and changes in the laws providing for its government and control; and in the message of the 24th day of May, I said: "The only practicable system for the successful management of the Penitentiary, in my judgment, is that which combines the retention of complete control of the discipline and government of the convicts with the lease of their labor to persons engaged in special pursuits, as substantially embodied in the bill that passed the Senate at the late session, and was understood to be acceptable to a large number of the members of the House of Representatives. I cannot forbear the expression of the hope that such a measure will meet the approval of the General Assembly." It was my impression then, and I repeat the opinion now, that under the operation of the bill referred to, which passed both houses and took effect on the 1st of July last, the Penitentiary will cease to be a burden upon the treasury of the State. I have the honor to submit to the House of Representatives an original letter from John Reid, Esq., President of the Penitentiary Board of Commissioners, and a special report showing the monthly earnings and expenditures of the Penitentiary, and also an estimate of the probable earnings and expenditures of the institution for the remaining portion of the year. JOHN M. PALMER. ILLINOIS STATE PENITENTIARY, HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN M. PALMER, Governor, Illinois: DEAR SIR: Inclosed I send you a statement of the receipts and expenditures of the Illinois State Penitentiary, for the five months ending January 31; also an estimate of the receipts and expenditures for the next ten months, from Feb. 1 to Nov. 30, 1872. The statement marked "A"-from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30-is all the receipts and expenditures, as taken from the books of the Institution, and shows a surplus of over ten thousand dollars. The statement "B," for December and January, are also taken from the books, except a little for the month of January, which could only change the figures a few dollars either way, and shows a surplus of nearly seven thousand dollars. This is all the expenses of the Institution: All salaries, guarding, feeding, clothing the convicts, cash and clothing for discharged convicts, improveinents and repairs, and all the expenses of the Institution. The estimates for the ten months ending November 30, 1872, are based on the present payroll and our recent contracts for supplies, and our present contracts for labor, with the following parties: Selez & Co., 260 men, at 65 cts. per day-shoemakers; Winterbottom, 160 men, at 70 cts. per day-coopers; Swain, 85 men, at 65 cts. per day-iron and brass casters; Hardy and Short, 27 men, at 75 cts. per day-saddlers; Fuller, 200 men-cigar makers. There are employed on State account: Stone department, 300 meu; machinery department, 50 men; teaming department, 18 men. The estimate of the receipts is based on the labor of eleven hundred convicts, making allowance for sick and in punishment, and cooks, waiters and helpers of over two hundred, which is more than the average of last year. The estimates for the stone department is based on the earnings of last year, and is below that average. This will show a surplus for the present year of about fifty thousand dollars, and we think those estimates can be fully relied on. Hoping this will be satisfactory, I remain, yours respectfully, JOHN REID. "A."-Statement of Earnings and Expenses of the Illinois State Penitentiary, for the last three months of the fiscal year ending November 30, 1871. Earnings at the rate of the net total gains of the respective accounts for the fiscal year ending Nov. 30, 1871. Book accounts for September, October and November, 1871. Repairs, $1.975 46; Permanent improvements, $3,655 02; divided in above statement in three equal parts. Salaries of guards in cigar, shoe, cooper and harness departments, to be deducted from the net receipts from contractors, "B."—Statement of Earnings and Expenses of the Illinois State Penitentiary for the first two months of the fiscal year, commencing December 1, 1871. Expenses-including all salaries (except stone foremen), cor- ... NOTE.-The December and January expenses are taken from book accounts. The books not having been closed for January when this statement was made out, above figures for January may differ for an immaterial amount from the final figures. Total expenses $1,210 76 * $1,748 50 15,054 75 16,049 00 61 96 300 00 $16,327 47 $18,097 50 * The increase of the Warden's house expenses in January is caused by the charge of 60 cords of wood and 11 tons of hard coal (at $13). Similar reasons explain the increase of expenses. |