The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-09
STATE FARM METHODS
ARE UNDER HOT FIRE
Ia stslntiye Committee Finds lack OF
: Business Methods Has Entaned
Losses I'm Handling Products.


/ The rcport Of the legislative COM
r,7yttee appointed 10 investigate the
conditions existing at the State farm
have reported to the general assem-
bly its nndinEs being rather severe
.arraignment OF the lack of business
methods aad efficiency of the admin
is,rarion OF the farm. involving con-
siderable loss 10 the state. and sub
iectj1r the prisoners to the menace
Of contracting Ioathsome diseases.
THE report submits its findings as
10 the danger of Contagion and makes
recommendations TO prevent IT in fu-
ture
7 As 20 the business management the
reDort cites losses in material and un-
due expense for maintenance consid-
ering the act that there have been an
average Of one hundred able bodied
uen at The farm continuously.
. The report rs unanimous and signed
/ hy the following members Of the com
nittee: ". w. SprcuL chairman;
Harry G. Peattie. Charles II Rolston.
house members and r. II. Thornton
and H. F. Byrd. senate members.
Discussing conditions at the farm,
the report continues:
From the information ohtainafie, It
would seem that the total cost OF
maintaining 2g9 couvicts at tho state
farm for the year ending September
80. 1917. was s4S527.2t, or an aver
age Of sf623o per capita. Included
in this amount is food produced on the
farm which ia credited to the farm
ing operations and dehited TO the cost
If maintenance Of the prisoners, OF
the above amount tho sum OF S33.22o|
70 direct appropriation from the
year an average Of 100 convicts were
able bodied and able 20 perform heavy
work, while Approximately 200 were
invaded about half Of which were
IN hospital and the other half capable
Of only doing light work"
! The committee reached the follow
ing conclusion:
THAT the farm Is not managed with
that degree OF business efficiencs
which would enable the fullest bene-
ats TO be obtained from the free labor
Of tho 100 able bodied convicts, and
the senii-lncapacitated convictr, who
are competent TO perform light work.
! Eighteen hundred barrels OF corn
were produced last year and on tho
date that k&@A committee visited the
state farm ALI the corn had not been
Smoked and hauled 10 the EraHary.
IN view Of the fact that 100 labor
ers could shuck and haul an average
Of 500 barrels Of corn per day-eve
barrels To ca n r1nu--your committee
cnnnot understand why tho shucking
ard hauling OF this corn was delayed
the result Of which was that fodder
TO the value Of $4,000 was rendered
valueless, as well as a quantity Of corn
being spoiled.
although in the judgment Of your
committee. TOO men is more than can
he economically used on a farm Of
this size. the superintendent Of the
farm made requsition for fifteen ad-
aitlona1 men on The peuiteutiary for
the purpose Of saving the crops
THE annual report indicates that
the dairy. cannery. hennery, quarry,
brickyard. and the raising Of toma-
toes was operated for the year ending
September 30, 1877. at n loss. Various
asoua are assigned nv the superinten-
dent in explanation OF these losses.
Your committee has reached the
con clusion that the lack of efficiency
in the MANAGEMENT of the State farm
is due largely to she fact that an ex-
nerieuced farmer IS not In direct
charge OF the work IN this connec-
ton. with the business mana cement
Of this institution. your committee
recommends the following
at. That a competent hookkeeper
he employed. who. in connection with
the state accountant, shah establish
! an up-to-date system Of bookkeeping
"2 That all operatiorr at the state
farm which cannot no made to show
q proht he discontinued, excepting TO
. provide the inmates OF the state farm
with provisions they require.
80. That she MANAGEMENT Of tho
state farm he divided one superin-
ttudent having charge ~ the penal
matters and the control OF the prison
ers. and "a competent farmer placed in
cta~ge Of the farming operations. To
thi> end your committee would RECON-
mend that the superintendent OF Ore
penitentiary have charge of the pris-
OuCrR
Tact and discretion I'm the hand
ling Of the prisoners. with energy and
good business judgment IN The conduct
~ the farm. are the things most need
ed TO mQka~this Institution successful"