New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-06
LIFE IN SING SING PRISON.


This institution, situated on the shore Of the Hudson
River, about half mile below the Village of Sing
Sing, and tbity-two miles above New.York, is at
present the home Of about nine hundred prisoners, of
whom about eight hundred are men and boys, aud
nearly one hundred are women. The buildings of the
male prison ard the yards about them occupy about
three acres of space extending from the track of the
Hudton River Railroad to the bank of the Hudson
River-o distance of about two hundred yards. The
main building is the prison in which are the cells for
conning the prisoners when not at work in the shops
and is called the hall. Connected with it at end
il the building used as the Office Of the prison. and
the residence Of the Warden. Extending from the
hall toward the river the shops-baiidngS from
one to two hundred feet in lengh-about tbry-fvs
feet in width, and some of them two stories high Up
the hi about twenty rods in front of the prison for
men, is the prison for women, facing the river and
LAYING a commanding view Of it and the surrounding
country.
OFFICERS OF THE PRISON.
The principal officers CT the prison are as FLOWS;
InspteteT in Chage...''''..''.M William a, Russell
HGrde7'''' " man y. nva'oy'
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Daniel stewart
ohdyien Efg i, So B hge1'
Notyoa Of Female Psi,on.......Mrs. 81. A. Dodge.
These officers have their deputies and assistants.
EMPLOYMENT or PKlSONEkS
Various branches Of manufacturing is carried on by
the contractors who biIe Of the State the services
Of the eonyicts. With the exception Of talors and
shoemakers who are employed in making clothing for
the prisoners ,hose who work in the sOne-quary and
a few employed in various mental capacities about the
PRIOR al of them who are able to work are hired
ont TO the contractors. The branches carried on are
as follows:
rob;,ft Mnki,,r Tle-Makinp.
HatMaking, Saw-Making,
Cigar-Makng, braSs'rouuuIy,
shock Making, Saddlefy Gooh.
THE CELLS AND THEIR FURNITURE.
Tie main prison is five hundred feet in length and
6ur feet wide inside of the walls, which
three feet thick at the bottom. The cells one thou
ssnd in number built in five double tiers Of two hun
dred-one hundred facing TO the east and one hundred
TO the vest in each tier The cells ten feet from
the walls of the building, and in no manner connected
with them. The building is lighted by marrow, grated
windows in the walls The cells are reached by flights
Of s,eps and corridors made Of iron, with wooden
floors The ccs are three feet wide six feet aud three
inches long anu six feet eight inches high. They are
furnished with iron grated DOORS and at one of the
MINER back corners is small aperture which assists
the ventilation. The walls, floor and ceiling of the
cells are of stone. They frequently whewashed,
and are Kept in clearly condition. The furniture con-
ssts of bed and small wooden bench or STOOL Inc
beds.ead is board frame two feet wide, when Is
tuned up to the wall during the day. When down,
of course leaves space of but one foot at the side.
The bed and bedding consist of thin straw mattress
two feet wide, thin straw pillow, two blankets IN
Summer. and two or three blankets and quit In
Winter There is q small shelf hung up to the wall,
upon which is Bible, prayer and hymn BOOK, aud
sometimes one or two other books drawn from the
prison library. Some of the cells also hsve dimnu-
tive GU, board. The prisoners are required TO ge' up
81 ococL in the Winter season, and must be through
breakfast ,nd ready TO 90 TO work at o'clock. They
continue at work, except during twenty minutes al
lowed for dinner, until 4! O'Clock. In the Summer
tine they work from O'Clock in the morning until o
in the evening. except during the twenty minutes al
lowed for dinner
BILL OF FARE.
In the center of The yard is building, the lower
story Of which is the dnirg-roem and kitchen and IN
the upSer part the chapel and hospital All OF the
ccokirl, is done here, but dinner is the only meal
served in this bufdinc-breakfast and supper being
served in the cells before the convcts leave them and
o1n tiey are returned for the night The dlnng-na IS
nlsjnly fitted up with tables and stools, sufficient L"
sccouo5ate $50 couvcts. The dinner for them u
scrved ont before they march in. Yesterday con-
,;.t,d of a chunk of about oDethird OF pound oil
n %, nd three or four potatoes upon tin plate aud
10, . e. moist brown bread, weighing about one
noupd laid beside the plate. AT each plate IS TN
cup, for water when "''us - -
,ortrs ALWAYS move, in Going to aud from clnner OF
Nor rcns or the chapel, in squads, in charge of
| S,rrA k,epcr They walk in single file, cose order
Win he "cck step military tread, and arms folded
,n.h of ,,fned tastes end intellectual requirements
uEc 70 ct into this institution, is as likely to
81 90 dinner and dine between two negroes, as any
o,b,rL,av No teriiou Is paid to individual tastes
in N respect. snd no distinction is male IN color
TobJ IN p1,.ons are employed in cooking Steam II
used Ter this purpose, and the work is dOOe in whole
| al, he,er IN csldroas The bill OF fare . a. o'
| love
| Breakfast.