REPORT. To the General Assembly of Virginia: RICHMOND, VA., FEBRUARY 28, 1896. The undersigned, a joint committee of the General Assembly, appointed from the Committee on Public Institutions and Education of the Senate, and the Committee on Asylums and Prisons of the House of Delegates, submit the following report, as required by section 4112 of the Code of Virginia, on the condition of the penitentiary: After an examination of the penitentiary, your committee would report that it is overcrowded with convicts; cells are insufficient to humanely, not to say comfortably, to place the convicts, and there is a strong demand to have the penitentiary enlarged and give more cells in which to confine the convicts. In some cells there are as many as thirty odd convicts. It should not be so, if possible to prevent. The question presented is, shall the penitentiary be enlarged? 'Tis true the laundry, wash-room, and cook-room are entirely too small and inconvenient. The number now inside of the walls amounts to thirteen hundred and fifty-four. Your committee cannot now recommend an expenditure to enlarge the building and have more cells, but will recommend that the superintendent remove to the State farm all convicts .not used in the shoe factory, tobacco factory, and what are absolutely needed inside of the penitentiary. Your committee is informed that there are at least one hundred and fifty to two hundred convicts that can be taken to the farm, and can be cared for and supported as cheaply as in the penitentiary. There will be an absolute necessity in the near future to have the penitentiary enlarged; to that end your committee would recommend that the Board of Directors, with the superintendent, shall have prepared plans and specifications and costs of an addition to be made to said buildings, and present the same in their report to the Governor and through him to the next General Assembly, with a view to the next Legislature considering the matter. The interior is neat and clean; the discipline is very good. The attention of your committee has been called to the diet of the prisoners; but reference is made to sections 4127 and 4128, which contain ample remedy. If any complaint is well founded the Board of Directors and superintendent have full power to correct all grievances, and special attention is asked to said sections by said Board of Directors and superintendent. Your committee recommend that the salary of the clerk of the penitentiary be increased to nine hundred dollars, and has presented a bill to that effect. Your committee has presented a bill amending 4163 of the Code as amended and re-enacted on February 19th, 1892, respecting "moneys received to be deposited in bank; how paid out." Your committee further recommends that the superintendent be given the power to suspend guards, and the guards have the right to appeal to the Board of Directors and have the matter reviewed and decided by the Board. Your committee would further say that the Board of Directors state that under the present system of appointment and discharge of guards they cannot learn the exact state of affairs except from the superintendent, the guards being afraid to express themselves as to the arrangement of said prison, either as relates to food or discipline. THE STATE FARM. Your committee wish to further report that the good judgment of the last Legislature is plainly shown in the purchase of a State farm, and the location and price reflect much sound judgment and business sense. It is in good condition, and prospects are good that it will continue to improve. It is the place for all the convicts that are not needed in the penitentiary for work. Your committee would recommend that arrangements be promptly made to receive the convicts and they be removed as soon as possible. Your committee wish to call special attention to the crude and imperfect laws now in force respecting the penitentiary; these laws have been amended so frequently that it is difficult to find out exactly the law in some instances. These laws should be arranged and codified. Your committee recommend that a committee of three from the Senate and three from the House be appointed to examine, arrange, codify, and amend the laws respecting the penitentiary, and make such further recommendations as they may deem best. This committee is authorized to act during the recess of the General Assembly, and have authority to examine the penitentiary and State farm and make a report to the next General Assembly. REPORT. COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, OFFICE OF THE STATE BOARD OF BUILDING COMMISSIONERS. RICHMOND, February 27, 1896. To the General Assembly of Virginia : GENTLEMEN, I have the honor to submit the report of the State Board of Building Commissioners. The State Library building has been completed, and is now occupied by the State officers, Court of Appeals, &c. Since the report to your honorable bodies, dated November 20, 1893, by which it is shown that up to October 1, 1893, $43,513.48 had been expended, the Board has spent for construction, completion, and furnishing of the State Library building the sum of $199,005.66, making the total cost of construction and furnishing $242,519.14. The cost of construction was. The amount appropriated for this purpose was Amount in excess of appropriation expended..... $218,124 13 200,000 00 $18,124 13 The act authorizing the construction of the State Library building required it to be erected upon the grounds of the Capitol Square, and the Board selected the site which, in its judgment, would least destroy and affect the general appearance and symmetry of the square. The Board being advised that a portion of the site selected was made ground, the architect prepared his plans for deep foundation walls, and a contract for the erection of the building according to said plans for a sum within the appropriation was entered into. After the walls had been erected to a considerable height, water began to flow within the space embraced by the walls, and it required the expenditure of nearly $12,000.00 to conduct the water beneath the walls to the nearest sewer and secure a firm foundation. The Board found it necessary to erect fire-proof vaults in the offices of the treasurer and second auditor, in which could be stored for safe keeping the bonds, securities and other valuable papers in their custody. The cost of these vaults was $6,300. The cost of furnishing the building was. The amount appropriated for this purpose was.. Amount in excess of appropriation expended $24,395 01 20,000 00 $4,395 01 |