The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-11-02
INSPECTED THE MILL
Legislators Entertained al the
Walla Walla Penitentiary
VISITED THE WESTON NORMAL
Thirty-two Members Assembled In
Mock Legislative Session at Com.
mercial Association Banquet.

A party of 70, including 81 repre-
sentatives and eleven senator's of the
Oregon legislature, citizens of UNA
tilla county and mbers of the Pen
dleton Commercial Association went
over to Walla Walla Tuesday, where
the Washington state penitentiary and
the jute mill was inspected under the
direction of Governor Mead of Wash
ington.
Governor Chamberlain of Oregon
and the Multnomah county delegation
had gone direct from Portland to
Walla Walla Monday evening, and
were in waiting at Walla Walla when
the Pendleton train arrived.
For an hour and a half the party
viewed the wondrous mechanism OF
the jute plant, studied state reports
and talked with penitentiary officials.
in the quest for knowledge as to the
working of the plant aud the cost of
operation and maintenance.
After the inspection Of the jute
plant the Oregon party was rendered
an elegant luncheon in the officers
quarters of the penitentiary by the
state board of control of the Washing
ton penitentiary and the Commercial
club of Walla Walla.
For the benefit of the visiting men,
bers of the legislature, the board of
control of the Washington penientiary
had prepared the following excellent
statistical report of the operation OF
the Walla Walla plant, its cost, re-
quirements and the profits accruing
from It's operation:
The jute mill at the penitentiary
has 20 looms with the necessary auxil-
iary machinery to even up the plant.
The appraised valuation of the entire
plant on September 80, 1906. includ.
ing structures, machinery and all ap-
I purtenances was about $125,000. The
appraised valuation of the machinery
alone is about $50, 900; it is estimated
however. that similar plant could
be installed and fully equipped with
modern machinery for bout the pres
ent appraised valuation of this plant.
The jute mill, as well as all othel
manufacturing industries at th'
Washington state penitentiary is caret
for by fund separate and independ
ent from the prison proper. For thu
past three legislative periods. or since
April 1, 1900, there has been appropri
ated $3.50, 900 for each succeeding TIVE
years; this allows $4,000 year fo
the operation of the various industries
at the penitentiary. The receipts from
the sale of all manufactured pro
ducts are turned in direct to the state
treasurer, hence the necessity of new
appropriation each legislative period
The enhanced prices of raw material
with the greater demand for tn
manufactured products will necessi
tate the increasing of the appropria
tion by a considerable amount i
order to keep the mill in operation tn
year around and cover the increases
cost of the manufactured product
Heretofore it has been the custom
shut the mill down from two to fou
months Of each year with very shor
hours after the harvesting was done.
During the year 1905 jute COS
$15. 81 laid down at the mill. It cos
5.16 cents to manufacture the bag
during the same period, while the,
sold for 5.85 cents each, leaving
profit of about.7 of a cent eact