Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-25
New Jersey State Prison

1t is with great pleasure that W. copy the
following article from the Trenton Estate Ga
zette and Republican, in reference to the mar
ner in which our State Prison is now being
managed by Mr.. SroLL, the present keeper Of
that Institution. 1t also gives us pleasure to
see that our friends Of the " Gazette and Re-
publican have the magnanimity thus to come
out and do full justice to a faithful and compe-
tant public officer, though that officer differs
from them in politics. But this is not the on
ly instance in which these gentlemen have
been magnanimous. We have noticed their
appreciation of at least one other high Demo
cratic functionary at the seat of our State
government.
A paper that viii thus do justice to a faith
full public oficer--withont reference to his pol
|itics-must be controlled by gentlemen of the
right stamp, and should exercise an influence
in society, ten times greater than such con-
temptable, time-serving, INSCRIPTIONS, and
bigoted sheets as the Trenton True Ameri-
can.
But &c are DEPRESSING from our subject.
Our object, in commencing this, was to inform
our readers of the able manner in which one
of our public functionaries are discharging the
arderous duties with which he is encountered
and in order to do so, we copy below the ar
ticle from the Trenton Estate Gazette and
Republican, to which we alluded above
IF business is not SO lively in all our facto-
ries as it was a year ago, there is one great
establishment in which it never aags-the
State Prison. Panics may play havoc out Of
doors, banks may suspend and merchants stop
payment, but the financial stagnation produces
no inertia within the prison walls. There
everything goes on with clockwork regularity.
no holidays even intervening to waste time or
money. In spite of a dull time during the clio.
sing half Of last year, the State Prison is re-
ported to have done a good b~ps;ness. When
the new keeper entered upon his Office last
spring, the institution owed SIS, 339. 06, from
which its assets being deducted, a deficiency
appeared of 81. 735.15. The committee of ex-
animation. think the keeper has done well, con
sidering the unfavorahle aspect of all business
| lUdUlGFS SIlCG lie WAN lUSidIcu Ill DlilCc. Ills
current operations show a balance of ovel
$500 in his favor, and the committee tlink The
institution can be made to support itself. BY
aid of a twelve-horse engine, a large bushes;
is done in making cane seat chairs, as many as
l25 c%onvicts being employed in this depart
ment. The work turned out is of the best
quality, and has obtained a high reputation il
the market. Some 60 men are employed al
making shoes; good, strong, coarse work
which pays better than formerly, in conse
quence of an enormous fall in the price o
leather. In making looms and weaving, a.
many as 60 persons are employed. The rae
carpets, piled up in the wareroom Of the pri
son. struck our fancy as being extremely beau
tiful, as well as of admirable quality. A yer,
ingenious mechanic, Mr.. Chapel, has charge
of the broom making department. He is turn
ing ont a large amount Of the very best work
and appears to be a most competent man. TX
keep all this army of ~convicts in bread require
the services OF six women all the year round
while some twelve to fifteen are required t.
make, mend, wash and iron their clothing
We are disposed to think Mr.. Stoll a very
competent fnnctionary. When he has been il
Office another year, we may look for some de
cided results secured by his good management
He has had great difficulties to contend with
old lapses to make good, and a. general over
hauling to go through. The State should
give him a fair trial, for the Keeper of thu
State Prison ought not to be made a politi
cal Office. Let US have the right man in the
right place"