834 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [July 31,

The committee would recommend the total abolition of all
manufacturing on account of the institution, and the substi-
tution of a system farming the convict labor to contractors;
under this system the institution can be made to support itself
and the State relieved from a heavy burden, while the prisoners
will be taught some useful trade, the knowledge of which, by
giving them the means of procuring an honest livelihood
would in many instances prevent them from relapsing into
crime.

It is very true that the difficulties of the present time will
prevent this plan from being carried out at once, but with
peace will come the ordinary demand for labor, when it can
be successfully accomplished.

It will not be out of place here, to illustrate the proposition
by an estimate of its results.

The expenses of all kinds of maintaining the institution,
simply as a prison, may be estimated at about $37,000. This,
by a judicious economy, might be probably reduced to $35,000.
The prisoners average about 420 in number, of which 400
are males. Suppose the sick, the infirm, and those necessary
to perform the ordinary house work of the institution to
amount to 100, there remains 300 whose labor may be made
available; these would not be equally valuable and may be
thus classified:

200 worth 50 cents per day, - $31,300

50 " 25 " " " - - - - 3,912

50 " 12 1/2 " " " - - - - 1,956

Producing ------- $37,168

A sum fully equal to all the expenses of the institution.
This change would not entail any expense on the State inas-
much as the work shops now used for spinning and weaving
would be sufficient and answer for any other occupation.

The Financial Condition of the Institution.

In the investigation of this branch of the enquiry, every
facility was afforded by the Board of Directors, and Mr. J.
J. C. Dougherty, the financial clerk and book-keeper.

The Institution has been singularly fortunate in securing
the services of the latter officer, whose books and accounts
are kept in a manner highly creditable to himself, and those
who appointed him.

This examination produced the following results;