The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1914-10-27
BOYLE AND THAT
PRISON CONTRACT

Emmett Boyle became State Engi-
neer on March 10, 1910, by appoint
ment of Acting Governor Dickerson,
succeeding Frank R. Nicholas.
"The legislature (1909) made an
appropriation for the construction of
new prison and under the act it was
provided that the State Engineer
should draw the plans and specifca-
tions and be the superintendent and
architect. '-Boyle's speech.
Boyle refused to accept the plans Of
Nicholas, which he estimated would
cost from 100000 to $750,000 TO
erect, and
"The permission was granted me
finally to proceed to draft plans in
accordance with the provisions of the
law. l finally submitted to the board
set of plans calling for the expendi-
ture of $355,000; but knowing that
there was some irregularity in grant
ing the steel contract, withdraw my
approval, knowing that a new board
was coming into Office and that it
would act fairly toward the people of
the state. The first act I committed
after Governor Oddie took Office was
to lay this matter before him and to
suggest that the only way to block
the deal, etc. ;. / there
fore claim that in stopping the build
ing of the prison / am entitled abso-
lutely to the credit-and in my opin-
ior / am entitled to the credit. -
Boyle's speech.
If we remember correctly, Governor
Oddie and the people of the state were
exercised chiefly as to why an act of
the legislature, limiting the cost of a
new prison to 100000, could be
stretched to enable a $350,000 prison
to be saddled on the taxpayers. Per-
haps Mr.. Boyle can explain this, for
it is a point tha thas never been clear
in the public mind.
One thing, however, is clear, that
after Governor Oddie was sworn in,
there was not a single additional dol
lar expended on the new prison.
The "irregularity'' in granting the
steel contract, referred to, must have
occurred on December 2s, 1910, or
three days before Governor Oddie was
sworn in, that being the date the con-
tract was let. Mr. Boyle's approval
was therefore withheld during the
Dickerson regime, a matter of three
days. Promptly on Governor Oddie
being sworn in, Boyle, according to
his statement, notified him of the ir-
regularity, a piece of news which,
though the papers at the time were
full of it, Mr. Boyle evidently labored
under the impression that Governor
Oddie had not heard. So he enlighten-
ed him and suggested the way to
block the deal;' under his tutelage
the deal was blocked and Boyle now
is in a receptive mood for the plaud-
its of the voters.
BUT MR.. BOYLE, IN HIS EX-
PLANTATION, HAS OVERLOOKED
SOMETHING.
Was the public clamor and indigna-
tion against the new prison, which as
sumed the proportion of scandal at
one time, solely a matter of letting
the contract for the steel cells on De-
cember 2s, 1910i
Was there not something more to
it2 In point Of fact, did not Section 7
of Chapter CXXXI, the very law pro-
viding for the new prison and under
which as stated by him the State En-
gineer was to draw the plans and
specifications and be the superintend-
ent and architect, contain the follow
ing limitations as to cost:
"Sec. Z. For the purpose of carry
ing out ALL AND SINGULAR THE
PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, the sum
of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS ($1OO,00O) is hereby ap-
propriated out of any moneys in the
general fund in the state treasury not
otherwise appropriated, the same to
be transferred to the State Prison
Building fund, etc.
Yet, Mr.. Boyle, in the face of that
limitation and without other authori-
ty of law extending such limitation of
cost, prepared plans for new prison
costing 1855, 900, and was only exer-
cised as good public-spirited citizen
and Office holder because there was
some irregularity in letting the con-
ckaol oa1lo