Mountain advocate., 1915-10-29
PRISON FARM
SHOWS PROFIT
Experiment Of Board of Prison
Commissioners Solves
Problem
MEANS SAVING TO TAXPAYERS
interesting Statement Issued by War.
Gen A. J. G. Wells, Of the Kentucky
State Reformstory-state Farm
Shows Profit Of s4,s26.st During
Fourteen Months.

IIdhNioit u NY -'ppt'i diJ NC VA
pertinent of employing the prisoners OF
the state on the state Farm seems to
be decided success. After thor.
oush trial of the plan of the Board OF
Prison Commissioners and warden
Wells. there is net profit to the state
OF S4,S2o.Sl in fourteen months.
At the request Of II. c. Terrell, Com
missioner Of Roads, A. j. G. Wells, War
den OF the Kentucky State Reforma-
tory, has prepared statement cover
ils Tue period the plan has been in op-
Grafton. Warden Wells covers his two
years experience with a limited num-
h,r of prisoners on the state Farm.
Nj. Wells said in part:
"lhe Legislature OF 1914 authorized
by law the lease OF farm, with an
option of purchase at the end of the
lease. In accordance Herewith, the
Ecari OF Prison Commissioners, on
recommendation OF myself, as warden.
ana with the approval or the Sinking
fLnd Commissioners, OF which the
Governor is member. leased the Mas
tin farm, consisting OF 462 acres, about
lla miles from the prison, and in the
bend OF the Kentucky river, Just OPP
rosite the new capitol, for an annual
rental OF $1,000 per year. The Legis-
latire adjourned on March ~, 1914,
negotiations were carried on with sew
eral landowners and contract con-
Guided and prisoners were put to work
on the farm April 10. 1914. This, or
course, was too late to get the best
results the iirst year. This late
start when was unavoidable, and the
severe drOuth which followed, made It
trying test Tor the hrst year. but In
spite OF both OF these serious handi-
caps, even this year made a most sat
lsfa'tory showing.
y summary OF expenditures and re-
'o!pts OF The farm. from April, 1914, to
July !, 1915, shows net gain on July
], 1913, OF S4,S2d.Sl, after charging the
l"!h WIN all TABOR at the same av-
eraSe price paid inside the prison.
Moreover, this net gain does not take
INTO account many crops that had not
developed sunlclehtly Tor accurate IN
voice on SAID date. These crops are
as follows: 10 acres or tobacco, 20
acres OF lat" Irish potatoes, acre OF
sweet potatoes. acres sugar cane,
acres turnlps, 2ia acres cabbage, 10
ScIes beans, acres greens, u acre
eueumbers, l acre carrots, acres
melons.
The season since July j has con-
tlnued good, and the products above
named have added very materially to
the balance above stated. We have,
since July l. put up for use In the
PRISON l2.OOO gallon cans OF beans, to-
matoes, corn and apples. All the cattle
ana hogs are slaughtered at the farm.
ana sold to the prison at less price
than the packing houses furnish other
state Institutions similarly situated.
the meats, vegetables and other prod
u,ts are served fresh, and are alto
Sether more wholesome and palatable
than from the packers cold storage.
The better health of the prison popu.
lation resulting is within itself a large
asset.
THE farm, on account OF its prox-
unity TO the prison and its splendid
Isolation, is ideally located. There are
on the farm inexhaustible lodges of
limestone, and within few feet Of
railroad and the Kentucky river. A
rock crusher of sufficient capacity at
this point. operated by prison labor
Gould easily supply large demand for
road material throughout the state.
The railroad and river facilities for
shipment should insure reasonable
transportation rates. In my opinion.
there is no place in the market which |
furnishes so many attractive features
as this one for farming on a small
scale, and for the production and trans.
rortation of road material. by the use |
of prison Labor
1T might be interesting in this con. |
nection TO state that ont of I7e nris.
opars esnt IN the farm ar dinaran,
So. onI,, - a.aao, 49,,
',''1S' o,'' ''"'r es.apeu' anu Vi