts should not
be renewed at their expiration, some
provision should be made by law for
disposing of the entire outfit used in
the manufacture of stoves.
| suggest the appointment of com
mittee to inquire and report as to the
propriety of renewing the present con
tract. and if renewal is deemed advisa-
BILE, what changes, If any, should be
made in the terms thereof. The price
paid for the labor of the convlcts
seems small, but it is frequently over
looked that the great majority of them
are at all times wholly unskilled in
the work, and by the time their serv-
ices begin to be of some value their
terms expire and new men take their
places. My Investigations into the
subject lead me to believe that our
convict labor comes less in competition
with free labor, in Oregon, Mt least,
under the present system, than In any
other form of employment.
Work of some kind NUT be provided
for the prisoners. This is demanded
from the standpoint of humanity, as
well az necessity. To permit them to
remain idle in the prison enclosure,
aud to congregate and converse with
each other, would mean constant plot
ting for escape, and would endanger
the lives of the guards and the prop
erty of the state. To keep them con
fined in their cells would soon neeessi-
tate the transfer of many OF them 10
the asylum and others to the hospi'
tai. / trust, therefore, that the con
sideration of this important question
will be taken up by you early in the
session, to the end that a proper so
luton may be arrived at.
Road Building with Convict Labor
At the last session Of the Legislature
$25O0. in addition 10 $749.83 unex-
pended under a prior law, was appro
priated for the improvement OF certain
roads leading from the penitentiary 70
the several state institutions. After
consultation with the superintendent
Il was decided to improve and rebuild
the road leading TO the reform school
distance Of four or five miles The
work was done principally by conviets
though few teams were hired from
farmers in the neighborhood OF the
road. The amount appropriated was
s.....aa oso.k 40 Guiah this niece of road