The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-11-17


cost of supplies of all kinds during the
the last year.
Two Contracts in Force.
The bulk of the men are employed
on two contracts, one for the manufac-
ture Of overalls and the other for box
shocks The number of men employed
ON these two contracts at the date
OF this report is 240-165 being en-
ployed on the overall contract and "a
In the box factory. The men engaged
on these contracts are making some
thing over $4,000 year in overtime,
this being money paid them by the
contractors for work done over the
tasks assigned them. Very many OF
them are sending money thus earned
to their families, while some of them
are saving it so that they may have
something to start with when they are
discharged. Under the present parole
law a prisoner who is paroled is re-
quired to furnish his own clothing on
going out and provide for his trans
portation to his destination. Men who
are looking for a parole are therefore
making it point TO save money to
meet these expenditures. and this in
centive to good conduct i'm the shops
is a potent factor in promoting better
discipline i'm the prison generally.
During the past two years l have,
with the consent of the contractors,
closed down the shops every evening
at 4:30 and have allowed all the men
the yard for exercise and recreation
for half an hour before they go to their
cells each day i'm the week except Sat
urday, on which day we close down at
o'clock to give time for the weekly
to take. H. addition to this, l have
during the last year arranged to have
the men given the yard every Sunday
forenoon from $3.50, after the services
in the chapel, until IL o'clock
This, with the time given them in
the yard during the week days, has
tended very noticeably to improve
their health and has developed much
better feeling among them towards
the prison management. The contrac-
tors have found that they have lost
nothing by this concession, as the
men are showing increased efficiency
/ in the shops and work more cheer
/ fully in consequence. / have sought
| latterly to give the men all the time
possible in the yard. where they can
engage in athletic games and enjoy
the fresh air and sunshine, and my
experience convinces me that this is
wise policy, in that 1t tends to hui
MAMIE the men and keep them in good
physical condition. The yard privi-
lege is very highly priced and depri-
walton of that and other privileges in
the prison has come to be the princi-
pal punishment to which we resort in
order to maintain discipline.
Conduct of Men Excellent.
I deem it proper to say here that the
general conduct of the men during the
past year, has been about all that
could be desired, and more than might
reasonably be expected in an institu
ton of this kind. IL has been very
rarely necessary to resort to harsh
punishment for violation of the pris-
on rules or misconduct of any kind
Taken as a whole, the men have shown
a high appreciation of the privileges
granted them and a quick and graft
fying responsiveness to the efforts be-
ing made to better their condition
Weeks have gone by without a single
report being made against any of the
men employed in the shops, and the
quality of the workmanship in both
factories has shown a marked i'm
provement since the yard privileges
has been enlarged.
The health of the prisoners during
the past year has been really remark
able. For weeks at a time the hospi-
tai has been empty, and the bulk OF
those who received treatment there
were the victims of accidents or were
diseased when received in the prison
The fuel cost has shown a marked
decrease in the past two years. 1t II
now down to about $4,000 a year
whereas II was at n rate of $4,000 6
|
We are burning slack coal which
costs us, delivered at the prison, $685.
ton ard we are obtaining excellent
results from the use. Taking into ac'
count the power used, which amounts
to 175 horse power daily and that W.
do our heating and lighting, the fue
cost is very low.
During the past summer we install
led a pump for fire protection purpos
es at a point near the prison wher'
running stream gives us an abund
ant water supply. This pump has |
capacity of 500 gallons per minute, I
Is always in readiness for instant u.s.
and can throw three powerful streams
over the highest of our buildings. IL
installation gives us ample fire pro
lection, something that has hitherto
: been sorely needed In the institution
|, Farm Makes Money.
$ In spite of quite a severe and pro
= tracted drouth last spring, we hav
: obtained a fine yield from the farm