Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-23
Warden's Report
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ferring to the finances Of the prison
that the deficiency has been reduced
to only about $4,000 or $4,000. He
recommends the appointment of
sales agent to dispose Of the prison
products and an immediate change
in the broom shop which he charac-
terizes as "a failure"
Following is the report Of Warden
Fish which has just been filed by
the Prison Commission with the
Governor and Council:
Perhaps it may be beneficial to file
a report stating to the Commission
the conditions found at the institu-
ton upon accepting office Dec. list.
and progress made to this date.
In the Harness Shop
In the harness shop we found an
excessive accumulation of manufac-
tured harness and manufactured
parts. Manufactured harness and
| strapping amounted to $24,070.21;
manufactured stock, $12.59642. Upon
! finding this, we have made since De-
! cember 1st only special orders consist
ing of 20 harnesses. =
With the unsettled conditions as
! they were prior to December LIST, per-
other matters, or a slack period of the
! harness season might account for a
part of this accumulation, of course it
must be realized that the harness bust
ness of todayjS a much more serious
proposition than few years ago. With
| the industries at the institution, and 1t
fbeing necessary to work these men,
| the harness shop always being one of
| the best sources of revenue, the at
| tention was given to the Manufacturing,
more than to the selling end, which
/ demonstrates that a sales agent is
much needed, the same as other inSti-
I tutions have.
Since December 1st, we have mar
keted. almost entirely for cash, 200
/ and some odd sets of harness, which
| leaves on hand at the present time $50
sets. 1 believe with persistent efforts
that we will be able to dispose of
| these, if not entirely, the larger part.
I within the next three months. We
shall continue manufacturing only
/ such orders as we do not carry in
stock, for the time being.
Paint Shop Busy
| The paint shop is fairly busy, with
/ at least two months supply of work
ahead. The carriage and iron shop is
4 busy in a moderate way. / am very
! sorry to say that the broom depart
/ ment is a failure and 1 personally be-
; lieve that the quicker change Is
! made, the better it will be. If we have
! man in the broom shop who wants
| to make brooms, we are in position
to give employment to 20 or so men,
and the returns would be very salts
| factory The present contractor seems
| to feel that it is not an opportune time,
and in fact has not been since Deem
| Der LIST, to manufacture brooms for the
| market Once more I suggest an I'M
| mediate change.
Discipline Improved
In regard to the discipline as found
| December 1st, it was more or less un-
ruly. brought about perhaps by prior
| conditions but / am very grateful to
| say, and | personally believe, while l
| have asked no questions, that every
| officer connected with the institution
will support my statement that our
i discipline is of the average II not
| better than the majority OF 1nstltu-
| tions We have been using the spare
time with some of the men who are out
of work in cleaning, removing rubbish
| that has accumulated which was only
! natural in the last few years, painting
| some of the cells, washing the walls,
| to try to show your Commission what
an Improvement it will be if permits
| sion is only granted and provisions
| made to defray the expenses which
will be only for the paint, as all labor
| Is supplied here, to make complete
| cleaning When this Is done we snail
| have as modern and up-to-late insti-
! tuition of it's kind as will be found in
| this country.
Cost of Maintenance Reduced
Since December 1st, We have re-
duced the cost of maintenance in
| feeding the prisoners. from figure in
November of .35 9-10 per man per day
to .32 per man per day for December
and I believe that the month of Janu-
airy will show an average below 80
In this change 1 have not received a
remonstrance from an inmate, nothing
except praise for the change of food
that they are receiving.
Marketing Of Products
Bills receivable which are consid-
cred good SIS 100000; $50 sets of har-
| ness which should liquidate at least
S14000.00; the other sources of In
come, emitting the broom shop. appear
as though they would net five to eight
thousand dollars; with the broom de-
partment so uncertain in the past, 1t is
impossible for me to estimate what
will come from it.
With these figures realized, with az
tive solicitation of marketing our
goods, collections on accounts receiv-
able, gaining no revenue from the
broom shop, it will leave us deficien-
cy of only eight to ten thousand dol
lars.
Conclusive evidence speaks of. the
change inside the prison by the CEN
soring of the mall at the office. pending
the appointment Of chaplain. and I
am informed by the clerks who per-
form that duty that the improvement
is demonstrated by the letters both
incoming and outgoing.
Trusting that this may give you a
brief outline of conditions as they are
at the present time, / beg to remain,
Il