Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-08-19
Correspondence Of the Gazette.
FOR FIsIEN DS AT HOME.

SBosToN, Jane ia Visited the State Prison
at Charles:own. A high granite wall runs
round the yard. The enclosure is entered
by an iron grated gateway. The gate Keeper
sitssat the window of his office, inside the
yard--.,hc window being in The wall Of the
yard $50 that :he keeper can readily see any
one approaching the gate from the outside
Admission is readily givento visitors. The
keeper draws the bolt of the door some ten
feet distant from him--you enter the door
closes aftersyon. and you find yourself in an
area OF several acres, with granite buildings
of various styles and dimensions on the sides
of the yard. with other buildings here and
there. These include prisons, workshops,
offices and dwellings for the officials. You
90 to the'main office and make your business
known. You are politely received, and an
officer is summoned to attend you. You pay
a fec Of twenty five cents. If you wish to
take particular survey Of the various ope
rations, the officer is very attentive, going
everywhere. and explaining everything. To
every prisoner is assigned some kind of work,
in agreement, if possible, with his former
occupation. Sometimes prisoners are trained
to new tIsiness. An officer presides over
each shop or gang Of wolk,nen as a police
Contractors pay fifty cents day for each
mans labor, the contractor furnishing stock
and instruction. No conversation is allowed
between the hands. The prisoners uniform
is. one halfrred, one half blue, the division
running longitudiually from head to foot In
one shea thsre ,rere men at work stone cut
ting. There are other shops for talors, coop.
eIs, cabinet-makers, macbiuists, varnishers,
carvers, upholstcrrrs, brush. makers, shoe.
makers, whip; makers, blackSlniths,, &c.. &c
The hours of labor number from seven to
ten according to the season of the year
Some Of the prisoners are very yonng, some
gray headed. There are very few black men
among them, Among the prisoners is a
swindlcr who one year ago was giving nu.
merous and splendid entertainments, costing
thousands of dollars each, to THE .'upper-,en.
dom' Of Boston. Another bad been r. ,sre.
sentative in the MASSACHUSETTS, legislature.
Some others have worn shoolder straps
There arenow about 800 prisoners, less
number tlian usual Once in three months,
friends arc permitted to have an interview of
fifteen minutes with prisoner. Books are
allowed for reading at morning, noon, and
night Good behavior is credited to the y,ris.
oner so as to Lessen his term Of service.
There is bathing house where prisoners are
required to bathe at least once fortnight.
The cooking arrangements ere ample. and
the food good, though plain. The prison
coils are abou, six fee, in height, +lA,t, feet
long, four feet wide. Table, stool, book shelf,
iron bedstead (made to fold up like col },
and bible are in the cell. Rules for prison
ers are posted in each cell In some OF them
there are 'eagrsvings upon the walls ibe
ventilation Of the cells is good. On public
holidays the prisoners are allowed the lber.
ty Of the yard. There is chaplain for The
prison, and dirins service lis regularly sus.
tanned. In abibie in oHc,of the sells, i saw
the following: e or, s.. .Ao r~.r, Mn,
~. D. Smith, years. Bought some stolen profexty
and isted for stealing it, 0sod enough for me
Ought to have Lboxn better"
TIE appearance Of the prisoners was less
rcpulsive, less hardened, than have noticed
in similar institutions. This arises perhaps
from rho humane sysycm or tt,o xnr.nnc.nt
,Ahicb, while .insisting upou perfect obedi-
cnce, does all that can be done 10 make. the
conyicts comfortable. ~S - 't&~ va 3.
.sMaI VI - - 81 Fl - - ~ AglH
B3OTLEsss ADVICE TO Boots.
For the Gazette. -.