The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-01-16
INSPECT. NEW
IMPROVEMENTS
AT INSTITUTION
Visit Fine New Dairy Barns
and 3.story Officers Quar-
tiers, Built Last Year
ATTEND PICTURE SHOW
Turkey Dinner Served in Pris'
on Dining RoOm-Trip
Made Via 500 Line
ATTEND PICTURE SHOW

Giving the members Of the state
legislature an opportunity to exam
Inc first hand the great improve
ments made at the state penitentiary
during the past year as the result
Of appropriations made by the 1927
session Of the states lawmaking
body, Warden John J. Lee yesterday
was host to state senators and rep
resentatives and their wives at what
proved to be the most instructive as
we'll as most enjoyable social feature
Of the present special session.
Guests, almost 200 in number,
were transported to and from the
penitentiary in one group through
the courtesy Of the 500 line, which
put q thrce-car special train ut the
disposal Of the warden.
Leaving the 500 line station
promptly at 2:45 p. M, the train
first went out the north 500 tracks
until it was directly opposite the fine
new dairy barns built at the peniten-
tiary the past summer. Most of the
delegation -k the opportunity to
inspect the new structures, and
found the most modern and most
completely equipped dairy barns in
the state.
Barns Are Models
Built on a total appropriation Of
S25, 900, through the use of prison
labor for the most part, the barns
provide fine home for tho herd of
more than 100 Holstein cattle which
The prison now boasts. Each of the
larger barns, which are exactly alike
inside and out, is 12Sx38 feet in
size, while the two are connected by
I central barn and feed room which
is 3Ox50 feet.
The stock barns have both floors
and ceilings of solid concrete, The
upper slab being the floor of the i'm.
mense hay NOW above, making that
part of the barn in which the stock
is housed strictly fireproof. The
walls are Of brick as far up as the
hayloft. At the side Of each of the
large barns is brick silo 1Sx4(
feet in size, 10 feet Of which is below
the ground level. Two hundred ant
sixty thousand brick were used ir
building the structures, all Of which
were made at the prison brick yards
Another interesting figure is tn,
100000 shingles which were required
% roof the buildings.
With the exception Of the super
ending of the work and the actua
ok laying, all construction worl
IS done by inmates Of the peniten
Try, all of whom, according to War
N Lee, worked as willingly an
with as much interest in their labo
as though they were drawing the full
union scale of wage instead Of tn
Is cents day paid prisoners.
Modern Equipment
The two dairy barns contain 10
Individual stalls and eight box stalls
and each has the most modern bar
equipment, including tubular stee
pens, stalls and adjustable stanch
ions, finished in gray enamel, an
automatic water bowls. Water fo
the barn is piped from the peniter
tiary. This required the digging {
ditch eight feet deep and the equiv
ment alone for this connection co.
$1,1OO, which was included in tt
legislative appropriation of $25 ,OO
as was also the $1,000 worth of il
terror equipment.
The huge lofts in the new barr
provide room for approximately q
tons Of hay. The prison last yes
put up over 375 tons Of hay and col
sequently will have plenty of fee
for the winter.
Pointed out by the warden yeste
day, COW No. 43 (all prison cows a.
known by number instead of
name) proved an attraction whs
Mr.. Lee explained that she was
most unusual COW. The cow new
"goes dry" but is MIXED the We;
round, and produces such a qua
tity Of milk that it is necessary
milk her three times daily. T
penitentiary now has 60 head of mi
cows, and at the present time
milking Al Of them. The herd pr
duces all milk used at the instit
ton and enough in excess SO th
some is sold in the city. Ward
Lee estimates that if all the M
produced at the institution was 81
1t the prevailing market price
would bring the institution appro.
mately 81 900 month.
In : brief talk given later in
afternoon, the warden said it "
the hope of the prison officials q
the board Of administration that
institution in time would be Sc
supporting, but in order to beco
30 It would be necessary to incre'
the dairy herd, as that could be ms
! large source of income.
Inspect Officers Quarters
After inspection Of the da
barns was completed, the visit
again boarded the special tr
which was taken back to the ju
lion Of the north and south 500 Ii
and run out on the 500 branch alol
side the prison itself.
Here the guests were first tai
through. the fine three-story O.
,ers' quarters which was erected
ummer. The building is Of f
.roof construction throughout, i
IS feet III size, and has SO sleep
oosns. and . eood-sized living 70
1,ch floor has bathrooms equip
yifh bathtub and shower baths,
.;uen c1oeetn. The basement II 6
iectod Nth the prison building
hn3ctod-in tunneL Like the b.
|. HI 6xlcknro VAS Also built y
J. lrlnon labor. except Tor the brl
arin4 - p fshing.
~ ~ main prison build
"a vlDjta Dro conducted thro'