The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-06-27
,,xon Member Of Board Of Con-
" - :. thinks More Central Aoca-
,ion could be Found In
state For Prison.
oruER SUCCESS ITO N s
Prison Farm Near Ana
mosa-WouId Give Insane
Patients More
interests.

DIES MONIES, June 27.-Ihe re-
vi of the state penitentiary from
Tsrt Madison to some more central
i ~. IN the state was suggested
.o1 William ]. Dixon, for the last four
.rs q member of the state board
se' .ortrol in an address before the
Ou,n,usrintende1ts of the state nsti-
.".;ons al their meeting here last
nsek Mr.. Dixon, who has been
W.T. Of the board for two years,
ill. I'LL retire July /, having declined re-
.nnontment. He viii be succeeded
s ~ II + Strict Of Sioux City.
Other suggestions made by the re-
firing board member were the FOL
lowing: . "a
;acent to the reformatory at, Anamosa.
md establishment of prison camp.
The stimulation of interest among
The patients at the insane hospitals
n some line of work or in recreation.
extension of trade instruction In
the industrial school for boys at
Eadora and the establishment of an
extensive auto repairing shop.
ENCOURAGEMENT to the scheme OF
having flower garden for the differ
emit cottages in the Industrial school
for girls at Mitchellville.
The building Of second institu-
ton for feeble minded unless more Of
the children can be placed out on
farms or with trusted people.
Costly Institution.
Regarding the remoyal of the peni-
tertiary at Fort Madison, Mr.. Dixon
said:
1.-THE state peni.cntiary is located
at Fort Madison in Lee county, in the
extreme southeastern part of the
state. 1t was located at this point in
1889 when most of the settlements in
Iowa were made along the extreme
eastern portion, bordering on the Mis-
sissippi river. The location of this
institution is not at all adapted to
the present needs of the state. 1t is
costly to transport prisoners from
three-fourths of the state to the pres
ent state prison.
"The county OF Clinton is on the
extreme eastern portion Of Iowa, yet
It would be cheaper to transport
prisoners from the city of Clinton to
the central part Of the state than 1t
is costing to transport them to Fort
Madison, the present location.
1t is expensive to administer on
account Of it's out Of the way loca-
ton, and the location of the prison
itself is in an unsightly. insanitary
place, being located under a hill
that makes the temperature extreme
ly high in the hot days OF summer.
The small farm of 242 acres which
belongs to the prison is located out
IN the country about two miles. This
land has been farmed for probably
seyenty-fiye or eighty years, and to
maintain and keep it up would re-
SURE large expenditure for fertilizing.
Build in Center Of state.
In my opinion the state of Iowa
Should sell the present plant Of the
state penitentiary at Fort Madison to
Inc best advantage, also the land in
connection Herewith and authorizing
Inc purchase of at least 1900 acres Of
good land somewhere in the central
part OF the state where it would be
accessible by railroads or interurbans
70 the different parts Of the state and
sfaaually build up a new prison at
this location
MIR. Dixon reported that the build
mgs at the woman's reformatory at
nockWell City are progressing rapid
~ He said the institution for epilep-
ucs at Woodward should be ready for
opening soon.
He complimented the work being
a .ss, at Oakdale in caring for patients
a,licted with tuberculosis, but de-
.laied that, like all Of the state insti-
sut,ons, the buildings were crowded,
ana new buildings should be erected
ana the institution extended.