Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-23
ABOLITION OF JAIL.
INDIRECTLY URGED
Supt. Whitaker Says 1t Is Ex-
pensive Addition to the
W0rkhouse.
CALLS 1T IMPRACTICAL
AND SHOULD BE REMEDIEO
Annual Report Gives Statistics
Showing Low Cost of Maintenance.
Some Recommendations.

Abolition of the Washington fail {.
indirectly urged in the annual report
Of W. H Whitaker. superintendent OF
the District workhouse at Occoquan.
Va. formally transmitted to the board
OF charities this afternoon.
Following the filing of the document
Mr.. Whitaker left for Canada and n
number OF western states on "a trip OF
inspection of penal institutions. He ex-
poets TO be absent about three weeks
While the workhouse head does not
make direct recommendation that the
jail be abolished. he states that the sys-
tenn OF maintaining an institution OF
this character in addition to a work
house is expensive, impractical and
should be corrected as quickly as pos
sible"
Urges Detention Building.
"JaiIs should only be used as place.
OF detention. and for no other purpose"
he says. The proper system for the
District would be to have a detention
building near the courts, where all
those arrested could be held. and i'm
mediately upon conviction should be
sent directly to this institution. 1t
would be far better from the stand
point OF sanitation, discipline and the
economic management of the penal
system of the District.
In our institution We have a great
amount OF work in all departments,
such as plumbing, carpentering, black
smithing. etc. With the dual institu-
IONS as We have them now. We are
often deprived of the services of the
best mechanics that are sentenced to
this institution
Workhouse Operated at Big Saving.
The workhouse has been operated at
big saving to the District, the report
shows. The excess of appropriation re-
quired for maintaining the institution
during the four years of its existence
has been s7s,767.46. an average of sle.-
691.s6 per year. while at the old work
mouse IN washington the cost during
the four years from 1907 to 1910 was
$399,44O. an average of s99, S61 per year.
congress has appropriated for the
workhouse total Of ss72.625.23. The
real estate valued at $4,000: build
ings and materials, at $4,000 equip
ment. at $5o5,s47; live stock. at 500
S52. and miscellaneous items, at ST.
ssISS. a grand total Of s773,65o.32. The
oinerence. between the total appropria-
tons and total assets is S7S.76 as.
which represents the amount for main,
tenance since the workhouse was
founded
Revenue From Farm Products.
Last year the farming activities OF
the institution produced revenue to the
value of $14.122.77. OF this amount
farm and garden products represented
s9.2s4.So; stock butchered, s1.21s.S2:
milk and butter produced, se,7Io.76.
and poultry, $s04.09.
The need of an industrial railroad is
emphasized in the report A survey
for this proposed Improvement already
has been made by the surveyors office.
and Mr.. Whitaker urges that the
Commissioners give consideration to
the immediate construction of the
road. The line surveyed leads from
the wharf at Occoquan creek through
the workhouse and reformatory prop
erty near the Richmond, Fredericks-
burg and Potomac railroad. near the
proposed site for the reformatory. It
is stated that the transportation of
prisoners and commodities used at the
workhouse is one Of the greatest items
Of expense. SO per cent of which will
be eliminated through the building OF
an Industrial railroad.
Mr.. Whitaker. again recommends
that the Commissioners present to
Congress a bill containing the prin-
ciples of probation. the indeterminate
sentence and parole law for the guild
ance of the criminal courts and the
administration of the penal institu-
lions of the District He also requests
that the workhouse be provided with
permanent chaplain to look after the
religious work of the institution