Annual report of alterations in prisoners and prison labor performed at the United States Military Prison, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.-Continued. No. of days. No. of days. No. of days. No. of days. No. of days. No. of days. No. of days. Mechanics. Laborers. Aggregate number of days' labor performed during the month. Remarks. OFFICE OF THE A. A. Q. M., U. S. MILITARY PRISON, GENERAL: I have the honor to make the following report of the operations of the Quartermaster's and Subsistence Departments under my charge at the United States Military Prison, Fort Leavenworth, Kans., during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878: During the entire fiscal year I have performed the duties of acting assistant quartermaster and acting commissary of subsistence, having been assigned to duty by virtue of Special Orders No. 81, Headquarters Department of the Missouri, Fort Leavenworth, Kans., April 25, 1877. In addition, I have performed the duty of officer of the day every third day during this time. As acting commissary of subsistence, I have received by purchases, made monthly from the post commissary of subsistence, all the articles of food, consisting of the Army rations, for the use of military convicts confined at this prison. The average number of prisoners fed per day during the year was 382. The lard-oil and wicking for illuminating purposes was also furnished from the Subsistence Department. I find this method the most satisfactory both in regard to the quality of the stores furnished and economical for the interests of the government. In making contracts for the small quantity required, it has been found that no advantage is gained or the prison benefited in any way, when the same stores can be obtained at the contract price (with the cost of transportation added) from the Subsistence Department, where large quantities are contracted for and every article rigidly inspected. During a portion of the year the garden attached to the prison yields an abundance of vegetables of the most useful kind, which keep the tables well supplied with healthy food. In the autumn nearly enough potatoes, onions, parsnips, &c., are stored to supply the mess until the next year's crop is available. During the fiscal year, as acting assistant quartermaster, I have disbursed $80,082.76. The following is a list of disbursements made from the appropriation for the support of military prison for the fiscal year 1877-78: Amount of appropriation Amount of deficiency. Received for sale of hides.......... Total. For subsistence For clothing (citizens) For hay (bedding) For wood For oil and wicking For miscellaneous purchases For donations at discharge For pay of foremen, &c For apprehension of escaped prisoners. Expended by Quartermaster-General for tools in shoe-shop Total.... For other expenditures see lists appended, marked “A” and “B.” The hay for bedding under contract, $5 per ton. $40,000 00 4,277 64 108 53 44, 386 17 $23,507 26 875 17 131 89 5,288 68 954 43 4,973 44 1,370 00 7,050 00 180 00 55 30 44, 386 17 Other regular supplies for current use are purchased in open market as their want occurs. In the shoe-shop attached to the prison 39,880 pairs of brass cable-screw shoes have been made for the use of the Army. The material for this work was invoiced to me by Capt. John F. Rodgers, military storekeeper, United States Army, at Philadelphia, Pa., except the standard brass wire, which was furnished by Capt. A. G. Robinson, assistant quartermaster, United States Army, at Boston, Mass. The shoes manufactured were taken up on my returns of clothing, camp and garrison equipage, and transferred to Capt. A. G. Hull, military storekeeper, United States Army, at Fort Leavenworth, Kans. The work on the shoes was performed by prison labor, with three citizen foremen as overseers at a rate of pay of $80 per month. Thirty cents per day is allowed for the labor of each prisoner. A donation of $5 per man has been paid to 274 prisoners discharged from confinement, and a suit of citizen clothing to each one; also transportation to the place of their enlistment, or to their homes (they so desiring), provided the cost did not exceed the amount charged to the place of their enlistment. On account of the very limited amount of the appropriation for the support of the prison for the fiscal year, very little work of any kind could be performed on any of the shops, buildings, or quarters attached to the prison. The only purchases made of miscellaneous stores, tools, heating apparatus, or building material were such as was absolutely necessary and indispensable. The clothing furnished me by the Quartermaster's Department for the use of the prisoners is mostly of very inferior quality, badly damaged, and moth-eaten; some of it so bad as to be totally worthless. Also many of the boots and shoes, old pegged ones, furnished the government during the late war, originally of very poor stock and workmanship, now, after about thirteen years' storage, nearly worthless; the soles coming off in some cases within one week after issue, and they are so hard and moldy that they have to be greased and rubbed before any use can be made of them. A board of survey, called to examine and assess a price upon some of this clothing, fixed the value of shoes at 25 cents; boots, 50 cents; trousers, 50 cents blouses, 50 cents; great-coats, $2. I also performed the duties of treasurer of the prison-mess fund, receiving the funds accruing from the economical use of the rations and disbursing the same for necessary articles. Respectfully submitted. GRANVILLE LEWIS, First Lieutenant, Fifth Infantay, A. A. Q. M. and A. C. S. The ADJUTANT-GENERAL, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. A.-Statement of funds expended in the service of the Quartermaster's Department at Military Prison, Fort Leavenworth, Kans., by First Lieut. G. Lewis, Fifth Infantry, acting assistant quartermaster, in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, on account of appropriation for fiscal years 1876–77. B.-Statement of funds expended in the service of the Quartermaster's Department at Military Prison, Fort Leavenworth, Kans., by First Lieut. G. Lewis, Fifth Infantry, acting assistant quartermaster, in the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, on account of appropriation for that year. GRANVILLE LEWIS, $40,053 23 2,940 00 $4,285 94 $55 30 $44,330 87 $8.30 2,940 00 $1 11 1,065 29 1,983 50 43 50 1,940 00 9,498 90 2, 000 00 2,000 00 57,542 03 44 61 4,285 94 GRANVILLE LEWIS, First Lieutenant, Fifth Infantry, A. A. Q. M. and A. C. S. U. S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. OFFICE OF ATTENDING SURGEON, U. S. MILITARY PRISON, COLONEL: I have the honor to transmit herewith a tabular statement of the diseases, accidents, and injuries reported on the monthly reports of sick and wounded during the year ending June 30, 1878. On this tabular list the members of the provost-guard, the white prisoners, and the colored prisoners are reported separately. During the year, sixteen prisoners have been discharged on surgeon's certificates of disability; cases generally of superannuated men, broken in health, or such as were afflicted with an incurable complaint, or such as required change of scene and climate to insure amelioration or recovery; all of these prisoners claimed to have a home and friends to care for them. Three deaths of prisoners have occurred during the year; two of them were white prisoners, and the diseases which proved fatal in each case was typhoid fever. The third was a colored man, and the cause of death consumption (phthisis pulmonalis). An examination of the accompanying tabular statement will show that the total number of cases taken on sick-report during the year has been one thousand and seventyone. This is almost five hundred less than reported the preceding year. This remarkable decrease is attributable partly to the substitution of the dormitory for the cell system, whereby a less imperfect system of ventilation is attainable, and partly to an unusually mild winter, whereby a greater immunity has been enjoyed from diseases of the respiratory organs (coughs and colds) than hitherto. The diseases most prevalent among the prisoners during the year, in the order of frequency, are as follows: Quotidian intermittent fever, acute diarrhea, and acute rheumatism. Prisoners are given a full allowance of food; that is to say, all they want. They are comfortably clad, and in all respects well cared for. The general sanitary arrangements are the best attainable under present circumstances, although not by any means as perfect as desirable. On the 13th of August, 1877, a new regulation hospital, the construction of which was commenced May 1, 1877, was so far completed as to admit of occupancy. Although the hospital is not yet entirely finished as designed, greater facilities for the care and comfort of the sick have been afforded, and I am glad to be able to report the medical and hospital department of the prison now on a satisfactory basis. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The GOVERNOR, United States Military Prison. J. P. WRIGHT, Surgeon, United States Army. |