Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-07-01
interesting Account OF she state Prison
0k Point 50. Quentin. Gala.


count of the present condition of the Stat
Prison and the prisoners, from the editoria
correspondence of the Miners Advocate:
The site selected by the Commissioners fol
the location of the State Prison, was Poin
st. Quentin in Marin County, where the con
victs are now at work. The location is eligi
bleand convenient, being about miles from
San Francisco, on the bay, and at all times
accessible to small crafts. The former own
er of the land obligated himself to build a
wharf to such depth of water that the lar
gest vessels might approach with safety. The
work has lately been commenced and will
doubtless be completed the present year
The place selected for the works is in beau
tltul little cove, completely sheltered by the
high hills, from the cold and dsagreeable
winds that prevail at all seasons of the year
on the bays. Here number of temporary
buildings have been erected, used as offices
for the Superintendent, dining hall of the
eonvicts, work shops DC. Several large me-
tal-roofed sheds are used in protecting bricks
from bad weather and affording shelter to
the prisoners. The number of convicts in
charge of the contractors at the present time
is 2l0-four of whom are women, Nearly
two-thirds of the whole number are engaged
in manufacturing bricks. A steam engine of
forty horse power drives two large machines S,
which consume the clay as fast as it can be
fed by four persons. AT least dozen are
engaged in excayating-the dirt is taken by
carts to the machines, when, in few mo-
ments it is completely pulverised and shaped
by machinery into bricks. They are taken
in rough state to another portion of the
works, and by hand press are finished rea-
dy to be placed in the kiln for burning. AT
least fifty thousand bricks of a superior quail
ity are daily manufactured. The specimens
we examined were pronounced equal to the
best manufactured anywhere. The contract
ors were so unfortunate last winter during the
prevalence of rains, from the want of proper
convenieces to lose two kilns all ready to be
burned. One hundred and fifty thousand
bricks were soon reduced to a shapeless mass
causing loss of many thousand dollars.
A valuable stone quarry has been discoy-
cred on the Point and large number of
conyicts are engaged in taking it out and
dressing it for building purposes. 1t is a
species of granite, of firm and beautiful tex
ture and of remarkably fine quality. This
quarry belongs to the State and is consider
ed alone to be worth fifty thousand dollars
The bed is apparently inexhaustibe and can
afford sufficient material for the erection of a
building of almost any magnitude.
Some of the prisoners are employed in
blacksmithing and other occupations, and
about half a dozen tailors are constantly en-
gagged in repairing the uniforms of that large
battalion of involuntary volunteers. The wo-
men are confined on board hulk and are
kept busy in mending, sewing and light nee
die work. Of these four women, two are
Chieans, one Mexican and one from Scot
land via Sidney. The first two had commit
ted manslaughter, the third grand larceny,
and the fourth, frail creature, was discovered
attempting to pass false key to her lover,
who was then confined in the county Jail of
San Francisco, and who is now enlisted for
ten years in the service of the State.
The prisoners were we'll fed-having an
abundance of coarse substantial food Fresh
beef is furnished to them three times per
week, together with coffee and sugar. They
are remarkably healthy, there being only three
on the sick list out of over two hundred
Their clothing consists Of red and blue wool
en- Shirts grey cloth caps, grey wooden over
alls and heavy brogans. The hair is cut close
to the head upon the commencement of their
term of punishment and is kept SO until near
the close, when it is allowed to grow. Upon
the expiration of service, the convict receives
N hot Ro1o
when he entered, and is discharged with an
ample patrimony of good advice and in good
physical condition. The conyicts are in an
excellent state of discipline, and we are in
| formed that the instances are very rare where
corporal punishment has been resorted to for
compelling implicit obediance to all orders.
The simple application of the lash has proved
effectual in all cases in bringing the refractory
convicts to complete submission.
BY permission of the gentlemanly super
| intendent of the convicts, we Intercepted Sc
veral whose chronological developments SEEM
ed to deny the possibility of their being found
in such degrading and miserable situation.
They spoke in high terms of the humanity
and kindness of their keepers-acknowledg-
| ing tnat tney were treated as wen as could De
expected, at the same time positively deny
ing any participation in any act which could
place them in such position. Such a lot of
innocent persons perhaps were never before
congregated together The only guilty per-
son we found was the Sidney woman, who
confessed that her strong love and affection
for her luckless swain, then in Jail for finger
ing other persons jewelry, had tempted her
in AT unguarded moment to endeavor to as
sist him in escaping by the use of false key.
| The course of true love never did run smooth
and she was there as a living verifcation of
the fact
There are three brothers sentenced for q
term of years, having been convicted of rob-
berry in Nevada county about year since
This probably has no parallel in the United
States. 1t is case too melancholy and sick
ening to contemplate the position of these bro
thers-fne looking young men, who might
have lived honorable and useful members o.
society-the pride of loving parents-noN
consigned to everlasting disgrace ar 1 infamy
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