Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-04

'IsIr TO THE PENIrENTIAaY. "A few DAYS
since we visited this institution, and through the
an OF ls courteous oftcen were enabled to get
god idea OF It's present condition, with many
Interesting facts relative thereto. On entering
the prison proper we found ourselves In a spacious
stsreroom, in which 10 stacked large Quantity CT
oroom-corn, TO be made up into brooms: and some
SD pairs Of sewed shoes Of excellent quality,
aAhough course looking, which have been mace
fT the army, and wrfe thea ready for delivery.
Leaving this room we passed through another
=teor into the main building, in which are the
cells Tor the prisoners, arranged In four tiers with
guleries leading to them. There are pa Of these
cells In the building, 50 Of which have been
lGelY partitioned Of from the female department,
while 81 others In that department are occupied
b the men. These cells are about eight eetiong
sn four feet wide, with bed on one side. The
dsor Of the cells are iron, with bars at the top,
aid have small opening at the bottom. As a
genersi Thing they are kept neat and clean, and
some Of them are very tastefully arranged, the
co.'s being ornamented with papefs OF different
cOIors. A number Of them had shelves fitted up
a the heads Of the cots, on some Of which we
noticed a number Of books, mostly Of a religious
character, and on one a number Of ambrotypes,
probably Of the wife and children Of the cen
vet
Ascending the long flight Of stairs TO the upper
Tier Of cells, and turning of to the left, we came
ts the hospital, large and airy room, in which
were several couches, but no inmates. For several
weeks past not a single convict has made a COM
aint Of Illness or has needed the services of the
PHYSICIAN. At present IA Of the prisoners lodge
here, there not being room enough In the cells
fg all.
Retracing our steps down one flight Of stairs,
we come to the chapel, which is directly under
the hospital. Service Is held here every Sunday
morning, by the chap plain; previous TO which the
prisoners are marched IN, and one or two hours
are spent In sabbath school exercises. The pris-
ners are represented as Being very attentive to
the exercises, and the exercises said TO be eI-
temely interesting.
Leaving the main building, we passed down a
Sight Of steps to the basement Of the front build
ing, where tie bakery Is situated. Here we find
Tie baker; who now has a little spare time and Is
among us troughs engaged in putting together
FeoI stand made OF pieces Of bone which he has
Sus into shape during his spare mementS. His
Partner flor there are two employed here, we are
Informed, has gone to his cell to read some IA
yorite hook. These men, although at the time
Idle, are two most industrious Matchmaking I'D
into bread and baking two barrels Of -four per
day.
Going through the yard, In the center Of which
- the pump, we observe a number Of hands az
ranging the buckets of the prisoners according to
their numberS preparatory to their being carried
into the cells with them for the night and enter
ing door in the lower portion Of the building
an which Is the shoe shop, we find ourselves In
che dining room for the white prisoners, In which
there are seats for IA; and passing through an
other door, we look Into the hall for the negroes
which contains seats for 50 persons. The tables
and benches are all arranged parallel to each
rtner, ard 20 each row bottle containing mo-
asses Is hung, while the knives and forks are
placed in pocket on the lower side Of the table
In each Of these rooms there is an opening cut
through into the kitchen, which Is in the angle
formed by The two rooms, through which the
food is passed. In the kitchen there are three
cooks, who are almost constantly employed, II
not cooking: In cleaning the utensils; each Of
these cooks, working to himself, having large
heller 20 attend 10.
The shoe shop is overhead, and the larger por-
zion Of the prisoners are at work in this depart
1nent. On reaching the top Of The steps we look
Into the door and see some 142 prisoners, dressed
in homespun, one half white and the other black
seated on their benches and az busy bees
The are arranged as nearly as possible In rows.
The benches Of the blacks, Of whom there are 81
are all kept separate from those Of the whites
while those Of the soldiers, who have been sent
here by courts-martial mostly, for terms VARYING
from one month to three years, and Of whom there
are over 20, are placed between the blacks and the
convicts sent down by the civil courts As a
general thing the prisoners here seem TO be very
Contented. Only IN one or two instances did we
observe a scowling countenancs
Coming down the steps and passing into the
south door Of the same building, we enter the
broom shop, where 30 hands are engaged In
making brooms OF excellent quality. Machinery
up In this shop, and the hands are very expert at
putting up broom.
Leaving now this building we go towards a
cluster Of small shops near by, where two carpen-
ieu are at work making shoe benches, the de-
mand for which Is 50 great that they are barely
able TO keep up the supply, az new prisoners come
at work making tubs and buckets for the use Of
the prison. A little distance from here 10 the
blacksmith shop, the occupant Of which is one Of
The best workmen that they have ever had there.
At the east end of the main building, in small
room. there are six tailors at work, making
clothes for the prisoners, which consist Of jack
cts, pants and caps one side white and the other
black. which gives to the wearers quite an odd
appearance, and serves to cause their recognition
should they escape. Above this room II the dis
fensary, where the medicines are compounded
for the sick, but on which no call has been made
7or some time.
Now passing through the door which separate.
the two departments, we proceed into the yard
where four Of the ave female prisoners are busy
i; the wash-tub.
The prisoners Of the Penitentiary are called out
about SIX O'Clock every morning, and after wash
ing and exercising In the yard, are marched into
the dining rooms, where they AXE their breakfast
and proceed to the shops. At twelve again they
are called down and take their dinners, which
four days In the week consists Of soup and fresh
beef, with vegetables when in season. On one
day Of the week salt beef 10 served instead Of
fresh On Fridays they have hsh, and on sun
days bacon and bean soup. After dinner they are
marched back 10 the shops, where they work
until half past Eve, when they take their suppers;
after which they have little time to exercise In
nis b 'a 's.''' '-'' % % '''" Gems '0' the
Many Of the prisoners make over time, for
which they are credited, and the amount 10 pa ID
ever TO them when they are discharged. Some Of
them, however, instead of availing themselves Of
this opportunity, during their spare time make
up fanciful articles from bones and other sub
stances that they can obtain there, which they
send 10 their friends outside. In the Inspectors,
room we observed q most ingeniously made
miniature ship, IL being the product Of the joint
labors Of a number Of the c0nvicis. The tiny
crafl Is full-hgged ship, which was made
under the direction Of q seaman recently par
doned, and rigging and all 10 about two feet long
and two feet high. IL has twenty -one brass guns
mounted, and the spars, blocks, wheel &c are
made Of bone, which can be worked a. II on board
real man-of-war.
The following are the ofacen OF the prison:-
~ Kfno Warden. A. IT. LOnQlev. DeDutv
Warden; CASTILLO Hosmer, Clerk; T. ". Bra
shears, Foreman In the shoe shop; B. Ogle,
Foreman in TIE Broom Shop J. E. Bliss Turn
hey; r. @. Frazier, James Ferry, Joseph Wan
nsh, Charles Hosmer, J. e. Williams, and Z. X.
LJnglsy, Guards
The Institution 10 In excellent condition, speak
Ing well for It's ofhcers.
TEE CoNcERI LAST NIeHI.-Ihe concert Of
MIS-. II. q. WDon, at Willards Hall, last night,
could hardly De called q success, % the sudience,
though appreeiative, was small. MI. y. X.
Thomas's fDe singing was enthusiastically re-
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