OFFICERS OF THE INSTITUTION.

INSPECTORS:

Hon. F. H. RANKIN, Acting President, Flint. Hon. T. F. MOORE, Adrian, Hon. WM. PAGE, Jackson.

REPORT.

To the Honorable Secretary of State of the State of Michigan:

SIR-We again have the honor to lay before you the Annual Report required by law from the Inspectors of the State Prison. Since the date of our last Report, the State has had the misfortune to be deprived of the services of Hon. Ira C. Backus, late President of this Board, who died in the beginning of September last. In his demise, his colleagues also lost an adviser whose experience and ripe judgment made his counsel of much value in the performance of the duties assigned them by law, in the direction and government of the Prison.

Mr. Winton, also, the former Agent, resigned his position on the 10th of August last, and his place has been filled by the appointment of Henry H. Bingham, Esq., a gentleman long conversant with the affairs of the State Prison, and otherwise well qualified for the office, under whose administration we have pleasure in stating that the discipline and management of the Institution are such as to give general satisfaction.

In our Report at the close of the last fiscal year, we had occasion to speak at some length of various causes which unavoidably led to a large increased expenditure over previous years, for the maintenance of the Prison. The same causes excepting the loss by fire-continue to operate with similar effect, and even augmented force in some respects. To save reiterating them here, however, we beg to refer you to our Report for 1865, and also to that of the Agent, for the same year.

On the 30th of November, 1865, there were in the Prison, 315 convicts, being an increase in about six months immediately

preceding, of 53. From the rate at which they were then coming in, the Agent estimated at that time that the number might probably reach 400 before the close of the present year; but this estimate has proved far short of the reality. The number of convicts in prison at present, (November 30, 1866,) is 502, being an addition of 187 within the fiscal year. This unexpected increase, together with the continued very high price of all the articles of clothing and subsistence, must necessarily involve a large outlay. In our former Report, reference was made to the entire exhaustion of all supplies of clothing, bedding, etc. By the gradual decline in the number of prisoners from 630 (the maximum) in 1861, to 262 (the minimum) in 1865, the officers were enabled to save outlay, so long as the surplus lasted of these articles liberated from previous service and left on hand, by the departure of convicts during the period of steady decrease in numbers. It was doubtless a wise and prudent course, under the circumstances; but the result was inevitable, when exhaustion had taken place, that as soon as the tide should turn, the efflux cease, and the influx proceed, the increasing number must be supplied entirely by new purchases. The Prison having been enabled thus to economize in outlay on these items for several years, the cause is apparent why the disbursements for "clothing and bedding" should increase from $8,616 01 in 1865, to $20,676 22 in 1866, as appears by the statement in Table IV, herewith furnished. The large additional expenditure for the article of "rations," and some other items, is accounted for by the great accession in the number of prisoners, the enhanced prices of all commodities, and the payment of indebtedness which the present Board found to exist to a large amount, incurred during the administration of our predecessors.

Mr. Winton, in his Report, as Agent, for 1865, (to which we again beg to refer you,) puts this old indebtedness at $20,000; but this proved to be an underestimate of the amount, which could only be ascertained as the bills were presented and examined from time to time there being no record of the exist

ence of these debts found in the Prison office. The exigencies of the State Treasury in former years had, perhaps, made it necessary to carry a floating debt of this kind for Prison supplies, purchased on credit, and to be paid for when means came round. The State did not get this accommodation without oost, as no dealer could afford to trade in this way upon as good terms as with a cash customer, and interest was expected or taken in some shape, as a matter of course. It has been the aim of the present Board of Inspectors and Agent, with the sanction of the Auditor General, to pay off these claims as speedily as possible; and, as a measure of economy, to reduce the purchase of supplies to cash transactions, by which the Agent can make much better terms than would be possible where the payment was to be slow and uncertain. Acting upon this principle, the total indebtedness of the Prison has been reduced to $4,809 27. In comparing the reported cash disbursements of the present with previous years, this important fact should not be lost sight of-that the Prison has not only been paying off its old debts, but avoiding the contraction of

new ones.

As regards the impolicy of postponing needed repairs to the buildings, from motives of economy, we have seen no reason to change the views expressed in our Report for 1865. The total amount of moneys received from all

sources, during the fiscal year ending November 30, 1866, was..

$106,931 98

Total amount disbursed,.

105,919 19

Balance on hand,.

$1,012 79

The earnings of the Prison for the same period,