Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-25
Nv. ;. DIXON. MEMBER OF BOARD
or CONTROL, FAvoRs NEW
LOCATION.
roo FAN REMOVED FROM
CENTER OF POPULATION
Transportation Cost From Three.
Fsurths o. state cestIy-pixen Rec.
enamsnds Sale Of Present Plant and
land. ="as ::.e!->s::>" !. ce....! e.--
tisn Of Iowa.
special to Times Republican.

0cO AOlue0s juno Z0s-IQO REMOVAL
Of the state penitentiary from Fort
Madison 70 some more central location
in the state was suggested by William
j.. Dixoh. for the past, four years a
member OF the state board Of control,
In. an address before the superinten-
dents q the state institutions at their
meeting here this past week. Mr.. Dix
On, who has been chairman of the
board for the past two years. will re-
tire July /, having declined to consider
disappointment. He will be succeeded
by H. j. Strict. OF Sioux City,
Other suggestions made by the re-
firing board member were the follow
ing,
The purchase Of additional land adj
jacent to the reformatory at Anamosa
lid establishment OF 7rison camp.
The stimulation Of interest among
the patients At the insane hospitals in
.eonne line OF work or in recreation.
Extension OF trade instruction in the
industrial school for boys at Eldora,
Sxnd the establishment Of an extensive
auto repairing shop
announcement to the scheme Of hay-
fng Tower garden for the different
cottages in the industrial school for
girls 1t Mitchellville.
The building Of q second institution
for feeble minded, unless more Of the
children can be placed out on farms
or with trusted people.
Prison Out Of the Wav.
Regarding the removal Of the peni-
tertiary at Fort Madison, Mr.. Dixon
safd:
he 6tate penitentiary IL located at
Fort Madison, In Lee county, in the
extreme southeastern part Of the state.
Il was located at this point in 1889.
when most Of the settlements in Iowa
we're made along the extreme eastern
portion, bordering on the Mississippi
river. The location OF this institution
- not suited 70 tae present needs Of
the state. II - very costly to trans
port prisoners from three-fourths Of
the state In the present state prison.
The county Ct Clinton is on the
extreme eastern portion of Iowa, yet
st would be cheaper to transport pris-
oners from the city Of Clinton to the
CENTRAL part Of the state than it is
co. ing - transport them to Fort Mad
.ason. the present location.
1T II very expensive to administer
on recount OF It's out-of-the-way loca-
stioii. and the location Of the prison
,atself y In an unsiEhtly, unsanitary
place, being located under q hill that
mak<o the temperature extremely high
in the hot days Of summer. The small
farm Of 242 acres, which belongs to
the prison. u located out in the coun-
try about two miles. This land has
been farmed for probably seventy-fve
or eighty years. and to maintain and
keep It up would require large expen-
ditures for fertilizing.
{ TN my opinion the state Of Iowa
should sell the present plant Of the
state penitentiary At Fort Madison to
the best advantage, also the land in
connection Herewith. and authorize the
purchase Of 1t least 1900 acres Of good
land somewhere in the central part Of
the state, where 1t would be accessible
by railroadS or interurbans to the DIFF
ifsfent paris OF the state, and gradually
build up now prison at this location"
Mr.. Dixon reported that tho build
tnkS 1t the womens reformatory at
rockwell City are progressing rapidly.
H6 stated the institution for epileptics
u woodward should be ready for OPEN
;inE soon.
He complimented the work being done,
At OakdaIe in caring for patients at
flie&sd with tuberculosis, but declared
thSt, like Ill of the state institutions.
thS buildings were crowded and new
buildings should be erected and the in
.;.%S<,tjnn Ar<AndeN