The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1924-05-15

smoothly, and without break. The
men are absorbed in the work.
"Oh yes, they like it better than
loafing around the prison yard or
living in their cells says j. H. Sui
livan, shop superintendent. 1T keeps
their minds occupied and gives them
something to do. There is nothing
so wearing as deadly monotony'
Mr.. Sullivan must be right. The
| men themselves say they like the
work and are glad of the chance to
spend eight hours of their day in the
shop. In fifteen years of prison
work, Mr.. Sullivan has had no trou-
BILE with prison labor. He finds al
most without exception that prison
ers like to learn to operate the ma
chimes and take a pride in operating
them efficiently.
Have Bonus System
Every prisoner in the factory is re-
CURED to give eight hours of labor
to the state. This, however, is on
piece-work basis, so many pieces of
work constituting an eight-hour day.
Some of the skihful operators finish
their DAYS work early in the after
noon They many then work on, get
ting paid for the work, or they may
go into the prison yard and indulge
in games and sports. A few of the
older men work on to secure a little
money for themselves, but the
younger men hurry thru with their
stint and go out to play baseball. The
exercise in the open air appeals to
them more than earning a few dol
lars.
Three grades of shirts are made
in the factory The state is paid for
the different grades at the rate of
4212, As and SO cents per dozen
shirts. The output of the factory
varies from 100 to 200 dozen shirts
per day This gives the state net
income from the shirt factory of
about $4,000 per month.
Encourages Industry
But the revenue from the shirt
factory is the least important bene-
fit derived from the operation of the
factory, in the opinion Of Governor
Moore and other members of the I,
prison board.
1.-THE great good that we believe
the factory is doing is in teaching
the prisoners habits of industry,
said the governor. 1.-THE great ma
jority of men coming to our prison
have never been taught to work at
any useful trade or occupation. They
have never acquired habits of work.
II we can teach them such habits,
they have a much better chance to
make good when they go back into
civilian life. Perhaps few Of them
will take up shirt making, tho some
who become expert undoubtedly will,
out whatever they take up they will ,
De the better for having learned to ,
work.
Labor union officials, who have in .
Ipected the shirt factory and its {
method of operation endorse the !
,lan. The output of the factory does :
lot come into competition with 9
IDAHO labor and they believe the men 7
re much better off when kept busy
Every operation in the plant, in c
luding the bookkeeping is carried :
n by the prisoners. The superin-
endent and his assistants merely
verse; the work and instruct the
zen. II
1.-THE output is slightly less than
q civilian factories on the outside"
avs Mr.. Sullivan, but 1 think that
due to the rapid turnover of labor
ere We have now only about one
alt of the men who started work
lg in the shop when it was opened
/ October. The rest are all new at
ne work.
Harry's Shoe Shop
A few steps from the shirt factory
the shoe factory operated by Harry
confessed slayer of the late
overnor Steunenberg. The shoe
usiness is little slack at this time