Mr. Morrill moved that five hundred copies of the report and evidence of the Auditor Investigating Committee be printed. Mr. Murdock moved to amend by striking out the words "five hundred" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "three hundred." Which amendment was adopted. The question being upon the adoption of the motion as amended, A vote was had, and The motion prevailed. REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE. Mr. Rogers, Chairman of the Special Committee to visit. the State Penitentiary, made the following report: Mr. President: Your Committee, consisting of Messrs. Rogers, Price and Brandley, to visit and report on the condition and needs of the Kansas State Penitentiary, situated in Leavenworth county, have performed the duty assigned them by resolution, and herewith submit the following report: Your Committee left Topeka Wednesday, February 12, 1873, at noon, and arrived at the State Penitentiary at four o'clock P. M., same day. Your Committee entered upon their duty immediately upon their arrival, by visiting the institution as follows: A thorough examination was made of the workshops of all descriptions, and desire to express their uniform endorsement as to the mode of conducting the same. In all the different departments where work was being performed, a commendable regularity and strictest order was observed. The Committee visited and remained during supper (and dinner next day) in the dining hall, and upon examination immediately thereafter of the tables ascertained from the amount of food remaining and general appearance of the prisoners, conclude that the lack of wholesome and sufficient food was no just cause for complaint. Your Committee desire to express their approval of the successful management of the sick, and the care bestowed on them, and desire to call the attention of the Legislature to the Warden's report for 1872, pertaining to the health of the inmates of this institution, feeling that the same will convey a better idea as to the success of this department of the penitentiary than any lengthy report on our part. The cell house was then visited, and on examination we find that there are sixty-eight cells, which are occupied by two prisoners each. These cells are seven feet long, seven feet high and four feet wide, and intended for one prisoner only. The number of prisoners now in this institution is 326, and the number of cells completed at this date is 258, consequently there is a deficiency of 68 cells. The present cell building will admit of another tier of cells being added above what are now completed, giving an additional number of 86 cells. The ratio of increase of convicts, taking the increase of former years as a standard, will warrant the presumption that by the end of this year there will not be sufficient room for the accommodation of the convicts that will be at this institution at that time. Your Committee think it advisable that the other wing of the cell house and center building be commenced immediately, in order to use all the convict labor not engaged in the industrial branches of this institution to advantage in the erection of this building. It will require three years to complete this building without the cells; but enough cells could be completed to meet the immediate wants of the institution at the expiration of that time, and other cells could be added as the necessities of the institution will require. This labor can be performed by convicts, as can the erection of the main building. Should the erection of this building be deferred longer, there might such contingency arise as to require this work to be performed by contract, which would necessarily bo at greater cost to the State. It is ascertained that only about one-third of the convict labor is employed remuneratively to the State, a note of which will be made hereafter in the presentation of the transactions of the wagon and stone shops, and in order to use the other two-thirds of this labor to advantage, it is thought best by your Committee to make the above recommendation regarding this new building. The south wing of the cell building is 240 feet long, 50 feet wide, not including two towers 12 feet in diameter. The hight of the wall is 40 feet, and averages two feet three inches in thickness. The main or centre building, is 80 feet long, 60 feet wide and 69 feet high. The entire building will contain 10,059 perch of mason work. Estimating this work at $4.50 per perch, which the State has heretofore paid for ruble work, (and leaving the cut work out of consideration) would cost $45,366.09. The above figures will convey an idea as to the extent of this building, and while the greater portion of the labor can be performed by convicts, it is the object of your Committee to report on the necessity of such building and the cost of the same to the State; and in order to arrive at some conclusion, take the liberty of submitting the following partial estimates made by them: It has heretofore been stated that two-thirds of the convict labor could be employed with profit to the State on some work of this kind, and in order to use this work to a good purpose and made it remunerative to the State, additional expense will be necessary, which is hereby submitted: Three traveling derricks complete at $100.00........ $1,200 00- Lumber for joist........ Iron........ 1,500 00 3,000 00 2,676 00 ..... 1,274 00 In the erection of the already completed north wing of the cell building, a portion of the ruble stone from the quarries found on the ground of the penitentiary were used, the larger portion of stone in the same being sandstone found in quarries one mile distant from the penitentiary ground; that the ruble stone have been found to crack and shell by frost, while the sandstone stand all conditions of weather uninjured; that we deem it expedient in erecting new buildings, that for outside walls these sandstone should be used; that owing to the distance from the penitentiary, we are induced to believe that convict labor cannot be profitably employed in the delivery of the standstone from the too distant quarries; but we deem it most expedient that they be delivered by contract. A thorough investigation was made by your Committee of the books of this establishment, and your Committee are free to confess that the same were kept in the best style, and if anything wrong exists, they were unable to detect it; that they are convinced, upon inquiry, that in the purchase of materials for the use of this institution the interests of the State were carefully guarded. In conclusion, your Committee desire to submit the following two statements, as taken from the books of the penitentiary, the latter being a statement of work performed by convict labor and used in the present establishment; the first being a statement pertaining to the wagon shop: Twelve days convict labor at wood work, 75 cents.... .... 9 00 ......... Twelve days convict labor at iron work, 75 cents........ Cost of wagon 9.00 375 .$63 65 Wholesale price of wagons, in large and small quantities, to dealers, $75 and $78. Retail price, $80 and $85, which will make an average of all wagons sold at wholesale and retail prices of $79. The above prices of materials are at present rates: Iron is from one cent to two cents higher than is customary, on account of a temporary advance during the last year. Our prices were established when iron was low, and the reason no advance was made in wagons when irons advanced, was that we expected that this inducement would have a tendency to introduce our work into the market. Fine work admits of more labor being put into it, with only a limited addition of material, and it consequently will be more profitable, (such as spring wagons, buggies, etc.) The wagon shop was started in January, 1871, with but one or two men. No foreman directed or superintended the work until March sixth following, when the number of men was increased to six. By the close of the year 1871, the total number in wagon shop was increased to thirty-five men, and from that date till the close of the year 1872, the number was from time to time increased in all its departments, including runners, roustabouts, etc., to 55 men. None of the men in the different departments had any knowledge of the trade. They had to be taught and are still learning. |