The Delta independent., 1921-03-18
Rockwell's Letter
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Denver, March IL, 1927
(By Senator RockwelD


been considering the long appropria-
tion bills this past week. As have
said before, the long appropriation
bills appropriate money for the two
years between the regular sessions
of the legislature. For some cause OF
which / have never found good rea-
son, the fiscal year for legislative ap-
propriations ends November 30th. 1t
therefore becomes necessary for the
Legislature to make two appropriation
bills; the short appropriation being
for the four months December 1st to
April 1st, and the long appropriation
for the balance of the biennial.
have discussed previously the appro-
priations for educational institutions
which is in the form of a bill levy.
might add in passing that the amount
apportioned Gunnison, as agreed up
on out of the half mill levy voted for
this purpose by the people last fall
and amounting to about $4,000. has
passed the House and is on the cal
endar of the Senate at this time.
In this letter ! want to discuss some
of the appropriations that are made
to take care of the institutions where
the inmates are kept involuntarily
which come under appropriations of
the second class. 1t is time when
taxes are SO high that we like to eX-
anime. in more or less detail, how our
money is being spent l might state at
this time that the salaries paid the
people in our state institutions are
I,,.. ,..1.. &y,<
warden at the state penitentiary re-
ceives s2500. and most of the superin-
tendents get only between $500 and
$1,000. The expense consists in main
tenance, repairs and necessary i'm
provements. For instance, at the state
hospital in Pueblo it has been found
necessary to buy some additional land
and erect certain buildings for The
care of cows, hogs etc, and an addi-
ton for nurses so that they may not
be compelled to live with the insane
people all the time. Below, | am GO
ing to give the name of the inssitu-
tion, where located and the approx
mate appropriation that the legisla-
ture will pass for the next biennial,
together with the average number of
inmates and the per capita cost This
per capita cost was figured by the
state auditor and is compiled by di-
viding the average number of inmates
by the maintenance, not including
other expenses:
Home for Dependent and Neglected
Child: Near Denver, $50 inmates.
$4,000 appropriation. s339.s3 per
capita cost
State hospital for the insane: que.
bio. 1900 to 1000 inmates, $1,000. 900
appropriation. s2os.60 per capita cos
Mute and Blind School: Colorado
Springs, 200 inmates, $685. 900 appro-
priated.
Home for Mental Detectives: Ridge,
Colorado. so inmates. $4,000 appro-
priated. s44s.60 per capita cost.
Home for Mental Detectives: Grand
Junction. 81 inmates( as soon as other
buildings are completed probably will
be between $50 and 200 inmates)
100000 appropriated
Soldiers and Sailors Home: Monte
Vista. $3.50 inmates, 221 900 appropri
ated
State Reformatory: Buena Vista,
l6l inmates, 10000 Appropriated
s472.74 per capita cost.
Industrial School for Girls: Morrison
130 inmates (when new building is
completed will take care of 1907
$l55,Oco appropriated, s34i.SS per
capita cost
Industrial School for BOYS: Golden
300 inmates. 245.00o appropriated.
S297.75 per capita cost.
State Penitentiary: Canon City. coo
inmates. $4,000 appropriated. s276.sq
per capita cost
Regarding this institution. was
interested 10 learn that the number
OF persons confined to the Peniten.
tiary is increasing very rapidly and
Ut 'ne present rate will be up TO the
maximum before the days of prohi.
oition' In this connection. Warden
lyman informs me that so per cent
OUTSIDE the state and that theru Is
OF the prisoners at this time are from
the most dangerous class of cunuer
'nat they have ever had there. Many
Oh 'hese men are worked on the roads
'Coiorado was the first state 10 use
convict labor) and II is hoped that a
cement factory will be built r-om
state Highway appropriations WI ere
men can be worked whose charaAer
Is such that they are afraid to send
tnem away from the institution. The
colorado penitentiary has the small.
rest per capita cost of any state in
the Union.
notice that Montrose is to have
a road gang this year from the non.