Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-02-05
STATE TIE Va.

many have become interested IN their
spiritual welfare. The pastor, Rev.
Mr.. Gates. who has labored arduousiy
for the past two weeks, exchanged
pulpits with Rev Mr.. Jones, of Colnm-
bus City. last Sabbath, who preached
two excellent sermons-one IN the
morning, on the LcAven OF Righteous
ness" from Matthew 18th ch. 33d
verse, and in the evening on True
Personal Liberty" from James Cd CHI.
25th verse.
Mr.. PIEAsA.r.-Revival meetings
have been held for some time past 10y
several Of the churches ia Mt. Pleasant.
The Journal of Jan. Goth says:
The reyivals of which we spoke
in our last are still going on, and the
good effects are evident 10 all. Many
have been TUNED from the "error OF
their wavs,' and give cheering evil
dences Of determination TO live cx-
enplary lives, the result OF which
must be happiness to themselves, and
increased satisfaction and comfort to
their connexions and friends"
At Taylorsviic, in Polk county, we
learn from the Citizen, over 100 per-
sons have recently united with the M.
E. Church. The people tor miles
around attend night and day, and the
revival was more wide spread and
thorough than any before experienced
in the county. AT Newton aud Polk
City, in the same county, interesting
revivais were experienced, as also In
the Methodist and Baptist churches at
Dcs MONIES City, where prominent
persons who have hitherto paid but
little attention to the obligations Of
christianity, were found anxiously lis
tenlug to the ministrations of the
pulpit.
TnE Iowa STATE PRIsoN.-Thc edi-
tor of the Burlington Gazette recently
paid visit TO the Iowa State Prison,
in company with, but not in custody
of, Sheriff IIilhouse Of DesMoines
county.
He gives the following description
of matters and things there
After very pleasant ride Of some
three or four hours, we found ourselves
in Fl ont of that terror TO evil doors, the
Iowa Pcnltentiary. We passed through
the office into the guard room and the
massive doors closed npon us. Poor
Mike was here Invested of what he had
been invested, and placed in the hands
of the Deputy Warden, who conduct
ed him TO the wasl-room where the
first steps of his initiation into prison
lite were gone through with. After
being was.el and uniformed he was
locked up.
We were introduced to DR. inskecp,
Warden; NJ. p. Griffin, Deputy War
den, and Mr.. Brown, Clerk j; and were
invited by these gentlemen to 'look
through" the institution, which, owing
to the ateness of the hour, we deferred
till next morning.
Next morning we again visited the
prison and were kindly received by the
gentIelnanly officers and conducted
through the WORK shops aud other por-
tons OF the institution. In consequence
Of the want OF shop room, only fifty of
the convlcts are employed by the con-
tractors and some ten or fifteen others
by the Warden in various capacities
about the ,rlson-the remainder being
unemployed, though remaining in the
shops turing working hours. In the
shops We found all who we're employed
as busy as bees, at blacksmithlng,
cooperin9, saving, painting, making
bird cages, rat traps, rskes, hoes,
shovels, DC, DC. all looking hearty and
contcntcd, in fact all the marks of dis
content we noticed were upon the
faces OF those who were unetLrloyed,
though many Of them were passi.. q
the time Ia reading.
Here follows description Of the
employments and appearance Of the
convicts from DesMolnes county not in
teresting to our readers, after which
he proceeds with bis narration
The building and its arrangement,
80 far as completed, are similar to tina,
Of the ONO ienitentIary at Columbus
but IN our opinion the cells arc toe
small and not sufficiently ventilated
and IN many Of which two prisoners
are now confined IN consequence Of the
small number OF cells yet completed
hia difficulty will soon, however, b,
obvlatcd by the completion 1f cells now
III progress OF erection.
There are now ninety six convicts
confned within the gloomy walls 0
the prison, fo' terms varying from 81,
months to that OF life. The number
sentenced for life being three, one o
whom is from Henry county, one from
Mills, and one, negro, from Scott.
y large majority Of the conyicts ar,
young men, many Of whom are not We
twenty one years Of age. The prison
ers are required to observe silence, an,
are not permitted to speak to thei
fellow prisoners except IN relation t,
matters concerning their work. Clean
illness is also enjoined, and the prison
hospital, dining hall and kitchen shoy
unmistakable Signs of good house keep
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