Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1874 — House of Refuge. [ARTICLE]

House of Refuge.

The eighth annual report of the Superintendent of the House of Refuge, at Plainfield, was submitted to the Governor on the 16th. The report details at length the workings of the reformatory during the past year, which have been very satisfactory. The health of the inmates has been remarkably good, only two, deaths having occurred, both from consumption. The statistics show as follows: Number present Jan. 1, 126; number during the year, 13; number re. turned, 6; number ticketed, 7; number died, 2; number of fugitives last year returned, 4; number remaining Dec. 1, 1874, 265. An appropriation is urged for additional land, the present farm being too small to profitably employ all the boys now committed to the house. The report of the Board of Commissioners is very laudatory of the management, the institution being believed to be doing its work as well as any similar reformatory in the world. They fecommend an immediate prison for young men too old to go to the Reform School, and yet not thoroughly hardened in crime. Mr. Charles F. Coffin, of Richmond, a well-known prison-worker, is resident of the Board of Trustees.