The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-12-02
Visit 20 tho state Prison at Sing Sing DE-
scription or the Prtson-Appearancc OF the
Convicts-Thc Hudson River Railroad, &c.

Visit 60 tho state Prison at Sing sing-Oe-
scription OF tho Prison-Appearancc OF the
Convicts-Thc Hudson River Railroad, &c.
On Tuesday last received . polite invitation
rendered BY the Chief Of Police and many Of his s
cent captains of the department, to accompany them
on visit to the State Prison, at Sing Sing.
Wednesday was the day appointed for the excursion
and, surely the weather, had 1t been furnished &c
order, could not have been delightful. The aiI
bslmy, and the sun, unlike November day
poured down Its warmth like an April morn
The Chief and his aids assembled Jour reporter
among the numbsr) at the Hudson River Railroad
Depot, corner of Chambers and Hudson streets, al
eight O'Clock, when, through the politeness OF Mr.
H. W. Chittenden, the enAcisnt assistant superin
tendent Of the company, extra car was provided
and at quarter past eight O'Clock the train moved
for Thirty second street Here abe locomotive tool
hold and away started, at railroad speed" for
comparatively speaking, We almost few along the
banks Of the Hudson, and with astonishing ease Our
car although the of FIVE six attached
to the locomotive, was steady and quiet exhibiting
the best evidence of the superiority Of the road.
The travel this road, perceive, il destined to
be tremendous, when completed to Albany; and, in
comparison with other roads, possibly, 1t will be less
liable to accidents, Is the company, by the
commencement, have established a set of look. out
flag when the road 10 clear and II any obstacle is in
The way red dag is shown. Signals be by
night a. weh as day. by coorsd lights, thus adding
much to the safeguard Of the travelling community.
About ten O'Clock we arrived ct the picturesque
hs prison T.rs in tSs politics..
Lockwood Agent and A. IL Wells, Inspector in
Charge. We we're then divided on into two parties,
M
shops and departments occupied by the convicts.
On passing into the interior Of the prison, OBJ
taken place. especially within the last two years The
most prominent ones four marble buildings mea-
prisoS '0 Another building nearly conpisss to be
used for hat plushing measuring 100 feet by 30 The
ne. buildings erected since the IRE are nov q. occu
ticles Of merchandise. The felt hats known rs the
California hats, are extensively manufactured This
sve machinery erected, driven BY steam power and
about forty cenvcts engaged in forming the rst body
engaged in the second BY closing the substance
together IN boiling water and acid and In Q room
above are convcts engaged in blocking the hats into
shape. The next shop entered, convicts
gagged in carpenters work. This Is q branch, in
roduced convict labor Some Of the convicts
engaged In executing some very handsome specimens
CARPET WEAVING SHOP.
This business Ia extensively carried and
cellen specimens of rugs, well as carpeting
made by the hands OF the conyicts. At this work
many negroes engaged, rs well as white oonvicts
This shop Is the largest one in the prison, aud con-
taips ever hundred convicts engaged in the
making Each convict has his particular branch,
from the tongue OF buckle upwards, according TO
their ability
The file shop IL the next In magnitude and contains
possibly some Of the most desperate convicts Some
excellent specimens exhibited Of this manufac-
ture, from a rst-tail up to the largest size.
THE TAILORING SHOP
Here some fifty convicts engaged in making up
I'll for nrfsO M A lars m her OF
vcts who are incapable OF performing heavy work. are
number of conyiets are employed in the various
branches of blacksmith work.
THs cAHfNkr sior.
Here many conviots enga ,ed In carving turning
bed posts and chair rails. Others engaged in
painting chairs.
Convicts are engaged in mason work, and In fact,
every branch necessary for the mechanical construc
ton Of all matters .ppsrainiDs for prison use The
prison yard; large stone bridge has been erected,
uD which this cars pass All t1is work BY
convict labor, under the imnsIAats supervision Of
Mr.. Robert Lent, the prison architect.
