The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-01-28
MORE LAND
NEEDEDFQR
PRISON FARM
BOARD OF AFFAIRS so REPORTS
TO THE LEGISLATURE IN CIV
ING EXPENDITURES LIST -
SOME LAND IN VIEW.

Oklahoma City, Jan. 27.-Complying
with a request from members of the
| legislature, the state board of af-
fairs Wednesday submitted a report
showing the disposition of the fund
of 100000 appropriated by the reg
uiar session for the purpose Of install
ing and equipping business enter
prises, factories, shops and other
businesses to be used at the state
penitentiary at McAlester. In con-
nection with the report, is a discus
sion of problems which have con-
fronted the board of affairs during
the past year in carrying out the
wishes of the legislature.
As to the disposition of the $780,
600, the report shows that $1S.443.67
was spent for building materials and
payroll in connection with the cree
tion of buildings for manufacturing
plants at the penitentiary and orders
issued for materials, purchased but
not paid, amount to $6,79427. Bal
ance in fund $24,7G2O6. After July l,
$4,000 of the appropriation will be
available, thus leaving balance of
$7i,762. of the appropriation uneX-
pended.
There being no available room for
manufacturing plants at the peniten-
tiary," the report says, eve decided
that the first thing that should be
done was the erection of a suitable
building, where most any sort of
manufacturing plant might be in
stalled. We therefore prepared plans
and specifications for such a building,
and that is under course of construc-
ton.
1--WE have during the year estab-
Tshed several manufacturing plants in
the temporary quarters, such as tin
shops, mattress factory, canning fac
tory. tailor shop and dairy plant. We
have manufactured 100000 brick in
a plant leased from the Choctaw
Pressed Brick company at McAlester.
1--WE feel that a prison farm should
be purchased, where two or three
hundred prisoners could be employed
during the entire year, since many of
the prisoners are negroes and know
no other occupation save farming.
"Our prison farm is entirely too
small and is poor in quality. We
note from q report of the senate com
mittee, investigating the affairs of
the prison system of Texas, that The
state of Texas owns 81 ,4S9 acres of
land that is being farmed by prison
labor, together with 1860 acres of
leased land. We quote from that
report as follows:
"At all events, unless the state
can put this surplus labor on the pub
lie roads, it will be imperative that
it acquire or lease additional lands.
The policy of leasing lands is sub
ject to the objection that it is not
desirable for the state to make inn
provements on leased lands and the
character of improvements required
by the state for convict labor are not
to be found on private property. Your
committee believes that the operation
of leased farms should be discontin'
ued. as soon as practicable, and that
additional acreage should be acquired
by the state in some location where
land can be acquired in large bodies
at reasonably low price, and where
there is no local prejudice and op'
position to the intrusion of con
vict population
During the past year we have been
looking over prospective farm lands
offered. but We have been unable
to close a deal.
The report states that the board
of affairs can buy tract of leo
acres one mile south of Aylesworth,
Marshall county, for s45 to $50 an
acre: or another tract Of several
hundred acres near Caney, Pittsaurg
county. at a price ranging from so
TO SG5 an acre: and other tracts in
large quantities in the Red river
bottom. but none convenient to the
penitentiary.