The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-06-17
IOWA PENITENTIARY.

IOWA PENITENTIARY.
Daring our visit to Fort Msdisoa las
week we awaited ourself Of tho opporsInil,,
TO examine The .ialerior. ofthis building
an edifice 10 which no seldom have had &C
casion TO alludc, s.ydrin connection wit
the escape Of ono or more ofi.s inmates.-
As il stands prominently on gentle ris
above the town, visible 10 travellers up an
down the Mississippi, we presume It's ex
terier---in which i, resembles all oths
State Prisons that we have ever seen -i
familiar 10 tho most Of our readers.
Over the door 70 tho entrance, which j
through the hall Of the dwelling house, j
|sculptured heavy chain, we'll executed
and admirably conceived. i was the dc
sign, we were informed, Of member 9
the typographical art.
Ia the dwelling part Of the prison arr
situated the Offices Of the Superintendent
Warden, sc. A window, heavily barred
looks out from the laiter's Office into The
prison yard.
You pass through the ball Of entrance
open another door, upon which .no admit.
,ance- is blazoned, and enter the tempo
rarv prison yard A word about this door.
II is the door that closes between the poor
prisoner and the world, that shuts him out
from the pleasures Of life, meagre as they
are, but 10 which we cling with so much
per,inacity. IA the key rsttles in the
great lock aud the Dol, again shoots back
to its place, separating him from all that
makes life desirable, robbing him Of the in
es,imable blessing oflibersy, he must feel
a hesrt-sinking, a sickening sensation, as
Of the man suddenly deprived Of all hope
Bot when for the first time this free born
agent passes through the prison yard and
enters little cell Of about thrsc feet in
width and eight in length, with aides, top
and bottom composed Of blocks Of polished
stone and the massive iron door is closed
upon him, leaving him for respiration the
little air that enters through the cross bars
at the top Of the door, the iron eniera bis
soul and he feels the severity Of bis pun
ishment.
There are now seven convicts in the
Peni,ertiary and some ten or twelve cells
completed-,he addition comprehends ten
cells, making twenty in the aggregate. a
high stone wall is boing erected around
these cells, giving an area G! some TWEEN
~ yards square as yard. Another
wing Of the prison Is contemplated, run
ming north from this wall. Adjoining this
yard is temporary enclosure, made b.
placing on end oak boards about two inch
Sc thick and twelve feet long, firmly fas-
tened together.
On the west Of the main building is a
large garden in good sta,e Of cultivation,
the resu', Of prison labor. Here the pris-
oners are taken and unde. the guardian
ship Of a couple OF men well armed, are
made TO perform the necessary labor to pro-
vide their own tables with the best Of the
season.
During the day the doors ofthe cells are
thrown open and the consie,s are permitted
TO range over the prison yards, under the
surveillance Of the Deputy Warden.
From the dress AID general appearance,
The demeanor and privileges Of the prison
ers, we we're unable 10 distinguish them
from the contractors and worknea employ
cd upon the building.
Tie officers employed 10 the prison are
as efficient men as possibly can be obtained
for the service, but the reader may Judge
from our description ofthe opportunity pre-
sented the desperate for escape. II seems
to US, that the liberties Of the men are moi
sufficiently abridged, and that under the
present arrangement desperate fellow
would not long remain an inmate Of this
receptacle Of vice. I'hs humble. of es-
capes that have been made within few
years, tend TO confirm this conclusion.
The prisoners are all comfortably clad
and judging from a remark made by one Of
them, and the extent and appearance of
their garden, they fare quite as well as
those beyond the precincts of the prison
We're it not then for the idea Of being de-
prived Of liberty, the Iowa State Prison, so
far as we became acquainted with its ad-
ministraiion, would be decided improve
ment upon the squallidness of eastern pow
ery, and pTeeariousness Of city loa!ng.
EDITORIAL CHANcE.-The last number
Of The Banner contains a notice Of the
withdra wal Of Mr.. Wheeler, as associate ed
itor, Of that paper, and the assumption Of