Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-07
SHOULD EMPLOY PRISONERS
RECOMMENDATION BY WARDEN
OF UNITED STATES JAIL.
Urges Establishment of a Reforma-
tory-Report Covering Affairs
During the Past Year.

made TO the Attorney General by James
| H. Harris. warden of the United States
jail. this city, in his annual report. In
addition to telling of the affairs at the
Jail during the year ended October 81 last
and submitting estimates for next year.
the warden recommended a new establish
ment. TO be called prison. reformatory,
and also suggested that all District pris-
oners be employed.
In my reports for several years past.
the warden says, Il have referred to the
inadequacy of the Jail, as it is. to accom-
modate the number of prisoners that We
nave continually had in the Jail. and
have strongly recommended that the
present structure be remodeled by having
modern plumbing and other conyeniences
daueo thereto. and to have quite extern
sfve additions built to the jail in order
maj l the number of prisoners we have, and
ne properly taken care of.
no. misn 10 say. however. that my mind
mas undergone quite a change in reference
t 10 "nat the government should do about
.Ils "n0le matter. l now desire to recon-
lneno mat the government should found
ana maintain within the District of CO.
Iand 40. or nearby in the state of Mary
obtained in the District of Columbia an
institution to be called a prison reforma-
.oLy, OF such capacity as would be re-
dulr rs 70 take care of all sentenced pris-
onerS OF the District of Columbia. as well
as an United States prisoners for the Dis
.Ic1 OF Columbia; that sufficient amount
o. OF land should be procured suitable for
90 r,ias;t gardening and other purposes
as as might be required for such an institu-
non mat all prisoners of short sentence
snouIo De made to work on the farm in
Inc, rne PRODUCTION e of whatever could be best
useu Ior the maintenance of the instit1,-
ton, and that all other prisoners shonid
oe employed IN the production of articles
os vaiue, the proceeds from the sale there
o. 10 De covered into the United States
pc required to defray the expenses Of the
tnstitution be appropriated by Congress
FOR that purpose.
Character Of Industries.
Il know the question will arise 90 70
what Industries could be carried nm
which would not be considered ;nInr;o,,.
Z. 70 iaoor In general way. To my mind
II is sheer nonsense to say that peon,e
VINO nave been convicted of crime shall
not work because it would be iniurious IN
what Is called honest labor. The onIy oh.
!ection TO the production of manufac-
tureo goods of prison labor is where the
SAFE OF such production would come in
ordinary labor. ~
!, therefore, suggest that the War De-
partment could give orders to this insti.
tutlon Tor the manufacture of army sun.
piles, such as saddles, harness, blankets
ana coming. at such prices as the War
department would pay other manufacture
ing institutions for the same kind of
manufactured goods, and in doing so the
institution would be entirely self-support
ing. ppm
The present jail would then he used
only lot the detention of prisoners await
ing trial. and If modern plumbing, with
small amount Of alteration and repair,
were provided. the present jail would be
entlreiy adequate for hundred years to
come; deem 1t unnecessary for me to
argue as to the crying need of all pris-
oners having work to perform, but it Is
just as essential that such work should he
profitable as that labor should be profit
ABLE in any other line of business.
The daily average number of prisoners
OF all grades in the workhouse and
jail of the District of Columbia is an
prox1mately $40. There are 426 prisoners
now being kept by the United states
government at Moundsville. w. Va, and
trenton. N. j. The approximate cost of
supporting all these prisoners would be
not less than $4,000 per annum, all of
which expense could be saved to the gov
eminent. as I believe. provided the rec
ommendations herein submitted should be
carried out. l. therefore, submit the fore
going for your consideration"
Asks for $4,000.
warden darrls asks for an appropri-
alton OF $4,000 for the expenses of the
prison for the year 1908. He says the
sale Of bones and barrels last year netted
s1OO- Despite the lack of modern plumb
ing in the big prison building. the report
shows that the health of the prisoners
was good The only death there during
the period covered by the report was
by hanging. Eleven prisoners were sent
from the Jail to the Government Hospital
for the Insane
There were 465 prisoners in the Jail the
first day of November of last year, while
the number at the beginning Of last month
was 4A- The report shows that 1854
prisoners were admitted to the prison dur
ing the twelve months covered by the re-
port, and 3,705 were released. The small
est number there any day was 40 and
the largest $50. During the twelve months
17.312 persons participated in religious