The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-06-29

test upon harmonlzing their acts with
the exact spirit of the laws. the pres
ent managers at Michigan City have
accomplished all that can be achieved
in this branch Of their work with the
exceedingly meager allowance OF
$4,000 which the legislature has plac-
ed in their hands for the purpose. OF
nearly 1,50e men paroled there have
been less than % per cent Of viola
tons, and by far the greater part of
the violations have consisted Of minor
attractions of the parole conditions
and not new crimes With a larger
appropriation for supervision this
showing would be vastly improved.
excellent as 1t now is.
Disastrous Fire in 1904.
By disastrous fire occurring Sept.
II, 1904, the prison lost three large
factory buildings and the store-house.
together with supplies OF all kinds
sufficient to last six weeks. 1t is
worthy Of note that throughout this
trying experience there was not the
slightest disorder among the inmates
and that large number of them were
released in the yard TO aid in lighting
the flames, which they did assiduous-
~ and cheerfully; thing that would
have been wholly impossible under
the regime OF brutality and favoritism
that once prevailed
New Buildings Erected.
At about that time structural de-
fects began to be manifest in the
large and practically new building
containing the chapel. dining hall and
kitchen, and these were Of such char
acter as to be beyond remedy. At
the same time the prison population
had passed the capacity of the insti-
tuition and the problem of lodging the
inmates was becoming very serious.
The fire opened the way for i'm
provements that were much needed,
and appropriations were granted for
the construction of a modern cell
house, chapel, dining hall and kitchen,
/ and for other necessary buildings TO
4 replace the antiquated structures that
were fortunately burned. The work
is now actively in progress, giving ac-
ceptable employment to large num-
Der of convicts, who labor together
contentedly and tremendously in
agreeable contrast with the soldier
ing" and bloody instructions that ac-
eompanied the first operations on the
same ground half a century ago. The
state possesses no edifice erected by
free labor that is better in quality or
more economical in construction than
these. When they are occupied no
penal institution in the country will
be better housed than the Indiana
State Prison.
Binder Irvine Industry introduced.
The gradual discontinuance of the
admittedly fallacious contract labor
system in the prison has made room
for the introduction during the pres
ent year of new enterprise to be oper
ated on state account. This is the
binder Irvine factory, which has been
installed and equipped at an invest
ment of $310 900, and which requires
the labor OF seventy-two prisoners
through the year The output, aver
aging 5000 pounds a day, is sold Il
the farmers of the state at the small
est advance over actual cost that is
consistent with safety, allowing the
state so cents day for each convict
employed Contract labor has usually
brought 40 to 4S cents, though one
contract now in force brings 521!
cents
In the manufacture of binding Irvine
there is no difficulty in the matter O.
quality arising from the fact that the
labor is not free, and purchasers ge
the same quality that they would gef
from any factory which is one of tht
points that induced the board of con
troll to select this particular industry
There is no line of industry open t.
the prison in which there would bt
SO little conflict with existing inter
ests and so wide a diffusion of The
benefits. Every farmer uses binde
Irvine and there is no other concer1
for its manufacture in the state. NJ
other plant can produce the Irvine a
so little actual cost or sell it REGULAR.
at so small margin. The prison vii
enlarge its facilities as the bushes
grows, and agriculture will reap tn
profit
The Prison Farm.
Other interests and betterments. al
fecting the physical plant, the fnar
cial management and the condition 0
the prisoners, might be mentione
; but for lack of space. The recentl
enhanced productivity of what is pei
haps the least promising farm tn
state own~+ the conversion into
beautiful park of the repulsive sant
swept and humber-littered tract i
front of the main entrance; the estai
: lishment of a separate department fo
insane convicts; the appointment of
prison dentist; the adjustment Of CO.
: DOral punishment ball and chain. an