The prison designsted for the female convicts Is
built the hill overlooking the male prison In this
department seventy I'VE female conyicts engaged
In The trimming OF the California hats made oy the
male csnvicts. These eonyicts looked remarkably
healthy and the cells well the other portions OF
the prison, exhibited picture Of cleanliness.
One Of the latest improvements in tbs prison dsci-
pne Is the method adopted offeeding all the conVists
In lar dining room erected fee that purpose At
end OF this spacious room. the Kitchen and COOK
Ing apparatus IL erected; and the story ABOVE Is ulyl
ded of-one half for the hospital and the other the
chapel In the dining room, are loag tables eighteen
inches wide fastened by iron rods to the door upon
which Is placed bowl OF soup, plate OF beet salt
bread. ana a pint OF water for each msn-suhi-
Client In all for good meal The food IL thus
ART anssa IN I'm rs".s s,s sp are aIo to
psrtake OF their dinner before twelve O'Clock
and soon the bell rings the Keepers OF the respsc
tive gangs march them In look step single ME- 70 tine
dining room and thus marched IN NJ their resFsc
tive doors each convict, as he enters the door re-
bis cap and proceeds to his seat In this room
we saw some six hundred ana ninety six nvics seat
ed all In readiness 10 partAke q dinner but not one
word or movement or whisper was heard ano az tnls
large body Of men until grscs was pronounced ~ the
cbsplsin After that done, the keeper touched q
bell and instsntspeou,y the six hundred ard ninety
six eonvct fell 20 eating vita appetite which gave
evident signs OF the good quality OF the food.
Here q to behold, ut once extraordinary
as IL vas remarkable To witness this large body OF
ielons embracing OF the most despe-ate ch.rac
tsrs In the country convicted ~ high crimes many OF
whom were doomed 20 the prison for their natural
lives and to the restraint and command exercised
them BY only eight OF ten keepefa' Is truly as
tobishing The conviots have the tul use OF Their
force within reach that could put than down
At the expiration of hesn minutes the bell sounds
800 rise ron the tsbs tail into single Gle ana thus
march back 70 their work HeretoflEs evtry manssA
locked In his cell daring dinner, allowing them one
hour but new they all dine In room, and are al
lowed only fifteen minutes ~ any convict visles
more food than sllotted him, he can have it Lhis
method IL considered 70 be very great imT rovenent
on the old system. aud liked better by the csnvct
However, IL 10 well understood by the keepers. that
concerted plan can exist among ihe conviets ior
any length Of time they constitute vstoa over
each others secret movemens--for instance IL
secret scheme eoncocted TO break Jail alwsy, one OF
the party will transmit the formation to tho Keeper
inspector and the theory u ~ hlows ;-esppose
convict having some ten or tsen years TO setve plots
to break jail the scheme II communicated possibly 10
an sssocists convict who may only have year OF 80
20 main. this convict. reheeton does act intend
to rick his future liberty for the sake OF going into
bold and possibly murdeross attempt 10 eocape Tsis
eoaviet on the propositon, ut once eonssivss plan
BY which he benefit himself at least IN the esttma
tion Of the keeper n does not result 10 pardon
Therefore, he seemingly joins the censpirscy and
makes himself acquainted with all he movements
about TO be made and trsn.mits them as readily tothe
Keeper. and at the time the blow q INTENDED TO be
struck. the plottsss are arrested and punished sc-
eordingy IL Is In this manner thst all such secrs.
schemes are detected a. no reliance can be placed
in each other which fact institutes In hsef de-
tsctive police We will here xive an in.tsncs as
related to us BY Mr.. A. n Wells the very sble aud
sfncient Inspector which ~ once Illustrates the
theory referred to above ssprt time since COW ct
from Of the Interior counties was received AZ the
prison sentsrce cf thee years; and AZ ne WY ao
l.