ART. 27.] STATE PENITENTIARY—CONTRACTS. 589

quality of supplies required, and the time within which proposals
for such supplies shall be made, and they shall accept such pro-
posals as in their opinion, under all the circumstances, may be
most advantageous to the institution.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 73, sec. 17. 1837, ch. 320, sec. 24.

405. The party with whom any contract may be made under
the provisions of the foregoing section shall enter into bond with
security approved by the board of directors, (and which security
shall not be a party or parties in anywise officially connected with
the penitentiary,) in double the amount of the estimated contract,
conditioned for the faithful performance thereof; and it shall be
the duty of the directors, at a board meeting, to rescind any con-
tract as soon as there shall be a failure to comply therewith, and
they shall direct at their discretion a suit on said bond for dama-
ges sustained by reason of the said non-compliance.

1870, ch 141.

406. The directors may enter into such contracts for the em-
ployment of the convicts in the penitentiary and for the sale of
the manufactures in the institution as they may deem proper, but
shall not enter into any contract for the making or manufacturing
of the articles known as tin cans, used for oyster and fruit packing
purposes, nor employ any convicts in the making thereof; the
directors may, however, employ an agent or agents for the pur-
chase of articles or goods wanted by the institution and allow the
agents so employed suck compensation as the directors may deem
right and proper.

P. G. L., (1860,) art. 73, sec. 19. 1837, ch. 320, sec. 16.

407. All expenses of the said penitentiary shall be defrayed
ont of the funds thereof, and no demand shall be made upon the
State for that purpose, except for such sums as may be payable,
by law.

Ibid. sec. 20. 1852, ch. 151, secs. 1, 3.

408. The directors, or any two of them, may, at the end of
every quarter of the fiscal year, draw on the treasurer of the State
for the sum of two thousand dollars, to be expended by them,
towards payment of the salaries of the officers of the institution.