Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24
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buildings cost $500 each, and If built
with, free labor would have cost
nearly $1,000.
AS soon as the new buildings are
occupied it Is the intention OF the ad-
ministration to keep all offenders at
the Lorton plant, regardless Of age
or sentence. Because so many bad
actors win be housed there Is an espe-
cial reason for erecting the discipli-
nary building with cells and the deten.
ton building with bars. The District
now has about $50. prisoners at Al
lanta and Leavenworth, where the
District now has to pay their keep"
It costs about $50 per man to trans
fer them from the District to these
penitentiaries-alf Of which will be
saved by keeping them at Lorton, and
where they may be maintained at a
smaller per capita cost for keep"
This latter has been proven, even in
the crude temporary quarters.
The tag making plant has been
equipped with most modern n1achin
cry at coat of about $4,000 for ma
chinery and $1,000 for sheet steel and
other materials.
AS matter Of fact, Mr.. Barnard
tried to get this plant started three
years ago, but when he asked for
and Congress thought it would be bet
ter to wait awhile" But after the
trouble in getting the auto tags this
year, when private contractor failed
to fill the order. the Bureau Of Eff
cheney supported the prison manage
ment in getting the plant authorized
and the appropriation made.
More than 100000 tags are to be
produced there during the next three
months. 1t is estimated that the Dis
trict will save upward of 80 1-3 per
cent on the cost of tags through the
operation OF the reformatory plant,
while delays in delivery will be elm
mated. It will ,cost Tor cents to
make pair of tags. The lowest bid
that the District had last year, from
the contractor who failed to make
good, was 12h cents and the Balti.
more prison Is quoting Is cents.
Expert Management.
Both Capt. Barnard and A. C..
Tawse, superintendent Of the referma-
tory, who is an Industrial manager
with extensive experience in the man.
agemeflt Of prison Industries, are
keeping in close personal touch with
the force at work in the tag plant and
other workshops, encouraging the men
to take an interest and pride in their
work and to turn out a superior
product. Capt. Barnard never prom
ises a prisoner anything, but let's them
win his regard and good will through
setting up good record for behavior.
Both Capt. Barnard and Mr.. Tawse
are firm believers in trade training
and view the refornlatory industries
as extremely important In Offering ex.
| ceptional opportunities In that direc-
| ton and in building up the. morale Of
the prisoners.
Work Is being rushed on the can.
ming plant so as to have it in opera
ton within two weeks to handle the
big tomato crop at both the reforma-
tory farm and the workhouse farm.
Machinery Of most modern type Is
| now being installed in this new build
ing.
Mr.. Tawse intends to have this plant
a model for cleanliness, with all the
employees wearing white uniforms and
rubber aprons, and the greatest care
will be exercised over sanitary condi.
tons to secure perfect pack" Be
| sides canning tomatoes this plant will
| specialize on corn, peas and beans, in
| fact. on. all the produce of the vege-
! table gardens, the orchards and berry
| pastures. A feature this Fall will be
| the canning of sauerkraut, of which
| Capt. Barnard has been making a spe.
cial study. This plant will be opened
up with about a dozen employees, but
it is the expectation that eventually
| 40 will be at work there.
| The product of the cannery will be
| distributed to various District institu-
| tions.
/ Reformatory and workhouse orchards
produce thousands of bushels of ap-
| pies in excess of what can be used,
and the cannery will be able to con-
vert this waste into a valuable pack
! for Winter use among District insti-
| buttons.
In operation the cannery will en-
ploy more than 30 inmates during the
packing season. which will extend
from August until the last Of Novem-
Der each year.
Equipping the cannery has. cost ap.
! proximately $4,000. 1t Is declared it
will prove another profitable industry
Of the reformatory while offering eX-
ceptional opportunities for mastering
the canning trade.
Foundry Planned.
The third Of the major industries
to be established is the foundry, which
will be started just as soon as the
building is completed. within two
months. The machinery is all ready
for shipment just as soon as Capt.
Barnard wires the manufacturers that
he is ready to- receive it. The first
for the District.
Il In preparation for this work more
than 200 tons Of scrap iron has already