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REPORT.

To the Hon. Secretary of State of the State of Michigan:

As provided by law, the undersigned, Board of Inspectors of the Michigan State Prison, have the honor to lay before you their annual report of the condition and transactions pertaining to the several departments of that Institution, for the fiscal year ending Nov. 30th, 1867.

In presenting to you the several reports of the departments of the Prison, we feel somewhat encouraged in the present condition and prosperity of the Institution as compared with years past, and particularly we feel it to be a matter of congratulation that through the watchful care of the Agent and the blessing of the All-wise Providence, we have been spared for another year, from the sad calamity of fire in any of its departments.

The number of convicts confined in Prison at the date

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Number at the close of the fiscal year, 1866,.

502

Number Nov. 30th, 1865,....

315

Increase during the year 1866,...

187

Although the increase in the number of convicts for the year that has just closed has fallen short of half the number of the year preceding, yet two years more with an increase like that of the year past, will fill the Prison to its utmost limits.

The receipts of the Prison for the past year from all

sources, have been....

Total amount expended,..

$82,434 86

80,268 29

Balance cash on hand, at the close of the year,. $2,166 57

The earnings of the Prison for the past year, have

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Price per week of rations per convict for the year just

closed,...

Same for the year previous,.

...

$1.27 1.42}}

For a statement in detail of all the expenditures on account of the Prison, we most respectfully refer you to the report of the Agent, which you will find accompanying this. We would also call your attention to the reports of the Physician, Chaplain and Matron, for valuable information in their several departments.

The health of the convicts during the past year, has been (for the number confined in prison) remarkably good. This, of itself, speaks well for the Agent and Physician, in their efforts to promote cleanliness in all the departments of the Prison.

At the last session of the Legislature, an appropriation was made for the following specific improvements in the prison: For shop, $12,000; for taking down and rebuilding a part of the prison wall, $2,000; for flagging with stone, the floors of the wings and kitchen, $4,000; for Insane Prison, $10,000.

As the number of convicts seemed likely to increase, and as a consequence, a like increased demand for shop-room, it was thought advisable by the Board, as a matter of economy as well as necessity, to occupy all the ground left in the prison yard calculated for shops. The consequence has been, with the advice of the Agent, we have expended more in the construction of a shop, than was at first contemplated.

Also, it is our settled policy in all matters of construction, (as a matter of economy in the end,) to construct with particular reference to durability.

In view of the facts before stated, we have built a shop 116 feet long and 72 feet wide, three stories in height, with attic, covered with slate roof, at a cost of $15,273 97. The defective wall has been taken down and rebuilt in a most substantial manner, under the supervision of the Agent. In removing the old wall, the economy of durability of construction was made very plain. It was a wonder that the old wall could stand at all, for its foundation seemed to be made up of the old debris about the Prison yard. The Agent commenced the foundation of the new wall on the bed-rock, at the depth of eight feet from the surface, and we feel sure what has been rebuilt will be a wall for years to come. The cost of rebuilding wall was $1,934 74.

The stones for the flagging of the halls were procured by the Agent, at Joliet, Ill., and are of most excellent quality. It was not considered good policy by the Board, with the advice of the Agent, to take men largely from the contracts for the purpose of making these improvements, but to use what loose men we had. A part of the flagging is already completed, and the remainder is in a good state of forwardness, so much so, that it is hoped before the spring will open, the whole will be finished; when so done, it will be an improvement long needed, for the health and comfort of the convicts.

As there was not money in the Treasury for all the appropriation made, the Insane Prison will not be commenced until another year. Although the amount appropriated by the Legis

lature for a shop has been exceeded, yet we feel warranted in the expenditure made, in view of the wants of the Prison, and at the same time we feel assured in saying that we have no doubt but that we shall save enough in the construction of the two last named improvements, to make up the excess in the first, so that we shall be able to accomplish all that was contemplated in the appropriation strictly within its limits, and that too, in a most substantial manner.

The following contracts, for the hire of convict labor, have been let during the past year:

To Gilbert & Co., (old Cabinet contract at 28 cents per day,) 75 men at 50 cents per day. To Withington, Cooley & Co., (old Agricultural Tool contract at 40 cents per day,) 100 men at 52 cents per day.

To Webster & Courter, 75 men in the finishing of leather, at 50 cents per day. To B. O. Fisher, 30 men in the manufacture of brooms, at 65 cents per day. The last named contract has ceased to exist.

The cabinet contract commenced under its renewal the first of October last; the leather, the first of August. The agricultural commences under the new contract, the first of May next. Also the following named contracts, let the year previous, have gone into operation during the past year: Hollingsworth Bros. & Signor, 30 men in the manufacture of cigars, at 65 cents per day. Webster & Courter, 50 men in the manufacture of horse collars, at 65 cents per day. From these may we not look for better things in the way of receipts for the year to come? We are well aware that the people of the State feel that the Prison should be self-sustaining; and, as a Board of Inspectors, we are putting forth every effort consistent with the welfare of the Prison, to the accomplishment of this object, and in this we have the hearty coöperation of the Agent. But while our receipts are from old contracts running at from 28 to 40 cents per day, and the prices of subsistence almost doubled, (I should have said almost thribbled,) it cannot be expected that the Prison can pay its way. We can only say that we shall set this

one thing before us: to do all we can to accomplish an object so desirable to the people of the State, and also to ourselves.

We are aware that the matter of discipline in our State Prison, and the manner of the infliction of punishment has excited some criticism, and this is right. This is a right the people of the State have, to closely scan all the doings of its public officials, and such scrutiny strongly tends to the correction of evils, which may largely exist in all our public institutions. While such is true, it is a matter of fact, that there will be wide differences of opinion in regard to the best means to be adopted to obtain so desirable a result, as correct discipline in an institution like our State Prison. Some hold that no harsh means should ever be used; that kindness always will win; while others take the opposite extreme, that State Prison is only a place of punishment; reformation is not to be taken into account. Yet, all concede the one thing, that strict discipline must be maintained, and their means of recommendation are the means necessary to produce a result so desirable. Now, it is a matter exceedingly unpleasant to us to be compelled to inflict corporeal punishment upon any convict, but good discipline we must have, or convicts cannot be controlled. Six hundred of our most desperate men confined together, must be under control, or we have no business at all with an institution like this. Now, we believe that every officer connected with the Prison, should be a man possessing a kind heart and a correct moral character, and then he will feel it no disgrace to try, at least, to do the convict good, by pointing him to the path of virtue, and to use his influence to persuade him to a better life. But there are men so debased by crime, so lost to all love for anything good, that nothing but to be made to feel most sensibly, that "the way of the transgressor is hard," will prompt them to keep anywhere within the bounds of good discipline.

Our State has too far lost sight of this important fact. We do not pay attention enough to the cultivation of the moral, the religious character. The salary of our Chaplain is too small. Six hundred dollars will not command the talent demanded.

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