Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-02-18
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For the GQzette.
: YoRK. February Q, lS5

Nrg York, February Q, 1858.
Having desire to see all pha-
": lh"manity, h" was led to visit Blackwelps
h of hulhi;b hnh;rb adioins this great island of
,bnd' war and contains the Lunatic Asylum,
bnhatiTIln'. " Almshouse, Penitentiary, and
fork hoSsL Changing to New York City. AT
*xpltal " oe Isrlum we were shown into Two
BE luNa'G; o;od 6y the female patients, These
~ UCsIT .S aTuite large, and the doers on either
is ~ an : into them SO that the inmates are
De open pen ~ n,ingle with each other. There
bOe'g g,rotr wing of the building for the
sp.:.t There are between six and
! ksh Pa.ndrsd Iunatics in the institution,
sfen nul 'rbom reside in apparent cheerfulness
Vt .Smsart only two Of them are confined
% S'D,O S' ~ nrevent them from lnjuring them
cells, ID 4 others. We saw their museum,
a'es am 4ontains many specimens OF their
bfo a.srt IF among which is the Lords prayer
R'dlHgd'H, w With a pen, and looks almost equal
Sftu'eu :, enoraying; also, several miniature
n' nh nh;eh we're wrought out of wood In q
,ssteful manner, and strong and well
~ s..5 Soor lock, the only instruments used
isls. ..onstruction being hammer and file.
Unfortunate people live happier than
ass, e, 10 L" e,pected They have the ordinary
is3 EarS y and plenty of fun among themselves.
lar sIiam;ng ], is motto upon banner which
,u.' n,aSp for the holidays: !" Religion, Ed
81" n Liberty; three individuals of an in,
s1S, '%c trinity, the soul of Krpublleanlsm."
1ElOo Gs ooyt visited the Workhouse for adults,
We e tunishment for petty offences COM
a'J , IN the City. This building contains
w. .rsIrp hundred inmates, half OF whom
v tmoles. The women are all dressed in
'%"mhrey As we entered the building
hmaes we're coming to dinner in military
n, being driven by their orersoer, with
w. IN hand, single file, - and from meals.
III ate dinner at the same time. and IN
.,m. room, at tables, or mnre properly
/ s,6n. ten feet long and one foot broad on
k AN Their dinner consisted of soup,
:, y" nstatoes. carrots, turnips. &c. Each
,";or apartment will Accommodate eight
Fr,ns The ages Of these women range
n twenty to sixty years, and their phrcn-
geal Development is mostly in the grosscr
II animal nature. The majority are pros
4. next visited the Almshouse, which con-
y i, over sixteen hundred persons, whe are
4, bn,b as regards mentality and this
\ [,Jrs goods. They seem to be devoid Of
4, feeling of self respect. Most of these
Fsble men we're employed Mt wheeling
4 and in our rambles over the island we
4 "a PASS through their midst. We were
[asrpi by them on all sides for tobacco, or
uey to buy the filthy weed. Not wishing
gi TO their misery, we passed on, leaving
\ en- to chew the quid of disappointment.
R,ir highest ambition is to satisfy this de-
4 a,r,d habit of chewing tobacco-poison-
! srh undoubtedly brought them to their
4 seni condition.
\ Ee arrived at the Peni,entiary just after
ser, and saw the Jail birds paratied in
aii, Of about fifty TO their work. One Of
! prisoners showed us through the building
Which they are confined ut night. The
/ i are quite small and are furnished with
bel. bible, and a set Of rules for their obc
acr while confined There are none CON
| el in close cells during the day except for
/ kaecs committed during their stay on the
i |sai. This man told us that the prisoners
letter of at the Penitentiary than at
Fy-tInt they get better living and treat
nj than when st liberty, and when set free
|! contrire to get back as soon as possible.
r work is very light-mere play-so
h have ca-y times il they conduct them
|5e properly. This man has mere freedom
Ia the rest from the fact of his knowing
|r As q general thing, they do not know
|,f own names in print. There are now
|tn hundred and sixty prisoners on this
|Dl. The use of tobacco is the remote,
Intoxicating liquor is the prox;mate cause
al the crimes for which they were sent
b. MEDICUS.