Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-07-20
The State Penitentiary.
IT'S PROGRESS, PROSPECTS, &C.


IT'S PROGRESS, PROSPECTS, &C.
Knowing that detailed description Of this
long desired enterprise would not be unntcr-
estlng to our rcadors, we arc enabled, through
the Kindness of an esteemed correspondent, to
furnish an account Of the proposed builehng.
The gsounds nre situated in TIE, corporate
limits OF Columbia, at she fooA of Plaiis'ssrect,
at pAt twenty minutes walk from the markd
and immedia sely on the Canal and are at pres.
cnt enclosed BY q high wooden wall twelve
feet in height, with on y one entrance through
which access is gained to the works. All
visitors arc required to enter through the
Clerks Office, and there register before being
admitted to the prison. As vet, the con.
structlon of the cells alone occupies the attcn-
ton OF the architect, but by reference to the
drawings, good estimate can be formed of
the arrangement of the structure. On enter.
ing the main archway, large ssairways lead
,a laom the right and left to the upper stories.
The basement is divided into rooms, which
will be used as laundry and storcrooms, and
the large arc in the centre will be devoted to
cooking, heating, and like purposes. 70 the
right and lefs aye she north and south wings.
where the cells are located These arc isola
lated, laving no connection with the walls of
the building, and are accessible by stairway
and balcony. There arc fifty cells on every
floor III each wing, and they arc five tiers high,
thus making two hundred and fifty cells in
each wing. Each of these cclls are fvc by
eight feet in plan, and have height of seven
feet, resting or stone paving eighteen inch
cs thick, which extends to the outer walls,
and would render any escape by THAT direction
impossible. Each cell is provided with all
the modern appliances for supplying air, wa
ter, Nc, and on the top in' each wing, large
cistcrns will be furnished, these will contain
the watcr from the roof, but will be princ-
palfy supplied from the river by means of a
large Turbine wheel Sewers, drains and
pipes arc arranged throughout the building,
and every attention paid to the hygiene of the
establishment There is corridor fourteen
feet wide passing around the cells and paved
with clghseen lneh granite bloe}s, aidcxtcnds
to the wall of the building. The central
building combines ali the apartments of di-
tai, chnpe|, parlor, offices, sc.
The Female Department. is to. the right Of
the male, and eotnbTncs' MI tho various divs-
ions of the latter, with che addition of y large
work room, and the cells on the upper floor
arc somewhat larger than those used by the
male convicts, being Gxs and 7 feet high
They are 4S in number, which is fair pro-
portion of females to- lnoles;. This proportion
is based on the statistics of other prisons il
the United States.
The pressing want Of habitation and cn,-
ploymcnt for the convicts that were waiting
in every district of the State, rendered it ncc-
cssary to commence the construction Of the
cells first, and up to this time forty cells have
been completed an& ready for the reception of
convicts. Each of these cells will acconino-
date three convicts if the pressure require it.
The isolated condition Of the cells qdlhits
of the construction of the main building at
any time.
The architect, Major T. b. Lee, has dcyio-
ted all of his engineering skill and ingenuity
to the interest of the State, and will eventual
ly succeed in crsetfng building whose mag
nitudc will compare with any in our country,
and for economy Of construction cannct be
excclcd by any that has been erected.
The quarry has been located on broad riv-
cr, one mile from this work and Immediately
on the canal. ~ means of an inolincd plane,
300 feet in length and chair. passing around
drum the stone is brought into the yard
The water of the canal furnishes the motive
power, and by skillful arrangement of ma
ohincry rock is now removed that would for
merly have required the labor of twenty hor-
sey. Mt present 10000 lbs. Of rock arc put
into tho yard with the assistanceof only four
labOrers
Various temporary sheds and buildings for
the immediate construction Of the building
have been erected on the grounds, and the Ia
bOr of the convicts is directed toward the con-
,strucion of tho prison.
His ESeellency the Governor, in company
with General Burton, visited the Pcnitcnriary
on the Goth ult,, and were escorted around
the cxsensivc grounds by the Architect and
Engineer, Major Thcs, B. Ice. Up tb'this
date the visitors register shows over 800 Wis
itors since the ffth OF May. The roll of con-
victs npw numbers SO, tho majority Of whom
are strong and able Bodied hands, They
wort Wcl d'anc' well clothed and fed.
Charleston DaUy Ners.
NEW ORLEANS, July 9..-Thc "Times
of this morning has special dispatch from
IIouaton :yivinr n dotailcd account Of tho OK