The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1915-12-01
Experiment Of Board of Prison
Commissioners Solves
Problem
MEANS SAVING To TAXPAYERS
Interesting Statement Issued by War
den A. J. G. Wells, Of the Kentucky
State Reformatory-State Farm
Shows Profit of s4,s26.s1 During
Fourteen Months.

VI tlllDAbN AlAts NAl' ~ i'OhNA' W
the state on the State Farm seems to
be a decided success. After a thor
ough trial of the plan of the Board Of
Prison Commissioners and Warden
Wells, there is a net profit to the state
of S4,S26S1 in fourteen months.
At the request of II. c. Terrell, Com
missioner of Roads. \. J. 6. Wells, War
den of the Kentucky state Reforma-
tory, has prepared a statement cover
ing the period the plan has been in OPP
Grafton. Warden Wells covers his two
years experience with a limited num-
Der of prisoners on the State Farm.
Mr.. Wells said in part.
1.-THE 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
Board OF Prison Commissioners, on
recommendation of myself, as Warden,
and with the approval OF the Sinking
Fund Commissioners, OF which the
Governor is member, leased the Mas
tin farm, consisting Of 1872 acres, about
IL miles from the prison, and in the
bend of the Kentucky river, just OPP
posite the new capitol, for an annual
rental of $4,000 per year. The Legis-
lature adjourned on March 10, 1914,
negotiations were carried on with sew
eral landowners and a contract con-
cluded, and prisoners were put to work
on the farm April 10, 1914. This, of
course, was too late to get the best
results the first year This late
start, which was unavoidable, and the
severe drouth which followed. made it
a trying test for the first year, but in
spite of both of these serious handi-
caps, even this year made a most sat
isfactory showing.
"a summary Of expenditures and re-
ceipts of the farm, from April, 1914, to
July /, 1915, shows net gain on July
], 1915, of $4,S26.S1, after charging the
farm with all labor at the same av-
erage price paid inside the prison.
Moreover, this net gain does not take
into account many crops that had not
developed sufficiently for accurate in
voice on said date. These crops are
as follows: 10 acres of tobacco, %
acres of late Irish potatoes, l acre Of
sweet potatoes, s acres sugar cane,
acres turnips, pc acres cabbage, 10
acres beans, . acres green's, p acre
cucumbers, / acre carrots, acres
melons.
"The season since July l has con-
tinued 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 $1,000 gallon cans of beans. to-
matoes, corn and apples. All the cattle
and hogs are slaughtered at the farm,
and sold to the prison at less price
than the packing houses furnish other
state institutions similarly situated.
The meats, vegetables and other prod
ucts are served fresh, and are alto
gether more wholesome and palatable
than from the packers cold storage
The better health of the prison popu-
lation resulting is within itself 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 a few feet of a
railroad and the Kentucky river.
rock crusher of sufficient capacity at
this point operated by prison labor,
could 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
portation of road material, by the use
of prison labor.
1T might be interesting in this con-
nection to state that out of 179 pris-
oners sent to the farm at different
times, only have escaped, and of
them returned. These prisoners re.
main at the farm at night, and, while
they are under the direction and guard
of Capt. ]. p. Schnorbus, they have,
necessarily, many opportunities to es-
cape, If they were so inclined. | do
not mean by this statement, however,
to indicate that prisoners, indiscrim-
inately, can be trusted on the outside
We have attempted as far as surround
ing circumstances would permit TO ex.
ercise good judgment in their selec.
ton for this work My estimate is
that possibly 20 per cent of the prison
population could be worked on the out.
side in farming and the production Of
road material, with reasonable safety,
under proper, careful and humane di.
rection. A great deal will depend
upon the plan adopted and selection of
the agent, or agents, who shall exc
cute the plan.
IF such venture is to be made by
the state, a bin should be carefully
darwin, after mature consultation with
those who have had actual and sue
cessful experience In the handling of
prisoners. and before the meeting of
the Legislature No halfbaked, hasti-
ly-considered legislation should be
passed in this connection"