Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-02-09
Warden Hams First Report
From the State Prison Shows
improvements and Innovations.

price on all harnesses to take care of
the increased cost of the material for
the coming year.
There are two items that appear in
this report and the report will not
snow up as well financially as it would
if l left them out. The warden's salary
of $500 and the water bill of $500,
making a total of $4,000, has never APP
peared in any other report OF the
Maine State prison. j felt in making
up this report that it was intended to
give the citizens of this State the ex-
act condition of the prison financially.
Nc Deaths for Year.
7 believe the average health of the
inmates is better than it has ever been
before in the institution. There has
been no deaths and no one sick, while
only four of the men show some symp-
toms of tubeTcular trouble, but all
are able to work. Last spring after
the ground was settled 1 fixed up base
ball grounds in the yard and allow
the men to play ball Saturday after
Moons and holidays. The exercise and
the air was just what they needed to
improve their physical condition.
The physical condition of the plant
is not in the best of condition, being
built in the year 1924 and for some
years no appropriation for repairs.
Favors New Sight.
I would recommend that the State
buy three or four hundred acres Of
good land located in the central part
of the State and build a new, modern.
up-to-date prison. Unless they do this
there should be an appropriation for
a new building to take the place of the
old blacksmith shop, tailor shop, bath
room, dispensary and store which is
in one building, and in that building
there should be dining room for the
prisoners. There are only two prisons
outside of Maine that they feed their
prisoners in the cells. The old black
smith shop is nothing more nor less
than fire trap, and sooner or later we
are bound to have a fire there. Also
there should be a new building for
the power plant and a change of the
location. 1t will take a great deal more
in the next few years to keep the
building up than it ever has before on
account of the age and conditions of
the plant.
The last Legislature passed parole law
which went into effect July list, and up to
the S0th day of November there has been
paroled 80 and all of them have made
good with the exceptions of one and he
has been returned to the prison. 1t is a
splendid thing for the men but hard for
the different departments as it takes the
best men from each department.. The
average amount earned by the men out
on parole for a month is about $500. I'm
der the parole law a prisoner after serv-
ing half of his sentence in prison, provid-
ed his conduct has been good, can be
paroled There are several paroled each
month and during the coming year there
are bound to be several paroled, and the
citizens of this State must not expect toe
much from the different departments OF
this institution for the coming year.
I would recommend parole law in
this State for life men after serving q
to 80 years of their sentences or having
arrived at the age of rs or 50 years OF
age, provinding they have friends and 9
home to go to SO that they will be no ex